The Beatles albums finally all remastered



4/7/09 to be released 09.09.09

http://www.thebeatles.com/core/news/
erikminer
The Classy thing to do would have been to issue all the albums as double cds with both versions.

Hey Nikturner920, this would have been the smart thing to do. But as we all know, the record industry isn't too bright. They could have also issued dual-layer CD/SACD hybrid discs, keeping the crappy stereo mixes in standard CD format, and the mono mixes in the superior SACD format.
I'm no expert on the Beatles, but from what I have read quite a few people believe that more time and care was placed on the mono mixes of the albums as stereo was a bit of a novelty for pop records at the time.

George Martin supposedly said: "You've never really heard Sgt Pepper until you've heard it in mono."

My experience after 'finding' mono versions of several beatle albums is that the mono versions were clearly better to me. The drum and bass in particular were much much better represented. I would put it this way, I never really thought of the Beatles as rocking until I heard the mono mixes.

That said, whatever was done with the stereo mixes to lose drum and bass impact and level may be fixed with the remaster or the mono may get ruined. Remasters are always a crapshoot. They are not remixing though so my guess is that the original stereo mixes were compromised as far as low end impact goes and will forever be that way.

The bummer is that they are not selling the Monos separately. The Classy thing to do would have been to issue all the albums as double cds with both versions.
I am now seeing two variations on the boxed sets, at elusive disc

THE BEATLES/THE BEATLES (STEREO) 16CD + DVD BOX SET

and

THE BEATLES/THE BEATLES IN MONO 13CD BOX SET

now since I believe they were all in mono I am going number 2 oh there is a Japanese version also for 400 plus.

Am I missing something, whats the best one. thoughts ideas.
24/192 Remastering using Pro Tools, is what I read. I also read that there will most likley be VINYL
Anyone know if they used DSD to do the analog transfers? They did this with the Rolling Stones remasters and acclaimed engineers claim this is the best method.
Awesome!!! Are they going to do this with the Led Zeppelin catalog as well, or has it already been done?

I noticed there was a Led Zep box set for sale at J&R Music World with the albums in separate cardboard sleeves.

Anyone know anything about this and what the albums sound like?
I predict there will be a vinyl release - they tend to be announced later. The masses (poor lot) are interested in CD's only.
Jfrech will say a few prayers also would love a vinyl set. Thanks for the note on the Keith Jarret lp will check it out.
"That should pretty much pay for the Heather Mills divorce for Paul. "

Good one!
That should pretty much pay for the Heather Mills divorce for Paul.

It is really too bad that there is not also an LP release as well. I hope that there is a nice vinyl follow-up.
Agreed with Merganser. I was hoping for a SA-CD release. My 3 1/2 year old likes Beatle songs as much as I do. And I was hoping for a collection of "Beatles SA-CD". I see so many Vinyl releases for older music and I always wish they also release SA-CD while "remastering" them. I was ready to replace my CDs with SA-CDs...but no SA-CD release. Just disappointing!!
I'm looking forward and wonder about the price of the box set and quality. Won't be cheap I'm sure. Hope to have my system shining and singing by then.
No SACD, that's very disappointing. In fact, it's inexcusable.

More details.......take note of the "overall limiting - to increase the volume level of the CD"

"Re-mastering the Beatles catalogue

The re-mastering process commenced with an extensive period conducting tests before finally copying the analogue master tapes into the digital medium. When this was completed, the transfer was achieved using a Pro Tools workstation operating at 24 bit 192 kHz resolution via a Prism A-D converter. Transferring was a lengthy procedure done a track at a time. Although EMI tape does not suffer the oxide loss associated with some later analogue tapes, there was nevertheless a slight build up of dust, which was removed from the tape machine heads between each title.

From the onset, considerable thought was given to what audio restorative processes were going to be allowed. It was agreed that electrical clicks, microphone vocal pops, excessive sibilance and bad edits should be improved where possible, so long as it didnÂ’t impact on the original integrity of the songs.

In addition, de-noising technology, which is often associated with re-mastering, was to be used, but subtly and sparingly. Eventually, less than five of the 525 minutes of Beatles music was subjected to this process. Finally, as is common with todayÂ’s music, overall limiting - to increase the volume level of the CD - has been used, but on the stereo versions only. However, it was unanimously agreed that because of the importance of The BeatlesÂ’ music, limiting would be used moderately, so as to retain the original dynamics of the recordings.

When all of the albums had been transferred, each song was then listened to several times to locate any of the agreed imperfections. These were then addressed by Guy Massey, working with Audio Restoration engineer Simon Gibson.

Mastering could now take place, once the earliest vinyl pressings, along with the existing CDs, were loaded into Pro Tools, thus allowing comparisons to be made with the original master tapes during the equalization process. When an album had been completed, it was auditioned the next day in studio three – a room familiar to the engineers, as all of the recent Beatles mixing projects had taken place in there – and any further alteration of EQ could be addressed back in the mastering room. Following the initial satisfaction of Guy and Steve, Allan Rouse and Mike Heatley then checked each new re-master in yet another location and offered any further suggestions. This continued until all 13 albums were completed to the team’s satisfaction."
EMI has started releasing vinyl again. I am PRAYING that they release this set. I may have to buy it on CD anyway !

Stltrains: try the new EMI vinyl, I have the Keith Jarret Yesterdays, super recording!
Hot diggity, that's my birthday! Guess what I'm gonna ask for? I may forgo the usual birthday sex for this.
About time! I'm hoping these are done right, mono mixes will be nice as well.
I think that Mapman gots this one. I am going to be very interested to see what they do for the CD's
You would think that if ever there was a project that had no excuses, and certainly no financial barriers for not getting it right, it would be this one.

We'll see......
Now let's just hope they've done a good job. I've heard re-masters that were definitely not an improvement as I'm sure many of us here have. Of course I hope these do not fall into that category.
You know what they say in the recording world:
No highs and no lows...must be mixed at Abbey Road Studios
Hmm, I thought Yellow Sub was a nice improvement. I have a lead ear Beatles fanatic friend who even commented that he even heard things in "Its All Too Much" that he had never heard or noticed before. The "Love Love Love" harmonies in "All You Need is Love" also sounded lifelike and natural on here for the first time to me.

Granted there are some rough edges in these old recordings but I think that just may go with the territory.

We'll see. I hope they don't decide to gloss things over in the digital remix processing. I'd rather hear an edge if that's what is there.
I hope it is better than Yellow Sub. I thought the Yellow Sub remaster was sort of hard and edgy sounding.
That took a loooooong time!

I was a naysayer on the mono mixes until I tracked them down. The solid foundation that the drum and bass get in the mono mixes is eye opening to say the least. Separate from the cd remaster issue we have been robbed by not having mono all these years.
I wonder if Jimmy Page has a piece of this action.

He's the master of the remaster.
It's high damn time. I've been upset that yellow sub. was the only one available until "LOVE" to the public. Now I wonder how bad they will stiff us on the price. Does'nt matter, I will pay it.