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7.07pm
12 November 2010
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Something I've always been curious about is other Beatlemaniac's opinions on this matter.
Which vinyl editions do you think sound better; the North American Capitol albums or the British Parlophones, and why?
If neither, which country do you think produces the best sounding Beatles vinyl?
I shall refrain from posting my personal opinion until I see what others have to say. 
11.35pm
13 November 2009
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Happy Nat would be a good one to ask about this.
12.27am
9 June 2010
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I'm going to go with Parlophone.
mr. Sun king coming together said And yes, YouTube comments are stupid. But hilariously so.
2.37am
13 September 2010
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I've never actually heard a Parlophone vinyl so I couldn't really say. But the Capitol vinyls that my family has have always sounded pretty good.
8.06am
1 December 2009
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When I think of Capitol vinyl, the first thing that comes to mind is that godawful "Duophonic" (ie. fake "stereo") process used on my old copies of Second Album, Something New, Beatles '65 and Yesterday and Today, all of which had sound that was as bad as those fake album titles were lame. (Except Yesterday and Today, whose title was actually pretty clever.) My other Capitol vinyls were either mono or true stereo, so those were all right. And I never owned any of the Parlophones, so, uh, I guess I needn't have replied to this thread.
Oh, and since I'm off topic anyways…Why, oh why did I get rid of my mono Sgt. Pepper ?? (Because I didn't know how scarce it was, that's why!) Sure, it was scratched to pieces (bought it used for $1) and basically unplayable, but still would've been nice to have around…
1.36pm
31 March 2008
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I suppose it depends on what you grew up listening to, but I prefer the Parlophone ones. I bought the Capitol CD box sets and too many of the songs are drenched in reverb. I presume that's what US listeners preferred at the time but I think it sounds terrible.
6.06pm
14 December 2009
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Joe said:
I suppose it depends on what you grew up listening to, but I prefer the Parlophone ones. I bought the Capitol CD box sets and too many of the songs are drenched in reverb. I presume that's what US listeners preferred at the time but I think it sounds terrible.
Thanks for that bit of research Joe – I was wondering whether the Capitol box would retain that awful reverb. I guess they wanted to be as faithful to the originals as they could. I don't think it's a matter of US listeners preferring it, as much as it is them not being given any choice by the Capitol overlords.
Actually, one thing I do like about the Capitols: In a couple of occasions, a few of the songs last a few seconds longer than the Parlophone versions. For example, Paul's barking during "I Feel Fine"'s fade is more apparent on Capitol.
6.27pm
30 September 2010
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I have both Parlophone and Capitol records, and they both sound relativley the same. Im giving the edge to Parlophone in the sound deptartment, since i have Sgt.Pepper's and Magical Mystery Tour on that label and it sounds superb.
9.30pm
19 September 2010
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Parlophone
12.58am
12 November 2010
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vonbontee said:
When I think of Capitol vinyl, the first thing that comes to mind is that godawful "Duophonic" (ie. fake "stereo") process used on my old copies of Second Album, Something New, Beatles '65 and Yesterday and Today, all of which had sound that was as bad as those fake album titles were lame. (Except Yesterday and Today, whose title was actually pretty clever.) My other Capitol vinyls were either mono or true stereo, so those were all right. And I never owned any of the Parlophones, so, uh, I guess I needn't have replied to this thread.
Oh, and since I'm off topic anyways…Why, oh why did I get rid of my mono Sgt. Pepper ?? (Because I didn't know how scarce it was, that's why!) Sure, it was scratched to pieces (bought it used for $1) and basically unplayable, but still would've been nice to have around…
Oh yes, the Capitol compilation albums.
Eek, I was especially disappointed with the American Hard Day's Night Soundtrack, in which all of the tracks were fake stereo. It's interesting, I find a huge difference in sound quality between different Capitol labels; those records with the rainbow label from the late 60's sound far superior to the orange label ones from the 70's, as do the 80's purple labels.
Oh no, you didn't keep a mono SP?… The horror! 
Like when I had a chance to buy Vee-Jay's "Introducing the Beatles" WITH George's shadow intact for $20, and I didn't know what it was at the time…. /headdesk/ 
1.00am
12 November 2010
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VeraChuckandDave said:
I have both Parlophone and Capitol records, and they both sound relativley the same. Im giving the edge to Parlophone in the sound deptartment, since i have Sgt.Pepper's and Magical Mystery Tour on that label and it sounds superb.
I'd have to agree with you; as a rule however the 1st-edition Parlophones generally sound far superior to the 1st-edition Capitols.
