[HD_Dude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nothing beatles is worthless. Some things are only worth about $50, though.

Thanks for the link!

Personally, $50 isn't enough for me to part with the tape. I love it...brings back great memories of the music, the era, and of course, memories of flipping the tape, re-threading it and pressing 'play.'

Thanks again!

 

[West726]

I found a great blog with sound clip comparisons of the mono v. stereo versions of various tracks.

goodrob13.com - Rob’s video guitar lessons and music blog » The Beatles Mono vs. Stereo (Remastered CDs Coming Sept. 2009)

I don't think its been posted before -- if it has, ignore it; if not, enjoy. I'm interested to hear what people think.

 

[Kpt_Krunch]

Interesting blog - great link. Good to hear both versions, but for me it confuses the issue more. Now I'm thinking maybe I should order both sets (only have the stereo one preordered - cheaper and more discs was the reason why) but Mono might be better (certainly is more different and IMO adds to the 'authenticity' of the music).

However, we haven't heard the upcoming stereo version of it. That's the rub, isn't it. It's all conjecture right now, at best.

I might decide to go with the mono one yet too, but I'm not cancellng my order for the stereo version.

And for those of you who think it's too expensive, I thnk it will get even more expensive. I can't see this set not selling.

 

[donunus]

hey if you want to listen to them in mono, you can always use the downmix to mono plugin in foobar if you listen via pc

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif hey if you want to listen to them in mono, you can always use the downmix to mono plugin in foobar if you listen via pc

You could do that BUT it would NOT at all be the same as the mono mixes. The mono mixes are very different in overall balance from the stereo mixes. The mono mixes were meticulously executed by the band and the engineer (hurricane Smith or Emerick) whereas the Stereo mixes were not nearly as paid attention to until 1968.

So the illusion that the mono mix is just the collapsed stereo mix is just a confused mistake and one that I made a long time ago until I heard the mono Sgt Pepper and was blown away by how much better mono can be for the Beatles. It's not just the mixes are mono but they are often beefier, the drums are usually louder (and i attribute this factor to the fact that the mono mixes were done by the rockers themselves whereas the stereo mixes may have often been done by a house engineer who was less experienced in the field of rock [EMI was largely a classical studio]).

For those who don't want to buy both boxes this is the best suggestion I can come up with

Buy the mono box

Then buy:
Magical Mystery Tour (I think it may be better in stereo, though I love both versions)
The White Album (I think it's better in stereo)
Yellow Submarine (Not available in Mono)
Abbey Road (Not available in Mono
Let It Be (Not available in Mono)
Past Masters (Some of it will be in the mono set, but some of it won't be)


That's my suggestion, and if you don't want any overlapping material, just get the mono box, abbey road and let it be.

You'll miss out on about 10 tracks, but it may not bother you.

 

[donunus]

Ive got to have the new stereo magical mystery tour! unless it already sounds great in mono hehehe

 

[mteorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by craiglester /img/forum/go_quote.gif I grew up on the stereo mixes, and the mono ones just sound weird to me. Yeah, purists will tell me till they're blue in the face the mono is "better" but well, it just sounds wrong to me. I've never really found that "hard" stereo bothers me that much, although i know some people really can't get on with it. It's a bit like FPS. My wife gets motion sickness with them, I don't. So either I have no sense of motion or stereo audio. Or it just doesn't bother me. I'm just looking forward to hearing them all again

The less people that want the mono box, the more likely it is that I'll be able to get one before they sell out! Bwahaha! (Don't have enough money at the moment).

Unless of course there is such demand for the mono box that it is profitable just to print more of them. That also works.

It's not that I "prefer" the mono mixes, but I have never heard them and the stereo ones will be around for ages, so I can hold off on those.

One final thought... why didn't they just include both mixes on each album? Though I already know the answer...

 

[Aslan123]

The Mono Box Set is sold out at Amazon.com now. However, it is still available at http://beatles.fanfire.com and probably other places as well. Amazon.ca still has it however.

