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Location: Munich, Germany | Hi everybody,
think you've heard of the Beatles Box sets - remastered, that'll be released in the beginning of september.
I now wonder, which version to buy: The mono box - or the stereo box???
Stereo mixes in the sixties sounded sometimes fairly odd - with vocals left, instruments right, and some of the albums originally were released only in mono.
Otherwise is stereo the 'sound' we are used to today.
So - if, which version will you buy? And why?
Thanks and best regards,
Kurt |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Although I didn't have all their albums, those that I did purchase were stereo. Wouldn't have it any other way. if possible. |
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Location: closely held secret | According to Geoff Emerick (Asst Sound Engineer up to Rubber Soul, Sound Engineer from Revolver on), the mono mixes (of the albums released in mono) were the ones they spent far more time on. The stereo mixes were done with less care, the reason being that most people buying the records did not have stereo (considered "high end") equipment in the early and mid-sixties.
And of course all the singles up to "Hey Jude" were mixed in mono.
There's a good reason why they are offering both sets. Purists know the mono mixes sounded better. |
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Posts: 124
Location: London, UK | I'm with The Wabbit on this one. My brother and I grew up in the 60s and saved up our hard-won pocket money to buy each Beatles album as it came out. Even though we were both into audio and electronics (our dad was a radio ham and HiFi nut who built all his own stereo gear), we always bought the Mono releases. This was partly because the Stereo ones were a few shillings more expensive, and many record shops wouldn't even bother to stock them unless you ordered one specially, but it was also because, even back then, we recognised that the Mono mixes sounded 'right' - i.e. a properly produced, finished product.
I've still got those original vinyl releases and I still play them. :cool: To my ears they sound better than any of the CD re-masters that have come out since. I've done comparative listenings between the original mono mixes and the "stereo" ones (which weren't proper mixdowns anyway), and the Mono originals win hands down every time. Note: taking a Stereo mix and switching your amp into Mono will NOT achieve the same effect!
I'd say go for the Mono versions of everything up to and including Sergeant Pepper, and Stereo for everything from there on.
There's another factor in this, as well. I learned quite recently that the classic 'sound' of the Beatles can mean a different thing to Americans and Brits. Apparently, several of the early releases were given a bit of extra 'gloss' (modified EQ...a bit of reverb etc) by Capitol records, to make them more appealing to their target market! :eek:
P.S.: While we're on the subject: my candidate for "Most exciting first moments of any album" would go to the first track on the Beatles' first UK LP - i.e. Paul McCartney's count-in to "I Saw Her standing There". Still makes the hairs bristle on the back of my neck. :) |
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Location: London, UK | Accidental double-post. Ooops. :o |
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Location: Michigan | mono |
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Location: Tennessee | When the Beach Boys re-released the remastered Pet Sounds album, the CD included both the original mono mixes and the stereo mixes.
I think most people associate mono with lower fidelity than stereo. I think most people also think vinyl is lower fidelity than CD. They are wrong on both counts.
I think you ought to go for the mono, but that means you'll need to buy Yellow Submarine, Hey Jude and Abbey Road separately since they were originally mixed in stereo and are not in the mono set. At least that is what I heard.
I wish they would reissue all of the vinyl in remastered mono. |
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Location: London, UK | I don't know exactly what they've done in this latest re-mastering exercise, but I sincerely hope they've returned to the original mixes and not attempted any kind of "cleaning up" or fresh re-mixing of the 2-track tapes, like George Martin did in the 1980s for the early CD re-masters. Hard to believe now, but he edited out things he thought were 'bad', like the famous cough/sneeze in the background of "Norwegian Wood", and even added reverb to backing vocals etc. BAD VOODOO! The original masters are a snapshot of a moment in music and recording history: they reflect the state of the art as it exsted at Abbey Road studios at the time, and the paricipants' musical taste at that point in their careers - and as such, they shouldn't be messed with, not even by the man who originally produced them.
But then, I'm a perfectionist. I don't think I'd ever be totally happy with another Beatles re-mastering job unless they'd played the tapes back on the very same valve-circuited tape machines that were used originally. It does make a difference! |
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Posts: 848
Location: Munich, Germany | Thanks guys,
especially Ken and Waskel. This was the knowledge I was hoping to get.
And - with Ken's answer I got one from the old world. In fact, I've heard as well that there were different kind of listening Favors here and overseas, and that americans tended more to the modern stereo sounds.
Even more interesting, that today's ears seem to be more close - here and there.
