The Beatles - The Beatles Stereo Box Set
|
List Price: Our Price: $179.98 You Save: $80.00 (31%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $144.87 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for The Beatles Stereo Box Set
Free Music Review: The best remastering job I've ever listened to!
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been waiting months for this to arrive. And it was worth the wait.
The music clarity is stupendous! Given that these were old recordings to begin with the remastering is more along the lines of a full restoration. Everything, from the guitar, bass, drums and vocals, are much livelier. Other percussion and sounds which I never thought were in the original mixes is a pleasant subtle thing to notice. It also helps to have a decent pair of headphones that have enough of a diaphragm to really expose the small nuances within these remasters.
All the discs are packaged as faithfully to the original albums as possible. The booklets enclosed within each digipak aren't the usual inlay book print job. They have a nice glossy sheen since each page is a heavyweight plastic-coated bond. The photo reproductions truly look like photos. And each inlay book has both the old liner notes as well as new historical notes and additional photos as well.
All of the digipaks are housed within a dual-bin box case with magnetic clasps. And while one may complain that the discs will become trapped in the bins there is a ribbon in each bin that is meant to be pulled to lift the discs out, therefore exposing the spines of the digipaks. So it's not a struggle at all. Everything is kept tidy within that box that is protected by another glossy slipcover. The only minor complaint that I have is that each digipak is individually wrapped in cellophane.
No expense was spared on this. It's the mother lode of The Beatles' studio and B-side work. And, once you've thought this was it for the Beatles, their Anthology series and their Live At The BBC are worth getting as well should you wish to dig deeper:
The Beatles - Anthology 1
The Beatles - Anthology 2
The Beatles - Anthology 3
The Beatles - Live at the BBC
Free Music Review: A Shortish Review.
Hit: 5 Stars
I picked up my copy this morning (Oceanic time) and I have spent the day goofing off work and listening to the remastered albums.
This set is basically a no brainer for anyone who likes the Beatles. Playing these discs alongside the old versions they replace is somewhat of a revelation. I had not realized quite how bad the 1987 CD releases were until today. Listening to this set is a continuous process of noticing things you hadn't heard before and experiencing moments where the additional clarity and presence of the remastered recording conveys the sheer intensity that the Beatles were capable of producing. In particular, Ringo's drums sound much better and McCartney's bass has much more presence and punch. The guitars sound much more natural than they do on the old versions. In general the effect of the remasters is to properly reveal the musicianship of the band, which the old versions did not do justice to.
The box is sturdy and the discs come in individual replica sleeves. The albums are all the British releases (Parlophone and Apple), plus Magical Mystery Tour (Capitol), which I believe was a US release first (I may be mistaken). There is also a set of short documentaries. One caveat is that the discs are slide out, which I don't like as it may mark the discs, but if you are careful it should present no problem. Overall it is a nice package with an appealing design that no-one should be ashamed at having on their shelf.
Due to limitations of the early recordings, these have instruments coming out of one speaker and vocals out of the other. Nothing can be done about this, and it sounds fine over normal speakers, but it may bother people who prefer to listen through headphones. If you are truly hardcore, purchasing the mono remasters will solve this problem, but at a steep additional cost. The stereo versions, IMHO, will suffice for most people.
When I heard that this set was coming out, I banned myself from listening to Beatles music until it was in my possession. This turned out to be a good move, since I anticipate spending the next few weeks playing these discs over and over again.
To sum up, I am extremely happy with this set. It has made the Beatles new again for me.
Free Music Review: If you went 1 star - you are LAME
Hit: 5 Stars
Before my take on the set, I'll give my history as a Beatles fan so there is some perspective. I'm 33 and the last time I listened to the Beatles was...NEVER. I'm familiar with the music, but never LISTENED. I would even admit to being a hater. I'm a metal guy at heart.
So I'm riding in my mom's car and she has an above average stereo in her car with the "Help!" remaster playing. It sounded amazing. There were so many sounds that I'd never heard on the radio or in movies and commercials. And the more I hear the less popular (not less good) songs, I'm just floored at the level of excellence across the board. Nevermind the very short period in which all of this was released, how well it holds up or that they were laying the foundation of both rock and pop music. The quality of the recordings still maintains that humm or buzz that you would expect on vinyl, but there are so many sounds that permeate each song. And it is all crystal clear. I love the packaging, brief stories and mini-docs with each disc. I'm not getting a Phd. in Beatles History, so this is plenty of goodness for me.
