Source for "Original Mono" on Sgt. Pepper 50th

Probably discussed here before, but does anyone know what source was used here? There are some sonic differences between the version used on 50th disc and the 2009 mono remaster. Did they use the 1967 mono master instead?

 

I just realized that this question doesn't entirely make sense because the 2009 remaster IS the 1967 master, improved by azimuth corrections and removing generations of sub-masters between the master and the listener. That being said, why would they use anything other than the 2009 remaster on the 50th?

 

Excellent question!
I had assumed they were the same, perhaps a fresh remastering but otherwise the same source. The only [ logical ] reason I can think of why this would not be the case is if they had created a new 2017 mono-mix coming hot off the multi-tracks (?)

 

What is happening in this thread? Stop the madness!

 

...suppose you tell us

 

Giles texted me in late 2016 and told me that they couldn't find the original Sgt. Pepper mono mix-down tape.
So I sent him a dub of a cassette copy of a needle drop of my scratchy copy of Sgt. Pepper.
I thought it turned out great!
Just kidding.

 

Not possible. I sent Giles my Rock Band remix.

 

Ha ha, based on what happened with Penny Lane I was almost ready to believe you!

 

It's a brand new transfer without any remastering I believe. So it's like a digital version of the 2014 vinyl mono mixes.

 

I am assuming it is a different transfer of the original tapes made from different equipment and not adjusted in any way.

 

My impression was that everything related to Pepper was retransfered for the project, even if it already existed as a high res file. This recataloging allowed them to find things like RM11 of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" and earlier stems for "Penny Lane", among other things.

Some members here have come to the conclusion that the "direct transfer" is flat and essentially as-is. The 2009 mono CD remaster cut some of the bass and added a little treble (improvements IMHO, as the bass is so deep on the direct transfer it's almost boomy and it's a bit dull on the treble side of things). There were also apparently some studio noises removed from the 2009 mono remasters whereas the direct transfer is, again, presented as-is.

 

Then Giles found a better source, the Dr. Ebbetts needle drop CD-R.
The Abbey Road engineers took it and processed it though Waves software, Pro-Tools, Cedar noise reduction.

It was so perfect that Apple burned the original analog tape and this remaster will be used for infinity.

 

A few of the songs are different by a second or two in length as well. It seems like they would have made one (best) analog to digital flat transfer and then proceeded with any mastering from there, but the time differences point to two separate A/D transfers. The 2009 sounds much better to my ears, and I thought I had read that no additional mastering was performed on the mono versions in 2009.

 

Weren’t the 2009 monos advertised as being remastered?

 

Perhaps they were, but if you're going to create a definitive remaster (2009), why release an inferior version eight years later?

 

Just a HAPPY 51ST BIRTHDAY TO THE PEPPER. Got the 50th anniversary mix spinning now will spin the mono that came with the 50th later tonight.

Released 6/1/2/1967.

A PEPPER party indeed.