Beatles Mono VINYL Box Set - 8th September 2014 Release Date (Part 6)

Only once though. Creating a vinyl cut from it may have taken several attempts.

 

Yes.

Not exactly. They couldn't use that tape for cutting because you can't play more than a few tracks from it without cleaning the tape heads. It is that bad.

 

I'm guessing, as was the case with the 2009 CD remastering (also used for the 2012 vinyl), that the copy was done one track at a time. This would provide the opportunity to clean the tape heads between tracks.

Then the 2nd gen copy could be played all the way through for cutting.

 

You are being silly. That is not the master.

 

Sorry if was mistaken. I think I misinterpreted the "straight from the console" part. It is still a pretty astonishing listen.

 

I'm not encouraging or starting anything. Please don't use my post like I'm the one who opened Pandora's box or something. ........it's a fact...got nothing to do with paranioa.......tapes deteriorate...Many here have been discussing it and it's time to face the music. Besides, it's not the end of the world..that's life!!!!

 

Absolutely. And in x amount of years the hi res digital transfers will be the only masters. And like digital or not, without that technology the musical legacy of the Beatles would be lost.

 

Thanks Bill - I will definitely look into. And another reason to buy the new box set!

 

I can't wait until all of these prelim discussions are over and we can talk about how great these sound (I'm not slamming the prelim discussions).

 

As long as those files remain readable. A really beat up record can be still played. One bit goes out in the wrong place in a digital file and it's totally game over. In some of my tech jobs that was referred to as a "digital failure", as in a totally not working unit. There is also the Digital Dark Age: whereas the technology to replay analog storage media is more likely to remain known in the future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_dark_age

 

They could have just used the 2009 digital mono master for the mono vinyl without telling us so we should
be grateful they made a new analogue tape master.

 

That is what backup is for. I would imagine that there are many backups of the precious Beatles catalog. And as technology in data storage improves there will probably be taken more backups. And it is a myth that one missing bit will render audio unplayable anyway.

 

And an unlimited number of analog copies can be made from a single digital source. They may never be as good as the 1st gen analog, but they won't get any worse with each generation, either.

 

An EMP from the impending nuclear war we will have with China will destroy all those Beatles digital files while the AAA vinyl will remain playable .

Now! back on topic. Who has cancelled their preorder?

 

That's for the Beatles 2012 stereo vinyl thread.

 

LOL yeah we must demand that they be stored in an emp secure safe. (Those exist btw)

 

Who knew!

 

This is a good point. As the case is with most reissues there is generally never enough information about sources, mastering processes, use of compression or limiting etc. We should be grateful that this release is not as much of a mystery and that they have been forthright in giving out information on what will be one of the most purchased reissues of 2014. I wish they could have used the 'first generation master' of PPM but I am happy with the explanation they have provided and in reality the result will still provide an AAA mono vinyl listening experience. Will it be as good as an original UK first issue? I don't know but this is an issue I can purchase in 2014 without any mystery about the condition of the vinyl itself. The majors seem to go to lengths to withhold information about reissues as long as possible because it likely results in more pre-orders than if they fessed up that the source was digital, from a tape copy or compressed or limited etc. It seems we are at a crossroads of sorts with new reissues of classic studio material. If The Beatles tapes which have likely been well cared for over the years are getting to this point then one can assume that as the years go by we will see less and less of a true AAA release from anybody. I stated in another thread that if you are on the fence about the LZ issues, get them because it is pretty clear that these are as good as they will ever get as a reissue and it is likely any future issues will be based on the digital files they made for this release. It is too bad that many of the early CD releases were made from tape copies or rushed to get on the street. That would have been a great time to make the best use of the original masters when they were in so much better shape than today. Thanks to AR and Co. for taking the care and time to do this right and provide us this beautiful opportunity to have our beloved Beatles on vinyl in mono once again. Not only that but unlike the Mono CD box, you have the opportunity to buy these as individual LP's. I wish everyone who wants the box to get one but if funds are an issue as much now as when I was younger then by all means get the titles most near and dear to you and sit back and enjoy!

 

Well said, Randy.

 

Well, I broke my one man boycott of buying new vinyl which I started last November and ordered all the mono albums except the White - I've never been able to get into most of that lp set. I ordered from Bull Moose, and now I'm holding my breath till they arrive in about 2 1/2 weeks. It used to be that I'd come home all excited with a new album and the wonders therein, but for the past several years it's been what are the defect issues contained therein. Defective lp's just took all the fun out of record buying that I enjoyed so much for nearly 60 years. By the way, I'm not at all a fussy person who bitches and moans about every little thing, but the no fill sound of a phone book being ripped in half is beyond my point of tolerance.

 

I don't believe that the fact that PPM will be cut from a copy tape is an issue. As far as I know, the only LP to be cut flat from the mastertape is Sgt Pepper. All other titles have to be tweaked (on the fly) according the original mastering notes. So if the copy tape is made in best possible way and additionally tweaked for mastering, I don't think that there would be any audible difference in the final vinyl record.

 

As has been discussed, Mono Masters and the Magical Mystery Tour mono EP tracks are also dubs, as these had not been cut to vinyl as LPs before this. As for PPM, and all the master tapes, I wonder how many "safety copies" exist and when were they made, what is their condition, etc.? I would think these could be used for decades to come, with little noticeable quality degradation.

 

this is the first I'm hearing about this...why was the original 4 trk dupped to another during recording? Stan Ricker told me he had to tape parts of the intro back together before cutting, but nothing about going another step and making a complete Michelle dupe to cut from.

 

just to be clear, I know the 4 trk story is a different issue from Stan working from the stereo masters....sorry!