More Beatles to collect.

[mickf]

Difficult to find album more cult. A packet with the paces of gift package, more and more sought-after compositions reaching tops of psychedelia, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is all this at once. And if his classification among the conceptual albums remains debatable, it nevertheless remains a major work in the history of the group and music in general because it puts everyone in agreement: there will now be a front and One after Sgt. Pepper's.


On its exit, it definitively propels the group to the firmament. Fans are reassured, voiceless critics and admiring competition. That same evening, as the Beatles roam the clubs to celebrate the event, they have proof when they enter a pub during the set of Jimi Hendrix who immediately improvises a resume of the title song under their astounded eyes."Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band "that opens the album sets the tone. The crowd settles in a few last whispers and the orchestra begins to play. On a tempo

Now who could argue with that?

[David (terrrrrrrr)]

Difficult to find album more cult. A packet with the paces of gift package, more and more sought-after compositions reaching tops of psychedelia, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is all this at once. And if his classification among the conceptual albums remains debatable, it nevertheless remains a major work in the history of the group and music in general because it puts everyone in agreement: there will now be a front and One after Sgt. Pepper's.


On its exit, it definitively propels the group to the firmament. Fans are reassured, voiceless critics and admiring competition. That same evening, as the Beatles roam the clubs to celebrate the event, they have proof when they enter a pub during the set of Jimi Hendrix who immediately improvises a resume of the title song under their astounded eyes."Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band "that opens the album sets the tone. The crowd settles in a few last whispers and the orchestra begins to play. On a tempo

Now who could argue with that?

Exactly...

[Andy]

More to the point, who can understand that?

[sliprigilio (Al)]

Love the bit about Hendrix playing title track in a pub!!!  In reality I think it was the Shaftsbury or Saville Theatre...

Cheers
Slippy
 

[David (terrrrrrrr)]

More to the point, who can understand that?

The only ones who stand any chance, would/might be, Google, who's translator was used to give the "result". LOL. I did give fair warning at the top of the post...

[Jules Gray]

Carnival Of Light was considered:-

http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/feature/the-beatles-remixed-sgt-pepper-unveiled-at-abbey-road-studios/

Jules

[GubGub (Al)]

Is there any advantage to a subscription?  Cost?  Any extras?  I rather like checking the copies out in town to make sure all is well (externally at least).  My experience of vinyl in the post is not good....

I don't think there is any cost advantage in taking out a subscription but there are a number of "free" gifts which don't exactly get my heart racing!
Details are in the link.
My main reason for taking out a subscription was simply due to the fact that after a few weeks these things tend to disappear from the shops.
One thing I found strange was that when you take out a subscription, you are asked whether you also want to receive any "special edition" albums if and when they are released!
I have no idea what these could be!
http://www.deagostini.com/minisites/uk/collections/beatles-vinyl-collection/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CLKmopqthtMCFQhuGwoddF4Kqw

So, White Album was available in the shops 4 weeks ago.
Rubber Soul was available 2 weeks ago.
Magical Mystery Tour will become available on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, on subscription, I have received nothing since Help 6 eeks ago despite an alleged dispatch on 30 April!  
How is anybody else's experience of this to date?

[Poor Will (Bill)]

Not received mine yet either

[Poor Will (Bill)]

Mine has just been delivered

[GubGub (Al)]

Mine has just been delivered

Hopefully mine will turn up today too then. However, this has been such a shoddy experience that I have cancelled my subscription and asked a newsagent to reserve them in future. Picked up Magical Mystery Tour yesterday.

[tony the roundhead]

Sgt Pepper. Buy the Giles Martin remix. Don't argue - just do it. I've just listened to it on headphones and it all makes sense :-)  

[PaulT]

Has anyone on here bought the £110-ish cd and bluray set? Penny for your thoughts...

[GubGub (Al)]

Has anyone on here bought the £110-ish cd and bluray set? Penny for your thoughts...

Yes but for £75ish from Amazon Germany. It only arrived at 3pm this afternoon so I have not heard or watched any of it yet but as an artefact it is lovely.

[Jules Gray]

Yes but for £75ish from Amazon Germany. It only arrived at 3pm this afternoon so I have not heard or watched any of it yet but as an artefact it is lovely.

Damn - I missed out on that deal!!

Jules

[Andy]

I've listened to the remixed version through my damaged ears and still find the mono has more aural depth.

[GubGub (Al)]

Has anyone on here bought the £110-ish cd and bluray set? Penny for your thoughts...

Yes but for £75ish from Amazon Germany. It only arrived at 3pm this afternoon so I have not heard or watched any of it yet but as an artefact it is lovely.

And the verdict is...
Well, first let's put this in context. Hysteria and, frankly, insanity has broken out on audiphile forums about this release. People are carrying on as if the Beatles have personally mugged them and stolen their milk money. I am no audiophile and my hearing is compromised by my tinnitus but my own view is:

Disc 1: The stereo remix is revelatory and sounds very natural. The extreme separation of previous stereo mixes is gone. It is quite an achievement to produce this from 50 year old 4 track tapes. But, even for me, who is usually oblivious to these things, the mastering is harsh and too loud in places. which is kind of a shame.
Discs 2 & 3: The sound here is lovely and perhaps what Disc 1 should have been. The content is fascinating and some of the alternative takes are lovely but I guess it is debatable how often one would listen to them. If you like the Anthologies you will enjoy them. If you think those albums are historic documents rather than entertaining albums, the same applies here.
Disc 4: The mono mix and a few extra bits. It remains for me the most coherent and punchy way to listen to Pepper and is my favourite mix.
Discs 5 & 6: The documentary has been restored beautifully and the 5.1 mix of the album, if you have a 5.1 system is terrific. It sounds as though the band are in the room with you and it does not have the loudness problems of disc 1. Once again, how they have managed to create this, given the technical limitations of the original tapes is mind boggling.

