A thank you to SHTV (German Apple MMT)

I just recently acquired a lovely blue box. So I kept my US Apple Magical Mystery Tour as a stopgap until I could find a Horzu which didn't require refinancing my mortgage. However, I had read in this vast pool of knowledge that the 70s German Apple pressings used the same master tape as the Horzu.

Lo and behold, a local shop just got in a batch of German imports, among which was an Apple/EMI/Electrola Magical Mystery Tour. Based on what I had read here, I spent the priestly sum of $20 and brought it home, hoping that the info here was true. Well, it is true stereo throughout and sounds quite lovely. I heard some say that the German Apple pressings had bloated bass, but I do not find that to be the case at all. I think the Rick sounds great on here. The packaging is cheap (I may keep my US Apple just for the book), but the vinyl is wonderful. A perfect complement to the 80s Stereo pressings of the BC-13. Thank you all for the good info.

BTW, for those playing along at home, this is catalog number C 062-04 449. Said to be a 1973 release on Discogs. Deadwax SHZE 327 A-1; 04449-A-1 & SHZE 327 B-3; 04449-B-3. I Am the Walrus does go to fake stereo about halfway through (do they all do that, even the Horzus?), but everything else is true stereo. This kicks my US Apple's butt.

 

No comparison. The U.S. Apple is simply the U.S. Capitol with a different logo. What confuses me is why, when MMT finally came out as an LP in the U.K., they stuck to the Capitol master in which three songs are in fake stereo (even worse is how the MFSL uses that same master tape). By the way, the only place where you get Walrus in true stereo all the way through is on the L O V E remix.

 

So that would mean that there is no analog source for a true stereo IATW, right?

 

I have a 1971 Hurzu (The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour Plus Other Songs ) and 1973 Apple (The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour Plus Other Songs ) and, at least on my mid-fi system, they sound identical. Both wonderful.

 

I did not know this. OMG, thank you very much for mentioning this!!!

 

LOL...you're welcome...i think...I never know if someone's being fully serious or not with stuff like this.

 

Not from the mid-break onward, no.

 

I can't speak to Tuco's joy, but my joy is in being able to afford a good copy of the album. I wouldn't have known without my reading here. Sincerely, this place has so much good info.

 

I would have added this info to an existing thread, but they are all locked down.

 

In all seriousness (and I actually recently created a thread on this), I've learned TONS of stuff since I joined this forum. Even in opinionated discussions I've found myself re-thinking my own opinions based on knowledgeable differing ones from other posters.

..my point is that it's nice, once in a while, that amidst all the learning, you (I) pass along a little bit of info that someone else benefits from. So hopefully, as you say, Tuco *is* being serious

 

YUP!!

 

If it's great sound that you wanted all along, the 2014 mono is all that anyone should ever want. It's just that good.

 

I want great stereo sound.

 

That's the same lacquer cut as the preferred "Horzu" one I believe. Ends in A-1 side one and B-3 side two.

 

Yes. When I bought the album, I didn't notice the "SHZE" parts because they are almost stamped into the label. I only saw the 04449 parts. It wasn't until later that I looked closely with the cheaters under good light and saw that part. I actually wonder if others who only report the second set of numbers may have missed them as well.

 

LOL, yes, when I wrote my bit there, I was considering that someone might think I was being facetious. But no, I was being quite sincere . . . and I might add, sounding a bit like a giddy schoolgirl.

As to "why the joy", Steve, especially considering that it's a recreation (as you pointed out in the other thread -- Beatles "I Am The Walrus" versions -- whenever I've listened to the common stereo version of Walrus, even when I'm thoroughly immersed in it, there's a part of my brain that goes "here it comes" when we approach the switch to mono for the latter portion of the song. Although I've only listened to this new mix a handful of times since yesterday, that portion of my brain seems to be "relaxing" at that point and has been replaced by sheer joy. Sounds a bit goofy, huh.

Steve, I think I know the origin of your query, that it's not the "original" intent of the Beatles and their team. I guess I'm not quite as focused on original intent as others. Another good example of this is the tape that you mastered of Forever Changes that features the alternate mix of instruments across the stereo spectrum (available on the 2008 Rhino 2-CD Collector's Edition). Despite its sonic inferiority, I love that version, due to its more pleasing placement of the instruments.