Beatles Reissues on VINYL Finally


Set to ship on November 13th, 2012.

The Beatles Stereo Albums 180g 16LP Limited Edition Box Set, plus available as individual LPs.

All 12 Studio Albums plus Magical Mystery Tour and Past Masters in a Stereo Box Set.

Sourced from the Original Master Tapes.

Cut at Abbey Road Studios by a First-Rate Team of Producers and Engineers.

Proper care and a painstaking series of steps were taken to ensure that music lovers would hear the Fab Four in all their glory. With EMI’s legendary Abbey Road Studios providing the backdrop, the four-year restoration process combined veteran expertise, state-of-the-art equipment, vintage studio gear, and rigorous testing to net what is without doubt the highest fidelity possible and authentic, jaw-dropping sound guaranteed to rival the original LPs. There is no longer any need to pay hundreds of dollars for Japanese pressings.

At the start of the restoration process, engineers conducted extensive tests before copying the analog master tapes into the digital realm using 24-bit/192 kHz resolution and a Prism A-D converter. Dust build-ups were removed from tape machine heads after the completion of each title. Artifacts such as electrical clicks, microphone vocal pops, excessive sibilance, and poor edits were improved upon as long as it was determined that doing so didn’t at all damage the integrity of the songs. Similarly, de-noising technology was applied in only a few necessary spots and on a sum total of less than five of the entire 525 minutes of Beatles music. Compression was also used sparingly and only on the stereo versions to preserve the sanctity of the dynamics.

A rigorous string of checks and balances ensured that the results exceeded expectations. Subject to numerous playback tests, songs were auditioned by the remastering team to determine if any lingering mistakes needed correction. The restored versions were also compared side-by-side against the original vinyl pressings (loaded into Pro Tools), and then again auditioned in the same studio where all recent Beatles projects, including Love, were mixed. Once all EQ issues had been addressed, another round of listening litmus tests occurred in still another location. Finalization required the approval of everyone involved in the remastering process. For this project, there was no such thing as too many cooks in the kitchen. Yes, it took a village to get it right.

Each album features original U.K. vinyl album artwork, original U.K. track listings, expanded booklets containing original and newly penned liner notes, recording notes, rare photos, and fold-out packaging. Everything comes housed in a tall, glossy, hard black lift-top case augmented with a magnetic clasp.
128x128mofimadness
Have to agree...we dont need another stereo remaster...we need a new mix that doesnt have everything panned hard left, right....with a huge hole for a center image...I just dont get it....
Fremer has reviewed almost all of the LPs in the boxset. He found a couple of duds, but overall, I think he liked the results.

http://www.analogplanet.com/

Scroll down the page to see each individual review.
The lifelessness of the digitally remastered White Album relative even to my early Capitol pressing led me on a WA quest that ended today with purchase of a clean French pressing by Pathe Marconi EMI. This one escapes the thinness of the Capitol, and has the authoritative LF that is the main virtue of the digital remaster. Most importantly, unlike the remaster it is dynamic and ALIVE. Thank you Abbey Road for remastering a reverse barometer of this LP.
All this talk caused me to locate and purchase the '78 analog reissue blue box set.

After I get them cleaned with my Audio Desk I'll make comparisons. The good news is the previous owner was an audiophile with a very fine analog system and all the LPs were previously cleaned with a VPI 17F.

I have great expectations for this. Sincerely hope it's better than the new 2012 reissue I already purchased.
Very interested in your conclusions Albert. What will frame of reference(s) be?
Gpgr4ble,

Within our group I have access to original Parlophone UK first press (certainly not every title).

The German "Die Beatles" pressing.

The new 2012 digital mastered version already mentioned.

The Sweden red wax mono version and Japan pressing with OBI and last, I have both Revolver and Rubber soul master dub 15 IPS tapes for my Studer.

In previous tests the master dubs killed everything on vinyl but it's nice to have a reference everyone in my group agrees is the best.

This could take some time, other members of my music group have various pressings. I have the original USA, the analog blue box, the new digital release and tape.

Everyone will have to agree to bring their part and we will start early and go at it with a group vote.
Albert

Enjoy the process
I only did a sampling of the new US remasters and sent away for their European import cousins - still in transit

Still can't believe the decision to go from the 24:44.1 digital tapes

Try out longer "original" "non mashup" sections of the Love compilation on lp. I believe these are from 24/192 sources.
Audiotomb,

I agree, the LOVE compilation is the best vinyl recording of the Beatles I've ever heard.

It's funny, members of my music group varied on their preference on previous shoot out sessions. A couple were like Fremer, pretty positive on the new digital and I understood what they were hearing.

Overall the digital is less up front and lower volume. What's happening in my system is the loudness levels of each Beatle and instrument is free to rise and fall more than other versions.

This (particular thing) mimics what happens on "some" master tapes of other artists I own.

I guess it's a good problem to have, the Beatles are a fine group and I don't mind listening to most of these issues, except for the original USA versions I bought when they were new.

My originals are perfect, many still have the original shrink, even the rare Butcher cover version. Alas, the USA remix and mucking about really trashed the fine original mix the Brits did.

Still, back in the day I was so excited to get them I never noticed. I had a high end system then too but I guess we were so excited about the music we never thought about a better version.
Mofimadness,

I agree. Mike Fremer did a perfect job in assessing the Beatles box set and not just because I agree with him.

I think the balance between cost and quality make this a must have edition and like Mike, I hope someday there will be a definitive 45 RPM version for those of us that want the extra quality.
Now I'm starting to feel like I should drop another few c-bills on yet another version of the same old stuff I have heard in so many ways already for years.... :-)
My wife and I were out Xmas shopping and come to a music store that had the box set. She suggested I get it, but I declined. I'm just not sure after reading many things posted online. Should I stay or should I go...
As a non-analytic anecdote, I have a Magnum Dynalab XM radio that was tuned to Breakfast_With_The_Beatles about a month ago. I stopped dead in my tracks when I casually walked into the room, then sat down to listen to what captivated my attention. A few minutes later the announcer said that they were sourcing all the tracks from the new vinyl. So even with the limitations of XM, it was one of those audiophile moments that passed the mindfulness test as I was riveted onto the sound.