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

Not trying to threadcrap - this is a mixed bag. No where near the caliber of the 2014's. And I suspect something is going on - it sounds like there's wool over my speakers/headphones on some tracks compared to other tracks which aren't nearly as bad.

Glad I decided not to purchase in the end.

 

I misguided step that will be quickly swept under the rug

 

Oooh, that's a great deal. That's $5.95 per single.

 

Did anyone who ordered and got a delay shipping notice for January 24th, get notification yesterday that the order is now filled and on its way?

 

Yes, supposed to arrive on Tuesday, the 28th.

 

Excellent. Still waiting on this end. Thank you.

 

Amazon.ca has this set for 201 CAD, as of right now this equals around $157. Shipping to the US is about $12.

 

That's a pretty good deal. Probably the best since UDiscover's heavily discounted price from last year.

 

The 2014 set was one of the best remastering jobs ever, epic.

 

Could not agree more

 

Anyone get a perfect set without any warped discs? My set had two singles with slight warps which a record weight helped flatten. All the other discs in my set were flat and they all played quiet without any surface noise.

 

I don't get how Sean got these tapes to sound so... badly? I mean - why is there such a variance in quality from single to single?

 

I compared these 45s to the Mono CD Past Masters. The CDs totally blow them away. Were the 45s intentionally EQ'd to sound totally mid-range and boomy?

 

Yeah - I just don't understand the process here. If Sean really did these AAA, and used the same/similar cutting notes as the 2014 set - this should have been amazing. So - what really did happen here?

 

Did the 2014 set follow the original cutting notes, as this box did?

 

I've compared my Mono vinyl Past Masters LPs from the box set and these trounce the singles as well. Perhaps the singles were prepared for a different audience or simpler playback equipment. These singles are pretty lifeless...look nice though.

 

Well - I can't say for sure, tbh. I wasn't there. All I have are articles and quotes. Can you? All I know is what my ears tell me, and it's not good for this set. You think they sound good?

 

didn't we just get them to look at anyway?

 

Well - I'll speak for myself. I was looking forward to fresh sounding 45rpm Beatles records. I mean hell, Nirvana did 45rpm LP's. They sounded fantastic.

 

Further up this thread around page 260, Sean is quoted that he wanted to create something sonically similar to the 45s back in the day. I'd reckon that the Mono CD Past Masters were EQd differently. I'll compare them once my Singles Set arrives.

 

I don't know, which is why I was asking.

If Magee intended to take a similar approach with both boxes, then something is definitely odd, regardless of how one feels about the sound quality. But if his approach was never intended to be the same, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the boxes sound different.

As far as my personal preference goes, the only thing I'll say is that in comparison some of the 45 needledrops posted (She's A Woman, if memory serves), I thought the new box sounded better than the original 45, and that if it were up to me, I'd probably choose a sound somewhere between the new box and the '70s re-cut.

 

I’m pretty sure Magee said he followed the cutting notes of Harry T. Moss. Sort of vague. Were they cutting notes for the original singles or the 1970 reissues? They sound more like the originals than the recuts, which is why Fremer threw a hissy.

The singles in the new box do not sound as nearly as hi-fi as the 2014 mono masters LP. Whatever, it is what it is. On to the next Beatles project that will cause weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Edit: Oops I saw your next post.

 

I apologize. I thought that was a trolling question. My sincerest. Anyway - I agree. Very few (not really enough, for me, to justify the expense.) I have plenty of box sets to "look at" already. No offense to collectors. But I am interested in the mastering, and to me, this is a missed opportunity. I am sure Sean was following protocol, and I can tell by the DR numbers - this set is not AAA; although advertised as such. So, Apple, please stop lying to us. If it's digital, fine. I personally would prefer AAA, done correctly. But, if it can't be done from tape, release it digitally. I don't care for files pressed to vinyl. It's an analog medium. Why introduce a step of distortion, when you have clean, exact hires copies of the tapes. Don't get it. They have been milking the same releases over and over, and at some point I have to put my foot down as a fan, this set was it for me. I will purchase well thought out, well mastered sets. You set the bar high with the 2014 Mono Box, it can be repeated. You choose not to. Why? Cost? Schedule conflict?

The Beatles would have wanted value for money. That was their MO. This isn't it. Get Bernie in there, for heavens sake. Stop with the EMI/Abbey Road boys club merry-go-round. YMMV, as always.

 

Oh, and yes - Sean said in an interview (from what I recall) via Youtube, he essentially used the same process/cutting notes as the 2014's.

 

There's zero evidence the box wasn't AAA, other than the few songs we know came from digital masters.

Also, adding a digital step doesn't "introduce a step of distortion" in any practical sense.