I stand corrected, they are indeed re-mastered.


I just received an email that the Beatles cataloge is going to be rereleased with new re-mastered discs in September but no mention of any surround releases. We can only hope that someday it will happen.:(

I also just read about the remixes in USA Today, if they are anywhere near the quality of what I heard on Love DVD-A disc from a couple of years ago the new remasters could be killer. I so hope they issue in SACD, Bluray, or some kind of lossless format.

These will be CDs:

"Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music are delighted to announce the release of the original Beatles catalogue, which has been digitally re-mastered for the first time, for worldwide CD release on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (9-9-09), the same date as the release of the widely anticipated "The Beatles: Rock Band" video game."

Here's a link to the EMI press release:

http://www.emi.com/page/emi/AboutEMINews2009/0,,12641~1615866,00.html

I don't see anything to indicate these are remixes. They are doing digital remasters designed to maintain the integrity of the originals:

"The albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings."

For the specialist collector, there will be another boxed set called "The Beatles in Mono" which combines all of the Beatles recordings that were mixed for a mono release.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090407/people_nm/us_beatles;_ylt=Ag4Mawhs9IehukJavUsgxDpxFb8C

I know this may seem heresy in this particular thread, but I'm okay with the Beatles' remasters being stereo CD only, not surround. That is the way most of them were meant to be heard. The most important thing, however, is that the full catalogue is finally being remastered to 21st century standards, and we can do away with those awful 80's CD transfers. Even if not surround, it might have been nice if these new remasters were done in some form of enhanced stereo, such as SACD 48hz stereo or HDCD. But as for surround, most of the songs that work best in surround can be found on the "Love " DVD-Audio. And based on the outcome of that project, I have every confidence that EMI has done a masterful job with these CD remasters.

Oddly enough I finally just downloaded some Beatles Purple Chick remasters and burnt them out to DVD-A 2 channel upsampled to 192Khz 24bit and it's the best I've heard these albums. Anxious to see how these remasters compare to the "legal" release.

I know this may seem heresy in this particular thread, but I'm okay with the Beatles' remasters being stereo CD only, not surround. That is the way most of them were meant to be heard.

++1

All we really need as a new high-res A-D transfer.

According to a CNN blog report, the remasters were done on ProTools at 24-bit/192kHz. So putting out two-channel hi-rez versions could easily be done. Whether they will do so, given the limited market for hi-rez music, is a different story. It would be nice to know between now and September, when I drop the cash for the re-mastered Redbook versions.

Here's hoping "carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings" doesn't include compressing the dickens out of them.

According to a CNN blog report, the remasters were done on ProTools at 24-bit/192kHz. So putting out two-channel hi-rez versions could easily be done. Whether they will do so, given the limited market for hi-rez music, is a different story. It would be nice to know between now and September, when I drop the cash for the re-mastered Redbook versions.

+1

I have the "Love" DVDAudio, so I know what can be accomplished with the original master tapes.

+1

I have the "Love" DVDAudio, so I know what can be accomplished with the original master tapes.

I don't share the love for "Love". A lot of over-processed audio that seems mainly intended to produce the "wow" effect, without much regard for the integrity of the original tunes. Some of it I like, some I don't. I'm sure it's nice for circus background music.

sigh, was hoping for dvd-a/cd dual pack like Love...

here's hoping there's just one bloody set to buy that includes the DVD, the stereo and Mono, but it sounds like there are -two- boxes to buy to get them all...

A hybrid SACD/CD release like the ABKCO Rolling Stones releases would have been nice.

sigh, was hoping for dvd-a/cd dual pack like Love...

here's hoping there's just one bloody set to buy that includes the DVD, the stereo and Mono, but it sounds like there are -two- boxes to buy to get them all...

If I read it correctly, one of the box sets will include all of the discs in stereo - the other will include just the original albums in mono. Too bad about no 5.1 or hirez (although I suppose the latter might be available at some point as a download) but a remaster has been long overdue so this is good news.