I'm starting to think of dropping it for the Stereo Box Set, both for the overall cost factor and as well as the Mono set having less albums.

I have a few more days to think about this I suppose and see if I'm willing to spend more money for something that is a lot fancier, but 'less complete' in a sense.
Also, it appears that the Set that they are selling in Canada is not 'Limited Edition' for whatever reason, so I'm going to take this into account as well.

 

[aaron313]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aslan123 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Mono Box Set is sold out at Amazon.com now. However, it is still available at The Official Beatles Shop and probably other places as well. Amazon.ca still has it however. I'm starting to think of dropping it for the Stereo Box Set, both for the overall cost factor and as well as the Mono set having less albums. I have a few more days to think about this I suppose and see if I'm willing to spend more money for something that is a lot fancier, but 'less complete' in a sense. Also, it appears that the Set that they are selling in Canada is not 'Limited Edition' for whatever reason, so I'm going to take this into account as well.

The mono box set will be your only guaranteed chance at hearing pristine digital copies of the albums with that mix. It is limited worldwide, and has in fact officially sold out (or is close to selling out) at all major retailers.

It is not less complete, but rather is a different take on those albums. And you can always purchase individual discs of Abbey Road and Let It Be. All of the mono box sets are being produced in Japan, and are all the same. You should really not cancel your order, because this is THE ultimate CD collector's item.

 

[Pale Rider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The mono box set will be your only guaranteed chance at hearing pristine digital copies of the albums with that mix. It is limited worldwide, and has in fact officially sold out (or is close to selling out) at all major retailers. It is not less complete, but rather is a different take on those albums. And you can always purchase individual discs of Abbey Road and Let It Be. All of the mono box sets are being produced in Japan, and are all the same. You should really not cancel your order, because this is THE ultimate CD collector's item.

x2. While it is always possible they will re-issue the set, or expand production, the odds are that you will regret not getting this set. As Aaron says, you can always add the other albums, or even get a stereo set later.

 

[pcf]

It looks like the mono boxes are already sold out and people are buying the Japanese ones on ebay:


BEATLES-IN MONO-JAPAN ONLY Ltd/Ed 12 MINI LP CDs BOX - eBay (item 270442869147 end time Aug-21-09 11:36:32 PDT)

 

[chadbang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The mono box set will be your only guaranteed chance at hearing pristine digital copies of the albums with that mix.

I can think of another way of hearing them about 12 hours after the cds are released.

 

[pcf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadbang /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can think of another way of hearing them about 12 hours after the cds are released.

Maybe that's why the mono boxes were sold as limited edition for a high price- you can't download the box and the digipaks.

 

[White_Noise]

Argh, I'm more than a little pissed off right now. I'm a fanatical Beatles fan. I own CD and vinyl copies of all of their albums, including the rarer ones like the mono vinyl of Sgt. Pepper. I've really been looking forward to these remasters for five years. I've had a busy summer, and haven't been neurotically following the pre-release date for the mono box set by hitting f5 on the amazon page every 5 mins in July. As much as I was anticipating the box set, I somehow missed that fact that only 10,000 copies of the mono box set would be released (considering that this is The Beatles, 100,000 copies would have been a ridiculously low print number, nevermind 10,000.)

So now if I want the mono versions of the recordings, my only option is to pay $500 ordering it off ebay? Thrilling. I'd rather pay $500 for a glock and rob someone of the set

This is all completely my fault for spacing out in July and words cannot express how pissed off I am at myself. Guess I'll ask for the stereo box set for Christmas or something. The significance of the mono releases are somewhat overplayed, but still.

How much do you guys think this mono set is going to be selling for in two years? I can't even imagine.

 

[uriz3n]

If it is indeed limited to 10,000 it will cost a fortune by Christmas.
Mono set is sold out at Amazon, but there's still many stores you can preorder it from. I'm not sure how they are planning to fill the orders.