MFSL Beatles Box confusion.... Masters or copies?

OK, so I was given the MFSL box for Xmas by a relative and I've been slowly going thru it. Haven't A/B'd it my Y&B or original Apples but for the most part I'm really enjoying it. The dead quiet of the pressings itself is startling.

My question concerns the info on some of the tape boxes. Many of them in the upper left corner are denoted as "copy tape", that selection not being crossed out, for instance that's the case on the box for Beatles For Sale. Since I was under the impression they were all supposed to be the original masters(except MMT) what is the meaning of this? Why isn't "original master" the line that's not marked on most of these? I've done endless searching on this and can't find the answer.

 

I once owned this set, bought it new.

I always had the same question.

I can't believe they were given the masters.

I thought I read they have never left Abbey Road or where ever they are.

While I should have never sold the box, the general concensus is they were tweaked EQ wise.

 

OK. I'll take that as a definitive answer.

 

Well that answers that.

But why do the boxes photographed, then indicate what they do?

Did the photographers choose the best looking boxes and just a reel of tape?

 

Thanks Steve.
Now I get it.
Makes sense.

To the OP, mine was the epitome of Quiet Vinyl.

Nice XMAS present.

 

IMO these still sound great despite any eq tweaks many complain about, and is still the best source for the different mix of Strawberry Fields

 

This was in my opinion MFSL's Goldin Age
Along with The Stones Box and Sinatra, the Trifecta.

I'm not a Player, so excuse any misspell.

 

I would agree with you. Over the course of my searching I've read many postings that complain about the the eq'ing. I've listened to about 1 side of most of these and whatever they did to them on balance it doesn't bother me a bit. I still prefer my original UK Monos thru Pepper, but for stereos these are pretty wonderful, and they're nearly as silent as playing the new stereo CD remasters. If you've got a bright leaning system maybe the the eq'ing poses a problem, but I would suspect this issue could be quite system dependent.

Over time I intend to A/B them and listen more critically vs other pressings I own, but for the time being I'm really getting off on these. I especially dig checking out the info on the tape boxes. And when I was given this on Xmas I was anticipating one of the Blue boxes, so when this large black box was brought in I was floored.

 

Is there a way using an equalizer to "fix" the mid-range boosts that Stan Ricker (I believe that's who mastered them) was forced (by his bosses) to put into them? How would one go about doing that?

 

Enjoy it. When these came out in 1982, I choked on the price and bought one. 27 years of listening pleasure later, I'm glad I did. The sleeve photos of the tape library boxes, with notes, are still amazing to me.

 

I picked up a MFSL box last year and have really enjoyed them. They sound clear, are on very clean vinyl and don't sound "overly nice" with "rough edges" knocked off.

 

I believe Let It Be was also from the EQ'd copy tape rather than the masters.

"FOR CUTTING ONLY (use original master for tape copies AR16216)"

Apparently the only original album where an EQ'd copy was made for cutting.

 

I'd say get a different pressing because the EQ is one of the definitive features of the MFSL Beatles releases, for better or worse. I actually like it a lot on a couple of their releases, most notably AHDN.

There are so many Beatles pressings that are held in high regard that I think one should look at something besides the MFSL if the EQ is detrimental.

 

The stuff I've heard doesn't have a mid range boost at all, but rather a top and bottom boost.

 

I would never let these out...what if the plane went down??? Geez...I'd never let them leave the building.. They are more than priceless...

 

The thought has occurred to me more than once that maybe EMI handed over some of the safety copies of The Beatles' masters that are stored around the U.K.

 

That's what I was told, too, back in the 1980s. Somebody did an FFT analysis between one of the MFSL pressings and one of the original UK Parlophones, and I think the difference worked out to like +8dB @ 12kHz, something like that. Way hyped on the high end.

IIRC, somebody with one of the audiophile mags interviewed Stan Ricker years later and asked about it, and he claimed that the MFSL execs forced him to make the EQ changes over his recommendations. This is not the first time record execs have overruled mastering engineers.

You know, this makes me wonder if they played back the tapes with CCIR EQ or NAB EQ. This might explain a few things...

 

That's a good one.

 

The White Album is noted as being one of the more goosed MFSL titles for high end boost (that rhymes), but I can handle it without an ear bleed.

I like being able to hear details in the mixes and performances that were previously not heard. At least the bass kicks hard and swift!

I still have UK pressings including a couple of white vinyl Apple issues. So the MFSL is an additional perspective on the album which I appreciate having. Dead quiet vinyl, detail up the ying-yang, a real rock classic, I'm not giving it up just yet.

 

I still have my MFSL box, in fact, the ONLY vinyl that survived Katrina; mainly because the box(in original packing) was on top of a dresser some 8 feet in the air(luckily, I "only" had 6ft in my house for 6 weeks!). The next storm that comes, I just might bring this puppy with me. To me, no matter what anyone says towards the sound, it is a PRIZED possession of mine.

 

I had a MSFL White album with A1 stampers and it did seem very very bright. I then happened upon one with A3 stampers and it was very warm and mellow.
Go figure.

 

Enjoy your box! My wife bought me my copy in the late 80's during our college days (the store, Flat Black & Circular in East Lansing).

She paid the princely sum, in those days, of $300 which put us both on the bread lines for couple months.

To this day, it's the greatest music gift I ever received