The Beatles in Mono LPs - digital compression?

[mnfv77]

Hi,

have bought a copy of Sgt Pepper's from the 2014 mono LP reissue some time ago.

Against all odds i wasn't not happy with the sound. For instance A Little Help From My Friends voices sounds mettalic. That put me wondering about my system, but other audiophile LP reissues from the best labels sounded great. It was kind of bad digital sound.

Last day went to a Rega supplier with a lot of high quality vinyl available and he said that he was sure that his 2014 Revolver copy sounded like it has passed some kind of digital treatment that compressed the sound, so he wasn't ordering the box set or any other copys from this reissue to sell in his store. This talk reminded me my Sgt Peppers experience.

So I wonder. What's going on with this 2014 reissue? It's 100% AAA? Why everybody is saying only nice things on Inernet? Could not stop thinking of the money involved and the fact that a lot of professional reviewers were invited to Abbey Road to get a brain wash, and all other around are spreading the word with no own critical earing experience.

Would like to ear from others experiences

 

[Frank Harvey]

The mono reissues were all derived from analogue masters, and the stereo ones from the last digital remasters. One of our regulars, who has moved back to analogue a few years ago and dropped his CD collection out of preference, hasn't mentioned anything negative about the box set at all - I think if there was any issue he would've noticed and mentioned it.

Whats your system? Do you have any experience of any Beatles on vinyl previous to this?

 

[mnfv77]

Hi David,

My system is rega p5 with ttpsu+ goldring 1012 + rega fono mm + creek destiny 2 + rega rs7.

My experience with the Beatles is based on CDs.

The rega dealer sells speakers corner, mufi etc and he is sure that the effect he noticed is related to a digital step in the pressing process.

 

[mnfv77]

Anyone has any own thoughts based on his own experience?

 

[entrails]

I'm currently working through listening to the mono box set after treating myself at Christmas.

I have started by using my technics sl1200 with dynavector 10x5 through an icon audio ps1 using the mono switch. I have started with this turntable as I tend to get most detail out of modern vinyl pressings with this cartridge. I will afterwards be connecting up my lenco GL75 with shure m75ed cartridge as although it does not dig up as much detail and is prone to a little sibilance it is gives a very musical vital reproduction.

My initial impressions are a very big thumbs up for Pepper, Please Please Me, the white album and the Mono Masters. I didn't notice anything artificial about Ringo's singing on Pepper. So far Help is the only album with a sound quality that is leaving me cold so I am going to see if using the Lenco gives it more pep when I change over. I am also undecided over Revolver as my initial reaction was to prefer the stereo version from an early japanese pressing which I have played to death in the past.

My overall thoughts about the mono masters is that the current publicity and hype in the audiophile press might give people the idea that these pressings will give audio Nirvana and that all previous copies vinyl or digital should be binned. Although these pressings are likely to be the closest to the original intentions of the Beatles and they do sound great there is nothing wrong with preferring stereo takes and cleaned up 2009 versions. At the end of the day we are talking about music by the flaming Beatles. My kids got heavily into the Beatles not from my vinyl or from me whittering on about them but from playing along on bits of plastic on the Beatles Rockband on the Wii and what's wrong with that? Also if I was given the choice of going back in time hearing the Beatles on cheap transister radios and Dansettes with all the excitement and originality of the time or listening after the event to a very tasteful boxset that a lot of care and time has been spent on a decent hifi system I suspect I would find the former a hell of a lot more fun.But seeing as time travel is not an option I am enjoying the latter a great deal so far and will continue working my way through like a collection of fine wines.

 

[entrails]

One possible explanation for the poor experience you have had with Pepper could be sibilance effecting the quality of the vocals? In contrast to the 2009 remasters where there was a lot of electronic tidying up of the high amount of sibilance on the original recordings the mono masters have gone for the most direct pathway warts and all approach to the recordings. I had opted for my dynavector compared with the shure due to its much better ability to cope with sibilance with that knowledge. If it is sibilance why you are preferring the cd, there is nothing wrong with preferring the 2009 remasters as it's all down to personal taste.

 

[MaxD]

Against all odds i wasn't not happy with the sound. For instance A Little Help From My Friends voices sounds mettalic. That put me wondering about my system, but other audiophile LP reissues from the best labels sounded great. It was kind of bad digital sound.

My experience is exactly the opposite. If I compare this new mono box set records (all the records, not just Sgt Pepper) with the 24 bit cd digital remasters made in 2009, I feel the voices much more "vinyl" alike, like when I listen to my Beatles original LPs (Parlophone edition), even less prominent, like if they were worried to make this box too "actual", probably to avoid comments like yours.

Also the sound of the instruments (spectacular on many vinyl editions and especially on 24 bit 2009 digital remasters) is quiet, I could said in some point a bit under powered, if I can say so.

I have also to say I mostly listen to the Beatles on vinyl. For me the Beatles are pretty much vinyl (starting from when I were like 6 years old) at the point, before 2009, I just owned the red and blue classic anthology (Beatles vol 1 and 2) on cd format.

Now I do have all the original Parlophone LPs, some 1980 or so Parlophone stereo box set of this same LPs, some USA original prints (not all unfortunately), the 24 bit cd remasters and this new mono box set.

I don't listen too much the new box set becouse I really like the stereo mix I can found on my stereo vinyls even more than on 2009 digital remasters. This last are a bit too much pushed on spectacular sound, then still pretty much a lot of fun to listen too.

 

[jerry klinger]

My feelings are also at the other end of the spectrum. My very first lp was Sgt Pepper, in mono, in 1967. The new mono version sounds at least as good to these old ears.

Since the original was played on a variety of cruddy players in the 60s, it should prove to be better! Course you really need a mono cartridge.

The first few lps in the box sound spectacular to me.

 

[MajorFubar]

Course you really need a mono cartridge.

Not with these new masters, these are not true mono LPs, they're cut with a stereo cutting head from mono tapes. Though there would be imo a lot of benefit to be had from using a stereo cartridge wired for mono, or monauralised at some point during the pre-amp stage. Rumble and sibilance tends to be OOP more often than not so monauralising the input would reap some benefits in improving clarity and reducing noise, unless you have huge issues with the setup of your cartridge that might cause minor phase misalignments.