The Beatles: The Original Studio Recordings

This review also applies to The Beatles Mono Box Set . It took 22 years, but with the newly remastered stereo and mono box sets, The Beatles' music finally gets the treatment it deserves! Kudos to the EMI Abbey Road team for doing a terrific job with the remastering. I'll try not to duplicate what others have written, but here is my review of the remasters, based on a disc-by-disc comparison that I did against the original 1987 CDs a couple of months ago: PLEASE PLEASE ME, WITH THE BEATLES, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, BEATLES FOR SALE: These first four albums were originally issued as mono CDs back in 1987, though many of the stereo mixes later appeared on the Capitol Albums box sets and other compilations. Actually, only four songs make their global CD stereo debut here: "Misery" and "There's a Place" from PLEASE PLEASE ME, and "I Should Have Known Better" and "You Can't Do That" from A HARD DAY'S NIGHT. George Martin did not want the twin-track mixes of the first two albums issued on CD, and insisted that the mono versions be used; for the second two albums, recorded on 4-track tape, Martin wanted to remix those two for CD, but was informed by EMI that it was too close to the release date deadline, so four mono CDs were released in 1987. There is not a whole lot of difference between the 1987 and 2009 mono versions, though the new ones are cleaner and less muddy. The stereo versions, however, blow both mono sets out of the water, as far as I am concerned. NOTE: The "fake stereo" versions of "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You," which were issued on the original stereo vinyl album, were replaced with the standard mono versions on the new PLEASE PLEASE ME CD. For those who must have the fake stereos, they are available on THE EARLY BEATLES CD, included in THE CAPITOL ALBUMS, VOL. 2 box set. NOTE: The 2014 reissue of THE EARLY BEATLES (available separately, and included in the new THE U.S. ALBUMS box set) has the true mono mixes of the songs, just like the 2009 versions of PLEASE PLEASE ME. HELP!, RUBBER SOUL: Because he was not satisfied with the original 1965 stereo mixes, George Martin did remixes of these two albums for their 1987 CD release. The remastered stereo CDs use these remixes, and while they sound considerably better in 2009, my preference is for the original 1965 stereo mixes, which appear alongside the mono mixes in the mono box set. The monos are good as well - in fact, they sound better than the 1987 stereo CDs, though not as good as the 2009 stereo versions. American listeners may find the mono mixes to the soundtrack (first) half of HELP! a little strange-sounding. This is because the mono version of the Capitol album (available on THE CAPITOL ALBUMS, VOL. 2) is a "fold-down" of the stereo mix - that is, the two channels of the stereo master tape are combined onto one track during the disc-cutting stage. UPDATE: The 2014 reissue of the Capitol HELP! ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK CD has both the original U.K. mono mixes and the 1987 stereo remixes. REVOLVER: My favorite Beatle album (next to ABBEY ROAD). Both the mono and stereo versions of the new CDs are far superior to the 1987 stereo version. Save for "Yellow Submarine" and "Eleanor Rigby," which have appeared in mono on CD singles, the mono mix of REVOLVER makes its global CD debut in 2009. It's a shame that American fans were denied the full 14-song version of this album until vinyl imports became available in the late 1970s; three of John Lennon's best numbers ("I'm Only Sleeping," "Doctor Robert," and "And Your Bird Can Sing") were issued on the "YESTERDAY"...AND TODAY album in America, leaving the U.S. version of REVOLVER with just 11 songs. Both of the latter two titles were released on CD in 2014, as part of THE U.S. ALBUMS box set, and as individual CDs. SGT. PEPPER: A magnificent album, in both stereo and mono, and again far superior to the 1987 CD. Although I generally prefer the stereo release, the mono version has its virtues as well, particularly on "She's Leaving Home," which is at its original speed on the stereo version, but sped up in mono to make Paul sound younger (per Bruce Spizer). Also, the laughter at the end of "Within You Without You" and Paul's scat vocal at the end of the "Sgt. Pepper" reprise are much louder in mono. MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR: Because the original six-song double EP (released in CD format in 1992 as part of the COMPACT DISC EP COLLECTION) was not viable in the U.S. market in 1967, Capitol Records added the group's five 1967 single releases to create an 11-song LP, which was ultimately released in the UK in 1976. The newly remastered stereo CD, like its 1987 predecessor, is based on the 1971 German LP issue, which contained all 11 songs in full glorious stereo. The original Capitol album had the last 3 tracks in simulated Duophonic stereo, as well as different (earlier) mixes of "I Am the Walrus" and "Strawberry Fields Forever." Strangely, when Parlophone issued the album in the UK in the 1970s, the cassette version (Parlophone TC-PCS 3077) used the all-stereo German master, but the vinyl (Parlophone PCTC 255) reverted back to the original Capitol version with the Duophonic mixes. The remastered stereo CD is the clear winner here. Although all of the mono mixes have been issued on the EP and SINGLES COLLECTION CD box sets, this is the first time that the actual mono album has been issued since Capitol deleted it in early 1968 (and, according to Beatles historian Bruce Spizer, the surplus mono albums were sent to Brazil, of all places). THE BEATLES (THE WHITE ALBUM): Of all of the remastered albums, the White Album is the most significantly improved. The original 1987 CD was flat and lifeless and had three indexing errors: when the songs "Wild Honey Pie," "Rocky Raccoon," and "Cry Baby Cry" were programmed to play by themselves, the intros of the next three songs (respectively, "Bungalow Bill," "Don't Pass Me By," and "Revolution 9") are heard as well. These errors have been corrected on the new remastered CD, and the entire album sounds fantastic. The mono version is also quite interesting because it was not originally issued in America, although the mono versions of two songs ("Helter Skelter" and "Don't Pass Me By") were issued on the Capitol RARITIES album in 1980. While the mono version is fascinating, the stereo is much better. YELLOW SUBMARINE: This is the original soundtrack album, with six Beatle songs on the first half and the seven-song George Martin film score on the second half. On the original LP, "Only A Northern Song" was mixed only in mono because of technical limitations at the time; a fake stereo version appears on that LP and the original 1987 CD, but the previously unissued mono mix appears on the new CD. The mono UK release of the YELLOW SUBMARINE album was a "fold-down" version of the stereo. Although Martin's score sounds magnificent, as does the rest of the remastered CD, listeners who purchase the CDs individually are advised to purchase 1999's YELLOW SUBMARINE SONGTRACK, which contains 15 remixed versions of the Beatle songs in the film, including the first-ever true stereo mix of the "Only a Northern Song" master. An alternate stereo take of that song appears on the ANTHOLOGY 2 album from 1996. ABBEY ROAD: The Beatles' recording swan song (though the next-to-last release, and, if you count the HEY JUDE LP, the third-from-the-last release in America). My favorite album (George Martin's too), and a magnificent presentation that is leaps and bounds over its 1987 CD predecessor. One minor beef: at the end of Side One of the vinyl LP, the song "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" has a