Well I really did not want to give this one a 10. It would be too predicable.
I think I am the "right age", as I graduated High School in 1970, the Beatles tunes flowed out during my "growing years", and I bought every LP (in mono of course - to save the extra dollar! ), then later in stereo.
I waited patiently for every release, lived through the "break up", bought all of the solo stuff, waited for a "reunion", etc, etc. I am the target Beatles market.
That being said, I have to admit that I rarely drag out my Beatles LPs and CDs. I can hear the tunes in my head without the software, and quite frankly, almost every tune of theirs I have heard so many times, that when they come on the radio I usually change the station, especially if it's a "hit".
When the CDs of the Capitol Singles Vol 1 & Vol 2 came out, I got excited, played them once or twice, then they went back into the "collection", and haven't come back out again. I have just had TOO MUCH BEATLES in my music life. For crying out loud, it's 2006, it's been 40 years!
Then, I plopped the Love DVD-A in the car DVD-A player and drove home. Good grief! The first track, thought beautiful, was a bit disturbing, with the extra breaks and the bird sounds. OK, let's keep on going. And going it did. What a terrific release.
Although not "perfect" perfect, it's the Beatles, it's in 5.1, it's legit, and it sounds incredible, fidelity wise and surround wise. There are a few things I would have rather seen done with the surround mix (the Paul "Helter Skelter" phrases would have been more effective if they came from other than the center speaker"), but this is WAY beyond any ambient/Silverline deal. This is great.
Songs that I would never listen to in stereo (Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude) now shine. Listening to "A Day in the Life" almost choked me up. "Come Together", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and more are beyond description.
I hear no lack of highs at all. It sounds so good; I went to get a "back up" copy today while it was still $14.
The "Mal"-contents and purists still have their mono LPs and singles and should frankly play them and shut up, because this release does nothing to denigrate the originals and if they don't want or like it, DON'T BUY IT.
I am just thankful that while I am still around, I could go into a store and get a surround DVD-A in HiRez of Beatles tunes. Last year I would have never believed this if anyone told me.
George Martin "is" a Beatle, and his involvement makes this legit, IMHO. He and his son have done a great job.
What can I say? When you consider the material is 40 years old, and the mix is great, the sound is great, the content is........THE BEATLES....well, it's a farging TEN!
For those who are still on the fence, make no mistake about it, this disc is not "all mashed up". There are complete tunes on here, in "stunning" (for real) 5.1. The "mash ups" are mostly segues between songs. A few tunes are mixed together, but not that many.
As an aside, my Acura does pause a bit before "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on the layer change. It's a bit jarring, because there is no silence up until that point. It's brief, but noticeable.
Whew! This is a great DVD-A! (I wonder if this had come out in 2002, would SONY have muscled it over to SACD? My how times have changed.)
I think I am the "right age", as I graduated High School in 1970, the Beatles tunes flowed out during my "growing years", and I bought every LP (in mono of course - to save the extra dollar! ), then later in stereo.
I waited patiently for every release, lived through the "break up", bought all of the solo stuff, waited for a "reunion", etc, etc. I am the target Beatles market.
That being said, I have to admit that I rarely drag out my Beatles LPs and CDs. I can hear the tunes in my head without the software, and quite frankly, almost every tune of theirs I have heard so many times, that when they come on the radio I usually change the station, especially if it's a "hit".
When the CDs of the Capitol Singles Vol 1 & Vol 2 came out, I got excited, played them once or twice, then they went back into the "collection", and haven't come back out again. I have just had TOO MUCH BEATLES in my music life. For crying out loud, it's 2006, it's been 40 years!
Then, I plopped the Love DVD-A in the car DVD-A player and drove home. Good grief! The first track, thought beautiful, was a bit disturbing, with the extra breaks and the bird sounds. OK, let's keep on going. And going it did. What a terrific release.
Although not "perfect" perfect, it's the Beatles, it's in 5.1, it's legit, and it sounds incredible, fidelity wise and surround wise. There are a few things I would have rather seen done with the surround mix (the Paul "Helter Skelter" phrases would have been more effective if they came from other than the center speaker"), but this is WAY beyond any ambient/Silverline deal. This is great.
Songs that I would never listen to in stereo (Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude) now shine. Listening to "A Day in the Life" almost choked me up. "Come Together", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and more are beyond description.
I hear no lack of highs at all. It sounds so good; I went to get a "back up" copy today while it was still $14.
The "Mal"-contents and purists still have their mono LPs and singles and should frankly play them and shut up, because this release does nothing to denigrate the originals and if they don't want or like it, DON'T BUY IT.
I am just thankful that while I am still around, I could go into a store and get a surround DVD-A in HiRez of Beatles tunes. Last year I would have never believed this if anyone told me.
George Martin "is" a Beatle, and his involvement makes this legit, IMHO. He and his son have done a great job.
What can I say? When you consider the material is 40 years old, and the mix is great, the sound is great, the content is........THE BEATLES....well, it's a farging TEN!
For those who are still on the fence, make no mistake about it, this disc is not "all mashed up". There are complete tunes on here, in "stunning" (for real) 5.1. The "mash ups" are mostly segues between songs. A few tunes are mixed together, but not that many.
As an aside, my Acura does pause a bit before "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on the layer change. It's a bit jarring, because there is no silence up until that point. It's brief, but noticeable.
Whew! This is a great DVD-A! (I wonder if this had come out in 2002, would SONY have muscled it over to SACD? My how times have changed.)
