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4.25pm
18 April 2013
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I was reading some reviews of the US Albums box and several people are saying that the mono sounds superior to the 2009 box. Has anyone compared? I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s true, the mono on this box sounds fantastic.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
4.58pm
20 December 2010
Offline Expert Textpert said
I was reading some reviews of the US Albums box and several people are saying that the mono sounds superior to the 2009 box. Has anyone compared? I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s true, the mono on this box sounds fantastic.
I have heard that the new box set has the vocals punched up more than the 2009 box but not sure. I also heard that all the songs were done using only the UK 2009 remasters and some of the Capitol masters and that every song was remixed. I am still waiting to hear about that.
The further one travels, the less one knows
5.05pm
Guests
16 March 2013
Offline The US box set sounds is exactly the same. Just check on iTunes. If you (like me) already have all your CDs and albums loaded in iTunes then there’s no reason to buy it.
In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you MAKE...
6.24pm
18 April 2013
Offline Amazon Canada now has the box set for 88.69 US dollars. Amazon USA is selling it for 188.55 with tax. When it was new I got it from Amazon Canada for about 123 US dollars. The price sure does fluctuate.
If anyone wants it, now is the time to grab it from Amazon Canada.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
11.51pm
20 September 2013
Offline Expert Textpert said
If anyone wants it, now is the time to grab it from Amazon Canada.
Indeed, that’s an incredible price-around £62 including 1-2 weeks shipping.
12.51am
Reviewers
1 November 2013
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Expert Textpert said
Amazon Canada now has the box set for 88.69 US dollars. Amazon USA is selling it for 188.55 with tax. When it was new I got it from Amazon Canada for about 123 US dollars. The price sure does fluctuate.If anyone wants it, now is the time to grab it from Amazon Canada.
Right now I’m getting $136.69 US from Amazon Canada. That’s weird.
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1.06am
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20 August 2013
Offline IveJustSeenAFaceo said
Expert Textpert said
Amazon Canada now has the box set for 88.69 US dollars. Amazon USA is selling it for 188.55 with tax. When it was new I got it from Amazon Canada for about 123 US dollars. The price sure does fluctuate.If anyone wants it, now is the time to grab it from Amazon Canada.
Right now I’m getting $136.69 US from Amazon Canada. That’s weird.
That’s what I’m seeing too. That blue light special didn’t last long.
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1.16am
18 April 2013
Offline Ahhh Girl said
IveJustSeenAFaceo said
Expert Textpert said
Amazon Canada now has the box set for 88.69 US dollars. Amazon USA is selling it for 188.55 with tax. When it was new I got it from Amazon Canada for about 123 US dollars. The price sure does fluctuate.If anyone wants it, now is the time to grab it from Amazon Canada.
Right now I’m getting $136.69 US from Amazon Canada. That’s weird.
That’s what I’m seeing too. That blue light special didn’t last long.
Sure didn’t.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
3.16pm
6 February 2014
Offline Expert Textpert said
Ahhh Girl said
IveJustSeenAFaceo said
Expert Textpert said
Amazon Canada now has the box set for 88.69 US dollars. Amazon USA is selling it for 188.55 with tax. When it was new I got it from Amazon Canada for about 123 US dollars. The price sure does fluctuate.If anyone wants it, now is the time to grab it from Amazon Canada.
Right now I’m getting $136.69 US from Amazon Canada. That’s weird.
That’s what I’m seeing too. That blue light special didn’t last long.
Sure didn’t.
Still cheaper than the $159.99 (US) I paid for it.
Overall, I am satisfied with this set. All the albums save Hey Jude have mono versions as well. So that’s kind of getting a two for one deal considering the Mono set alone is around US $170 (still). However, note that they used the 1987 stereo mix instead of the original ’65 mix.
Read some reviews/complaints about the original American mixes not being used for this set (Duophonic, added reverb) but they have still have the unique ones: false start in I’m Looking Through You , Any Time At All ‘s repeat of the first verse. Also, they have the dropped guitar sound in Day Tripper .
Before getting this box, I had the 2004 releases of the first 8 US albums, and those are the true American mixes. But listening to those, you can hear hiss, too much reverb, etc.
Anyway, I am glad to see the butcher cover of the Yesterday …And Today album included as well as getting Revolver and Hey Jude official released here. These US albums are the ones I grew up to and come to love but as much as I like the UK versions, I felt…IDK, not right. Meet The Beatles has always been a favourite and Revolver ‘s McCartney heavy songtracks are what get me off.
