Beatles Remasters on Vinyl are here!

nspindel

Remember that UK prices reflect the 20% VAT (Value Added Tax). I'm fairly certain that upon export to the US, you ought to be able to get a VAT refund. Something to consider with the speculation that the UK pressings may be better.

nspindel

Yes, I'm correct. I started an order from the UK Amazon site, just to get to the checkout point and see what the price is. It is listed for ?299.99, but when you check out with a US address as destination, the price adjust to ?249.99, so ?50 comes off the price. I would have thought a bit more would come off, as VAT is 20%, but I guess you don't get 100% back. Shipping from UK to US is only ?3.08. I'm considering purchasing from the UK, as what I've read is that the UK versions are thought to likely be better quality. Can't have Beatles vinyl without a discussion over whether US or UK versions are better!

chumlie

Good to know. I'm gonna wait to see what Fremer from Analogplanet has to say about these.

nspindel

I got the set from Amazon today. Figured if I don't like it I can return it. So far I've only listened to Abbey Road. Not blown away. I haven't cleaned it, so maybe things improve when I run it through the VPI. But I've just read some really bad reviews on Amazon, particularly about no-fill problems that lead to scratchy/clicky noise that doesn't go away with a cleaning.

Now I've got an original UK pressing of Abbey Road, that I'm comparing right now. Unless sound quality improves drastically with a cleaning, I can say that hands down, the original vinyl blows the remaster away. At least for Abbey Road. I still need to do more listening.

chumlie

Which set did you get ? US of UK.

nspindel

I got the US version

chumlie

Just going by analogplanet reviews it looks like SQ varies from album to album. Be interested in your opinion.

nspindel

Going to do some more listening tonight. In addition to Abbey Road, my samples will be Sgt. Pepper, the White Album, and Magical Mystery Tour. These are the albums where I own original stereo vinyl. I also have original pressings of the Red and Blue albums, so maybe I'll try a few highlights from there as well. I have several other vinyl titles, but in mono, so it's not a fair comparison, they're not even the same mixes. If I don't find that I'll be reaching for the new vinyl to listen to instead of the originals, then this set is going back. I love the book, but I'm not hanging onto this set just for that.

What a shame this will be if sound quality is not up to snuff with this. This would be a golden opportunity squandered. Particularly shameful given how good every other facet of this release is. The coverwork and album inserts are flawless, the packaging is beautiful, the book is great, the labels, everything is just perfect. From an artwork perspective this is an easy A+. But if it's not just as good after I drop the needle, it's just not a keeper.

headrott

Mfsl.

nspindel

I've got the MFSL Abbey Road. Head to head with the original UK vinyl, I don't hear any difference. The original UK first pressings are fantastic. And there's just something special about holding the real thing in your hands. I've got three different copies of Sgt. Pepper on vinyl now, and that doesn't count this remaster. I've got the US Stereo version, that I've had since I'm a kid. I also have two of the UK mono pressings. One that's in decent shape, good vinyl but missing the inserts. That's the one I play. Then I've got one of the oldest pressings available, where the jacket says '4th Proof' on the inside, from when they were prototyping the cover art before the official release, with a 'G' stamping on the vinyl which is as old as it gets. That 4th proof copy I have is mint. It belongs in a museum. I played it once, sounds gorgeous. Now I just stare at it

nspindel

Well.....

I am pronouncing this vinyl remaster set an epic fail. This is just so disheartening. What a monumental opportunity that, in my opinion, was completely wasted here. I wanted so badly to love this set. Absolutely everything about it is perfect. Right up until you drop the needle on the records. You hold one of these in your hands, and the cover art is gorgeous. You slide the record out, and it's nice heavy 180g vinyl. The labels are perfect. The book is phenomenal. But then the sound quality just sucks. I started listening to vinyl again because I like the sound of it better than cd's, apples to apples. Not in this case, though. They used the same masters as the 2009 stereo cd remasters. So why do those cd's sound better to me? The cd's have sparkle and life to them. This vinyl set is just dull, flat, and boring. I did as I described above - I compared Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper, The White Album, and Magical Mystery Tour to my original stereo vinyl versions of those albums. Original vinyl won, hands down, every time. Depressing. I really wanted to keep this set, because it's so nice. I love the book, I wish I could buy it separately. But I ain't hanging on to a $320 box set for a book, not when the music doesn't sound good.

Such a wasted opportunity. There is simply no excuse for them not producing something that sounds superb. This does not.

nspindel

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Right now I'm thankful for eBay, where it's easy to find original Beatles vinyl....

schwarcw

I purchased a couple of individual titles. I do have about six MFSL Beatles titles, Abbey Road is one of them. I was not unhappy with the new remaster. The vinyl was very quiet and the fidelity pretty good. No complaints here. Especially since these new pressings are only $20. I bought them at my local store and they will take returns if defective. I will listen to the MFSL tonight and do some comparisons.

Happy Thanksgiving!

headrott

Not sure if Abbey Road is the best one to compare, IMO. The MFSL of Abbey Road didn't seem like the best of the MFSL vinyl masterings, although it sounds good (again IMO). I would suggest comparing say, The White Album or (if the new vinyl mastering is the original mix) Rubber Soul or Help!.

nspindel

I compared the White Album to the original UK White Album. My UK White Album isn't even in that great condition, and it still sounded better than this remaster.

I'm not saying the teamsters sound bad.. Well, Abbey Road was crap, but I think it's a bad pressing as many are complaining about. But they just don't sound as good as the originals. This release was an opportunity to put something out that sounded amazing, not just adequate.