closing instrumental riff that abruptly cuts off, creating a dramatic effect. On the original CD, "Here Comes the Sun" begins just a few seconds later and this effect is lost. On the remastered CD, there is only a one-second break between the tracks. It's too bad that the engineers didn't add a one-minute band of silence between the two songs, which would have restored the original effect. LET IT BE: This is the much-criticized Phil Spector "reproduction" from 1970, and the sound quality of the remaster compares favorably to the 2003 release, LET IT BE...NAKED. Though NAKED is the better version, the lack of quality is not all "Crazy Phil's" fault; the songs themselves were not up to normal Beatles standards, probably because the group was not getting on well at the time. Actually, I prefer Phil's mix of the title song. The group wisely reunited later in the year to record ABBEY ROAD; they obviously wanted to finish out on a positive note, and certainly did. PAST MASTERS/MONO MASTERS: Originally issued as two separate CDs (VOLUME ONE and VOLUME TWO) in 1988, the two PAST MASTERS discs have been combined into one set for this remastered CD release. All 33 of the group's original non-LP tracks are collected here, and four songs that were issued in mono on the 1988 version are in wonderful stereo here - "From Me to You," "Thank You Girl," "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand," and "Sie Liebt Dich." The sound quality on all of the other tracks is a significant improvement over the earlier version, as well. Interestingly, "Thank You Girl" appears in its original stereo mix for the first time (at its natural speed and without the echo effects that appeared on THE BEATLES' SECOND ALBUM version). Disc one of MONO MASTERS (included in the mono box set) has the same tracks as PAST MASTERS, but all in mono; disc two is similar, but replaces "The Ballad of John and Yoko," "Old Brown Shoe," and the single version of "Let It Be," which were only mixed in stereo, with the mono mixes of four songs from the YELLOW SUBMARINE album - "Only A Northern Song" (also found on the remastered YS CD), "All Together Now," "Hey Bulldog," and "It's All Too Much" (unique to this compilation). These mono mixes were intended for a YELLOW SUBMARINE EP that was prepared in March 1969, but never released. The mono mix of "Across the Universe" originally donated to the World Wildlife Fund, was also intended for that EP; it follows the mono UK single versions of "Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down" on this CD. A stereo mix of "Universe" with bird sound effects was prepared for NO ONE'S GONNA CHANGE OUR WORLD, the World Wildlife Fund charity album, in late 1969. Interestingly, these same bird sound effects (at the beginning and end of this song) are also on the mono version. NOTE: Because no stereo mixes exist for "Love Me Do (Original Single Version)," "She Loves You," "I'll Get You," and "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)," those four songs appear in mono on both PAST MASTERS and MONO MASTERS. (Although a reedited and extended stereo mix of "YKMN (LUTN)" was prepared for ANTHOLOGY 2 in 1996, the original has only been issued in mono). The stereo CDs are packaged in digipaks with expanded booklets with original liner notes and new historical and recording notes. A modified version of the 1987 SGT. PEPPER booklet is included, as well as the complete MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR booklet. The YELLOW SUBMARINE booklet has the U.S. Dan Davis liner notes, as well as the U.K. Tony Palmer/Derek Taylor notes. The mono box set, manufactured in Japan, has the CDs packaged in mini-LP sleeves with resealable outer sleeves, complete with the original inner sleeve LP dust jackets, static-free rice paper sleeves for each CD, and such amenities as the MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR booklet with the Capitol logo, and the SGT. PEPPER cutouts. Each CD has its proper period label: the gold-and-black Parlophone label for PLEASE PLEASE ME, yellow-and-black Parlophone labels from WITH THE BEATLES to SGT. PEPPER; the original Capitol rainbow label for MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR; and green Apple labels for the last four albums. PAST MASTERS and MONO MASTERS have the yellow-and-black Parlophone label on disc 1, and the Apple label on disc 2. The Mini-Documentaries DVD (included with the stereo box set) has a red Apple label. The mini-docs (also included as QuickTime files on the individual stereo CDs) don't have a lot of new material, but are a nice touch nonetheless. If you can only afford one set, get the stereo box, but if you can afford it, get the mono box set too, as well as the Capitol Albums sets, YELLOW SUBMARINE SONGTRACK, LET IT BE...NAKED, and LOVE. As they say in "Mr. Kite," a splendid time is guaranteed for all.

This is the single most impressive remastered collection EVER. From sound quality to presentation to arguably the greatest body of music produced by a single band in popular history, I can't imagine anything surpassing this any time soon. The packaging is gorgeous. The piano-black magnetic flip-top box opens to reveal the lovingly detailed albums. Yes, these are the first CDs to give you that feeling of having an "album." The gatefold holds the CD on the right, and has a pocket for the liner notes on the left. The individual liner notes include the original notes (the guy who wrote that kids in "AD 2000" will still love The Beatles nailed it on the head, no?), new historical notes placing the music in context to their history, and then recording notes which detail intricacies and interesting factoids about the actual recording of the album itself. I loved just holding these records...small yes, but as close to a mini-LP as I've experienced in a while. The remastering is astonishing. Nothing short of miraculous. When was the last time listening to music gave you goosebumps? It will happen here, and often. I am as familiar with these 525 minutes of music as I am with my own heartbeat, and yet I was continually amazed at the sonics, the details. Instruments I've never noticed. Imperfections that make the performances absolutely "real." I did not think I could appreciate Beatle music any more than I already do, yet I feel like I'm starting over. I fell in love with this music all over again. Each album delivers its' treasures in their own way. The early ones...say, the first four...for the most part have that early stereo effect. Instruments on the left, vocals on the right (the recordings were done on two-track machines). As I understand it, no individual vocal or instrument has been enhanced in a remix. The tracks have been cleaned up, but the balance has been preserved. You won't get blasting drum beats or startlingly loud vocals. One more thing: you probably already know these are the original "British" releases...if you're looking for "The Early Beatles" or "Meet The Beatles" or "Something New"...well, you need to brush up on your Beatle history. Their first LP, "Please Please Me", was famously recorded in one day. The opening, "One, two, three, FOH!" launching into "I Saw Her Standing There" has a crispness that immediately lets you know you are entering uncharted waters. This song has never sounded this good. The album breezes by...you'll marvel at the purity and clarity of these young voices...the gorgeous harmonies...each instrument clearly in its' place. We all know how Lennon was shredding his vocal cords by the time they got to "Twist and Shout", and you'll swear you can hear them fray right here. "With The Beatles" open with a thrilling "It Won't Be Long", a song I could not have cared less about before. I felt that way about a lot of songs going through these records. "The Night Before", "You Won't See Me"...previously "neglected" songs regained a new life for me. On THIS album though, you get rockers, Broadway (Til There Was You), Motown covers...and again, it all sounds totally new. The guitars in particular...I think I can hear each individual string strummed. "A Hard Day's Night" opens with that chord...MAN did they know how to get your attention when people used to put needles into grooves! When Lennon's voice breaks in "If I Fell", it somehow brought him vividly back to life. The feeling was powerful, and a little weird, I admit. My eyes kinda welled up with tears, and that was only the first time. Again, these astonishing multi-part harmonies just soar...and freakin' Ringo Starr rocks like all get out. If anybody's "status" rises because of this set, it'll be him. "For Sale" is, for me, an odd mish-mash. There are songs from their pre-Beatles live marathons (like Kansas City), country-ish sojourns (Honey Don't), a Buddy Holly cover (Words of Love), blistering rockers (Rock and Roll Music), sweet ballads (I'll Follow The Sun...oh my God what vocals...)