Just saying…
4.08pm
14 December 2009
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I had to laugh out loud & shake my head when I saw those American issue CDs at the front of HMV a couple of weeks ago – was there any recent discussion on these boards about the impending release of them? If so, I missed it and had no idea they were in the pipeline.
I guess I can understand wanting to own these for nostalgic purposes. Still really dismays me that anybody would buy the American Revolver CD when they (presumably) already own the regular Parlophone edition – unless they dislike “I’m Only Sleeping “/”And Your Bird”/”Dr. Robert” so much that they can’t even bear the sight of the song titles on the back cover. Or just really consider it a nuisance to skip over those three tracks, I dunno…(shrugs)
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4.16pm
18 April 2013
Offline Von Bontee said
I had to laugh out loud & shake my head when I saw those American issue CDs at the front of HMV a couple of weeks ago – was there any recent discussion on these boards about the impending release of them? If so, I missed it and had no idea they were in the pipeline.I guess I can understand wanting to own these for nostalgic purposes. Still really dismays me that anybody would buy the American Revolver CD when they (presumably) already own the regular Parlophone edition – unless they dislike “I’m Only Sleeping “/”And Your Bird”/”Dr. Robert” so much that they can’t even bear the sight of the song titles on the back cover. Or just really consider it a nuisance to skip over those three tracks, I dunno…(shrugs)
The mono on the new albums sounds better than the 2009 box set.
I didn’t buy it because of nostalgia. I am too young to have bought the original Capitol albums on vinyl and my parents weren’t into The Beatles.
I bought it because I am a Beatles fanatic and I am interested in the history of The Beatles in my country. I bought the 2004 and 2006 Capitol box sets and this box set recently, and compared them. I prefer the US Albums box set to the “authentic” Capitol mixes, as those sound very poor.
Some may say it’s overkill to buy all the different versions, but I really don’t care.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
8.48pm
5 February 2010
Offline “Happy Nat” (of Beatles Rarities fame) did two really good blog posts about this. I highly recommend reading them if you want to know both the nitty and the gritty:
THE U.S. ALBUMS BOX SET – A COMPARISON WITH THE ORIGINAL CAPITOL RELEASES
THE U.S. ALBUMS BOX SET – A FINAL WORD ON MIXES USED
That first post is a track by track comparison, so it’s kind of long, but worth the read if you’re on the fence about buying the new box set.
Based on his analysis, I ended up getting them, and I haven’t regretted that purchase.
Not a bit like Cagney.
3.48pm
18 April 2013
Offline I’m still slowly comparing the original Capitol mixes to the US Albums (not closely…just as a general listening experience and to see what pops out). It seems that the most noticeable difference is on the first two or three albums, where you can really see that the US Albums sound superior. While you can still notice that the US Albums sound better on the later albums, the difference is less striking. The US Albums generally sound smoother and more clearly defined, and on the Capitol albums there are several songs here and there where you just have to say “This sounds really crappy.”
I’m getting used to the track sequencing of the US Albums and I can’t really say yet whether I prefer them, but I like them. They are more “rocking” and lively, while the UK track order is less so. I can see why the US albums generated excitement.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
4.55pm
4 March 2014
Offline I just received the box set and I must say I’m a little miffed about the fake US mixes not being used, apart from a few bespoke edits. However, I bought the original sets in 2004 and 2006 and found them delightful. Until then I was relying on Ebbetts and Purple Chick issues for the “correct” mixes, but those two box sets were a revelation to me. I knew the US album mixes were a bit different, but THAT different?
The packaging on the new set is great, though. The covers are great quality and the booklet is a good read (it even comes clean about the 2009 remasters being the source used). However, over £100 is a bit much.
7.17pm
6 August 2013
Offline Expert Textpert said
I’m still slowly comparing the original Capitol mixes to the US Albums (not closely…just as a general listening experience and to see what pops out). It seems that the most noticeable difference is on the first two or three albums, where you can really see that the US Albums sound superior. While you can still notice that the US Albums sound better on the later albums, the difference is less striking. The US Albums generally sound smoother and more clearly defined, and on the Capitol albums there are several songs here and there where you just have to say “This sounds really crappy.”I’m getting used to the track sequencing of the US Albums and I can’t really say yet whether I prefer them, but I like them. They are more “rocking” and lively, while the UK track order is less so. I can see why the US albums generated excitement.
Especially with Meet the Beatles! Say what you will about Capitol’s “cut-and-paste” approach, but they absolutely nailed it with that album and it was the perfect record to introduce the American public to the band. I’m not crazy about the others (although to be fair, Yesterday and Today, listening to it for the first time this morning, has a nice flow to it), but Capitol, to their credit, didn’t hit a wrong note with Meet the Beatles!
