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September 9th for Beatles mono LPs...

Michael Fremer's site has some nerdy mono LP mastering details for anyone who's interested.

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/beatles-get-back-mono-and-aaa-vinyl

Analog Planet said:
The 180 gram records, pressed at Optimal in Germany for world-wide distribution, were mastered at Abbey Road Studios using the original ¼” analogue master tapes played back on a mono headstock, preview-head equipped, Studer A80. No dynamic compression and minimal equalization will hopefully produce the best ever sounding Beatles reissues.

The EQ applied was based upon the original cutting engineers’ notes as well as careful listening to original first lacquer, first mother, first stamper EMI pressings (-1, 1, G matrix). The cartridge used was Ortofon’s 2M Black.

It’s important to remember that the tapes have aged—some as much as fifty years—and the monitoring, playback and mastering equipment have changed as well, even though the work was done in the very same room in which the originals were mastered. Solid state has replaced tubes in the cutting chain.

Lacquers were cut using Abbey Road Studios’ Neumann VMS-80 lathe, equipped with a Neumann SX-74 cutter head. The originals were cut on a Scully lathe, perhaps with a Westrex cutter head.
Click to expand...

Joe
 
David,

I'm not sure. The mono CDs weren't limited, so the DR should be as originally intended.

Maybe the EQ differs between the CD and LP box sets.

Joe
 
Tim,

I plan to listen to a few records over the weekend. Any assessment will be subjective, though, as my only measuring devices in the house are a ruler, protractor and bathroom scale.

So far I can confirm that the records are 12 inches across and are in the form of a smooth geometric shape measuring 360º in total. As a set, they come in at about 10 pounds.

Joe
 
chris@panteg said:
After the referendum, the pound has surged, that box set from amazon IT, is even cheaper, time to strike.
Click to expand...

It's true, they are 15.92 Euro each which translates to £12.50. In the UK Revolver seems to be around £24.99 or £29.99 on Amazon.
But can I trust Amazon's LP packaging? It used to be very bad.

What the hell, I ordered. Thanks for the tip. Although, I'm a little sad the Scots' loss is my gain.
 
mr.datsun said:
It's true, they are 15.92 Euro each which translates to £12.50. In the UK Revolver seems to be around £24.99 or £29.99 on Amazon.
But can I trust Amazon's LP packaging? It used to be very bad.

What the hell, I ordered. Thanks for the tip. Although, I'm a little sad the Scots' loss is my gain.
Click to expand...

No problem, I like to think the Scots made the right choice.

Nothing wrong with a bit of opportunity, should be getting my box today.
 
Having read the various reviews and statements that the CD mono boxed set is derived from the 2005 stereo PCM mix, I would say that these LPs are not the same as the CD version and I suppose that at some point a "remastered" mono set will appear
 
Nope. The Mono CD box set are allegedly straight copies of the master tapes. No compression, no EQ. They certainly are the correct mixes and so demonstratably not fold-downs of the stereo mixes.

I have a couple of the mono LPs now, and in my system they are superior to the CDs. The mastering has been done to perfection. So, the LPs have been Eqd and compressed here and there, it is done well, in accord with the original mono LPs and so (allegedly) the artists' intentions. In short, the CDs sound flat, limp, weak compared to the LPs which are clear, 'big-boned' and huge fun to listen to. The LPs sound real, the CDs not. Off to get the White Album now - which was always a sod to get sounding right in spite of it being engineering by Geoff Emerick and Ken Scott.

BTW that Hi-fi World piece seemed to take a long time to say 'it sound pretty damn fine'...
 
Damn. Excited about these and thanks for the heads up about Amazon Italy.

Any idea whether these could be played with an emt ofd25? I.e 25 micron conical with no vertical compliance?
 
Martin M said:
I have a couple of the mono LPs now, and in my system they are superior to the CDs. The mastering has been done to perfection. So, the LPs have been Eqd and compressed here and there
Click to expand...

Well that is interesting. So what you are saying, if I understand you right, is that the CDs have been tampered with too little.

Thanks,

Tim
 
Tim,

Pretty much everything I've read suggests these mono records sound as good as it gets for Beatles recordings, some of which are more than 50 years old now.

Buy or buy not. The CDs are good, too, but the records are cooler, are the medium people would have bought at the time, are and likely to appreciate in the long run.

Joe
 
I've listened to Rubber Soul in mono and then a couple of tracks from the stereo. It strikes me that the stereo mixes are a great lost opportunity. You have this great width and detail on some tracks, but then they mess it up by having both harmonising voices in the right channel, pushed all the way to the right. It makes no sense at all. If they simply stuck the voices in the middle on tracks like Wait and If I Needed Someone they would be fantastic in stereo. My first response to the mono lp is that it's good but not overwhelming. Perhaps my system at the moment (in transition) is not showing the mono lp at its best. From a brief sample, Please Please Me sounded like it had lots more air and freshness than Rubber Soul. This has guts and power and coherence in mono, but I do appreciate the air and space of the stereo too. If only they'd spent some time on it!
 
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