A few questions for Beatles CD fans.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Dave112, Jul 28, 2017.

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  1. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Hello everyone! I'm in the process of building my Beatles CD collection. I have a few of the 1987 CDs but I want a complete collection. Last month I purchased "The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 & 2". I had read some of the reviews of these sets and they do sound like the American albums that my parents had when I was growing up. A lot of folks on here have heard all of the box sets and versions so I would like to hear what y'all would recommend. First, I was wondering if any other CDs have the "punched up" sound if the American Capitol versions besides the two Capitol box sets? I know they are different from the U.K. versions in sound and sequence. I just like them as they are what I remember listening to. The second question is about the U.K. releases. I've seen The Beatles stereo and mono box sets. Would these be the best of the U.K. versions on CD? If anyone knows of better versions, please let me know.
     
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  2. bherbert

    bherbert Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Africa
    Get the Stereo box if you like clarity and the mono box if you want authenticity. I prefer the stereos as I find the Monos muddy.
     
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  3. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Also, the Mono box set only goes up to and including The White Album. The remaining albums from 1969 and 1970 were only released in stereo, so you'd be missing Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, and Let It Be if you only bought the Mono box.
     
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  4. Bingo Bongo

    Bingo Bongo Music gives me Eargasms

    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    2009 Stereo is my go-to.

    I only listen to the mono's & the Capitols for sh!ts & giggles. NO interest in the 2014 US box set as it is not authentic in any way.
     
  5. bherbert

    bherbert Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Africa
    Remixes stereo albums in 2009 would have been ideal. But one can dream.
     
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  6. MarkTheShark

    MarkTheShark Senior Member

    I highly recommend both the big black box and the mono box. The big black box has the advantage of including the entire official catalog all in one place. I was never really interested in mono until I came to this forum. The reason for the different mixes had to do with incompatible phonograph needles in the 1960s, but the result is that we have some interesting variations and sometimes I might feel like listening to one or the other. They are the same songs, yet often different in character. It all depends on what you like. Apparently the Beatles themselves preferred the mono mixes most of the time. I have even gotten to where I enjoy them.

    The U.S. Albums set is nicely done from a sound quality standpoint, but while it has the majority of the unique American mixes (including a few not available otherwise on an official release) if the "sound" of the Capitol albums is what you're after, I don't think (for the most part) you'll find it there.

    Given what's available, and based on what you described as your preferences, I think you'd be best off picking up the individual albums which aren't included in the two Capitol Albums boxes. That would cover most of it and would be as close as you could probably get. These U.S. albums can be acquired separately:

    A Hard Day's Night
    Yesterday And Today
    Revolver
    Hey Jude

    AHDN won't really sound like the original U.S. version, which was Beatles songs in really bad fake stereo alongside George Martin instrumentals in true stereo. The CD has it all in true mono, then repeats in (mostly) true stereo with the exception of the long version of "I'll Cry Instead," which only exists in mono. The mono Beatles songs on this CD sound really good and I think are an improvement over the fake stereo.

    Y&T is pretty accurate as far as the mono version, but the stereo has 1987 remixes for certain songs and the UK stereo mix of "I'm Only Sleeping," which is slightly different from the U.S. stereo mix. But it does have the U.S. stereo mix of "Day Tripper" (with the guitar starting in one channel and then being doubled) for the first time on an official release. (More accurate versions of this album are available via "other means" if you want to go that route.)

    I would recommend Please Please Me over The Early Beatles. You get all the songs, including a couple which would otherwise slip through the cracks.

    For everything from Sgt. Pepper forward, the U.S. and UK were (mostly) the same so that should be pretty simple.

    Enjoy!
     
  7. detroit muscle

    detroit muscle MIA

    Location:
    UK
    I love the mono CD's but then again I haven't heard a Beatles record I didn't like to some degree (though I have avoided the US Capitol CD's and haven't listened to a US album since 1972)
     
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  8. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thanks Detroit
     
  9. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thanks bherbert
     
  10. BuckNaked

    BuckNaked Senior Member

    Location:
    Connecticut
    Most on here prefer the monos because they were the mixes given the firstest and the mostest attention by the Beatles when they were created.

    The transfers on the mono box set are nice as they are not boosted with excessive loudness. The stereo CDs were not given the same consideration, but are not egregiously loud by any means.

