The Beatles U.S. Albums box set - your impressions...

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Hawkman, Jan 24, 2014.

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  1. All Rights

    All Rights Senior Member

    I'm thinking of adding some gunky glue to the trunk sticker making it impossible to remove, putting it over the butcher cover, add a small pen mark or tear to it for identification, then sell it cheap or dump it at a used cd store and wait for it to show up on eBay for megabucks.
    There needs to be one in circulation.:winkgrin:
     
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  2. All Rights

    All Rights Senior Member

  3. RockWizard

    RockWizard Forum Resident

  4. BuckNaked

    BuckNaked Senior Member

    Location:
    Connecticut
  5. Does it really say "The Beatles Again" anywhere? Or is that just a nod to "those who know"?
     
  6. OnTheRoad

    OnTheRoad Not of this world

    Oh....is it something different ? I only looked at the catalog number. ;)

    The only copy I've ever had before was The Beatles Again.
     
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  7. AWillingSpirit

    AWillingSpirit New Member

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON, Canada
    OK, so I'm from Canada, and it's highly unlikely that they will ever release "The Canadian Albums" set, which would contain "Beatlemania! with the beatles", "twist and shout", and "Long Tall Sally" instead of "Meet the Beatles", "The Beatles Second Album", and "The Early Beatles".

    After a great deal of inner debate and reading the first 10 post-release days of this forum, I finally broke down and picked up a copy of the U.S. Albums for CDN$129.99 at Costco (before the Amazon.ca sale). I figured that I could probably recreate the albums as I knew them by setting up a playlist so the songs played in the RIGHT order as my acoustic memory expected them (I'll Get You BELONGS AFTER This Boy...)

    But then my dilemma: When Graham Newton mastered Beatlemania!, had EMI sent him the mono tapes, or did he have to do a fold-down from the stereo tapes? Which version did I grow up with?

    Well, on Friday I finally put on Second Album, and started listening to the mono tracks. When I hit Money, I went WHOA! I dug out the Capital box version (which had been sitting in my cabinet waiting for a very special day for me to play it...), and played the folded-down version from it. Sure enough, these were clearly different (yeah, the differences between the mono and stereo versions of Money are quite well documented.)

    So, I dug out my beloved vinyl copy of Beatlemania!, changed my stylus to the one I use for "less pristine" records, and played side 2, cut 7. As soon as it started playing, I couldn't help but start laughing.

    When my wife got home, I got her to listen: I played Money from the Capital set, then the U.S. set, and sure enough she could tell the difference right away -- Ringo tapping is a dead give-away. Then I played my precious Beatlemania! version so she could tell me which copy it matched. And she burst out laughing, too.

    Yeah, maybe I hadn't worn the grooves off that record, but I had pretty well worn the music out of the grooves. There was so much noise that it totally masked what we were listening for...

    Later that night, I captured the Beatlemania! version using Audacity, and mixed the channels to mono, which boosted the music by 3dB, and cancelled some of the noise. Yes, Graham had received the proper mono mix of "with the beatles" from EMI, and used that to master Beatlemania!.

    So, it looks like re-creating "Beatlemania! with the beatles" should be easy: it's essentially a re-named UK mix of "with the beatles", and I can:
    - use the 1987 "with the beatles" CD
    - buy the 2009 mono box (~CDN$260) and get the newer remastered version of "with the beatles" (I have the stereo box.)
    - take the mono tracks from the U.S. Album package

    Now, onto the "twist and shout" and "Long Tall Sally"...

    By the way, I'm working my way slowly through the new set (one disc every couple of days), and have really enjoyed the 3 I've listened to so far (Rubber Soul, Beatles '65, and Second Album). And the needle-drop experience with Beatlemania! made my wife comment on "aren't you glad technology has progressed so much?" Yeah, and these are bringing back the memories, but without the static and noise.
     
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  8. Mister Charlie

    Mister Charlie "Music Is The Doctor Of My Soul " - Doobie Bros.