...I'm sure it's nice for circus background music.
Which is what it is...a soundtrack for the show, but it does pack some interesting effects in the mix. As an older guy, I would hope that the early albums be remixed for a better stereo soundstage. The early albums were instruments on one channel and voices on the other. You could turn your balance control and have a karaoke mix, with faint voices in the background. Those were the Capitol albums as I recall, from the early '60s.

a hybrid sacd/cd release like the abkco rolling stones releases would have been nice.

+1

+1

+3 or DVD-A or BD 3.0. As is this thread doesn't even belong in this forum (other than to complain it's not applicable).:mad:

Rumor has it these will be out in the blu ray format eventually.[eventually being in the next year or so]

..............and we can do away with those awful 80's CD transfers.Frankly, I do not think they sound so bad. Which is a testament, I think, to how well they were recorded and mixed in the first place.

Of course, the thought of remasters has me drooling, even if only as CDs. I just hope they're done right.

Here's hoping "carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings" doesn't include compressing the dickens out of them.

If their market is the ipod consortium that may be exactly what they'll do. :mad:

Rumor has it these will be out in the blu ray format eventually.[eventually being in the next year or so]

And the source for this rumour is "the internet"?

I'm looking forward to the re-mastered discs, but I can't say I'm a huge fan of the "Love" DVD-A. I love the Beatles and anything by them is good, but my disappointment is in the surround mixes. I understand probably the original tapes didn't have a lot of "tracks" for George Martin and his son to work with, but in general, I found the application of the surround channels underwhelming.

I'm looking forward to the re-mastered discs, but I can't say I'm a huge fan of the "Love" DVD-A. I love the Beatles and anything by them is good, but my disappointment is in the surround mixes. I understand probably the original tapes didn't have a lot of "tracks" for George Martin and his son to work with, but in general, I found the application of the surround channels underwhelming.

Simple solution to those who don't like the 5.1 mix: Listen to the stereo mix only.:eek: Because you (or anyone else) don't like the 5.1 mix is no reason for it to be denied to those who do.;)

...I found the application of the surround channels underwhelming.
Personally I like this album, but are you forgetting it's really just "show tunes", and not mixed to present a Beatles album?

Here's hoping "carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings" doesn't include compressing the dickens out of them.

From the press release: "Finally, as is common with today’s music, overall limiting - to increase the volume level of the CD - has been used, but on the stereo versions only. However, it was unanimously agreed that because of the importance of The Beatles’ music, limiting would be used moderately, so as to retain the original dynamics of the recordings."

I think that was a horrible decision, but those of us who care about such things are indeed a small minority. Let's hope "moderately" isn't too bad.

It will be simple for me I will purchase one of the new ones probably Abbey Road if it
sounds better then my wallet will surely suffer.

A bit more detail and a couple of images in this article.
http://bitstream.soundandvisionmag.com/blog/2009/04/beatles-cds-remastered-finally.html

Simple solution to those who don't like the 5.1 mix: Listen to the stereo mix only.:eek: Because you (or anyone else) don't like the 5.1 mix is no reason for it to be denied to those who do.;)

Who said anything about denying anyone anything? :rolleyes:

Personally I like this album, but are you forgetting it's really just "show tunes", and not mixed to present a Beatles album?

I like it as well and I've actually seen the show in Vegas. I'm just saying as the "surround" mix is underwhelming to me. :p

...I'm just saying as the "surround" mix is underwhelming to me. :p
Gotcha'!!! And, the show was great!

From the press release: "Finally, as is common with today’s music, overall limiting - to increase the volume level of the CD - has been used, but on the stereo versions only. However, it was unanimously agreed that because of the importance of The Beatles’ music, limiting would be used moderately, so as to retain the original dynamics of the recordings."

I think that was a horrible decision, but those of us who care about such things are indeed a small minority. Let's hope "moderately" isn't too bad.

My purchases of redbook CDs has dropped off to practically nil. New recordings just sound flat. A "wall" of sound is ok for a song that was written to be that way, but it gets old quick. If they compress the re-releases why buy them? They won't sound any better than the original CD releases...