...but in the context of the first three records, here you see the guys going for something "more". This is the album that transitions into the creative leap that was to follow with the next three records. Here you'll also start to notice the creativity in McCartney's bass playing. He's just not keeping the beat. "Help!" again opens with a heart-stopping chorus. A playlist of only first songs on Beatle records would be quite impressive, and not for those with medical problems. This album shows a consistency that is leaps and bounds above the last one. The Dylan influence (You've Got To Hide Your Love Away) isn't as "in your face" as some people have suggested. It just seems that these guys can do no wrong. Each song is filled with special moments...a little something you'll return to later. A harmony here, a drum lick there, a delicate Harrison guitar flourish...and then there's "Yesterday." Paul is right there in your car/headphones/living room, and when the strings come in, you'll wish they didn't. "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver" make the greatest double-LP that was never a double LP. These are two parts of a whole, I think, and there are things in these songs that will keep you interested forever. The bouncing piano of "You Won't See Me" with those classic pop back-up vocals. The dreamy guitars of "Norwegian Wood." The elegant simplicity of "For No One" and "In My Life" with that classical harpsichord bridge. The sweetness in "Michelle", "Here There and Everywhere" and "Girl." The Beatle-bob, head-shaking guitar power chords in "I'm Looking Through You." The startled opening of "Taxman." The what-the-hell "Tomorrow Never Knows" stuff. The drama of "Eleanor Rigby" and "Nowhere Man." These are routinely considered amongst the best albums ever made. It's impossible to argue. Now we come to "Sgt. Pepper's". Quite possibly the most fun "best album of all time" to listen to. While there are loads of arguments as to which album is the best rock album ever (I'm kinda partial to "Born To Run"), are there any that changed what we consider pop music in one fell swoop? Yes, its' luster has been lost over time, but this sonic upgrade guarantees its' place in history. C'mon, "Sgt Pepper's" into "With A Little Help..." into "Lucy In the Sky..." is never forgotten once heard. The first time anyone heard that, they knew it was something special. Something amazing. That just doesn't happen that often. For those technologically oriented, the fact that this was recorded on a four-track recorder is impossible. Consider "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" alone. One thing that stuck out: check out the horns on "Good Morning, Good Morning." They come driving out of your speakers like an out-of-control semi. The Beatles start to get loopy with "Magical Mystery Tour." For the first time, there are things that seem like a waste of time. But the number of stone-cold classics makes you ignore stuff like "Flying." Again with the brisk intro of the title track...the guys let you know immediately you're in for a trip, and they remind you that they can rock with the best of 'em. These new remasters reveal details in "I Am The Walrus" and "Strawberry Field Forever" heretofore unheard. You can hear the sun shining in "Penny Lane." How is that possible? And it's "cranberry sauce." I'm not as impressed with "The White Album" as I think most people are. Yes, it's still one of the great ones, but for the first time, I became impatient with the Beatles. That's a quibble, as the thrills of "Back In The USSR, the early metal of "Helter Skelter", the delicacies of "Blackbird", "Julia" and "Martha Dear", the singalong "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", the epics "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Dear Prudence"...FAR outweigh the tedium of "Wild Honey Pie" and "Revolution #9", the boring "Long Long Long", the novelty-ish "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" The improvement in the sonics exaggerates these differences. Still, a most impressive collection...just not up to the last few. "Yellow Submarine"? All together now. It's an aberration. "Let It Be" again mixes a rare mis-step with some legendary tunes. This gives you a chance to re-evaluate Phil Spector's take on the Fab Four. You'll be thinking "If only..." a few times. Like if only he didn't syrup over "The Long and Winding Road" but I guess for that, you have "Let It Be...Naked." The poignancy of "The Two Of Us" will touch you. And yes, they passed their audition. I have always considered "Abbey Road" to be their real last album. If you don't know, it was recorded after "Let It Be", but released first. This is another record on the short list of "best ever by anyone" and similarly, it's hard to argue. Harrison's contribution rival (surpass?) Lennon/McCartney's, and the side-long suite condenses the random joys of a 'Sgt. Pepper's'-like variety into half the time. Seriously, the last song is titled "The End"...isn't that how it should be? I say yes. "Past Masters" blows my mind. This collection that organizes the Beatles non-LP singles contains some of the single greatest singles ever. Ever. EVER. "She Loves You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "I Feel Fine" (Niiiiiiice feedback!), "Day Tripper" (whip-cracking drums), "We Can Work It Out", "Lady Madonna"... I want to "single" out two performances. First, "Paperback Writer". I previously enjoyed this tune, but now it vaults into one of my favorite Beatle songs. I had never appreciated the intertwined harmonies as much, nor the muscular rhythm section and snarling guitars. Of all the songs in the box, this is one that feels the most "different." Maybe it's just me. And then there's "Hey Jude." I doesn't get any better than this. Paul and a piano, the rest of the lads folding in, and then the soaring ending. If you liked the song before, you'll love it now. if you loved it before, you'll weep. A DVD collects the "mini-documentaries". These tasty little treats (each one available individually on its' respective album) are 3-4 minute long visual liner notes, if you will. They are tantalizingly brief, with some terrific photos/videos, "backstage" chatter, and salient comments from all involved. There's some stuff that you'll recall from the "Anthology" films, but there's also a whole lot of new stuff, and that stuff is pretty sweet. I thought it was pretty cool that if you watch them in order..."play all"...they placed Abbey Road last. Nice touch for diehards. There. I'm done. There is no possible way that if you've read this far, you could in any way be disappointed with this box. The Beatles will change your musical life. Again.