[Deleted User]

I had a similar experience with a reissue of Traffic's "John Barleycorn Must Die", inflated bass and an overall lifelessness to the sound. I went back to my original pressing and the smile returned.

chumlie

Just from the reviews i've been reading. The ones pressed in Germany seem to be alot better than the US versions. Still sad though. 3 years after cd remasters. I would have thought this set would have been the gold standard that all others were compared to. Wasted opportunity is an under statement IMO.

rromeo923

So I would like to get the following on Vinyl
Abbey Road
Sgt. Peppers
White Album
Revolver
Rubber Soul
Magical Mystery Tour
Let it Be

What would be the best and cheapest way to do so. I can go used if in good condition.
Should I try ebay for UK original pressings? MFSL? New Remasters? or a mix?

[Deleted User]

In my semi-humble opinion I would recommend the "Sgt. Pepper" early UK mono recording with the yellow Parlophone label that has the 15kHz tone on the lead out groove. This is the version that the Fab Four actually signed off on and sounds the best.
Also the prerecorded open reel tape can sound good also, but that's a whole different kettle of fish.
Cheers, Ken

nspindel

Yup. I have two of those early UK mono pressings. One is really really early, a '4th Proof' jacket with a G stamper. And it's mint. Belongs in a museum!

nspindel

rromeo923 wrote: »

So I would like to get the following on Vinyl
Abbey Road
Sgt. Peppers
White Album
Revolver
Rubber Soul
Magical Mystery Tour
Let it Be

What would be the best and cheapest way to do so. I can go used if in good condition.
Should I try ebay for UK original pressings? MFSL? New Remasters? or a mix?

You're really contradicting yourself here. Best and cheapest don't usually go together. I'm a fan of the original UK vinyl pressings. And I generally prefer the mono mixes. You'll find them on eBay but they're not cheap.

nspindel

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TA-PMC-7027-The-Beatles-Sgt-Peppers-LHCB-Reel-to-Reel-Twin-Track-Mono-Tape-/271102946814?pt=UK_Consumer_VintageAudio_RL&hash=item3f1efeadfe

headrott

Kenneth Swauger wrote: »

In my semi-humble opinion I would recommend the "Sgt. Pepper" early UK mono recording with the yellow Parlophone label that has the 15kHz tone on the lead out groove. This is the version that the Fab Four actually signed off on and sounds the best.
Also the prerecorded open reel tape can sound good also, but that's a whole different kettle of fish.
Cheers, Ken

The reel to reel tape of Sgt. Pepper's sounds amazingly good Ken, I agree!

headrott

nspindel wrote: »

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TA-PMC-7027-The-Beatles-Sgt-Peppers-LHCB-Reel-to-Reel-Twin-Track-Mono-Tape-/271102946814?pt=UK_Consumer_VintageAudio_RL&hash=item3f1efeadfe

Never heard the mono reel however. I would be very interetsed in hearing this one.

outlander

Last week I picked up copies of the remastered pressings of Magical Mystery Tour & Sgt. Peppers, I would say MMT sounds very good and SP sounds excellent. No complaints here.
O

nspindel

Have you compared to the original vinyl though? I don't think they sound "bad" but they don't sound as good as the originals.

schwarcw

Kenneth Swauger wrote: »

Also the prerecorded open reel tape can sound good also, but that's a whole different kettle of fish.
Cheers, Ken

I have a couple of those. I can't remember which ones that I have in 7 1/2 ips. I need to look.

schwarcw

headrott wrote: »

Not sure if Abbey Road is the best one to compare, IMO. The MFSL of Abbey Road didn't seem like the best of the MFSL vinyl masterings, although it sounds good (again IMO). I would suggest comparing say, The White Album or (if the new vinyl mastering is the original mix) Rubber Soul or Help!.

My "Abbey Road" versions MFSL and the remaster were actually pretty good. I did have the original at one time. I don't have the MFSL of Rubber Soul. I have the MFSLs of the "White album", "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Sgt. Pepper". I need to get my ears on as I have the remasters of these lps. I don't have original lps. I do have a few pre-recorded R2Rs of these. I need more time for serious listening. Too much music, too little time.

cmy330go

Glad I didn't jump on this set when I heard about it. Seems everyone who actually knows what to listen for is quite disappointed. What a total waste. Seems they really had a chance to do something great, and it was pissed away.

FWIW. Michael Fremer has been reviewing each individual album of this set on his site. www.analogplanet.com Might be useful for anyone wanting to cherry pick the decent individual albums.

headrott

schwarcw wrote: »

My "Abbey Road" versions MFSL and the remaster were actually pretty good. I did have the original at one time. I don't have the MFSL of Rubber Soul. I have the MFSLs of the "White album", "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Sgt. Pepper". I need to get my ears on as I have the remasters of these lps. I don't have original lps. I do have a few pre-recorded R2Rs of these. I need more time for serious listening. Too much music, too little time.

I'm not saying the MFSL "Abbey Road" is mastered poorly by any means carl. I just think that The White Album, Rubber Soul, and Help! as some examples sound better. It may have a little to do with the mixing board that Abbey Road was mastered with. It was a "newer" board that none of the other albums were mixed with but still tube based. All the other albums were mastered on an "older" tube based mixing console that was "thrown away" as George Martin put it. They tried to find it to mix Abbey Road with, but was (as George Martin put it) "thrown away". They had to replace it with a newer production tubed mixing console, but it doesn't have as good of a tonal quality (IMO) compared to the older console.

So, it may be due to the mixing as much or more than the mastering of Abbey Road. You should definately give the other MFSL mastered vinyl and pre-recorded R2R tapes a listen. They sound outstanding!