Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:07 am Post subject: The Beatles Remastered
Has anyone bought or intending to buy the newly remastered Beatles cds, in particular the mono or stereo box sets?
I'm interested in the stereo box set. Amazon seems to have the best price at $179 but it's back-ordered 2-4 weeks. For 50 bucks more is the mono box set.
Just curious about people's thoughts... _________________ Soul on Eleven
Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 943 Location: Terra Firma, Ether Sea
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:33 am Post subject:
Yeah, Johnny, you KNOW I bought them.... preordered weeks ago thru Amazon (which saved me over $100 bucks since I knew I was going to get them regardless)...
Ordered both of the boxsets and just received them 2 days ago.
Spent a lot of time yesterday cataloging them and loading them into my iPod.
I'll be listening to them in depth over the next few days and will join in on any discussions after I have finished my 'evaluating'.
Still have a lot of included reading to do from the booklets and still have the "Making of..." videos to watch, but I want to actually listen to them first before I go there. _________________ B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 11:01 am Post subject:
Daved wrote:
Yeah, Johnny, you KNOW I bought them....
I had no doubt, Daved! In fact, I was thinking of you when I started this thread.
I've read so many reviews of both the mono and stereo sets trying to decide which one to get, and I came away confused and non-conclusive. I kept reading that the mono versions are what the Beatles themselves preferred, and that they supposedly sound better than mixed to stereo. One article even displayed graphs comparing the sound waves of the mono and stereo versions, and even the 1987 remasters. The mono seemed to have slightly more "punch" than the new stereo version, and both clearly showed much better sound than the '87 remasters. And, if I read and understood correctly, the mono box set didn't contain the full catalog of albums (missing the original stereo albums?). So, based on that and the stereo box set being 50 bucks less, I'm going to choose the stereo set...
Looking forward to your comments and comparisons, Daved. _________________ Soul on Eleven
Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 908 Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:16 am Post subject:
I love the Beatles, but I don't think I want to splurge on this box set. If Apple introduced an iDevice with the Beatles box set pre-loaded, like Ninetendo does for Gameboy, I would buy it. I don't own an iPod or iPhone, but if there was one with a music collection like the Beatles box set pre-loaded, it would help me overcome my aversion to iPods. _________________ Travelling by train of thought
Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 943 Location: Terra Firma, Ether Sea
Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:32 am Post subject:
Remastering of music doesn't always mean alot sonically to the consumer.
In fact, I find that often "remastered" music actually sounds worse.
But every once in awhile someone realizes that if they take the time to properly use modern technology they can actually improve the quality of the recordings and greatly increase the listeners pleasure and appreciation of the presented art.
So many great artists catalogues have been said to be reworked and remastered, but were ultimately very bland and uninspired... the disappointing Rolling Stones remasters for example.
The reworking of Nektar's Recycled album, the remastering of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells or the excellent remasters of the Elton John catalogue, and the extraoridinary job that Bullseye Records did on Klaatu's catalogue, especially the first 2 albums, 3:47 E.S.T. and Hope are just a few of the rare examples of love and care taking the originals to a higher ground.
Over a period of about 3 years, Bullseye focused on and made the Klaatu remasters a work of love and passion, reassembling all the key people involved in the original projects, finding and carefully restoring the deteriorating original master tapes, and then, again under the close supervision of the original band members, producers, and engineers, meticulously bringing the wonder and depth of those original albums back to life with a vibrancy that surpassed the original vinyl issues.
The bandmembers were astounded at the quality, stating that they now heard elements and musical passages that even they had forgotten about.
The originally recorded music was so rich and layered that the limted capabilities of 70's technology and materials tended to blend a lot of the individual components into a thick mash of sonic stew.
With Bullseye's remasters, one can hear so many of the distinct layers and elements that made up those rich sonic soundscapes, and all in a very pleasing way.
These kind of reissues truly make a difference and distinctly "up the ante".
I am finding the new Beatle remasters to be of this caliber.
I understand that this project has been underway for over 4 years, with the loving touch, input, and expertise of most (if not all) of the original, surviving performers and technicians... and it shows in a big way.
