Steve Hoffman site Beatles discussions?

Well.....the Beatles remasters  have been a source of endless discussion on Steve Hoffman's site.

A kind of consensus has formed but it depends upon how hard-line you want to be.

If its CD then the 87 issues bar the first 4 albums seem to be the way to go. The 2009 remasters are only interesting to the purists in the mono form.

Personally I feel that the recent 2014 US box is better than the 2009 effort. Sean Magee and co have an awful lot to answer for. Its hard to imagine how they could have done a worse job.

Giles Martins efforts are better but I'd always go with Steve's view that we want restoration but not retouching, remixing, screwing up, desecrating etc.

Historical integrity is worth preserving as far as is humanly possible.

Regarding vinyl it is felt that the 2014 mono vinyl release is the sane way to go if you want the best sound up til the White album. The 2012 stereo is best forgotten.

Again from a personal view I think that either of the 2 vinyl box sets, MFSL or the Blue Box BC-13 are better options. Both are difficult to get but worth seeking out. Then there's the madness of locating the original UK vinyl releases.

Don't go there, I beg you.

I guess the 2009 remasters are fine.

Unless you have heard the originals.

The Beatles on CD are still awaiting the definitive treatment. Steve Hoffman would be the man.

Unfortunately Giles Martin has now got the gig. If only he understood archiving.

jafant - well, since Neil Aspinall (the keeper of the flame) died in 2008 Apple have changed course and have been milking the cash cow. Very successfully too.

The high res definitive digital versions will be along anytime soon, give or take a decade. If the tapes can hold on until then. In the meantime one remix follows another. 

I wonder if Elvis fans have this authenticity problem? Is this just a Beatles thing? 

For me it's more to do with the artists original intention and periodic authenticity. 1950s recordings should sound like 1950s recordings and not like whatever the current musical fashion is. 
Every work of art is a product of it's own time.

In any case we should be offered at least one definitive version of every recording before the remix dollar chase begins. If there was money in it I'm sure someone would offer a remixed Sphinx, or remix of The Starry Night, or how about remixing Duck Soup?

It is a difficult subject and the only certain thing is that you cannot please everyone.