2019 Beatles UK Singles boxed set (Was: "Beatles Mystery Boxed Set")*

Correct, but I suspect the "tape damage" explanation is a shortcut reference to that. In the mono box, the language used to justify using a copy for PPM included the term, "there was high risk of tape damage".

If we can take into account the figure of 20 singles cut from the master tapes, and that Love Me Do, Free As A Bird and Real Love are digital, the only possible way to make it all fit is that PS I Love You is one of the three songs cut either from digital or copy tape (that has not been specified, only that three songs were not cut from master tapes because of "tape damage"), and two sides of another single. Given the precedent of the copy used in the mono box, and that PS I Love You would have to be one of them, it makes sense that it's PPM/AMW

Sure, but they may not be aware of the single master, or it may be lost. We know it was not used in the CD single box.

 

It's possible they're not aware of it. But it doesn't seem likely that it would be lost.

 

That's why I was wondering about the new cutting process and if there were significant changes, but now we know the aim was to replicate the original singles. I suspect they did an excellent job mastering/cutting, so it's hard to reconcile that with what Michael Fremer is reporting.

 

That makes sense, yes.
The more I look at it, the more I think it comes down to the math (if we assume the 20 singles cut from master tapes is correct), it has to be PS I Love You, PPM and AMW.

 

George Martin was not involved in cutting lacquers. Harry T. Moss was.

 

And Sean Magee has given many interviews about Beatles projects.

It seems the tinfoil hat people need to find new goals after today's information

 

I think it’s pretty easy—in all probability, the new singles were not cut as hot as the 1977 World Records set that Fremer was using for comparison and Fremer did not adequately level match the singles to compensate (although he said in the YouTube comments that “of course” he level matched). The use of less limiting in the new set would account for all the differences in sound Michael reported.

 

How could they not know about it when we are aware of it?


That’s a rhetorical question, of course.

 

Trolls aren't tinfoil hat people, they're just trolls.

To give them the benefit of the doubt (assuming they didn't use the 45 masters...which is not yet known), it's possible they are aware of the tapes but mistakenly believe they are copies.

 

That’s true, but we also know he over-reacted to whatever it is he heard and clearly didn’t have the ability to hear digital artefacts so how reliable is his opinion?

 

He talked to Sean McGee and others about why the EQing of the stereo box, along with mastering it digitally, was not the way to go. It was because of Fremer's prodding that they went AAA all the way. They invited Fremer to attend some of the mastering in person and, as I recall, he brought along some of his UK originals to help them recreate the sound.

If anyone here is not all that familiar with Michael Fremer, you may not realize how big his influence is in the industry.

 

like the chick sorters in Japan
like a really good art specialist will feel a forgery.

 

Ecactly. Love or hate him, there are plenty of both. He says it like he sees and hears it.

 

He's being ironic.

Man, you guys don't read or listen to him much. Fremer has a sarcastic sense of humor. Back in the '70s, Fremer used to write and produce comic ads for WBCN, the iconic Boston rock radio station. He also did standup, and put out a quasi-famous live standup album called I Can Take A Joke.

 

So, Michael Fremer rowed back a little. The Box was produced in AAA (except for the tracks mentioned several times). Fremer still has got the opinion that the new singles are not sounding as good as they should be. But these singles - as Guy Hayden says - should sound as much as the originals do and Michael Fremer didn't compared the new singles with originals.

I think that it's possible that Fremer is expecting something what Apple never wanted to do.

 

The more I read this thread and the new facts that 3 tracks aren't from original analogue masters leads me to think that these tracks are PPM, PSILY and Ask Me Why. These masters were copied and assembled for a new PPM mono LP master.

EMI do know that the Ask Me Why single master is unique because it was considered for Mono Masters in 2009, but deemed "not different enough".

If the same logic has been used for the new singles box then I, for one, will be returning mine for a full refund.


Although I live in hope.

 

Yes, his descriptions of "dried reverb" and drums that are "all attack", have "little sustain, weak decay" seems to indicate he's missing the compression of the old pressings. And then also this: "Last night I played "Come Together" and "Something" and the new box sound was very "clear" and not dynamically compressed. "Pretty good" I said to myself. Then I played the "World" box version, and no contest— a return of textures, space, subtlety, etc."
(all quotes from The Beatles The Singles Collection Arrives (REVISED 11/19/19) )

 

People are up in arms because he claimed these were digitally sourced because his ears told them they were...

 

That’s entirely another matter from the point I was making. And one I fully understand.

 

What if the rest of the set deserves a 10/10? That would make his 5/10 grade quite inaccurate.

Yes, he compared them with repressings many of which carry original cuts.

 

Wait and see.

 

But that wouldn’t happen

 

And listen.

 

Actually, it DID happen. He decided to listen to Something/Come Together and liked it.

I have a feeling that he is going to backtrack further in the next few days. We’ll see . . .

 

Calling people names is indicative of a weak argument. And the speech police who attack Fremer because his ears hear digital sound need to realize free speech you don’t agree with is NOT a bad thing. I used GEORGE Martin as an example of an extremely knowledgeable, experienced, open and transparent producer invaluable and instrumental in making Beatles records. Even if he wasn’t physically involved in hand cutting lacquers. Literal people are really something. Flipping out and pouncing because Fremer gives many specific reasons for not liking the sound. And daring to say it sounds digital. Thus ruffling some overly sensitive feathers that he ended up having to appease so that the pitchforks would be put down.

If he hears digital, he hears digital. People who say today’s modern digital is not discernible compared to analog are wrong.