The Beatles Stereo Vinyl Box Set: advice

No, sorry if I didn't explain myself: of course all CDs are 16/ 44.1 khz, that's the format limitation. I was talking about the process of remastering: first they transferred all the analog tapes at 192/24 flat (including the original stereo Help! and Rubber Soul). Then they created the remasters by applying EQ, fixing dropouts, etc, resulting in 24/44.1 files. They also re-mastered the Help! and Rubber Soul 87 remixes, obviously those were already digital masters at 16/44.1.

The 24/44.1 files were limited and dithered down to 16 bits for the CDs. The re-mastered Help! and Rubber Soul 87 remixes were used for the stereo CDs, the original stereo of those two albums (originated from the 192/24 transfers, but finally dithered down to 16/ 44.1) were used as bonus content on the Mono CD box.

The 24/44.1 unlimited files were used for the 2012 vinyl, except for Help! and Rubber Soul, which are unlimited, but 16/44.1, because of the master being early digital.

The 2014 mono box used the mono mixes of those two albums, the 87 remixes were used for the stereo box. And yes, I don't think it was a good idea.

No, as I have explained, only Help! and Rubber Soul use 16 bit files for the 2012 vinyl reissues. The rest are sourced from the 24 bit files.

Not for PPM. The only vinyl disc transfer they used was for the original single version of Love Me Do (included both in the stereo and mono versions of Past Masters), because the original tape doesn't exist anymore.

The first two albums were recorded on two-track tape, yes. I think some of those don't exist anymore, but it's a moot point because the master stereo mixes are intact and the distribution of elements is the same as in the two-track tape. The only thing they could "mix" with two tracks was levels, reverb, etc.

The reason given by the engineers is that Apple had already approved the remastering work (EQ, restoration, fixes...) done for the CDs. It would be impossible to replicate all that exactly while cutting from the original tapes. As for the 192 khz files, those are flat transfers of the tapes, so same problem. Apple's brief was to press the remasters on vinyl, so they used the re-mastered final files, which are at 24/44.1. At least they didn't add the limiting the CDs and the USB stick had.

Actually, it was the complaints about the digital sources used for the stereo box that made Apple change the plan for the 2014 mono box. I think the mono box was a little cheaper (it has two records less and the book is smaller).

 

Just for my set from Canada. It’s missing the packaged in the US, pressed in Germany sticker on the back of the shrinkwrap. Any chance I got the rainbo pressing version and if so are these LPs defective and I should send it back

 

Take forum comments with a grain of salt. The US versions are not "defective" by default. Only way to tell if you are happy with them is to play them. My set was like 98% perfect. About what you would expect in any sample of 16 discs.

 

So I shoul open it up and take a chance ?

 

If it were me I would.

 

I just received the stereo box set from Amazon US. It is opened, but in lovely shape so far. I've listened to the first two releases and they are absolutely DEAD silent and do sound very good. I've not had time to do critical comparisons to the various different pressings that I already have, but listening to the first two albums 'cold', they seemed to sound very good.

I've examined both the labels and the box very carefully with a magnifying glass, and I cannot for the life of me see anything other than 'Manufactured at Capitol Records' no Rainbow or German mentions at all. I don't believe anyone has mentioned on this thread that their set was 'Manufactured by Capitol' Sean's 'signature' (symbol "l...l") is in the deadwax and I think a capitol 'P' is stamped somewhere, along with a string of what looks like hand-etched numbers. So, since I don't see any mention of Germany, I'm assuming that these were pressed here in the US, but there is no mention of Rainbow. So far, the first two are completely silent (well, except for the songs ) So, I don't quite know what to think as to where they came from going by what has been mentioned here.

 

I got a box from Amazon and it's really odd -- the pressings are a mix of EU and US pressings, for example PPM is a US press but AHDN is EU. You can tell by looking at the hype stickers (the ones made in the EU will say 'Printed in the E.U.' in the fine print), also the labels will say MADE IN EU. Then of course there are the different matrix numbers.
What's even weirder is the Sgt Pepper is the 2017 Mix instead of the 2012 (??) -- I can tell because it has the 50th Anniversary hype sticker.

I see in the Discogs comments for the box set that others have seen the same thing with their boxes. Anyone else run into this? I thought they weren't repressing this so I find it odd a 2017 Sgt Pepper would make it into the box.

 

Yeah must be new. My US stereo box did not gave hype stickers like the standalone LPs do. Same with the mono box.