"Love" shows that the entire Beatles catalog can be done, well, in 5.1. Knowing Apple, they are holding this back until everyone buys the new stereo and mono remasters, then the follwing Christmas [10] (or the next [11,12]), they will release the "deluxe" HiRez stereo/mono/5.1 release on Blu-Ray or DVD-Audio so we have to buy them all again.

Again and again. How many times have you guys bought the Beatles albums in your lifetime? (Almost as much as DSOTM?) :D

As for me, I may go for the mono's and skip the new stereo discs.

I wish they had also done the Hey Jude compilation.

"Love" shows that the entire Beatles catalog can be done, well, in 5.1.

That doesn't mean that it should be done.

That doesn't mean that it should be done.

The catalogue should be remastered from the original stereo master tapes and also remixed into hi-res 5.1. Why? Because original analogue multi-track masters are superior to analogue stereo downmixes. You cannot fit 6 pounds of "stuff" into a 2 pound bag without compromises. Everyone who comes over and listens to LOVE notes that the sound quality is much better than anything they have heard from the stereo catalogue, including the MFSL half-speed masters done in the early 80's.

So, I want both original 2 channel hi-res versions and 5.1 hi-res versions...I'm just greedy.

On a side note that qualifies the thread for this forum the mixes are good on the Ringo 5.1 Surround and it is DVD-A. Just played it this morning. Granted it's not the Beatles but it's really good. Billy Preston and Eric Clapton guest along with others.... not my favorite DVD-A of all but a worthy purchase if you are into the Beatles.

The catalogue should be remastered from the original stereo master tapes and also remixed into hi-res 5.1. Why? Because original analogue multi-track masters are superior to analogue stereo downmixes. You cannot fit 6 pounds of "stuff" into a 2 pound bag without compromises. Everyone who comes over and listens to LOVE notes that the sound quality is much better than anything they have heard from the stereo catalogue, including the MFSL half-speed masters done in the early 80's.

So, I want both original 2 channel hi-res versions and 5.1 hi-res versions...I'm just greedy.

I'm all for high resolution 5.1 mixes, but personally for me, I would like to hear Beatles mixes that use the surround channels more profoundly. For me, the "LOVE" DVD-A lacks this element, where the surround channels are used more for effects than discrete instrumentation. I'm not sure if this was an artistic choice by George Martin and his son, or whether they were limited by the number of available tracks on the original recordings. I would still buy any such Beatles release :D, but perhaps I'm a little bit "spoiled" by the DSOTM Quadraphonic DVD-A and the many other amazing surround mixes by other artists that have been released.

For the CDs, I'll take the mixes of the albums as they were originally intended to be heard.
For the most part this was mono and to me the difference is obvious and results in a far superior more coherent sound.
IMO, no Beatles recording I've ever heard in any format comes close to the quality of the Love DVD-A. It's simply no contest.
Whether or not you like multi-channel or whatever.
The amount of information retrieved, the dynamic range, the absence of noise, everything is there.
I'll at least buy the mono boxes of the CDs and continue to hope that the hi-res versions get released.
I think that these re-masters will sound very good and from what I've read elsewhere, will have compression and DNR applied only where required to compensate for deficiencies in the original source.

I don't need 5.1, but I'm at least holding out for a DVD-A, SACD or Blu-Ray release... sorry, but they've been out on CD for years now.

I wish they had also done the Hey Jude compilation.

The "Hey Jude" compilation was released only in the United States, thus it's not part of the original British album catalogue that's been remastered. However, most of the songs from "Hey Jude" can currently be found on "Past Masters II" which is being combined with "Past Masters I" into a single CD in the upcoming set. In addition, the cover art and photos from the "Hey Jude" American album will be included with the "Abbey Road" CD remaster which is from the same time period.

The "Hey Jude" compilation was released only in the United States, thus it's not part of the original British album catalogue that's been remastered. However, most of the songs from "Hey Jude" can currently be found on "Past Masters II" which is being combined with "Past Masters I" into a single CD in the upcoming set. In addition, the cover art and photos from the "Hey Jude" American album will be included with the "Abbey Road" CD remaster which is from the same time period.Thanks for the FYI. :)

I don't share the love for "Love". A lot of over-processed audio that seems mainly intended to produce the "wow" effect, without much regard for the integrity of the original tunes. Some of it I like, some I don't. I'm sure it's nice for circus background music.