    Location:
    Aromas, CA USA
    It is great to hear these things so much better than we were able to at the time (we non-audiophile kids).

    I would suggest taking the mono tracks from the US Album rather than buy the mono box to recreate one cd. But the mono box is exxcellent.
     
  9. Thrillsville

    Thrillsville Forum Resident

    Location:
    Port Coquitlam, BC
    Could you explain what the true stereo differences of Doctor Robert and And Your Bird Can Sing are? The Brennan list doesn't say for stereo, just the mono.

    "And Your Bird Can Sing:
    Of the mono mixes, [a] has louder handclaps than [c], and the guitars seem to drop a little more in volume during the verses in [c].

    Doctor Robert:
    At the very end of the fade, US mono [a] seems to reach the true end of the song, and then has John (?) saying "OK Herb" (?), which is not even on the mock stereo made from it [a1]. The "well well well" parts are also mixed differently here than on the other mixes.
    The UK mono [d] seems to have the vocal mixed louder than [a], but perhaps it is better to say the guitar backing is quieter during the verses, while the vocal and rhtyhm section is more powerful."

    Are the true stereo differences the same as the mono except that they're in stereo or are there other differences from the UK stereo?

    (I can tell the difference between the UK and US true stereo of I'm Only Sleeping but not the other two. The US true stereo is on The Beatles Box (From Liverpool) and I'm wondering if the other two are as well.)
     
  10. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    They are honestly very similar to the UK stereo mixes.
     
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  11. Mister Charlie

    Mister Charlie "Music Is The Doctor Of My Soul " - Doobie Bros.

    Location:
    Aromas, CA USA
    Dr Robert, yeah the guitars are hotter on the US stereo version and seem so to me on the mono as well, but I did not really note any mix differences on the 'well well well' break, unless the edit into the first one is a tad cleaner than on the other.

    The differences are not mirrored on mono/stereo; they are different mixes.

    My stereo Dr Robert flac was apparently taken from a grey market Purp Chk Revolver (CD or LP? No idea) ---as were my stereo versions of And Your Bird and I'm Only Sleeping--- and for the mono, which I found on a website so it was my only non-wav/flac source---the main difference was again, the ok Herb at the end, which I had not heard before all this. One could tack it onto the end of the 2014 version perhaps.

    'Bird' I noted no differences between the mono and stereo mixes but then I was not comparing the two closely.

    The true US stereo mixes were just like Sleeping, where the music is center and the two ADT vox are on each separate channel. I believe since 66 the new canon 'normal' version is: the right channel is brought almost center, the left stays the same, maybe inched a bit towards the center as well.
     
  12. Thrillsville

    Thrillsville Forum Resident

    Location:
    Port Coquitlam, BC
    Thanks. I was having a hard time trying to do critical listening between my true stereo Yesterday...and Today and the 2009 remasters.
     
  13. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :)

    Location:
    Europe
    Crazy !! :) Apple Loves you !!!
     
  14. motionoftheocean

    motionoftheocean Senior Member

    Location:
    Circus Maximus
    feel like this is a bit of a contradiction since the assumption I and many others had here have doing our research was that almost everything on this box is sourced from 2009 but various tweaks were made to approximate, re-create, or improve the original Capitol masters. your list made it seem as if nothing had changed between 2009 and the 2014 US box in terms of source(s), and that they'd simply reorganized the 2009 remasters to match the US releases. changes to EQ, levels and so forth are fairly significant as far as I'm concerned. regardless, that they didn't go back and use the Capitol masters was, I thought, pretty common knowledge around here by now.
     
  15. AWillingSpirit

    AWillingSpirit New Member

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON, Canada
    Right, I think that's what I'll do for Beatlemania!.