 

That is indeed strange. Maybe they are assembling new boxes with leftover stock of the individual albums, and they just didn't notice the Peppers were the remix version.

 

The 2012 pressing featuring the original 1967 stereo mix has been out of print for quite some time. So there's no other option for them how to assemble the box at the moment.

 

Mine either...

 

Anyone know about any good current deals on remaining Stereo Vinyl Box sets? Im located in Pa./USA, 17331. Amazon Ca. is showing temporarily out of stock and won't ship to the US at the price they were selling them for. I have a few extra dineros and want to pick one up while I still can.

I know the Mono Vinyl box set has gone beyond the point where I will be able to afford them, or am willing to pay even if I did have it. I missed the boat big time on those.

Prefer an Optimal pressed box, assembled in US to a Rainbow pressed box for all the reasons stated above. Meanwhile I'll look in our FS forum and see what is available here, if anything. PM me if you read this and have one you'd like to sell.

 

Ther was one for sale here on the forum a coupla days ago...

 

Jetting on over now...damn damn damn, all 3 including a Stereo box, a Mono Box and Blue box all gone today and thread locked already.

Did I say DAMN yet ? "Damn It All To Hell.." doing my best Charlton Heston 'Planet Of The Apes' impresenation.

 

I haven't seen any under $400 lately, but monitoring eBay might be the best bet. I just wanted to add -- if buying new you may not be able to get an Optimal box unless its somehow NOS. It seems like they have been repressing or reassembling these box sets recently. As mentioned in one of my previous posts I bought one recently and it was a mix of EU/Optimal and US/Rainbo pressings, except Abbey Road which has a Made in Canada sticker (I guess that's Rainbo as well)? Also it has the 50th Anniv Sgt pepper. I thought it might have been an anomaly, but a friend bought a box and it was the exact same pressings for each album. Another difference from the original boxes from 2012 is it doesn't come with the outer sleeve for the box that has the albums pictured, just has thick shrinkwrap around it.

These are the pressings in the box:

PPM - EU
WTB - US
BFS - EU
AHDN - EU
Help - EU
Rubber Soul - US
Revolver - US
Sgt Pepper - 50th anniv
MMT - US
YS - EU
White Album - EU
Abbey Road - Canada
Let It Be - US
Past Masters - EU

 

Time to set up alerts
They've sure cost me some scratch ;-)

 

Hold out for AAA

 

Gonna be holding out a long time assuming they don’t want to buy used.

 

AAA would be nice, but I'd like to have them while I can still hear...
Interesting about the mixed lot in the later sets. I wonder if these are genuine Beatles/Apple approved sets and not counterfeits? NO way there should be a 50th anniversary pepper in there, the advertising strictly describes the contents as being 24.44.1 files from the 2009 remasters made in 2012, with exception of Rubber Soul and Help, which are the 16bit 44.1khz 1987(?) George Martin Stereo remasters. I'd be pissed if anything other than the aforementioned albums were included.

Besides, I already have the 50th Pepper, its OK nothing to write home about unless you are into excess bass, same with the 50th TWA and Abbey Road remasters.

As far as Optimal vs. Rainbow, I'm OK with either, as long as they are pressed correctly, but would prefer Optimal packaged in the US IF I have any choice. At this late in the game, I may have to hold out longer for a used Optimal box or take what I can get new.

How do I set up an alert(s) so I am notified via email that any album or box set I am looking for is made available for sale on our site? I'd like to do this so I don't miss anything I'm looking for. It seems these sets move fast. Having missed the Mono Vinyl Box for 600$ kills me to the core, not even counting the 2012 Stereo Vinyl, and the Blue Box that were offered. I might (read would have) have sprung for both, but not the Blue Box, even though it's rated well by some folks. I owned LP's from that time period back then before my mom gave 'em all away with the rest of my records after I joined the Navy (don't ask, I'm still pissed 35 years later) they weren't that great. The German imports always sounded better to my ears on my gear (yep, she gave them away too, the entire set and I had them all) costing me about 20$ each in th VERY early '80's That was a lot of coin for a teenager to drop on vinyl back then, trust me.

 

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY BEATLES BOX YOU DAMN FILTHY APE!"

 

Also too, FWIW I believe I have the US box and all the albums in it are pristine...

 

Yep, I also bought several German Beatles pressings right around the exact same time (and some Japanese and some MFSL) I can't remember what I paid for them, but around there ($20-25) sounds about right. Hmmm... since I have the box and it DOES sound pretty dang good, I have been wondering if I should sell my German pressings. I still haven't done a direct comparison yet...