The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's 50th Anniversary (Content, Sound Quality & Discussion Thread Only!)

i don't care about the outtakes : with time i have learned that this are the kind of versions you listen one time for fun and find boring or make you feel like if you want to hear the final mix. I listen to sgt.pepper in mono every month (and sometimes every week), but i only listen the anthologies once a year. The DR is not all, i agree, but with a difference of 3 points between the CD in mono and this one in stereo , you can't say it's a minor detail : it sounds really compressed and it is brickwalled ! If you find it's ok for you, have fun with this new non-audiophile version, but for me the answer to question about sounds quality (the purpose of this thread ), the answer is : NO.[/QUOTE]
There is a difference between use of compression in mastering vs. brick walling. If you look at the waveforms of brick walled recordings, the peaks will be cut off, virtually the entire wave form filled with audio data. No open spaces, meaning everything is equally at the loudest it can be. This IS fatiguing to listen to.

The wav forms that I have seen for this new recording are not brick walled, the peaks aren't cut off and plenty of open space.

As stated, there is significant use of compression, and that does make the mix sound louder and "modern" , but as brainwashed said, Sgt Pepper has alway been very compressed because it needed to be to get all the elements on the record. I can't argue if you don't like the new mix because of its DR value, but it's not accurate to say it's brick walled.

 

I've heard the Tidal offerings so far. I'm pleased at the new mix.

Indeed. Always. Some people don't notice, but we do.

 

Thanks very much for this. I was more concerned about the bonus material actually, so this is very helpful.

Mark

 

This thread is already off the rails.

I want to hear people's opinions abut the MIXES.

 

Have a cup of tea and a chocolate hobnob, that'll make you feel better

 

I agree with this. Ron

 

Did they restore the lead vocal to the coda of "Reprise" on the remix?

 

What particularly Lance? I like the remixes. I haven't listened to the hi-rez tracks yet, just the standard stereo remix and of course the outtakes. Ron

 

It may have been necessary for the original mono mix to be brickwalled to make all the details come out - which I still think is debatable - but there's really no excuse to do the same for a new stereo mix, and the vinyl *does* have better DR, so why haven't they at least made *some* digital version of it available for those hifi lovers who are NOT into vinyl? And no, I don't really care that much for all the outtakes, so this release really is a dud to me.

 

The only thing you could do, is write a POLITE email to apple records letting them know about your concerns and issues with their current way of mastering. Yes, it is probably not going to roll any stones, but it's more of a chance to share some thoughts and oppinions then a random forum topic that'll shoot up to hundreds of pages. I will take a listen tomorrow, and decide to might do so. Again, in a polite and honest way. "If you seek help, you need to talk" is a common expression here in Germany.

 

They probably chose from a longer list of options for this Anniversary box. The hi-fi options will be available on DVD and Bluray in high-resolution, though I am not certain if those discs contain high-res 2.0 stereo mixes along with the 5.1 mixes. Anyone know?

 

A limited edition of the vinyl version on CD would have been nice. At least it's available in a less compressed form.

 

They do, yet the hi-fi version uses the same amount of compression. It was essentially just downsampled to cd format for the regular discs. A non-limited hi-res mix was specifically created and pressed to the vinyl only.
And we don't get why that one wasn't used for the blu-ray.

 

Thank goodness for your message.

This thread has been quite depressing, thus far.

I'm sure I'll enjoy it as much as you.

 

Yes, but otherwise it conforms more to the original stereo mix (and that's not a lead vocal, it's on the percussion track IIRC).

 

Thanks. "She's Leaving Home" spins at the slower speed?

 

No, faster mono speed.

 

I'm referring to the DVD/Bluray hi-res audio. That surely wasn't down or up-sampled.

 

Thanks. I was using the term descriptively and not referring to track allocation, so it qualifies as a lead vocal in that regard.

 

I'm not sure if this has been asked already but have the Outtakes been remixed? I'm just listening to a BBC Radio documentary on Sgt Pepper from last night where they are using all of the remixed versions and i've got to the part where they are playing an excerpt of SFF Take One and the mix sounds so much better than the Anthology 2 version. The vocals are dry and panned to the centre with so much clarity.

Regardless of the fact that Radio 2 compress the crap out of everything, I think these remixes sound FAB! I'm doing a bit of an A/B with the 2009 remasters and it's amazing to hear these songs brought to life. (Can't wait to hear them without the radio compression though!!)

 

The BR/DVD/CD all have the same compressed versions of the stereo mixes. The CD was downsampled.

 

They are new mixes, but from the final 4-tracks, not the pre-bounces (on the tracks where that's applicable).

The lead vocal on SFF Take 1 is actually towards the right.

 

First listen: SDE on the 5.1 surround sound mix of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper

 

Yes indeed. All we need are the waveforms and we won't need to listen to it at all. Everything will be there visually.

Except...

What's it like tonally? Strident? Mellow?

Does the stereo mix sound sort of smeared as it did on that early YouTube clip?

Has the stereo mix got most of it central, with just wispy bits to the left or the right? Is it clearly defined? Can you tell easily where everything is in the stereo soundstage?

And, what is the surround mix like?