I only could manage to listen to parts of songs. It just was not what I expected at all. So much overblown with tremendous imbalance the way it was originally presented. Instead of being an improvement it just seemed to cheapen it. Just my opinion.

Art

Art's wrong, called it...:)

Think of Love like the "Let it Be Naked" album - clearly not a replacement for the original, simply an augmentation, its pleasures meant for those that aren't going to see this as definitive.

Now, that said, I hope y'all are familiar with the fact that the Mono mixes are NOT simply fold-downs of Stereo... sometimes these tracks were mixed weeks apart, even with different takes sometimes.

For those that haven't bought this bible yet (http://recordingthebeatles.com/) sell your pet or neighbours car and BUY IT.

Even the most jaded Beatles fan must simply weep at the scope and nerdiness of this book... Get it before the remasters and LEARN ALL...

I only could manage to listen to parts of songs. It just was not what I expected at all. So much overblown with tremendous imbalance the way it was originally presented. Instead of being an improvement it just seemed to cheapen it. Just my opinion.

Art

Agreed. While even questionable mixing and re-mastering can't detract from the music, it doesn't add anything either. I find myself feeling a great sense of relief when the original unaltered tunes are played, and checking my watch during all the rest. I do appreciate the fact that "Love" may be bringing the music to a whole new audience, and hopefully they will take the trouble to listen to it in it's intended state.

From the press release: "Finally, as is common with today’s music, overall limiting - to increase the volume level of the CD - has been used, but on the stereo versions only. However, it was unanimously agreed that because of the importance of The Beatles’ music, limiting would be used moderately, so as to retain the original dynamics of the recordings."

I think that was a horrible decision, but those of us who care about such things are indeed a small minority. Let's hope "moderately" isn't too bad.

:( (agree with drignoll)

As it stands, this press release comment looks self-contradictory (unless I am misunderstanding the remastering technology); in order to "retain the original dynamics", isn't it necessary to avoid any "overall limiting to increase the volume"?

Why can't Apple Corps and EMI just go hog wild, and decide that the "importance of the Beatles' music" is so high that the recordings actually deserve state-of-the-art digital remastering without any limiting, similar to the treatment commonly given as classical and jazz recordings of the same era?

OK, ineffectual rant mode off.

I do appreciate the fact that "Love" may be bringing the music to a whole new audience, and hopefully they will take the trouble to listen to it in it's intended state.

Yes, something I didn't think about.

Art

I couldn't help but notice that the last posting to this thread was yesterday.

How fitting...

:D

That doesn't mean that it should be done.

oh please...this isn't like cloning genetically engineered dinosaurs that eat tourists.

nobody is forcing surround down anybody's throats here. why even be in the "surround music" forum if not to talk about surround music?

Strong rumor? has it that reMIXes were also done, and got shelved/delayed politics? Seems right the remasters should come out first. ReMiXes will be released after, and also strong rumors are that 5.1 mixes were also done.
almost too good to be true, but it seems like there is finally a focus on releasing what should have been done years ago.
Also the Rock Band 'Beatle edition' is also out 9/9/9.
no comment.

Strong rumor? has it that reMIXes were also done, and got shelved/delayed politics? Seems right the remasters should come out first. ReMiXes will be released in about 2 years, and also strong rumors are that 5.1 mixes were also done.
almost too good to be true, but it seems like there is finally a focus on releasing what should have been done years ago.
Also the Guitar Hero 'Beatle edition' is also out 9/9/9.
no comment.

I'm about as big a Beatles fan as anyone, but there's got to be a limit to how much money can be spent on a succession of remasters, remixes, stereo versions, mono versions, "naked" versions, etc. I know that Paul's kids need new shoes, but how much is that boxed set of catalogue albums going to cost, anyway?:eek:

The catalogue should be remastered from the original stereo master tapes and also remixed into hi-res 5.1. Why? Because original analogue multi-track masters are superior to analogue stereo downmixes. You cannot fit 6 pounds of "stuff" into a 2 pound bag without compromises. Everyone who comes over and listens to LOVE notes that the sound quality is much better than anything they have heard from the stereo catalogue, including the MFSL half-speed masters done in the early 80's.