The following review, which has not been altered, was originally posted as a review for the Beatles Mono Box Set, but is also applicable to the Beatles Stereo Box Set. I held off completing and submitting this review until I had ample opportunity to listen to each of the newly re-mastered Beatles CDs, both in Mono and in Stereo, as well as to revisit many of the original 1987 Beatles CDs. I have now done so. Although I own many of the original LPs, I have not yet compared those. All listening was done on an excellent, but not quite audiophile (but very close!), stereo system. Like many of you reading this, I debated over which set - Mono or Stereo --- to purchase. I ultimately purchased and received first pressings of both sets. So what's the scoop? Here is a comprehensive - but lengthy - analysis. First, its all about the music -- really the best thing about these releases is that it reintroduces the wonderful music created by the Beatles into the popular culture. Love them or hate them, it is undeniable: The Beatles were a unique musical phenomenon and wrote and performed some of the best and likely longest lasting music of the Twentieth Century. In addition to the quality of the music, the Beatles were incredibly prolific: from 1962 through 1970 (a period of roughly seven years) they recorded an incredible twelve (12) UK albums, (albeit short albums by today's standards) plus Magical Mystery Tour and a couple of CDs worth of singles that did not appear on the UK albums (but which are collected on the Past Masters and Mono Masters collections, included in the new box sets). Unlike most popular music of the last fifty years, the music of the Beatles will likely still be played not just throughout the Twenty-First Century, but also in the Twenty-Second. The Beatles are the Beethoven of our lifetime. Teenage children of women that I date currently have Beatles posters on their walls -- forty (40) years after the Beatles (collectively) last recorded a record. That is amazing. The continued popularity of the Beatles is evidenced by the fact that the first pressings of both the stereo box and the "limited edition" mono box of re-mastered CDs immediately sold out upon - or before -- release. Second, chronologically listening through the entire Beatles catalogue gives one a sense of the development of the Beatles as a group and of the individual members. It certainly has been a labor of love (albeit somewhat time consuming!) The early Beatles, as a pure rock outfit, were clearly led by John Lennon, who sings lead on most of the early tracks. As time went on, John became the most experimental of the four in his songwriting and in the studio, and Paul emerged as the primary hit maker in the band, and, over time, composed more of the band's material than he had in the early years. Third, the 1987 Beatles CDs have been unfairly maligned in the reviews on this site and elsewhere. I have re-listened to quite a few of them and - as stand-alone CDs -- they sound just fine. The problem with those CDs is that - like most CDs of that era -- they are a bit shrill on the high end, and lack the warmth of analogue LPs. Moreover, they do not offer the clarity, detail and bass response offered by the new re-masters. Having said that, if your purpose is to listen to this music in MP3 format, through ear buds, or through tiny speakers, the old CDs will serve you just fine. Fourth, the new CDs offer sound that runs the gamut from just a marginal improvement (some of the tracks on the earlier albums) to a dramatic improvement (especially for the later albums, starting with Revolver) over the older CDs. OVERALL, the new CDs, both mono and stereo, offer much greater clarity and detail than do the old CDs, and the sound is warmer (especially the mono CDs) than the old CDs. Moreover, the new CDs have greater bass response (especially the stereo CDs). Overall, the deeper (chronologically later) into the catalogue that you go, the greater the sonic improvements. The vocals, Paul McCartney's terrific bass lines and Ringo Starr's steady drums - on most of the songs -- are now oh so clear. You will (especially on some of the mono tracks) hear or notice things you never heard or noticed before. The sound quality of these CDs is not, however, quite at the level of the SACD releases offered for Bob Dylan, the Moody Blues and the Rolling Stones, respectively. In particular, SOME of the tracks on the mono CDs lack definition, particularly in the midrange. These are, however, much improved CDs that are incredibly faithful to the original music. Here, the engineers - commendably -- did not succumb to the "loudness war" so prevalent in CD re-mastering since the advent of the IPOD. With respect to the mono set, there has reportedly been no compression whatsoever. The CDs are actually lower in volume than the 1987 discs. They have a warmer sound that one associates with LPs. With respect to the stereo CDs, there has reportedly been only minimal compression added, and the fine sound reflects that. Only Abbey Road struck me as being somewhat louder. Lastly, the CDs have not been remixed. Although the remixed 1999 Yellow Submarine CD (which I have not heard) and the remixed 2006 Love CD (which I have heard and is fantastic) have been well received, I think that the fact that these new CDs were not remixed is a good thing, as what we getting here are better sounding versions of the original releases, not new (changed) versions of the music (although the mono versions will be a revelation to many). To me, remixing classic music has been hit or miss. I love the remixes of the Doors CDs, but am less than pleased with the remixes of the Genesis CDs, which, in addition to being remixed, are overly compressed. That is not the case here. Fifth, with respect to the present mono v. stereo debate, I would suggest that a purchase of either set, or any of the individual CDs, would be satisfying. The preferred version depends on the song and/or the CD in question, as well the listener's tastes. If I HAD to choose one box set, it would be the mono. The mono CDs are better packaged (see below), are warmer sounding, in some cases offer unique mixes and are more engaging. Having said that, to my ears, OVERALL the stereo CDs do SOUND better than the mono CDs. They offer greater clarity and are brighter, without being overly harsh the way the older CDs were. That makes sense - the intent was to create a better sounding uniform Beatles catalog, and that is the stereo version. Moreover, the stereo box set includes ALL of the Beatles original catalogue, including Yellow Submarine, Let it Be and IMO the Beatles' finest album, Abbey Road, each of which are not included in the mono box set, as they were not originally mixed in mono. [Note: Yellow Submarine only contains four "new" Beatles songs, which are included in the mono set on the Mono Masters collection.] Further, as of this writing, each stereo CD contains a video component, which are collected on a separate DVD included in the stereo package, concerning the making of each album. Nevertheless, for many of the CDs or for specific songs, the mono versions are indeed superior. To my ears, and this is consistent with other reviews listed here, of the ten Beatles albums included in the mono CD box set (not counting the Mono Masters collection), five are (overall) preferable to their stereo counterparts: Please Please Me, With The Beatles, Help, Rubber Soul and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. For me, the mono White Album also comes close. As many reviewers have noted, Please Please Me, With The Beatles, and to a slightly lesser extent, Help and Rubber Soul, are all superior in mono, in large part because the mono versions do not have the left-right issue (all vocals on one channel and all instruments on the other channel) and the latter two CDs also offer the original stereo mix (George Martin remixed Help and Rubber Soul for the 1987 CD releases, and a re-mastering of each of those versions is what is included on the new stereo CDs). As many reviewers have correctly noted, the mono versions offer more punch than the stereo versions. For the early albums especially, the sound is akin to a live rock performance. Further, SOME of the mono versions are a revelation. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band -- which is incredible in its new stereo incarnation - is MINDBLOWING (and very different than the stereo version) in mono. This one CD - which I had once thought was over-rated (silly me) -- practically justifies, in and of itself, the higher price of the mono set. It is undoubtedly the crown jewel of the mono box set and if that box set does go out of print there will be - at a minimum -- tremendous demand for the release of the mono Sgt. Pepper's. Further, the mono White Album, which had never before been released in the U.S., is so very different - and some of the tracks reveal so many different layers -- than the stereo version! Here are some other examples. For me, "Yesterday" (which appears on Help) in mono just sent chills down my spine. I did not experience that in the stereo version. Similarly "Nowhere Man" (which appears on Rubber Soul) is just stunning in mono. On the other hand, to me, John's breathy "Girl" (also on Rubber Soul) sounds better in stereo, as, being on one channel, the distinctive vocals are clearer, and George Harrison's instrumental break (with a call and response guitar line) is more engaging. As aforesaid, in many cases it simply depends on the particular album or song, and the listener's tastes. Sixth, the packaging for both the mono CD box and the stereo CD box is gorgeous. As is well known, the re-mastered mono CDs are not (currently) available individually and are only offered in the purportedly "limited edition" box manufactured in Japan, which has a stellar reputation for production of outstanding sounding CDs with packaging that is faithful to the original LPs. (The packaging for this set reminds me of the recently released and excellent Led Zeppelin Japanese made box, which I also reviewed here). The box itself, which will fit nicely on most CD racks, is constructed of a hard cardboard material and is coated with a white sort of laminate, with very simple and tasteful title graphics and the familiar green apple. Each individual CD package and CD is an exact replica of the original UK mono LP release (except for Magical Mystery Tour, which is a replica of the US mono release), down to including all of the original inserts. Like all Japanese made CDs, each album is housed in a re-sealable cellophane envelope (there is no OBI strip, however). As advertised, this set was clearly designed with the collector in mind. The stereo box is made here in the USA. It is larger than the mono box (about the size of a shoe box, similar to the two Grateful Dead box sets of their [mostly] studio albums). Like the mono box, the stereo box has a sort of laminate, this time in black, with tasteful graphics and the familiar green apple. The box closes with a hidden magnet, like, for those who are familiar with it, the Phish box set Hampton Comes Alive. The box itself is housed in a (temporary?) cardboard sleeve. Each individual CD is housed in a digipak which contains a nice booklet, printed on glossy paper stock, which contains the original liner notes (if any) of the album along with recording notes and very nice pictures of the fab four. The White Album is nicely housed in a slip case with the embossed: "The Beatles." As other reviewers have noted, the stereo CD digipaks house the CDs in a slip with no protective sleeve. Why didn't designers of the packaging include a CD holder, like the Bob Dylan re-masters? Nevertheless, the cardboard stock of the digipak is study enough so that the package can be propped open (without damaging the packaging) to permit safe removal of the CD, although you may have to touch the edge of the CD to do so (possibly leaving fingerprints). I suspect that the digipaks will soon be history and will be replaced with more conventional (and horrid) jewel boxes, which would at least more safely store the CDs. (Collectors note: the original pressing of the Magical Mystery Tour stereo CD label has a misprint re: the Let It Be documentary video being on the disc. That misprint is reportedly being corrected for future pressings of the CD). Lastly, a word about the pricing. The box sets ARE expensive. In spite of this, demand has clearly - for now - exceeded supply. All box sets tend to be expensive, and with respect to Japanese made mini-LPs, these are often very expensive. The "Japanese" mono box, which likely contains the very same CDs as the Japanese made CDs contained in the "limited edition" mono box sold in the US, costs approximately, or more than, twice as much. If money is an issue, you can avoid the box sets and focus on the following (listed chronologically): Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Peppers, The Beatles (the "White Album") and Abbey Road, each of which is amongst the very best rock albums ever made, and the very fine stereo re-master of each is readily available at a reasonable price. If you want to experience the early Beatles, the 1987 CDs of the Beatles first four UK albums, Please Please Me, With The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night and Beatles For Sale, all in mono, are likely [for now] still available. You can add the new stereo versions of Help, Past Masters, Magical Mystery Tour, Let It Be [or even better, Let It Be . . . Naked] and Yellow Submarine, in that order, as funds allow. So what's my recommendation? That depends on who you are (and what your budget is). If money is an issue, see the previous paragraph. If you already own any or all of the 1987 CDs, and plan on only listening on ear buds or a less than high quality system, save your money and stick with those, and supplement your collection as necessary with the individually available stereo CDs. If you want the absolute BEST possible sound now available on CD, overall the stereo CDs are the way to go, and they are and will be readily available (although the first pressing of the box set is currently sold out, the second pressing is available by pre-order). If you want to experience the Beatles as it is reported that they originally intended, if you want to hear different mixes (often revelatory and in many cases superior), if you are a completest and/or if you want collectable facsimiles of the original UK LPs, pick up the "limited" mono box set., which, at the time of this writing, is once again available by pre-order (for the second pressing). As aforesaid -- and this is a personal choice -- if I had to choose just ONE set, I'd go with the mono set, and I would supplement it with the new stereo Abbey Road and the previously released Let It Be . . . Naked. Whether the mono re-mastered box will be available beyond the purported "second pressing" is, at the time of this writing, unknown and the subject of much speculation. If, however, the mono box is history, then the stereo re-masters are terrific. ADDENDUM: The only additions/modifications to the foregoing review that I would now offer are the following: (1) I believe that most or all the stereo CDs (not just Abbey Road) are a bit louder than the earlier versions of same; (2) I acknowledge that those who submit that the stereo CDs should have been remixed (like the 1999 Yellow Submarine disc, which I have now listened to) have a legitimate point, although I still stand by what is expressed above; and (3) No offense is meant towards those who utilize MP3 players, indeed those who download the CDs utilizing a higher bit rate (256 or Apple Lossless) should notice a difference (overall) between the old and the new CDs. Whether that difference justifies the new purchase is an individual decision. Happy listening!