Thank you all again, I'm going to preorder, what I thought was right - and you nailed it: the mono box.
Happy weekend to all of you,
Kurt |
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Location: London, UK | Good on ya, Kurt. When you get them, try listening to 'em through one speaker, too! :cool: |
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Location: closely held secret | But not one headphone. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I like the mono tracks for everything before Abby Road. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I ordered the mono set a couple weeks ago.
I have a feeling the stereo set will be available for a bit longer than the mono which already seems hard to find.
Waskel and Ken hit the nail on the head. |
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Location: closely held secret | I'm sure you're right, Stephen. Amazon is out of the mono set, but still has the stereo.
I would imagine the true collectors who have been waiting for a decent remaster will be grabbing the mono set. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I just checked around a bit and almost everyplace is sold out of the mono edition. Glad I got my order in although the price made me choke a bit. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I have a complete set of Beatle Capital Releases (LP's) plus the complete set of John Lennon Capital releases that I bought in 1990 in WVa: it was a prize in a Radio Station giveaway and the winner/seller had no idea what he had...every Album in mint condition as they were originaly released...truly a once in a lifetime find...I also have many of the original Beatles LP's that I had bought when they first became available...I have at least three "Meet the Beatles": one in mono and two in Stereo...I also have the first Beatle's album released in America in 1963: "Introducing the Beatles" on VJ Records...I love the original vinyl albums...but to keep them around for another 50+ years, I just bought a new turntable that converts the original vinyl to mp3's for storage on an iPod or computer Hard Drive...
I've been collecting since 1962: My music collection currently contains over 3,000 LP's; 1000 45's; nearly 500 cassettes; 1000 CD's and 400 DVD's...That along with all the instruments, guitars and other musical and sound equipment I own, earned me the nickname Music Mike circa 1970...
My latest find is something I have wanted since the Marines in '72-76: Last year I bought a early 70's Sansui system : 4 of the biggest Sansui speakers made; a 7070 Sansui amp/tuner and vintage Sansui turntable w/Monster cables for the speakers...it sounds awesome!
I have a more modern Sony component system w/Bose speaker system and sub but there is something about the sound of the vintage system that I never forgot since I first heard it in
'72...
Tim in Tidewater has seen the collection...
Vinyl is cool!
Music is essential for life! |
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Location: Tennessee | ummmm ... I don't wanna be a cynic here, but I gotta believe that as a for profit enterprise, especially the way they've been handling their affairs over the past several years, as long as people are willing to buy the box sets The Beatles empire will keep making them. I hear all the hype about how they're close to sold out ... brilliant marketing strategy. But they'll be making more. They're not even releasing the set until 9/9/9. Do you really think they're gonna stop at 10,000 sets (130,000 units)? Not when they're completely sold out with two weeks still to go. It is just a rumour put 'round to build hype and sales. |
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Location: Bluffton, SC | "It is just a rumour put 'round to build hype and sales."
Now who would do that...? That would just be wrong, wouldn't it? :rolleyes: |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | As long as you understand the marketing hype it is perfectly acceptable. 10,000 may be an accurate number but that would only be for the first set of 10,000 that are numbered......the other 100,000 that aren't numbered will come later.
Kinda like the original issue of the white cover album that had the embossed number on it.....while later pressing didn't.
I didn't buy the mono box because of the hype but because I wanted the collection being offered. Nothing like being first in line! ;) |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I guess the real question is... when using CD's for target practice, which ones splatter better when impacted... mono or stereo ? |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | You need to buy BOTH box sets. The mono box does not include Abbey Road, Yellow Sub or Let It Be.
Now THAT's marketing ... |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Mr. Ovation:
I guess the real question is... when using CD's for target practice, which ones splatter better when impacted... mono or stereo ? Stereo. The mono disks only splatter one direction. |
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Posts: 124
Location: London, UK | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
The mono disks only splatter one direction. Yup. Straight back at you! :D |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Well, I suppose we could start the next segment of the thread.....little silver discs vs big black discs. But let me say up front...........
....I believe that wiring/cables makes a difference, the cleanliness and steadiness of the AC power line makes a difference and with a nice enough setup CDs sound every bit as good as records.
Cover art and liner notes of vinyl records will however never be surpassed. |
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Location: closely held secret | I agree about the cabling, Stephen. I also believe Monster cables are one of the biggest marketing scams in audiophile history.
I built my own from Cat 5 network cable .
You're also right about the liner notes and covers! |
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OT: Beatles Box: Mono - or stereo?
