LCMusicLover
Headphoneus Supremus
I have to disagree with this comment. I love the new mix. But...
I also love the original mix. I have a couple different versions of this, including a 2009 remix which is well done, but very similar to the oldest mix I have in terms of placement and spacing. I just listened to both intermixed (1st track, 1st mix then 50th, 2nd track, 1st mix then 50th...) twice. And it was the first time I listened to the new mix.
They're just really different visions of the music. Original has excellent space with (frequently) precise placement of instruments & voices. But sort of 'sparse' or 'lean' sometimes. Lots of space between the different parts. That allows for a lot of movement as sources pan across the stage and move closer or further and up and down. For example, in the opening 'Sgt Peppers' Paul's vocal is panned far right and low, fairly isolated and distant. And the guitar is right there with him. The chorus starts out equally far to the left, but then pans over to the center. Horns come in on the left, but with a distinct echo to the right.
The 50th mix, is completely different. Paul is close to dead center, and fairly close. The guitar is still off to the right, but much bigger. The chorus smears across the whole stage. Horns are just right of center.
50th mix is a lusher, more enveloping soundscape. As if you're inside a 3d music space, and the different elements flow around you. Sometimes disconcerting. For example, on 'Help from my Friends', John & Paul are miked together in the chorus. In the earlier mix they start out to the left Ringo's lead vocal, but sometimes mover over close to him. They're always a localized source. In the 50th, Ringo's vocal is wider, but still 'there' in front of you. But the chorus is smeared across the whole width of the sound stage. Still both voices together -- John & Paul are not even slightly separated.
It was funny, during the first run through, I thought (several times) 'How can they improve on this?' while listening to the orig mix -- specifically 'Lucy', 'Within you Without you', 'Day in the Life'. And the answer was 'they can't, it's just different'.
BTW, listening to 24-bit FLAC (both mixes) from FooBar2000 on computer through Cowon Plenue 2 and Monolith m1060s.
I'd like to start a poll:
Each track: (A,B,C,D)
A -- prefer orig mix
B -- prefer 50th mix
C -- love both
D -- no significant difference
Bottom line -- thank you, thank you, thank you Giles Martin!!! You've given us the gift of a fresh new version of the Greatest Album of All Time, IMHO of course
Note, there's a very interesting interview from NPR 'Fresh Air' with Giles Martin:
http://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-a...fresh-air-for-june-1-2017?showDate=2017-06-01
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) wait to listen. Interesting stuff about Giles Martin relationship with 'The Beatles', which he clearly sees as a robust, active entity (Paul, Ringo, Yoko, Olivia). At one point he says 'I work for the Beatles'.