So I purchased both sets, stereo and mono. In my honest opinion, I prefer the sound quality of the stereo set to the mono set by a huge margin. To my sensitive ears, listening side by side (so to speak) through a good preamp and good cans between the new stereo box set, the new mono box set and the previous 1987 releases, IMO the mono set sounds only marginally better than the previous 1987 cds... you really have to listen carefully for the subtle differences. There is a better low end there for sure, but the difference is not night and day. The stereo set is the real standout. It sounds amazingly clean, clear and warm with clarity, definition, depth and details not present in the 1987 releases. In most respects, it sounds better than recordings of music done with the most modern equipment rather than these which were recorded up to 46 years ago! (can you believe that?)... seriously. You will not believe it until you strap the cans on and hear this for yourself! Yes, the simple panned stereo versions of "Please Please Me" and "With the Beatles" and some of the later albums take some getting used to (especially with headphones). But they don't have to. I decided to conduct an experiment to see what I thought sounded better - the mono versions just as they are or the stereo versions combined into mono and then more balanced stereo mixes. Intrigued? Read on. What I did was rip the stereo versions of "Please Please Me" and "With the Beatles" to WAV files. I loaded those rips into SoundForge (which is a commercial audio editing program) but you can likely use a free program like Audacity instead (which is available via audacity dot sourceforge dot net). I combined the left and right channels into a single mono channel at an average of 62%, checked that no peaks were clipped on each track and saved the resulting mono WAV files. (at this point, you could encode them into whatever format you like such as MP3 or FLAC or whatever). In my honest opinion, the results of my self-made stereo-to-mono tracks were easily as good as what the audio sounds like straight from the mono set for the first two albums I tried this on, Please Please Me and With the Beatles. The punch of the original mono set was all there, but it lacked the depth of the stereo. So instead of going completely mono, I also tried to balance the panned stereo effect, but keep the tracks with some separation. In SoundForge, I combined the stereo channels at 62% left and 50% right for left channel and 50% left and 62% right for the right channel. The results are still stereo, but a more natural sounding mix than the highly panned original. To me, it sounds better than the mono. You may not agree, but for me this was the best solution for having the best possible sound quality and depth (from the stereo set) and yet not have the distracting issue of the especially primitively panned unbalanced stereo present on those albums (and some tracks on later ones as well). I will likely revisit this procedure and experiment with different percentage ratios as my time permits. With A Hard Day's Night and Beatles for Sale, I find the stereo versions better than the mono without having to make them mono or combine the channels to balance the stereo as I described above. Even though the instruments may be panned they are not nearly as unbalanced as they are on the first two albums and most importantly, the vocals are perfectly centered - and to me, that makes all the difference in the world. Tracks on Help!, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper, The Magical Mystery Tour and the White Album sound just great in stereo but some tracks do suffer from a heavier panned effect than others. I will likely try combining stereo channels on some tracks from these albums as I previously described above and see how I like the results. Abbey Road sounds just amazing in it's stereo version! No issues with that. I haven't listened to Yellow Submarine, Let It Be or the Past Masters yet, so I cannot comment on these yet. Overall, so far I found the sound quality of the set to be clear, rich and exceptional. The difference in audio quality between this set and the 1987 releases is astonishing. You will hear things that just were not there before. I know it's cliché and that others have said it in their reviews, but it's true!... It's like hearing the fab four for the first time all over again! A good analogy would be that it's as if they peeled the thin plastic protective layer from the screen of a new phone to reveal the pristine, shiny glass beneath. That's what these discs sound like compared with the 1987 releases. Honestly, this whole mono vs. stereo thing could have been avoided by combining them into one set. It's not like it would have cost them significantly extra to do that and it would have satisfied just about everyone with one set. I'm giving the set five stars, but I would give it 4.5 stars if I could just because of the unnecessary dual release that could have easily been avoided. And yes, it would be nice to have this on SACD or DVD audio. And yes, full, balanced stereo remixes would have been even better IMO. Still, I am VERY VERY VERY happy and massively impressed with the sound of these discs. There is simply no way I can explain how much better these sound over the 1987 counterparts. If you have decent equipment and decent hearing, it is likely that you'll instantly love them. So I can't help but recommend the stereo set for all except the purists who would balk at what I suggested for the sake of the history of the mixes, etc. IMO, if you want the best possible audio quality and depth, go for the stereo set. Optionally, and if you have the ability, try making your own mono or balanced mixes for the first two cds (and possibly some tracks on others). Whatever your choice or preference, Happy Listening!

Well, I finally received this box set last week and I'm now up to The Beatles (The White Album). This was a brilliant idea to remaster these masterpieces!!! I have never heard the Beatles like this before. The sound is so clear and much much better than the original recordings. If you have the American versions of the Beatles records, then you'll know what an embarrassment they are with the false stereo. An example of this is Roll Over Beethoven. You can hear an echo on the American version. Listen to this remastered version and it is clear as a bell, no echo, nothing just pure sound. The entire Beatles catalogue is like this. This box set includes all 13 studio albums and a double disc of the Past Masters Vol. I and II CDs. Each CD has a mini-documentary at the end. Just insert into your computer and watch. There is an additional DVD of all the mini-documentaries as well. This set was very well planned out to provide the fans with one brilliant Beatles set that will knock your socks off. Each CD has been carefully remastered and packaged with a three-fold cover. Each CD includes a booklet about the making of the album and historical notes. Each booklet also includes pictures neer before seen in both color and black and white. The Beatles (The hite Album) is really impressive. They have made it exactly as the original LP vinyl release. It is a four-fold fold out jacket. This remaster also includes a booklet of historical notes and the making of the album along with the lyrics. Do you remember the four individual pictures of the Beatles? Well, in the fold out cover of this beautifully remastered work are the pictures. Thic CD also includes a mini-poster of the original poster of the collage on one side and the lyrics to the songs on the other side. The entire collection, not only individually packaged, is packaged as a whole with a shiny, black flip-top box with the words "The Beatles" centered in white. Below is a picture of an apple to signify "Apple Records". I have been totally blown away by this collection. Once you hear these remastered works in true stereo, you'll never want to listen to the original CD again. I have also ordered the mono box set which I will be picking up from the post office tomorrow. I am quite sure that the mono box set, which does not have the last 3 Beatles albums, is just as brilliant as the stereo set. The reason for the last 3 albums excluded is because they were not recorded in mono. If you're a Beatles fan, this is one set that is a must. If you want to replace your Beatles collection with a better sound, then this collection is for you. This is one collection that I have to say is very much well worth the money.