    One final twist to further confuse you, the original stereo mixes of Help! and Rubber Soul are found on the Mono box. The versions on the stereo box are George Martin's 1986 revisionist mixes infused with digital reverb.
     
  11. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thanks Arnold
     
  12. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thanks Bingo Bongo. I have read mixed reviews on the U.S. set. I am definitely interested in the stereo and mono sets though since I've read very positive reviews.
     
  13. A well respected man

    A well respected man Some Mother's Son

    Location:
    Madrid, Spain
    In case you don't want to buy both UK boxes, I would recommend the Mono box plus some individual stereos:

    -A Hard Day's Night
    -Beatles for Sale
    -Revolver
    -Sgt. Pepper
    -Magical Mystery Tour
    -White Album
    -Abbey Road
    -Let It Be
    -Past Masters

    With these you would have a most complete set.
    You wouldn't need Help! and Rubber Soul because the original 65 stereo mixes are included in the Mono box. Please Please Me and With the Beatles are awful in stereo (voices far right, instruments far left and nothing in the middle), so you don't need those. The four exlcusive songs in Yellow Submarine are included in the Mono box too, so acquiring that stereo album only for three songs (since one of the four is only in mono) wouldn't make much sense either.
     
  14. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thanks Mark! That's a lot of details that I need. I like the Capitol box sets because it is nostalgic to listen to it as I remember the music as a child. Similar to my Elvis CD collection. Mono is the way to go for Elvis' first nine albums but there's something to me about those fake stereo albums that I grew up with. I'm definitely going to keep your suggestions in mind when I'm filling out my Beatles CD collection.
     
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  15. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    Something we agree on fully.
    On another thread I even recommended grabbing the 87 PPM and WTB over only having the 09 stereo versions since the 09 mono versions aren't sold individually should they buy the 09 stereo box.
     
  16. MarkTheShark

    MarkTheShark Senior Member

    Cool, glad it helps. And I feel the same way about Elvis's early fake stereo and his Camden albums. They are definitely a guilty pleasure!
     
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  17. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thanks BuckNaked! I'm getting some great pointers here.
     
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  18. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thank you A well respected man! I didn't think about it that way. It might save some money if a box set is too expensive.
     
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  19. MarkTheShark

    MarkTheShark Senior Member

    I have to acknowledge that (heresy though it may be), I prefer the stereo versions of the first two Beatles albums. Except for "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You." (You have to draw the line somewhere.) (I guess I also should clarify that when I say their first two albums, I mean the UK ones.)
     
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  20. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thank y'all for all of the GREAT information! I have a good idea of how to proceed on filling out my Beatles CD collection. I only have one other question. As I mentioned before, I have the Capitol Albums Vol. 1&2 box sets. I would like to finish out these Capitol mixes just for nostalgic reasons. I doubt there will ever be a Vol. 3 Capitol Albums so I have been trying to look for other mixes. I know there are various unofficial mixes out there ( Ex. "Dess Mixes" ). Are there any mixes that y'all have heard that are close to the Capitol mixes for albums Yesterday & Today to Revolver? I filled out my Elvis CDs last year and this year I'm concentrating on all things Beatles.
     
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  21. A well respected man

    A well respected man Some Mother's Son

    Location:
    Madrid, Spain
    I have a bootleg Japanese version of Y&T which is very good (I even thought for some time it was an official Toshiba-EMI product, as stated in the booklet). It's called the 45th Anniversary. It contains the original mono and stereo albums (with the three Revolver tracks in duophonic), and comes with a very good booklet and bonus tracks (incuding the Tomorrow Never Knows mix that appeared on the first few pressings and was substituted). Curiously enough, it has the same idea about the cover (butcher cover and a sticker of the trunk cover included) that Capitol used in the official CD three years later.

    As for the US Revolver, no unique mixes or sound peculiarities there. You can buy the 2014 CD for the original artwork and track list.
     
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  22. Sick Sick Phil

    Sick Sick Phil Forum Resident

    Yeah but you get all the "new" songs on Yellow on the mono masters
     
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  23. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thanks Sick Sick Phil! I didn't know that.
     
  24. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Thank you A well respected man! I will definitely check it out!
     
  25. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Get the bread box,optional use.:)
     
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