    Unfortunately, it looks like "twist and shout" and "Long Tall Sally" will require songs not in the US box: From Me to You, There's a Place, and Misery. But I do have the mono versions on the 1987/8 CDs. So I'll either need to try my hand at level-matching those versions to the US Album tracks, or maybe just use the older CD versions exclusively.
    Earlier discussion in this forum originally convinced me to spring for the mono set, but then I decided to go for the Costco deal on the US set instead. What I have heard of the mono set on Sirius/XM has been intriguing, too.
     
  16. Tom in Houston

    Tom in Houston Forum Resident

    It's not my list; it's Universal's. This and the initial press release said all of what both of us have just repeated in different ways. This set is mostly the 2009 master tracks which were then tweaked to resemble the way they sound on Capitol's albums. The intent was to improve the sound quality of these American albums. Had this been done in say 1974, these albums would have been happily embraced by all of us who were busy buying British, German, Dutch, Australian, Japanese etc. Beatle LPs looking for superior sound.

    How this release became so scandalous here, I'll never know. Yes I'm aware of all the controversies. I've been reading along since the first thread's part 1.

    As I understand it, from reading reports back from others posting here, audio software including iTunes are identifying the files from this collection as being the 2009 masters regardless of the tweaks and level changes. So Universal's list is simple truth. There are probably too many tweaks to have listed them in such a list.

    And, I'm enjoying my set. I think you are confusing me as being one the box's detractors.
     
  17. planetneurosis5

    planetneurosis5 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mexico
    Still loving the monos on this set. Just listening to A hard day's night Soundtrack. The instrumentals are so refreshing. By the way, it's funny how those recordings have a better mixing in stereo than the beatles tracks, with the rythm section standing properly in the middle of the stereo field.
     
  18. Simon A

    Simon A Arrr!

    Wouldn't that be simply due to the fact that the orchestra was recorded in Stereo without necessitating tons of overdubs? That and the lack of vocals would surely help simply recording everything so it would easier to get a "proper" Stereo image. IMHO of course...
     
  19. slane

    slane Forum Resident

    Location:
    Merrie England

    Mixes/Sources used on US Albums CDs.


    Green= Same basic Mix used on CD as on original LP
    Red= Different Mix used on CD

    US Unique Mixes found on original LPs in bold and underlined

    * Folddown of stereo mix used on original mono LP
    ** Duophonic/Fake Stereo used on original stereo LP
    The CDs have replaced the above with true mono and true stereo mixes instead.

    All tracks sourced from 2009 Remasters unless otherwise noted as a new transfer done for this set.


    MEET THE BEATLES

    MONO
    I Want To Hold Your Hand
    I Saw Her Standing There
    (possibly a folddown on original LP, indistinguishable from true-mono if so)
    This Boy
    *It Won't Be Long
    *All I've Got To Do
    *All My Loving
    *Don't Bother Me
    *Little Child
    *Till There Was You
    *Hold Me Tight
    *I Wanna Be Your Man
    *Not A Second Time


    STEREO
    **I Want To Hold Your Hand
    I Saw Her Standing There
    **This Boy
    It Won't Be Long
    All I've Got To Do
    All My Loving
    Don't Bother Me
    Little Child
    Till There Was You
    Hold Me Tight
    I Wanna Be Your Man
    Not A Second Time



    THE BEATLES SECOND ALBUM

    MONO
    *Roll Over Beethoven
    *Thank You Girl
    *You Really Got A Hold On Me
    *Devil In Her Heart
    *Money

    You Can't Do That (the US mix was possibly different to the UK mix, though indistinguishable if so)
    Long Tall Sally (new transfer)
    I Call Your Name (new transfer)
    *Please Mr Postman
    I'll Get You
    She Loves You


    STEREO (Note: all mixes stripped of additional Capitol reverb, even on the 'correct' basic mixes listed here)
    Roll Over Beethoven
    Thank You Girl
    You Really Got A Hold On Me
    Devil In Her Heart
    Money