This is the best money I have ever spent. Now, please keep in mind that I have unilateral hearing loss, meaning that I am profoundly deaf in one ear (something I was born with, not the result of years of blasting music), and as a hearing-impaired person, I was worried that I might not be able to hear a difference between the 1987 remasters and these shiny new 2009 remasters. I didn't have to worry. Ripping these in FLAC first thing, I can already definitely hear a wonderful difference in the sound. It's so much clearer, more vibrant, and it's just all around a revelation to hear the greatest music ever made sound as it was meant to sound: AMAZING. One concern I had as I awaited for my pre-order of this box to arrive was the stereo channel separation of the previous remasters and such (a huge problem for me, as I own an iPod, and I had to convert these ones to mono for the sound to come out in only one earphone, which compromised the quality). Thankfully, these remasters do NOT have this channel separation (or panning, as I've seen this be referred to as). I tested out the main victims of the panning: Yellow Submarine, Eleanor Rigby, and A Day In The Life to name a few, and I was so very pleased, to say the least, that I could hear everything in one earphone. I will not have to compromise quality merely for playback on my iPod (once I convert them to V0 VBR mp3 for such playback). I am in love with the digipak packaging. Although admittedly it was a tad difficult to remove the CDs so I could rip them in FLAC, I am glad these albums are in digipak. So much more aesthetically pleasing to me, and a lot easier to carry around without the worry that the cases will crack (or worse, break) if dropped. I also love how the CD labels' designs mirror the designs of the original vinyl labels. The glossy booklets detailing the history (and, in some albums, including the original liner notes and reviews) and recording notes are a huge bonus. Hands down, I urge every fan of music, including those of my generation (I am 18), to purchase this stereo box set if they have the means. Do not merely settle for downloading rips of it. As for those complaining about remaster versus remix: either coherently and rationally criticize it (as opposed to having a caps lock and punctuation fest, which is disrespecting the English language) or keep it to yourself and save this product page some review space for those who actually appreciate this product for what it is.

I've been reading a lot of the reviews submitted for both the stereo and the mono sets; which is better, etc. I truly appreciate a lot of the information and specific songs, parts, variances that many of the more expert listeners have submitted. I'm just a life long hack who loves this music still and have been content to listen to them via LP, cassette, 8 track, 1980s cds and the new superduper, no phony baloney remastered sets. I bought the stereo set and a friend has given me mono tracks for Sgt. Pepper and an assortment of songs that some of the previous reviewers have given as examples. (Thank you for that!) I also have the Capitol Releases that feature those cds remastered in stereo and mono. So, I think I'm set. Again, I'm no expert but as a life long fan listen for certain parts that sound clearer (If I Needed Someone) in stereo or sound fuller in mono (I've Just Seen A Face). I'm still tyring to figure out which sound does Sgt. Pepper greater justice. I find it funny that the mono vs stereo debate has accelerated since the sets were released. My generation ( 12 years old in 1964) thought that stereo was the ultimate way to listen to any music. We couldn't wait to get everything in stereo! Then cds started to crop up in the 80s and I noticed a certain emptiness in "the middle". You know, clear vocals and instrumentation but something sounded hollow within the songs. I mean, I could hear vocals, instrumentation and certain nuances in guitar solos ( I never knew Paul did the bass part vocally in "I Will" until I downloaded the song from my 80s cd and put it on my Ipod). Still, some things have not improved with all of the technology we've gone through. The drum break in "Got To Get You Into My Life" never has had the kind of loudness and pop that I've heard when I've seen it done live by tribute bands like the Fab Faux or 1964-The Tribute. That "pop" I'm listening for has never been there. So, maybe that's the way the boys recorded it. Too, bad, it sounds better with the louder drum break. Whatever your preference, both sets improve upon what was previously available. The importance to a true Beatles fan is that they're both available to us even if some of us can't break down the sound quality as expertly as others out there. I thank those that can and have used their advice and comments to learn something new about this beautiful music that I've been listening to for over forty years. I still have my original LPs. I ruined them by picking up the needle and placing it songs that I preferred to hear out of order. I tried to be careful, but, when one is young, distracted or not fully conscious, the hand slips. I'd like to think that my generation paved the way for needle play for the legion of hip/hop, rap, house djs that followed us. Take that, youngsters! God rest my father's soul. He was Cuban, didn't speak English well, didn't understand the British Invasion and said it would never last like Sinatra. Still, I'd catch him humming "Yesterday", "And I Love Her" or "Something" around the house. Hey Pop, guess what? My music held up, too. Strawberry Fields Forever.

(I have purchased the STEREO box set of the remastered Beatles' catalog of recrodings and am reviewing that set here. I have not heard the MONO box set and am not comparing it to the stereo set here.) Also, I'm reviewing the recordings themselves and not the packaging per se. "Reviewing" these remastered recordings is hard to do since everyone, on account of their individual aural listening skills, tastes, and technical expertise, will react somewhat differently to these recordings. I suspect there is even some divergence of opinion over details, however slight, among the team of engineers at Abbey Road who did this remaster, though I have no reason to doubt the abilities and dedication of any of them. For what it sets out to do--and this is what I mean by "ground-rules"--this set of recordings is an excellent end-product. What these recordings offer in terms of sonic results: 1. You can hear EVERYTHING and you can hear it CLEARLY. 2. The soundscape is very clean and noise-free. 3. The vocals, instruments (and especially the percussion sounds and Paul's bass guitar) seem clean, detailed, nuanced, and true-to-life in unsurpassed ways. 4. If I had to choose a few adjectives to describe the sound overall I would say the recordings are "unvarnished," "acoustically correct," and "accurate." 5. All four Beatles' vocals sound true to their well-known voices, both generally and in all the details. 6. The conversion from analog to digital has been well done, and while I can hear the difference from original vinyl issues, the sound is not COLD, although the amount of realism in all the sonic aspects does make this remaster sound a bit "clinical," though in a good sense of that word. (I've heard prior Beatles recording issues sound more rip-roaringly energetic at times, but not more true-to-life.) It seems to me that recording engineers have a tough job, because a big part of what they have to do (and do right) is technical; instruments and voices must sound realistic (if that is indeed the goal, which it is not always--e.g., John Lennon's vocal on TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS, which was originally processed/re-recorded through a Leslie speaker) when first recorded, when processed later, and when mixed with other elements of the track. But another equally vital aspect of what recording engineers (and record producers) have to do, and upon which there is probably much greater divergence of opinion, is the ARTISTIC shaping of a recording. Sonic 'realism' is NOT always the only goal when making a recording, although it is usually the starting point. My own feeling is that remixing is a whole discussion unto itself, as is stereo vs. mono (and not just with respect to The Beatles, but with all music that straddles the mono/stereo transition period). Personally, I have no problem enjoying these stereo remasters, just because they are in stereo, any less than I can enjoy monoaural counterparts, though I am well aware of John Lennon's preference for monaural Beatle end-product (from one of his interviews). My reason for liking stereo is because it gives a better sense of 3-D, which