All in all, I would say it is a qualified success. The main stereo remix is perhaps the least satisfactory element but as I say, that is a mastering not a mixing issue. I am glad I didn't pay more for it but it is probably worth what I paid bearing in mind that it also contains a big and detailed looking hardback book that I have not started to read yet and the packaging generally is top class.

[Jules Gray]

And the verdict is...
Well, first let's put this in context. Hysteria and, frankly, insanity has broken out on audiphile forums about this release. People are carrying on as if the Beatles have personally mugged them and stolen their milk money. I am no audiophile and my hearing is compromised by my tinnitus but my own view is:

Disc 1: The stereo remix is revelatory and sounds very natural. The extreme separation of previous stereo mixes is gone. It is quite an achievement to produce this from 50 year old 4 track tapes. But, even for me, who is usually oblivious to these things, the mastering is harsh and too loud in places. which is kind of a shame.
Discs 2 & 3: The sound here is lovely and perhaps what Disc 1 should have been. The content is fascinating and some of the alternative takes are lovely but I guess it is debatable how often one would listen to them. If you like the Anthologies you will enjoy them. If you think those albums are historic documents rather than entertaining albums, the same applies here.
Disc 4: The mono mix and a few extra bits. It remains for me the most coherent and punchy way to listen to Pepper and is my favourite mix.
Discs 5 & 6: The documentary has been restored beautifully and the 5.1 mix of the album, if you have a 5.1 system is terrific. It sounds as though the band are in the room with you and it does not have the loudness problems of disc 1. Once again, how they have managed to create this, given the technical limitations of the original tapes is mind boggling.

All in all, I would say it is a qualified success. The main stereo remix is perhaps the least satisfactory element but as I say, that is a mastering not a mixing issue. I am glad I didn't pay more for it but it is probably worth what I paid bearing in mind that it also contains a big and detailed looking hardback book that I have not started to read yet and the packaging generally is top class.

Interesting, because another mate of mine can't stop playing the stereo remix and declares it to be audio nirvana.

Jules

[GubGub (Al)]

And the verdict is...
Well, first let's put this in context. Hysteria and, frankly, insanity has broken out on audiphile forums about this release. People are carrying on as if the Beatles have personally mugged them and stolen their milk money. I am no audiophile and my hearing is compromised by my tinnitus but my own view is:

Disc 1: The stereo remix is revelatory and sounds very natural. The extreme separation of previous stereo mixes is gone. It is quite an achievement to produce this from 50 year old 4 track tapes. But, even for me, who is usually oblivious to these things, the mastering is harsh and too loud in places. which is kind of a shame.
Discs 2 & 3: The sound here is lovely and perhaps what Disc 1 should have been. The content is fascinating and some of the alternative takes are lovely but I guess it is debatable how often one would listen to them. If you like the Anthologies you will enjoy them. If you think those albums are historic documents rather than entertaining albums, the same applies here.
Disc 4: The mono mix and a few extra bits. It remains for me the most coherent and punchy way to listen to Pepper and is my favourite mix.
Discs 5 & 6: The documentary has been restored beautifully and the 5.1 mix of the album, if you have a 5.1 system is terrific. It sounds as though the band are in the room with you and it does not have the loudness problems of disc 1. Once again, how they have managed to create this, given the technical limitations of the original tapes is mind boggling.

All in all, I would say it is a qualified success. The main stereo remix is perhaps the least satisfactory element but as I say, that is a mastering not a mixing issue. I am glad I didn't pay more for it but it is probably worth what I paid bearing in mind that it also contains a big and detailed looking hardback book that I have not started to read yet and the packaging generally is top class.

Interesting, because another mate of mine can't stop playing the stereo remix and declares it to be audio nirvana.

Jules

Well, as is clear elsewhere on the 'net, no two people hear this thing (or anything) the same way. I had very high hopes but I don't think it could ever have been audio nirvana. That would have required making a digital silk purse from an analogue sow's ear. The digital technology to separate the various elements from a single track of tape may be very impressive but I don't think it can ever sound quite as natural as having each element on a separate track to manipulate.

One of the arguments that is raging online is that this does not sound stereo enough. Giles Martin has been very open about the fact that he has tried to create a stereo mix that preserves the character of the mono mix that the band authorised. Inevitably therefore, the stereo imaging is not especially dramatic. Personally I think he has made the right choice as it does sound reasonably natural. My only reservation is that Good Morning Good Morning (for example) comes at you so aggressively that it gives you a headache. That is not down to the mix. It is down to compression used at the mastering stage. I presume he has signed off on it but I think Giles would have a right to feel aggrieved that his mix has been somewhat undermined by the mastering technician.

[PaulT]

I've just bought the 2CD version. I shall listen track by track, switching between the new stereo mix and the recent vinyl version, which I assume has the "original" stereo mix, and compare and contrast.

Maybe one day, a "standalone" BluRay/DVD containing the 5.1 mix will be released - for those many people unable/unwilling to fork out for the big box.

[GubGub (Al)]

I've just bought the 2CD version. I shall listen track by track, switching between the new stereo mix and the recent vinyl version, which I assume has the "original" stereo mix, and compare and contrast.

That is a controversial issue. The recent vinyl has the 2009 stereo mix which is essentially but not exactly George Martin's 1967 mix.