    **You Can't Do That
    Long Tall Sally
    I Call Your Name

    Please Mr Postman
    **I'll Get You (mono)
    **She Loves You (mono)



    SOMETHING NEW

    MONO
    I'll Cry Instead (new transfer)
    Things We Said Today
    Any Time At All (new transfer)
    When I Get Home (new transfer)

    Slow Down
    Matchbox
    Tell Me Why

    And I Love Her (new transfer)
    I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
    If I Fell

    *Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand

    STEREO
    I'll Cry Instead
    Things We Said Today
    Any Time At All
    When I Get Home
    Slow Down
    Matchbox
    Tell Me Why
    And I Love Her
    I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
    If I Fell
    (new transfer, even though this is not a unique mix. Runs slower than the 2009)
    Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand (the US mix of this sounds much better than the 2009 used here)


    BEATLES '65

    MONO
    No Reply
    I'm A Loser
    Baby's In Black
    Rock And Roll Music
    I'll Follow The Sun
    Mr Moonlight
    Honey Don't

    I'll Be Back (new transfer)
    She's A Woman (new transfer)
    I Feel Fine (new transfer)

    Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby

    STEREO
    No Reply
    I'm A Loser
    Baby's In Black
    Rock And Roll Music
    I'll Follow The Sun
    Mr Moonlight
    Honey Don't
    I'll Be Back

    **She's A Woman
    **I Feel Fine

    Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby


    THE EARLY BEATLES

    MONO (entire original mono LP was a folddown of the stereo LP)
    *Love Me Do (near enough, as the fold of the EMI fake stereo on the LP reproduces the original mono mix)
    *Twist And Shout
    *Anna
    *Chains
    *Boys
    *Ask Me Why
    *Please Please Me

    *PS I Love You (near enough, as Love Me Do)
    *Baby It's You
    *A Taste Of Honey
    *Do You Want To Know A Secret


    STEREO
    **Love Me Do (mono)
    Twist And Shout
    Anna
    Chains
    Boys
    Ask Me Why
    Please Please Me

    **PS I Love You (mono)
    Baby It's You
    A Taste Of Honey
    Do You Want To Know A Secret



    BEATLES VI

    MONO
    Kansas City
    Eight Days A Week
    You Like Me Too Much
    Bad Boy
    I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
    Words Of Love
    What You're Doing
    Yes It Is
    Dizzy Miss Lizzy
    Tell Me What You See
    Every Little Thing


    STEREO
    Kansas City
    Eight Days A Week

    You Like Me Too Much (1987 Remix)
    Bad Boy
    I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
    Words Of Love
    What You're Doing

    **Yes It Is
    Dizzy Miss Lizzy (1987 Remix)
    Tell Me What You See (1987 Remix)

    Every Little Thing


    RUBBER SOUL

    MONO
    I've Just Seen A Face
    Norwegian Wood
    You Won't See Me
    Think For Yourself
    The Word

    Michelle (new transfer)
    It's Only Love
    Girl
    I'm Looking Through You
    In My Life
    Wait
    Run For Your Life


    STEREO
    I've Just Seen A Face (1987 Remix)
    Norwegian Wood (1987 Remix)
    You Won't See Me (1987 Remix)
    Think For Yourself (1987 Remix)

    The Word (new transfer)
    Michelle (1987 Remix)
    It's Only Love (1987 Remix)
    Girl (1987 Remix)

    I'm Looking Through You (new transfer)
    In My Life (1987 Remix)
    Wait (1987 Remix)
    Run For Your Life (1987 Remix)



    YESTERDAY AND TODAY

    MONO
    *Drive My Car
    I'm Only Sleeping (new transfer)
    Nowhere Man
    Doctor Robert (new transfer)
    Yesterday
    Act Naturally

    And Your Bird Can Sing (new transfer)
    *If I Needed Someone
    We Can Work It Out
    What Goes On
    Day Tripper