If you're a 30 something and haven't really checked the Beatles out, at the very least, grab the White Album and Abbey Road. Those two releases could come out tomorrow and absolutley crush anything Coldplay or Oasis could ever hope to come up with. The variety from album to album and even within each disc on the later material is stunning.
If you gave this box set 1 star because the mixing of Paul's bass was tuned to 1.35ghz and the treble level was adjusted to 11 instead of 10 with a triple overdub, YOU ARE LAME. For an average, or even above average music fan (where I would consider myself to be), it is impossible to say this is anything less than tremendous. So I will concede this - if you own the vinyl and a 10 thousand dollar system or are massive audiophile/Beatles expert, you already have all of this music. But in my case it serves its purpose in offering ultra high quality music to a generation that may only be familiar with the hits and not the rest of their stunning catalouge. Giving this 1 star is either ignorant or just an opportunity for someone to flex their "I know more than you about music" muscle.
Free Music Review: The Beatles in crystal clear remastered stereo--I FEEL ALIVE !!!
Hit: 5 Stars
This is heaven for any Beatles fan who wants to experience their sounds in remastered stereo heaven! The sounds are so clear, beautiful and bright they are dazzling--and I would swear I was sitting right there next to them as they were originally recording this timeless music. The single CDs all come in their own fold-out containers with beautiful artwork and photos; the double discs come in their own style of packaging which was constructed so that the two CDs could fit inside them without becoming easily scratched when you remove them. Even the artwork on the CDs themselves very well done! There are great liner notes and photos to admire, too.
But it's the core product I'm focused on--these marvelous CDs in stereo and the sound that blows me away when I listen to them. Believe me, I've never heard The Beatles sound so good. Sure, some of their albums earlier on weren't released in stereo; but that makes it all the more exciting to hear the stereo versions--you can practically hear each member of the band's movements as The Beatles performed every song to perfection--and beyond! It's tough to list which songs I enjoyed the most--there are so many of them! Just listening to "Love Me Do;" "I Saw Her Standing There;" the beautiful "P.S. I Love You" and more stun me with the high quality control sound--the clarity is magnificent! "Revolver;" "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Magical Mystery Tour" and other albums come off sounding terrific, too. Talk about unblemished music!
In addition to the albums and the CD entitled "Past Masters," we get a bonus DVD of mini documentaries about the band, their music and George Martin so we can have even more understanding of why this music remains so hot after all these years--great!
If you were concerned about some of The Beatles' albums being altered unfavorably by this stereo box set release, you can heave a huge sigh of relief. The music on each and every track is nothing short of excellent with crisp, clear vocals and instruments that sound like they're being played right next to you all coming together to produce some of the greatest music of all time. Beatles fans would do well to add this to their collections; you won't be disappointed!
Free Music Review: beatles remasters stereo vs mono
Hit: 5 Stars
the beatles remasters debate - stereo vs mono rages on. i have a foot in both camps and fall into the catergory of those who needed both boxes. for those who can only afford one or the other,. the stereo box is the one or you could buy the mono box and cherry pick stereo titles to suit but on an album by album basis here are my recomendations -
Please Please Me - mono is the way to go here. sounds unnatural in stereo, although there is better separation and clarity, mono rocks more and the vocals sound more natural
With The Beatles - mono again for the same reasons
Hard Days Night - stereo, the vocals are dead centre and the clarity is awesome
Beatles For Sale - stereo again
Help - stereo again. yesterday is a standout, you can hear the individual string players clearly
Rubber Soul - mono slightly edges out stereo but only just, great to hear in both versions
Revolver - stereo edges out mono but enjoyable in both
Sgt Pepper - mono over stereo, even a day in the life sounds great in mono. stereo for a different view but mono all the way
Magical Mystery Tour - stereo, it lacks something in mono
White Album - stereo sounds phenomenal but mono rocks as well. a must have in both
Yellow Submarine - weak album sounds better in the recent remix than here
Abbey Road - only available in stereo and the best sounding album of the set. a must buy if you are cherry picking
Let it Be - i prefer Let it Be Naked but this still has its charm
Mono Masters - second disc singles paperback writer, revolution etc. rock way more than the stereo counterparts, later singles suffer a little. past masters in stereo a good listen as well but i prefer mono mixes of singles as they were designed for am radio
so there you have it both boxes will give you all you need and more otherwise buy the mono box and cherry pick Hard days Night, Beatles For Sale, Help, Revolver, White Album, Abbey Rd and Let it Be.
Whichever way you go the sound is excellent and the music is timeless.