[Shizdan]

I'm trying to get into Thea Beatles but there are so many albums / remasters. (Ex. Remasters, Mono, Stereo and remasters by different people)

What should I look for? I'm so overwhelmed and confused!

 

[WalkGood]

Here's a few that are interesting:
Abbey Road
Magical Mystery Tour
The While Album
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

 

[Shizdan]

Should I go with the remasters, mono or stereo etc?

 

[HipHopScribe]

The stereo remasters from last year for the albums WalkGood named.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Over the years I dabbled with so many Beatles albums and their remasters: Dr. Ebbetts, den0izer, Purple Chick, etc. in both stereo and mono versions.

Now with the newest "official" remasters, I finally decided to ditch all of the past versions and just stick with the Stereo Remasters. But as you may know, the Mono and Stereo have different presentations of the music (the way they were mixed), so it may be worth it to listen to both versions. Plus, Revolver is hard panned so much that it's always painful to listen on headphones in stereo.

 

[omegaman]

Just get the new stereo box, mono box and the "blue box" vinyl and you are all set. Oh apart from the mono LPs of course.......but if you can't stretch to that I would stick with the latest stereo CD remasters starting with Sgt Pepper, Revolver and the White album.

 

[Aslan123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by omegaman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just get the new stereo box, mono box and the "blue box" vinyl and you are all set. Oh apart from the mono LPs of course.......but if you can't stretch to that I would stick with the latest stereo CD remasters starting with Sgt Pepper, Revolver and the White album.

Agreed. I would probably take the Mono over the Stereo, but buying a few Stereo albums individually is a good enough compromise if you don't want to spend the $200+ on everything.

 

[cumulonimoss]

The following review was very helpful to me and I found it to be true. In the end I got a hold of one of the Beatles USB Apples and the Mono box but picking up a few stereo albums individually is a great way to start.

Amazon.com: James N. Perlman's review of The Beatles Mono Box Set

 

[eucariote]

If you decide to go for individual albums and not splurge 200+ dollars for the mono box set, I'd start with Abbey Road, the White Album and maybe Sgt. Pepper's.

 

[El_Doug]

Just go for pristine 7.5ips tapes, and forgetaboutit!

 

[wavoman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HipHopScribe /img/forum/go_quote.gif The stereo remasters from last year for the albums WalkGood named.

x2 wrt Abbey and Pepper. Put a lot of time in listening to the new stereo remasters. Bought all 3 (stereo box, mono box, USB apple) from Ammy, and these two from the stereo box are winners. Next up for study is White Album.

I think I'll put the original stereo CDs (without the black wood box -- it broke and I trashed it) on FS. I bet they go unsold.

 

[SirDrexl]

I'm happy with the mono set and the remasters of Abbey Road and Let It Be, but it's hard to suggest that when you're not familiar with the band. You could start with those last two individually, but those albums won't give you a good overview of the band's career to decide if you want all the others.

I would suggest seeking out their songs from YouTube or something. You may even be able to get mono/stereo comparisons. Then you can decide what you want to buy and in what format.

 

[Arjisme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shizdan /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm trying to get into Thea Beatles but there are so many albums / remasters. (Ex. Remasters, Mono, Stereo and remasters by different people) What should I look for? I'm so overwhelmed and confused!

I would not get too wrapped up with which is the ideal, perfect set or recording to get. As you are at the moment trying to get into the Beatles, I suggest you pick a few individual albums to start with and focus on the music rather than the nuances of quality between the various recordings available. Abbey Road, The White Album, Revolver are all good choices. If you go this route, you can buy the stereo remasters as individual CDs. The mono remasters you can only get as a set. People will quibble over where the stereo remasters stand quality-wise compared to other options, but they are damn good regardless and plenty sufficient for experiencing their music.

Another route you could consider is to get the compilation album 1967-1970. This contains a great sampling of their material from the the later half of their career, which was when they became more studio oriented, began experimenting heavily with sounds and song craft and produced songs such as Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and A Day in the Life.

 

[SirDrexl]

Come to think of it, you could get Love. That might serve as a decent intro to their work. Granted, the mixes are different and there are some embellishments, but that's kind of what's good about it; you'll be getting something different enough to keep alongside whatever albums you eventually decide to buy. The one with the DVD has a nice 5.1 mix.

Another possibility: buy the Rock Band game (if you have one of the supported systems). It has 45 songs that span their career, and it's a lot of fun. You don't need to buy a guitar or drum kit; you can just sing if you want.

 

[jbergan]

Most of the new stereo mixes are so hard to listen too with headphones. If you can get the mono mixes I would definitely recommend them.