    STEREO (Based on the Original Pressing, later versions had slightly different mixes of the 3 Revolver tracks)
    Drive My Car (1987 Remix)
    **I'm Only Sleeping
    (replaced on later pressings with a unique true-stereo mix)
    Nowhere Man (1987 Remix)
    **Doctor Robert
    (replaced on later pressings with a unique true-stereo mix)
    Yesterday (1987 Remix)
    Act Naturally (1987 Remix)
    **And Your Bird Can Sing
    (replaced on later pressings with a unique true-stereo mix)
    If I Needed Someone (1987 Remix)
    We Can Work It Out (new transfer)
    What Goes On (1987 Remix)
    Day Tripper (new transfer)


    A HARD DAY'S NIGHT

    MONO
    A Hard Day's Night
    Tell Me Why

    I'll Cry Instead (new transfer)(same as on mono Something New)
    I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
    I Should Have Known Better
    If I Fell

    And I Love Her (new transfer)(same as on mono Something New, but runs slower here)
    Can't Buy Me Love

    STEREO (panned-mono on original LP, some tracks were actually just mono. All are listed here as fake-stereo)
    **A Hard Day's Night
    **Tell Me Why

    **I'll Cry Instead (mono) (new transfer)(same as on mono Something New and mono AHDN above)
    **I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
    **I Should Have Known Better
    **If I Fell
    **And I Love Her
    (original LP had single-tracked vocal version from the mono album)
    **Can't Buy Me Love


    HELP!

    MONO (entire original mono LP was a folddown of the stereo LP)
    *Help! (James Bond intro edited to beginning)
    *The Night Before
    *You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
    *I Need You
    *Another Girl
    *Ticket To Ride
    (original LP had a folddown of the Duophonic mix)
    *You're Gonna Lose That Girl

    STEREO
    Help! (1987 Remix) (James Bond intro edited to beginning)
    The Night Before (1987 Remix)
    You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (1987 Remix)
    I Need You (1987 Remix)
    Another Girl (1987 Remix)
    **Ticket To Ride (1987 Remix)
    You're Gonna Lose That Girl (1987 Remix)



    REVOLVER
    MONO & STEREO All mixes correct

    HEY JUDE (Stereo Only) All mixes correct
    (Paperback Writer had reversed channels on original, The Ballad Of John & Yoko had the ending slightly faded)
     
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  20. theanswer337

    theanswer337 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona
    Very disappointed they didn't use the tapes prepared by Capitol for the U.S.
    I have the '87 discs, the 2009 Mono and Stereo remasters and the Capitol box sets. I was hoping for the complete collection with the exact mixes used on the original Capitol LP's.
    While I do have most of the U.S. albums on the Capitol box sets, I was hoping for the complete catalogue, with better mastering. Not a rehash of what I already have. Essentially, I bought a very overpriced booklet.

    Funny when you think about how Brian Epstein and The Beatles made it a point not to include singles on LP's because they didn't want to fleece the buying public...
     
  21. Evan L

    Evan L Beatologist

    Location:
    Vermont
    The one thing Apple has done right is the AHDN soundtrack reissue. N0 one can complain about that, although this being the Hoffman Forum,
    people will still find something to bitch about! United Artists Records lives again!

    Evan
     
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  22. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Love Me Do, Please Please Me, Can't Buy Me Love, A Hard Day's Night, Ticket To Ride, Help!, Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine...
     
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  23. ronbow

    ronbow Senior Member

    Location:
    St. Louis MO
    Better mastering? I think Ted Jensen's work was pretty well received on the forum here, tough crowd that it is, and not sure what more could be done with Capitol's 3rd- and 4th-gen master tapes. I'm just happy we got the 2 CAPITOL ALBUMS sets.
     
  24. BuckNaked

    BuckNaked Senior Member

    Location:
    Connecticut
    Agree 100%. That's one that I bought along with Hey Jude. I just could not bring myself to buy Y&T as that seems to be the most compromised title in the entire series.
     
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