So, I want both original 2 channel hi-res versions and 5.1 hi-res versions...I'm just greedy.

For the record, my personal opinion is that classics should be played the way the artists intended. The Beatles did a lot of experimentation with tapes, the stereo mix space etc. so to mess with that adds someone elses vision to the work. But that's just me.

Plus, if your two channel sounds that flat, then you just aren't hearing from your system all of what 2-channel is capable. No, it won't throw discrete elements behind you, but it should fill in the center smoothly laying instruments across the front wall as well as having depth. Setup properly in a good room, 2-channel can sound astoundingly lifelike. Especially compared to many surround mixes that are more about showing off the technical capabilities than sounding lifelike.

Anyway, as you said, you have to have the original stems to do a proper remix for surround. The issue is that in many cases, not specifically only Beatles, those were owned by or stolen by the artist, recorded over by the label, not stored properly or simply didn't stand the test of time, were lost, or are otherwise unavailable for whatever reason. Once the stems are downmixed you can't uncook the soup. In these cases, remixing for a surround release is just milking revenues from people who want surround releases but not really putting out a better product.

...Plus, if your two channel sounds that flat, then you just aren't hearing from your system all of what 2-channel is capable. No, it won't throw discrete elements behind you, but it should fill in the center smoothly laying instruments across the front wall as well as having depth. Setup properly in a good room, 2-channel can sound astoundingly lifelike. Especially compared to many surround mixes that are more about showing off the technical capabilities than sounding lifelike...

It is true that many stereo recordings exhibit plenty of depth, side wall imaging and the like using only two front speakers. However, one cannot expect the sound quality of most 2-channel downmixes produced in the mid-1970's analogue age to sound as good as 8 or 16 analogue tracks digitally mixed down to 6 tracks. There are some exceptions such as the Alan Parson's Project album "Eye in the Sky." This one sounds great in straight stereo and even better enhanced to 7.1 using Lexicon Logic 7 Music Surround...lots of ambience!

while not hi-res, 5.1 mixes of many Beatle songs appear on the Yellow Submarine and Anthology DVDs.

For the record, my personal opinion is that classics should be played the way the artists intended. The Beatles did a lot of experimentation with tapes, the stereo mix space etc. so to mess with that adds someone elses vision to the work. But that's just me.


Generally I agree with you. Certainly, at the very least, the artist's vision should never be lost or replaced in whole or in part by someone else's -- every release should include the most faithful reproduction of what (in the case of popular music) the artists, engineers, and producers heard in the control room when they played back the final mix.

But art can also be studied and learned from. Maybe DaVinci didn't "intend" for the viewer to get up close with a magnifying glass and study the Mona Lisa, but a student of art may well learn something valuable by doing so.

My interest in multichannel releases of Beatles music doesn't come from any belief that it would sound better or be more enjoyable that way. It comes from the fact that it makes it more possible to deconstruct and isolate elements of the original performances in ways usually only accessible by those with access to the original multitrack tapes. I would like to hear more detail. I would like to hear things that were NOT intended originally to be heard by the audience.

Why is this OK? The Beatles have nothing to prove. No musical secrets to protect. Their influence is profound and permanent, and no close examination of their recordings by a home listener is going to have any impact whatsoever on their legacy or the continued commercial viability of their products. Nobody can steal anything of theirs, because it's all permanently imprinted on our consciousness already.

I'm not suggesting anything be released without authorization. I'm just suggesting that the current stewards of the Beatles legacy might start thinking about this material as more than simply commercial cultural artifacts to be mined for value. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) But to release the music in a form that opens it up for closer study, that lets us hear individual instruments and voices, that lets us trace the process and understand better the confluence of craft and art, or process and inspiration -- that's something that I think a lot of people would pay a lot of money for. And value as highly as they do the original art.

