I was underwhelmed, to say the least, with the A-2/B-2 072 German Apple Revolver. Of course, I'm probably just showing my a$$ since this could entirely be the reproduction quality of my very modest system (Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, OM-10, and mid-90s Altec Lansing speakers or Bose QC-15 headphones), but I found the listening experience to be virtually the same as my circa-1969 -1/-1 EMI Denmark one-box copy. Not to say I didn't enjoy the former, but I didn't detect the increased bass presence that's been mentioned here so much. That's why I was wondering if the A-1/B-1 072 German Apple Revolver is a better cut. Thoughts?
A bit more info, sorry for all the bumping, from another thread:[/QUOTE]I'll take a German 072 pressing over any 062 pressing any day of the week.[/QUOTE] Right, I do understand the 072 preference over the 062, but I'm wondering about the matrices at this point. -1 sides vs. -2 sides on the 072? In other words, quoting a post from 2010: ↑ "Everyone says the 072 Odeon/Horzu or Apple sounds great, but I haven't been able to figure out if the 04097 SHZE-186 A1/B1 is the best or if 04097 Ax2 SHZE-186 B2 is better. Both are 072 but obviously different matrix numbers. Anyone have these?"
I'll take a German 072 pressing over any 062 pressing any day of the week.[/QUOTE] Right, I do understand the 072 preference over the 062, but I'm wondering about the matrices at this point. -1 sides vs. -2 sides on the 072? In other words, quoting a post from 2010: ↑ "Everyone says the 072 Odeon/Horzu or Apple sounds great, but I haven't been able to figure out if the 04097 SHZE-186 A1/B1 is the best or if 04097 Ax2 SHZE-186 B2 is better. Both are 072 but obviously different matrix numbers. Anyone have these?"[/QUOTE] Bump
I have German Apple Revolver 1C 072-04 097 - it sounds excellent, one of the best (I have 15 different pressings of Revolver) I also have the Horzu Help! SHZE 162 - and have never been impressed by it, little top end, like Dolby B
I have a copy each of both matrices of the 072. The -2 is solid and good, but the -1 has the extra balls. If the bass is boosted, so be it. It's far and away the most exciting version of Revolver I've heard. I give high marks to the majority of the 072 German Apples that I've listened to. Hey Jude and Let It Be immediately come to mind, the latter I thought was an improvement over the UK original. My question is who mastered these? This mystery engineer really knew how to goose the tapes just right.
It has to be one particular engineer, since most I've heard (Die Beatles) have a very similar EQ curve. That curve being a boosted bass, reduced upper midrange and clear, smooth treble. Comparing to the UK issues of course. Of the ones I personally own, Die Beatles (though it's a 1:1 copy of the original master tape), Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, MMT, "Deutscheschall Plattenpreis" White Album all have this EQ curve. Even the needledrop I have of 1c 072 Hey Jude has this same curve. I've heard great things about the The pbthal needledrop of the German Abbey Road sadly sounds thin and harsh to me, such a shame too. For that album get the UK -2/-1, the Japanese Toshiba-EMI AP-8815 is a close second and arguably closer to the curve of the other German issues. Is it possible that the 1C 062 Odeon (if there was one) Revolver from the 70s is a different cut than the SHZE catalog number? It seems odd they would cut another A-1/B-1 for the German Apples and replace it so quickly with A-2/B-2. (and later another final German Apple cut)
I think you might be right here...have the 072's in your collections (@webmatador and @BejittoSSJ5) got two sets of matrices (the 04097 A-1 and SHZE-186 A-1, etc.)? I had gotten the impression that that's the difference between the early Odeon's (SHZE-186 catalog number) and (maybe) the 062 Apples with the 072's--that the SHZE-186 and 062 Apples had only the SHZE-186 matrices. I think it's entirely possible that the A-1/B-1 cut with both 04097 and SHZE-186 is a new A-1/B-1 cut. Or am I the last to "know" this? Thanks guys.
Yep they do, the extra matrices most of the time mean nothing though. (Similar to the French contract tube cut white album I have) The '69 odeon and German apple sgt. Pepper I have are indistinguishable sound-wise though the German apple has that extra stamped matrix.
I recently came across a minty German pressing of Beatles 65 with the blue label. Sounded pretty good. I was surprised. @lukpac are I Feel Fine and She's A Woman are in fake stereo on this LP? It sure sounds that way.
Why wouldn't they be? The Germans used a dub of the Capitol tape which is a dub of the EMI copy tape which is a dub of the EMI mix tape.
Yes. Otherwise a very nice sounding LP IMO, however. It's worth noting (if nobody has already) that one can't simply go on 062/072 or label color. What matters is what cuts were used, which don't necessarily correlate to the above.
That's the golden rule right there! If I'm correct, the 072 blue label Odeon Beatles 65 is a re-cut. If I recall correctly, it was PPM, WTB, AHDN, Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road and Let It Be that never had post-1969 re-cuts which means the ones found in the 072 are the same as previous issues. I've heard good things about the 1C 072 Something New also, particularly the songs from AHDN. Makes sense since it was cut with Neumann lathes rather than whatever cut that awful AHDN pressing.
My 062 and 072 cuts of WTB are different. Not sure exactly when it was re-cut. My 062 AHDN is the worst sounding LP I own, and I've never come across a copy with different matrix info.
Yes, those blue odeons are limp sounding....I have "The Beatles Beat" on Blue Odeon, and its a stinker.
