pulling out the white album for a listen

Is that a rainbow label?

 

Yes. Those were the best pressings of the American albums. They are all vastly superior to the earlier Capitol and Apple issues, IMO. I suspect the '88 purple labels were probably just as good, but I've never heard those. Those copies used the CD masters from 'Pepper' onward.

 

I like mine, too (Rainbow label.) I have an original U.S. Apple I haven't played in years.

 

I haven't played either of my two US Apple copies in years either. The '83 is a really decent sounding record.

 

This thread has inspired me to give a listen to my old Fatboy original CD, and boy does it sound terrific to me! I don't think I've heard this album in stereo since I got my grubby mitts on the Mono box set.

 

No distinction between mono & stereo? No biggie

At home: original UK Apple vinyl (-1 matrix) for me. Whether mono or stereo.

For car or 'on the go': original 1987 stereo CD.

 

Shortly after the original release (by 1989 at the latest), a new glitch-free digital transfer of "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" replaced the one found on the original '87 CD. This fixed CD version of The Beatles was out in Europe by 1989 but may not have made it to other territories before the 30th Anniversary Edition came out in 1998.

The 30th Anniversary Edition is identical to the earlier fixed version.

[read more about this here]

 

I always thought the original WA CD sounded just fine. The first seven of the old discs are the worst of the originals, IMO. From 'Pepper' onward, I think they're generally pretty good.

 

My favorite stereo version is my 1970s numbered German Apple LP, although I haven't heard a UK pressing.

As for mono, I prefer the 2009 remaster to my 1982 UK pressing. I have not heard a Japanese pressing or a 1968 UK pressing and probably never will, given what they go for.

 

For stereo, I think both sets have their pluses and minuses. The remaster has a smoother sound over the thin sound of the original CD, while the original is a little less heavy, yet more distant, probably due to the bass being more prominent on the remaster. A/Bing some tracks, I can't listen to one without wishing it had a bit of the other.

As for stereo vs. mono, I feel the same way, both are good, but neither are perfect. The mono mix of While My Guitar Gently Weeps for example, benefits from not having it's rhythm section shoved into one speaker, but in the mono mix the bass doesn't have any of the force it has in the stereo mix. I guess I shouldn't worry, it’s the bloody Beatles White Album, shut up.

Either way, the poster is freakin' creepy.

 

Just curious - is your (or anybody else's) rainbow label white album pressed off-center? Mine is particularly bad on side two.

 

+1

 

Ditto, but I don't see that as a choice above, so I'll go with "other" I guess.

 

Somehow none of them gives the same excitement as listening for the first time when it first came out.

I tend to listen to the original UK stereo LPs and to DVD-Audio burnt from the 24 bit 44.1 KHz apple thing. Both sound good.

(I have also the original EMI Swindon double CD and the 2009 stereo remaster)

 

Interestingly, for some tracks I have been gravitating towards the 2009 and for other tracks the original issue from 1987 on CD (I no longer have my original West German issue of this album nor the U.S. edition on vinyl).

 

I like my mid 80s purple Capitol cut by Wally Traugott, then the mono CD.

I had to do this, sorry.

 

Ahh, those are beautiful! Very classy.

I only wish the German dmm White Album was actually a real time recording on metal cassettes, such as the Nakamichi Reference recordings.

 

Top loading Mono vinyl LP
Top Loading Stereo vinyl LP
2009 mono remaster
The 2009 stereo remaster has been ruined by the compression and limiting IMHO.

 

I bought mine day of release. Long box, two jewel cases, white inner and disc 1 was numbered on the sleeve. The fatboy must of been issue two.

 

That's correct... the fatboy didn't come until later.

 

I prefer the 2009 remaster,gives me more music,more detail,more everything!

 

I have the following:

UK pressing on black vinyl
UK pressing on White vinyl
German (non-DMM) vinyl
US Original vinyl
Mofi vinyl
mono cd (from Mono box)

The best from the above list is the UK pressing on black vinyll. Not sure of the year, but winner in overall musical delivery (smoothness, bass, etc)

The German vinyl is nice, but missing some of the low end that the UK vinyl possess. The UK white vinyl is real nice, but a little forward in the mids. Forget the US original vinyl. I have it as a collector's item only. The mofi can be nice depending on the system. Yes, it has the lows and highs jacked up, but don't think it is bright in any way. The mono cd is DIFFERENT--obviously. It's warm and flows well, but I would like to compare it to an original UK mono or the highly regarded mono red vinyl 1982 series.

 

In the USA maybe, but it came first over here.

 

Huh? More Music? Mix is the same.

Does not have more dynamics however.