I'm not concerned that these discs won't be in remixed in surround.
I am concerned that they will only be remastered. The "Yellow Sub Songtrack", "LIB Naked", and "Love" discs show what these can sound like when remixed. They are the best sounding of all the discs.
They can easily remix them from the multi's closely following the original mixes as they did with the "Yellow Sub" disc. It sounded so clean whereby you can easily differentiate the instruments. There is no way a remastering can do that.
I also am not looking forward to the extreme panning of vocals on one channel and music on the other. Granted, they are using Martins 87 remixes for Help and Rubber Soul to fix that problem for those albums. But we will get that with many other songs.
To me, hearing "Here Comes The Sun" on the Love disc (forgetting the Indian **** beneath it) with vocals in both channels was wonderful. I never understood why late in 69, they contined to put vocals on one channel in some songs. It sounds so dated (not the song, just the mix)

...........forgetting the Indian **** beneath it.........../giggle :D

I'm not concerned that these discs won't be in remixed in surround.
I am concerned that they will only be remastered. The "Yellow Sub Songtrack", "LIB Naked", and "Love" discs show what these can sound like when remixed. They are the best sounding of all the discs.
They can easily remix them from the multi's closely following the original mixes as they did with the "Yellow Sub" disc. It sounded so clean whereby you can easily differentiate the instruments. There is no way a remastering can do that.
I also am not looking forward to the extreme panning of vocals on one channel and music on the other. Granted, they are using Martins 87 remixes for Help and Rubber Soul to fix that problem for those albums. But we will get that with many other songs.
To me, hearing "Here Comes The Sun" on the Love disc (forgetting the Indian **** beneath it) with vocals in both channels was wonderful. I never understood why late in 69, they contined to put vocals on one channel in some songs. It sounds so dated (not the song, just the mix)
Back in '99 when the "Yellow Sub'" 5.1 DVD and CD came out, there were mixed reviews as to which was the better overall rendering of the music (the debate over 5.1 vs. stereo, notwithstanding). In fact, I seem to remember a lot of criticism of the CD for reasons other than whether it was surround sound, or not. So, when people refer to the "songtrack" which one do they mean?
Also, as happy as I am to help Paul with his grandkids' college funds, I'm not about to buy both the mono and stereo boxed sets. So, as someone who places a premium on general sound quality and authenticity, in that order, which would be the better set to purchase?

Back in '99 when the "Yellow Sub'" 5.1 DVD and CD came out, there were mixed reviews as to which was the better overall rendering of the music (the debate over 5.1 vs. stereo, notwithstanding). In fact, I seem to remember a lot of criticism of the CD for reasons other than whether it was surround sound, or not. So, when people refer to the "songtrack" which one do they mean?
Also, as happy as I am to help Paul with his grandkids' college funds, I'm not about to buy both the mono and stereo boxed sets. So, as someone who places a premium on general sound quality and authenticity, in that order, which would be the better set to purchase?

I am talking about the CD. The Yellow Sub CD was named "Yellow Submarine Songtrack". The main problem "Beatle freaks" ( and I don't mean that in a derogatory way) have with it is that anything but the original mix is heresy. I'm a Beatle freak but not that freakish. I thought the Yellow Sub Songtrack was a revelation in terms of sound for a Beatles album. I am a member of a well known Beatle Boot (not the shoe guys) site and that's their beef. No one has ever said it didn't sound good.

I have a CD bootleg of Sgt. Pepper multitracks. If you want to hear something that has presence and sounds great, I suggest you find it.
When I first heard Macca sing "WI 64", I thought he was in the room.
It blew my mind.

...curious what the name of this particular boot is?

... and how could I get a copy of this?

...curious what the name of this particular boot is?... and how could I get a copy of this?I suspect it is the TOUP upmix.

It's called Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band:The Multi Tracks you can get it at www.vvmo.com[under $20]

It's called Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band:The Multi Tracks you can get it at www.vvmo.com[under $20]Ooops. Guess not.

http://http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh49/dudley07726/sgtpeppermulti.jpg

cool, thanks to the Google tracked it down... cheers! A boot I didn't have/know about