Otherwise they sound about the same; unless we're talking about the "fake-stereo" American compilation albums….
I'd love to hear MMT on Parlophone.
1.02am
12 November 2010
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Von Bontee said:
Joe said:
I suppose it depends on what you grew up listening to, but I prefer the Parlophone ones. I bought the Capitol CD box sets and too many of the songs are drenched in reverb. I presume that's what US listeners preferred at the time but I think it sounds terrible.
Thanks for that bit of research Joe – I was wondering whether the Capitol box would retain that awful reverb. I guess they wanted to be as faithful to the originals as they could. I don't think it's a matter of US listeners preferring it, as much as it is them not being given any choice by the Capitol overlords.
Actually, one thing I do like about the Capitols: In a couple of occasions, a few of the songs last a few seconds longer than the Parlophone versions. For example, Paul's barking during "I Feel Fine"'s fade is more apparent on Capitol.
True, true. I'll always hold a grudge against Capitol for removing the loops at the end of Sgt P, though….
And trying to market Rubber Soul as a "Folk-rock" album.
7.18pm
14 December 2009
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And trying to market Rubber Soul as a "Folk-rock" album.
Yeah, really. Even though screwing with the albums track listings was wrong, I have no problem with the idea of turning Rubber Soul into a pure fok-rock LP "in theory" – but Capitol couldn't even do that right! "Nowhere Man" and "If I Needed Someone" are total folk-rock, and "Think For Yourself" and "The Word", not at all – but guess which pair Capitol chose to set aside for Yesterday and Today! Ridiculous.
8.27pm
19 April 2010
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So this is slightly off topic – but it does include Capitol and Parlaphone.
I grew up in the US – in 1968 I was 10 years old and my mom went to England on vacation with my dad. I asked her to do one thing for me – buy every British Beatles album she could fin in England at the time.
How many did she bring back? Zero. She said the record store owner told her the US ones were better. Looking back I know she made that story up and she jsut didn't do it.
I still hold it against her all these years later – imagine!!!
9.50pm
14 December 2009
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Wow, that's a bummer. 
Bad enough just being 10 years old & left behind while your parents go off vacationing – I'd be pissed! (And hopefullly get my revenge by writing a song around the refrain "Mama don't go-oooOOO!! / Daddy come home!")
10.44pm
9 June 2010
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Von Bontee said:
And trying to market Rubber Soul as a "Folk-rock" album.
Yeah, really. Even though screwing with the albums track listings was wrong, I have no problem with the idea of turning Rubber Soul into a pure fok-rock LP "in theory" – but Capitol couldn't even do that right! "Nowhere Man" and "If I Needed Someone" are total folk-rock, and "Think For Yourself" and "The Word", not at all – but guess which pair Capitol chose to set aside for Yesterday and Today! Ridiculous.
Those silly Capitol people.
Von Bontee said:
Wow, that's a bummer.
Bad enough just being 10 years old & left behind while your parents go off vacationing – I'd be pissed! (And hopefullly get my revenge by writing a song around the refrain "Mama don't go-oooOOO!! / Daddy come home!")
Von Bontee! You are on fire today!
robert said:
So this is slightly off topic – but it does include Capitol and Parlaphone.
I grew up in the US – in 1968 I was 10 years old and my mom went to England on vacation with my dad. I asked her to do one thing for me – buy every British Beatles album she could fin in England at the time.
How many did she bring back? Zero. She said the record store owner told her the US ones were better. Looking back I know she made that story up and she jsut didn't do it.
I still hold it against her all these years later – imagine!!!
Ouch. That sucks!
*9*
mr. Sun king coming together said And yes, YouTube comments are stupid. But hilariously so.
2.54am
1 May 2010
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robert said:
So this is slightly off topic – but it does include Capitol and Parlaphone.
I grew up in the US – in 1968 I was 10 years old and my mom went to England on vacation with my dad. I asked her to do one thing for me – buy every British Beatles album she could fin in England at the time.
How many did she bring back? Zero. She said the record store owner told her the US ones were better. Looking back I know she made that story up and she jsut didn't do it.
I still hold it against her all these years later – imagine!!!
Now that's a horrible horrible story!!!!! I can't blame you for feeling bad about it!
3.55am
8 April 2010
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Von Bontee said:
Wow, that's a bummer.
Bad enough just being 10 years old & left behind while your parents go off vacationing – I'd be pissed!
Yeah, but could you imagine the parents' reactions?
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