The Beatles - White Album 50th Anniversary (Content, Sound Quality & Discussion Thread)

Other than the Esher disc, I feel I've been fleeced once again from Apple.

Seriously, I don't hear an approvement from the '09 CD's

 

Why does it have to be improvement? Improvement is not important to me. What is nice is different perspective. And that is probably why i am so happy with this set.

 

Waiting for the White Vinyl Extra Super Deluxe Edition that is limited to only 100,000 copies!!!

 

Mixed and mastered on mid-fi gear? You must be joking. Please do a search to learn more about EMI's in house developed Redd mic pre modules. A reissue was brought to the market some ten years ago. Expensive stuff, and state of the art today as much as then.

 

My standalone Blu ray arrived today. Subtle 5.1 mix. Enjoyable.

 

Helter Skelter take 2....how many times can someone listen to that? that is pure torture.

 

Argh, I love that track. Very glad to have it in complete form.

 

I’ve been finally playing through my 4 LP set having received it on Friday and then being out of town all weekend. You guys had me a bit worried as I read this thread over the past few days. Pressing defects and a left > right channel imbalance.

I must admit, I listen. I don’t measure. I’ve been buying records since the early 70’s and the idea of measuring the sound from a record still really doesn’t interest me. If there is any channel imbalance, it certainly doesn’t bother me. I hear plenty of volume and detail from both channels, probably more detail than I’ve heard on this album. Good sound stage as well.

My vinyl is among the quieter pressings I’ve bought lately. The Esher Demos are amazing IMO. I had planned on skipping this release but really glad I didn’t. I wouldn’t buy the whole catalog if redone this way but certainly Abbey Road, Let It Be, Rubber Soul and Revolver.

 

Probably no harmonizing because in these demos the individual Beatles are “teaching” the songs to their fellow Beatles. They were performing for each other so that when they entered the studio their bandmates had some frame of reference as to lyrics, melody and arrangement.

 

Their transducers. Their speakers, dude. The sound is only as good as its weakest link.

Rob Watts from Chord Audio got to hear the original RLS10/11 playback speakers, and the cans the Beatles used in the studio. Definitely mid-fi.

 

Finishing up sides 1 and 2 of the 4LP set, original album. Listening through my headphone rig with the DT 770 Pro's.

Being intimately familiar with "The White Album" for 30 years, in various formats and editions, I will say that this remix is stunningly brilliant, and I'm quite glad to have it in my collection.

 

Crazy good recording were made in 1968, and long before that. The one reason why the end result of the mono mix of The Beatles is not as hifi as it could have been, is that the people involved just didn't care very much. It was a pop record, after all.

 

In the old days you never had to.

I received the Who's Live At Leeds 3LP edition and there was paper everywhere on the third LP...luckily it was just paper and came off easily.

 

Nobody is arguing that. Most of my best sounding recordings are from the 1950s. Moreover, they had no idea that audio would playback systems would progress like it did. The fact remains that the Beatles were recorded well, but mixed and mastered (mono or stereo) in accordance with their status (a pop act) and their times, with very limited playback in the home or car.

 

On the dirty records subject, The Beatles Mono LP Box was filthy.
Half way thru a side you had to lift the needle and clean it. After a couple I caught on and cleaned them before playing.
It was mostly wax residue but they sound great.

 

Not sure if it was mentioned here but I noticed on the Esher Demo of Happiness is a Warm Gun, Giles cut the part where John after the false intro says "Oh ****." Am I the only one to notice?

 

The '09 CDs are great, but this is a totally different mix as opposed to a remaster - it is definitely a very different sonic beast. If you don't like it that is totally valid of course, but I don't think the objective was to improve but rather to give a totally new perspective on

 

So does Giles Martin listen to the white album and go “man this isn’t very good I can make this sound a lot better”(?)

 

I agree. It's just a remix; another interpretation.
It's not meant to replace. It only provides another perspective.

 

I highly doubt it.

 

Or rather I think he is going "man this is some great music, let's give it a fun new modern mix for people to enjoy to give this album a lot of enjoyable ways to be listened to". And if that is his mindset I say job well done!

 

After one listen of the Blu Ray Mono , I put the 2014 mono vinyl as my #1 go to. But i'm thinking is it possible I listened to the BRM on the wrong setting? Should it be in one of the 5.1 surround modes instead of PCM?

 

Yes I noticed that. It may not have been Giles' idea to make that edit though. That "suggestion" may have come from Yoko or Paul, etc., or been more about editing out John's mistake rather than his word choice.... We'll never know most likely.

 

So, as mentioned earlier, I have the Europe 2x LP set and also the 4x LP set.

The sticker on the 2x LP set says "Made in the EU" on the bottom line.

The sleeves on the 2x LP Europe set are generic black but not poly-lined.

The deadwax on 2x LP Europe Set:

Side 1:
MILES ABBEY ROAD 1/2 SPEED ROOM3 6757196 B132800 01 A1 (1's could be interpreted as ^'s and the 9 could be interpreted as a g - so what I am saying is the deadwax for this Europe 2x LP set is the same as posted earlier/above for the 4x LP set).

The 4x LP set has black poly lined inners.

Generally the discs were much cleaner straight out of the inner than the 2x disc set, apart for a large clump of swarf on one edge that had made a mark but doesn't appear to be audible),

The inner booklet of the 4LP set has almost identical blurb to what is on the sticker of the Europe 2x LP set apart from it says "compilation" versus "this sound recording" and the different bar code / cat number listed after "Made in the EU"

The rear box blurb differs in that it specifically states "made in Germany" followed by Universal International Music B.V. and a Netherlands address.

My 4x LP deadwax is as already posted above for 2x LP Europe Set:

MILES ABBEY ROAD 1/2 SPEED ROOM3 6757196 B132800 01 A1 (1's could be interpreted as ^'s and the 9 could be interpreted as a g).

Therefore I am pretty confident that the Europe 2xLP set is the same Optimal pressing as in the 4x LP set and very different to the US pressing (certainly the deadwax info is very different).

Interestingly though, the quality (in terms of lack of ticks and surface noise) is far superior on the discs from the 4x LP set compared to the 2x LP set - could just be luck of the draw, or could be due to different end processing chain (the 4x LP being in poly-lined inners the 2Lp in non suggests a separate packing chain?).

Hope that is useful info for some...

 

...yes and I thank you for the info.