"There's no such thing as bad student... only bad teacher."
7.54pm
18 April 2013
Offline Another one they got right is Rubber Soul . I think I do prefer the US version to the UK. It flows better and the mood is more consistent.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
8.34pm
6 August 2013
Offline Expert Textpert said
Another one they got right is Rubber Soul . I think I do prefer the US version to the UK. It flows better and the mood is more consistent.
Haven’t gotten to Rubber Soul yet (still waiting for Capitol Albums Vol. 2 to come in) so I’m looking forward to that. I know the US version was done to fit the “folk rock” mood that was prevalent on US radio for the time.
"There's no such thing as bad student... only bad teacher."
11.51pm
20 September 2013
Offline wetsroosa said
I know the US version was done to fit the “folk rock” mood that was prevalent on US radio for the time.
I just don’t buy into this, from what I’ve read and understand about Capitol’s selections, they took what was available at the time? If they were going for the Folk/Rock feel of the time, why leave out “If I Needed Someone ” and “Nowhere Man “? Arguably the 2 Beatles tracks of that era that most fit the Folk/Rock tag? Don’t get me wrong – I really like the US Rubber Soul , I’ve been listening a lot to it since I got the box, in fact when “Michelle ” finished playing the other day I expected “It’s Only Love ” to follow! What sets the tone is “I’ve Just Seen A Face ” as the first track-only available because Capitol managed to cobble together a “Help ” soundtrack album that was never intended to be, thus setting aside one half of the UK “Help ” LP for future albums.
“Meet The Beatles” is as it is because Capitol didn’t have the rights to all the “Please Please Me ” LP? They included both sides of a single, and deliberately left off any cover versions (which they then put on the next LP!).So that was a policy decision not deliberate track listing. Go to the other end of their catalogue and with “Yesterday and Today” (the title is almost apologetic) you have the ludicrous sequencing of “Act Naturally “/”And Your Bird Can Sing “/”If I Needed Someone “-3 songs sourced from 3 UK albums.
As I said I enjoy most of these albums (“The Beatles Second Album” is an absolute corker) and indeed a few of them I purchased as a kid on school trips abroad and was familiar with them way before I had the UK releases, but don’t agree with the idea Capitol were inventive with the content.
2.23am
6 August 2013
Offline Oyster Black Pearl said
wetsroosa said
I know the US version was done to fit the “folk rock” mood that was prevalent on US radio for the time.
I just don’t buy into this, from what I’ve read and understand about Capitol’s selections, they took what was available at the time? If they were going for the Folk/Rock feel of the time, why leave out “If I Needed Someone ” and “Nowhere Man “? Arguably the 2 Beatles tracks of that era that most fit the Folk/Rock tag? Don’t get me wrong – I really like the US Rubber Soul , I’ve been listening a lot to it since I got the box, in fact when “Michelle ” finished playing the other day I expected “It’s Only Love ” to follow! What sets the tone is “I’ve Just Seen A Face ” as the first track-only available because Capitol managed to cobble together a “Help ” soundtrack album that was never intended to be, thus setting aside one half of the UK “Help ” LP for future albums.
“Meet The Beatles” is as it is because Capitol didn’t have the rights to all the “Please Please Me ” LP? They included both sides of a single, and deliberately left off any cover versions (which they then put on the next LP!).So that was a policy decision not deliberate track listing. Go to the other end of their catalogue and with “Yesterday and Today” (the title is almost apologetic) you have the ludicrous sequencing of “Act Naturally “/”And Your Bird Can Sing “/”If I Needed Someone “-3 songs sourced from 3 UK albums.
As I said I enjoy most of these albums (“The Beatles Second Album” is an absolute corker) and indeed a few of them I purchased as a kid on school trips abroad and was familiar with them way before I had the UK releases, but don’t agree with the idea Capitol were inventive with the content.
OK, maybe “I know” was too strong a statement. However, in the US, Rubber Soul came across as a folk rock statement, and is considered a folk rock record, intended or not.
"There's no such thing as bad student... only bad teacher."
3.08am
18 April 2013
Offline I don’t know what the proper definition of “folk rock” is, but Nowhere Man and If You Needed Someone sound more psychedelic to me. They don’t sound to me like they belong with the other songs at all. The songs on the US album have a strong acoustic guitar sound, and neither Nowhere Man nor If You Needed Someone have that.
Whatever the reason they had for putting the songs in that order, the fact remains they made the decision to do it, and it was a good decision.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