I was afraid that they would take the usual course of finding the best previously issued recordings and touching them up sonically (eq, compression, volumes, etc.). But this is most definitely not the case.
I think these new remasters are wonderful and fulfill all that I had hoped for, paying high honors and tribute to the band that recorded the material in the first place.
The sound quality is warm, pleasing and clearly defined without being harsh. One can clearly hear the individual tracks and elements within the songs, but without detracting or breaking up the magic of the final blends that made the music so pleasing in the first place.
Corrections have been made in mixes and stereo pans that were originally abrasive and distracting.
I hear elements of the vocals within the mix that I never could clearly discern before. (For example, I love things like clearly hearing Lennon or McCartney doubling their vocals and/or distinctly hearing the harmonic lines the band members sing to make the composite layers that I have always been used to before.)
I can now clearly pick out, define, and appreciate different instruments and the parts they played that were often buried or homogenously blended into the mix to make a paste of sound. Now the musical flavors are clear and deliciously savorable.
And all of this has been carefully done so as not to take away, confuse, or thinout any of the things I have loved about this music for the last 45 years. In fact, it opens up the richness and just makes the sonic flavors so much more appitising.
In my opinion and to my tastes, THESE remasters truly make a difference and in a most delightful way _________________ B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)
Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 943 Location: Terra Firma, Ether Sea
Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:19 am Post subject:
roadwarriorfortheblues wrote:
I love the Beatles, but I don't think I want to splurge on this box set...
Andrea,
You can buy the same stereo CDs that are included in the boxset individually, but I understand that the "enhanced" making-of videos they contain are an "only for a limited time" thing. These vids were only a secondary 'bonus' to me (I haven't watched any of them yet, actually), but the quality of the music and recordings definitely were worth the money, in my book.
If you have particular fave albums, you might want to pick up just those for now to see if it's worth it to you to get the others. _________________ B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)
Maybe you all will think I'm stupid (which may not be far from reality, but I do relearn my Latin boys...) but I converted by hand my Beatles LPs with love to digitality and I don't care about any new re- or whatever masterings. only a DVD I would like to throw an eye on. No analog item so far to convert. Any help? _________________ www.soultingo.at
Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 908 Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 4:15 am Post subject:
Daved wrote:
I hear elements of the vocals within the mix that I never could clearly discern before. (For example, I love things like clearly hearing Lennon or McCartney doubling their vocals and/or distinctly hearing the harmonic lines the band members sing to make the composite layers that I have always been used to before.)
I can now clearly pick out, define, and appreciate different instruments and the parts they played that were often buried or homogenously blended into the mix to make a paste of sound. Now the musical flavors are clear and deliciously savorable.
How do you know the improved sounds were part of the original recordings? The producer could have added something, just as Robben added new vocals to his live recording. I know everyone wants to publish their best effort, but there's something dishonest going on. _________________ Travelling by train of thought
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:29 am Post subject:
roadwarriorfortheblues wrote:
How do you know the improved sounds were part of the original recordings? The producer could have added something, just as Robben added new vocals to his live recording. I know everyone wants to publish their best effort, but there's something dishonest going on.
I tend to think that it's decades of technology improvements. Noise reduction, for instance, has always been a target for improvement. Remember tape hiss and how Dolby came out in the 70's to reduce it? But then Dolby had it's drawbacks too, like effecting the real highs. So then came the next best invention, whatever that was (digital, perhaps?). And, as wonderful as "whatever that was" was, it had it's own drawbacks that needed new technology to improve upon. And so on, and so on...
The bottom line is, if it sounds better to you and you're willing to pay, then it's a good thing. And, with few exceptions, the reviews have been outstanding. I'm still waiting for my backordered stereo box set to ship (Amazon says 10/5), and I can hardly wait! _________________ Soul on Eleven
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:23 am Post subject:
I got a notice from Amazon that my box set is delayed another 30 days. Damn! So, I checked around and nowhere else is it available. I guess the only good thing is that they're holding to the price that is was when I ordered it- $179...
What could possibly be holding up shipments? _________________ Soul on Eleven
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
