Beatles Remaster/Reissue from Japan

Posted by: Tarquin Maynard - Portly on 31 December 2003

Muchachos

As many are aware, the complete works of the Fab Four is being put out on japanese heavy vinyl; remastered, all the works from what I gather. The cost looks to be around £440 the set ( 17 albums ).

Has anyone investigated this - quality of pressing / mastering, numbers to be issued, etc?

I am seriously considering a set.

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and happy
Posted on: 01 January 2004 by Kevin-W
Mike

I believe they are all taken from digital masters. I am investigating whether this is the case and will report back. They are being manufactured in "limited" quantities - how limited I don't know, but it will be sseveral thusand of eacj I should imagine.

Kevin
Posted on: 02 January 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Thanks Kevin.

I had heard about the digital masters, which is supposed to make the set less appealing.

I look forwards to your comments

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and happy
Posted on: 29 January 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Muchachos

I have now seen a set; the packaging is top notch and the vinyl feels heavy: I did not look at it as the set was pre-ordered for someone else. It looks like all the albums are vthere, Magical Mystery Tour 1999 re-issue, Let It Be...Naked and One. They are direct metal pressings, digitally remastered.

I have ordered a copy of the latter which should arrive next week and I will post my opinions.

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and Happy
Posted on: 02 February 2004 by RICHYH
Does anyone yet know if they are mono or stereo or new stereo mix (not the stupid converted mono with voice in one speaker drums in the other) and do they sound as good as the new Let it be???
Posted on: 02 February 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Mono are mono, stereo are stereo per original pressing - not sure if that helps much.

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and Happy
Posted on: 02 February 2004 by RICHYH
thanks, has anyone heard them yet?
Posted on: 04 February 2004 by DenisA
Mike

An alternative Japenese LP Source to Diverse Vinyl in the UK is Elusive Disc in the US.

http://www.elusivedisc.com/products.asp?dept=558

They also have an 11 disc Remastered Rolling Stones DMM 180g series on offer

Looks like I have stumbled on a good Vinyl/CD site here, what do you think?

Denis
Posted on: 06 February 2004 by RICHYH
well whats the verdict on the sound of these?
Posted on: 09 February 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Bugger

they have no sets left. deleted, few individual albums. That'll serve me right for dicking about.

Regards

Mike.

On the Yellow Brick Road and Happy
Posted on: 09 February 2004 by DenisA
quote:
Originally posted by mike lacey:
Bugger

they have no sets left. deleted, few individual albums. That'll serve me right for dicking about.

Regards

Mike.

On the Yellow Brick Road and Happy


Mike,

Have you tried Elusive Disc in the USA from the post I left you above?

http://www.elusivedisc.com/products.asp?dept=558

I think you will find that your first order is Post Free

Denis
Posted on: 09 February 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
I've just sent them an email asking if they would send a set to Blghty, Gawd Bless Ya Guv'ner

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and Happy
Posted on: 10 February 2004 by DenisA
quote:
Originally posted by mike lacey:
I've just sent them an email asking if they would send a set to Blghty, Gawd Bless Ya Guv'ner

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and Happy


Mike,

No Problem, please report back on the sound quality.

I didn't know you were a cockanee as well as me Big Grin

Denis
Posted on: 10 February 2004 by matt podniesinski
Hi Mike,

You might also try Music Direct or Acoustic Sounds stateside. I purchased my set from Red Trumpet (redtrumpet.com).

The jury is out at my house on the sound quality until my 250 comes back from its recap at NANA.

Regards
Matt
Posted on: 22 February 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Well Groovers; toe in the water, I have located and bought a copy of Rubber Soul on the new japanese pressing. ( Diverse Vinyl at the Bristol Show. )

First impressions -and I have not yet been able to crank up the volume - very good quality vinyl. nice and quiet, well packaged. The sound, to me, is a bit bass light; the upper mid and treble are very well defined, as suspected, no trace of distortion on the inner tracks. Bass remains clear throughout, but not as up front as we may have become used to of late. Having said that, I feel this has a very 60s sound to it and it may be closer to the original intentions of George Martin. the fine detail comes out well; vocals are very clear with no distortion or sibilance.

I have compared this to a very early ( but fairly knackered ), mono Parlophone pressing - yellow writing on black, PMC 1267. This to me, instantly sounded warmer and to my surprise, the bass was much more prominent. So much so, that when I got number 1 daughter to comnpare the bass old vs. new, she actually said "What Bass?" on listening to the new. Upper notes far better on the new, as I would expect. This was with "In My Life."

I then remembered my recent standard vinyl purchase of this album, PCS 3075. To my surprise, this has the bass of the early pressing plus some, but not all, of the treble clarity of the japanese pressing. The vocals where a tad grainier but it sounded good, unlike my previous hearings of this copy.

Conclusions: I need to listen to it a bit more. It is good and clear, but it has not really gripped me. I may well buy a set from the US, but with a view to holding it as an investment.

Sorry if thats all a bit vague but those are my thoughts right now.

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and Happy
Posted on: 23 February 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Had a chance to crank the volume up to 10.30 or so. Bit of a curates' egg - good in parts. The clarity is very good, pieces such as "Michell" and "In My Life" are particularly well delivered. It took a little while for my ears to get used to the bass light sound of the new pressing, but I think I can like it. What I do NOT like is the very bright sound of some of the lesser tracks, eg. "I'm Looking Through You." This was remedied to a degree by me walking away from the seakers, so room acoustics play a part, but my listening area is pretty heavily furnished.

I think this has been engineered for a sound that we in the UK are not used to; bright treble, and light bass. I can see the attractions of the version, but still not sure that I will get the full set.

A quandary.

Regards

Mike

On the Yellow Brick Road and Happy
Posted on: 27 February 2004 by RICHYH
I bought a few of the mono's, heard the others and can only say Iam dissapointed.
Mainly dissapointed that the opportunity of reissueing them properly was not taken to unlease their full potential, but instead using the digital masters from 1988 which were then very average digital remastering techniques (on all but the new Yellow Submarine, Let it be- naked and 1 which sound good/very good, but they sound great anyway on the british pressings).
I played a few last night then put on the 1999 Anthology series and what a difference, they are fantastic in comparison.
Why weren't the reissues done properly?
Posted on: 01 June 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
A reappraisal?

On saturday I saw five of the albums in HMV Oxford Street, and the impulse purchase muscle took over...bought as part curiosilty, part investment.

Anyway. I have had a play of a couple of the albums, and I must admit that my opinion is changing... one quieter tracks the vocal reproduction in particular is done very well: the pressing has been done to a very high standard and... I actually like the sound I am hearing!

Admittedly they are somewhat bass light when compared to early black/yellow Parlophone pressings, but what they lack in oomph, they make up in clarity and detail. The previously heard harsh sound has now gone, although I have not re-played the "Rubber Soul" that gave me that impression in the first place. Part of this may be down to my recent purchases, eh. Isoblue stands in place of Audiotech but to me, they sound decent.

I am having a soiree in a few weeks and will get the opinion of others and see if they can be bothered to comment.

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.
Posted on: 04 June 2004 by zappy
Hi all

Finally I find people on the web that have also seen the Japanese re-issues as I too have mixed review.

Purchased Sgt Pepper and found that the product was beautifully manufactured. The sound was clean / clear but not particularly engaging. Compared to my mid 80s digital reissue the sound was cleaner but less interesting and not good enough given the purchase
Posted on: 11 June 2004 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Fascinating article ref various re-issues.

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/3968/unlimited.htm

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.