is the world around us and the world in which The Beatles lived and performed. (LIkewise, I welcome 5.1 mixes for their dimensional realism as well.) And so I have no particular quibble with stereo vs. mono, and am happy that listeners do have the choice to purchase either the (mostly) stereo vs. the (mosty) mono set. For those who can afford it, both can be purchased and enjoyed for what they are. The issue of the wide separation of vocals vs. instruments in the stereo set is a question better resolved by addressing the issue of remixing, I think, something this remastering project did not set out to do. My own preference in this area arises from listening to the LOVE soundtrack, which I feel generally has an edge over this remastered set, in that it attempts to do something DIFFERENT than simply re-master the catalog en masse: there is an ineffable warmth and liveliness to the LOVE recordings that mere (but excellent) remastering alone cannot accomplish. Here I have no blame to lay upon the engineers who remastered this new stereo set, but rather a wish for the additional sort of touch that George and Giles Martin might have brought to this project had they been (able to) have been involved as well. It's the difference between technical excellence--which this set has in spades--and technical excellence in the service of the interrelated and more subjective art of remixing. What I find myself wishing for the Beatles recordings is two things: 1. Pure Beatles sound; faithful reproduction of their performances--which this set does very well 2. Artful blending of all the elements in a way that captures the artists, their time, and the world they wrote about. It is in this second area that I feel there is still work to be done with The Beatles' catalog, though again I cannot fault the engineers who laid down certain ground rules for the kinds of processing these recordings would receive (their choices were sensible ones). But my sense is that there is still a little something missing here, and it is definitely in the 'arty' area of record production. Being an informed amateur when it comes to recording/engineering techniques, I don't mind the amount of limiting applied to these recordings, though I would not want any more than has already been added. Unlike some others, I don't hear clipped volume levels that are then 'unclipped' by turning down the overall volume; the engineers have been more careful than that. All in all, this set is a NICE way to experience The Beatles' catalog, and it attains its own objectives based on the ground-rules set out by the engineers beforehand. I give the set four stars rather than five because, as the LOVE soundtrack demonstrates, there is still additional 'magic' to be had from this music with the addition of some careful and appropriate re-mixing of the sort that Giles and George Martin were able to do. P.S.--As a music educator (Piano) I often use Beatles recordings to teach keyboard students pop harmony by having them play chordal accompaniments along with the records. In the past I've had them purchase either the Red & Blue compilations or the "1" compilation album for practice, etc. The only problem with using those recordings for this purpose in the past has been that about 1/3 of the tracks are somewhat out-of-tune with A440 (a quarter tone or less, either sharp or flat) and so we've had to detune our electronic Piano beforehand to match, etc. Well, I checked today and MOST of the out of tune recordings are now BACK IN TUNE on these remasters! There are only a few song recordings still off pitch (e.g., HERE COMES THE SUN and STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER) and I'd guess t that's due to track-bouncing and/or machine swapping done somewhere in the original recording process, but am not sure. Anyway, I'm DELIGHTED to have proper pitch restored to a number of the formerly out-of-tune songs.

Great set

I've had the Beatles Stereo Box set for nearly a week now, and have listened to all the albums a number of times through and feel compelled to post my feedback to help anyone unsure about taking the £169.99 financial 'plunge'.... In fairness, I have to admit to being a dedicated Beatles fan (for the past 40 years) - so I'm not going to give an unbiased view on the music collected together here in one place...it's a true treasure trove. However, I do back up the point a number of other reviewers have put forward that, whisper it, some of these remasters don't actually sound that good - they're better than the 1987 releases, without a shadow of a doubt - but let's face it, it would be difficult for them not to sound better after 22 years of CD development! Now don't misunderstand me, several albums in this Box Set sound substantially better compared to the late 1980's digital releases: ABBEY ROAD is now a very satisfying, detailed and dynamic listen - this is especially apparent when you hear the musical 'duel' of guitars and drums that make up the album closer 'The End' - in truth, every track on this remaster is far better than the muddy mix on the 1987 CD. THE BEATLES (White Album) now delivers a fine stereo image with real 'studio depth' it relays intricate detail to vocals whilst projecting plenty of power to the lead guitars and well defined low end grunt to the bass guitar - all in all this new release beats the old 1987 2CD set quite easily. SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND is now a more balanced stereo experience, especially satisfying on Headphones - all the instruments and vocals now sound believable and crisp, with Paul's melodic Bass playing really jumping forward - it makes the 1987 CD version redundant. RUBBER SOUL and REVOLVER have a number of highlights - as does the PAST MASTERS set.....but the earlier albums, from PLEASE PLEASE ME to HELP! and the final LET IT BE disc are (at times) not really in the same sonic ball-park. Now, how could I possibly be so critical of the sound on this Box Set? - Well, I've no doubts that the Abbey Road team have done their best - but they have simply squeezed the maximum they can out of 40 to 47 year old Album Master Tapes. In comparison, over the past 5 years or so we have been treated to the remastered back catalogue of a growing number of equally prominant Artists such as The Doors (on DMC), Elvis Presley (on FTD) and The Rolling Stones (on ABKO) who, after initial 'slap-dash' releases in the 1980's and 1990's have all finally done justice to their heritage by making every effort to trawl tape vaults and sound archives to find, wherever possible, the First Generation Session Multi-tracks to Remix fresh Album Masters - anyone owning any number of these CD's will bear witness to the fact that as a consequence of all this extra effort, they sound truly 'STUNNING' - sounding like they were recorded yesterday.... In fact this technique isn't anything new to the Beatles' Technical Team either, the very same work was done on the 'Yellow Submarine - Songtrack' Album as well as the 'Let it Be - Naked' release - which is why they both sound superior to their respective 2009 remasters. As such, I feel an opportunity has been lost to make this release a truly definitive one, especially when the Technical Lead for the Remaster Project at Abbey Road (Allan Rouse) has been quoted as saying (in the latest October 2009 issue of The Record Collector Magazine) that the Remastering process for all the Albums only took around 3 months - not the 4 years that is so often quoted in many reviews...it seems there was plenty of time to provide Remixed Album Masters from the Original 2, 4 and 8 track Session Multi-tracks....but this fantastic opportunity wasn't taken - perhaps it was stopped by the surviving members of the Group - but it's a real shame it didn't happen..... So, is it worth buying this Stereo Box Set? Well, yes it is.....each CD album is held within its own glossy digipack which includes informative liner notes in a booklet stored within...the outer box (with its outer slip-case and magnetic securing clasp) has been beautifully designed and manufactured - as a result, the whole package gives the owner plenty of user appeal... Is this the best The Beatles' Albums have sounded on CD? Well, at the moment yes.....but if they'd been Remixed from the Original Session Multi-tracks they would have sounded even better!

Esta edicion remasterizada del 2009 es una maravilla, el sonido es fantastico, la presentacion de los discos es muy buena. Sin embargo sigo estar a gusto con las cajas tipo sobre, principalmente porque este tipo de cajas aumenta el riesgo de rayar los discos.

Ohne viele unnötiger Worte. Fantastisch.

Maravilhoso. Alegra meus dias e noites. Vale o preço, sim.