Beatles Revolver Box Set (Dolby Atmos Mix available for streaming; No Blu-Ray)

[riskylogic]

Unless The Beatles / UMG have lucrative deals with the streaming platforms regarding exclusively of Atmos content, I don’t understand why the model from the prior box sets was not followed (a Blu-ray with Atmos in the box as well as Atmos for streaming).

Otherwise, why single out the Atmos mix for streaming only yet make the rest of the content available for purchase on physical media and digital download?

I also don’t see much monetary benefit for anyone in making the Atmos streaming exclusive. Most streamers aren’t going to shell out the big bucks for a box or even a stand alone Blu-ray. On top of that the nonstreamers who would shell out can’t.

 

[Rickenbacker]

I don't want to sound too negative, but I suspect the absence of a blu-ray on this release is the death knell for future Beatles editions containing a blu-ray.
The first few albums were two-track and four-track recordings, with little to no multi-tracking (relative to post 1966).
I never expected a 5.1 mix for Please Please Me or With The Beatles. There's not much than can be done as far as spreading out the contents over five (six) channels, even with MAL.

But this means likely no blu-ray for Help! either.
And, let's not forget, those discs also contained high-resolution versions of everything else in the box, which was a sweet part of the deal.

I imagine the bean-counters will attribute a drop in sales to the "migration of the consumer away from physical media", and not, "we gave poor value for money, removed an essential component, and people voted with their dollars".

 

[key_wiz]

I don't want to sound too negative, but I suspect the absence of a blu-ray on this release is the death knell for future Beatles editions containing a blu-ray.
The first few albums were two-track and four-track recordings, with little to no multi-tracking (relative to post 1966).
I never expected a 5.1 mix for Please Please Me or With The Beatles. There's not much than can be done as far as spreading out the contents over five (six) channels, even with MAL.

But this means likely no blu-ray for Help! either.
And, let's not forget, those discs also contained high-resolution versions of everything else in the box, which was a sweet part of the deal.

I imagine the bean-counters will attribute a drop in sales to the "migration of the consumer away from physical media", and not, "we gave poor value for money, removed an essential component, and people voted with their dollars".

Yeah I don’t think it’s really much a stretch to figure that if there’s is no Blu-ray in this set that there won’t be any others to follow. I doubt this will just be an anomaly.

I think the next big question will be: will they even bother to try and create an Atmos mix for Rubber Soul at all?

 

[sjcorne]

It would be pretty disappointing if the “ultimate” reissues of Lennon’s solo catalog drop Blu-Ray as well, I was so looking forward to getting the quad mixes of Walls & Bridges and Mind Games (if it exists as rumored).

 

[Titch]

I'm so relieved that there is no blu-ray with an Atmos mix included! That means I don't have to cram yet another whopping box-set into my already overstuffed shelves. And I save a wheelbarrow full of cash to spend on something else.

 

[rusinurbe]

I'm so relieved that there is no blu-ray with an Atmos mix included! That means I don't have to cram yet another whopping box-set into my already overstuffed shelves. And I save a wheelbarrow full of cash to spend on something else.

Totally with you

 

[Quad Linda]

Some great points. Rickenbacker had some great thoughts. Welcome to QQ!

Being a completist, I'm going to get this. As with Rumours, I won't buy instantly. Yet, I've preordered all the others, based on a surround mix. Mac and Fabs, as well. Got Rumours SD for $40 sealed a couple years ago. And I already had the DVD-A! I'm betting Revolver will suffer the same fate. We can only hope...

In the mean time, there are several other surround and SACD projects that I have/will preorder. This one will need to go on the back burner. A few archival Dylan, Miles, FZ, Hendrix, Zep, CSN, Satchmo and more have company. I'm a completist on them, too. In past years, they would have been on my shelf upon "dropping," if not before.

 

[Rickenbacker]

It would be pretty disappointing if the “ultimate” reissues of Lennon’s solo catalog drop Blu-Ray as well, I was so looking forward to getting the quad mixes of Walls & Bridges and Mind Games (if it exists as rumored).

"Walls & Bridges" is an album that really clicked with me when I turned 40. It's now my favourite Lennon solo album.
There were portions of his radio appearances that were played on the Lost Lennon Tapes where he mentioned remixing that album for Quad.
I'd love to hear that as well. I can only hope the John Lennon camp (not to be confused with John Mellencamp) will continue by putting out the best value for money boxes, blu-rays included, of course.

 

[key_wiz]

Some great points. Rickenbacker had some great thoughts. Welcome to QQ!

Being a completist, I'm going to get this. As with Rumours, I won't buy instantly. Yet, I've preordered all the others, based on a surround mix. Mac and Fabs, as well. Got Rumours SD for $40 sealed a couple years ago. And I already had the DVD-A! I'm betting Revolver will suffer the same fate. We can only hope...

In the mean time, there are several other surround and SACD projects that I have/will preorder. This one will need to go on the back burner. A few archival Dylan, Miles, FZ, Hendrix, Zep, CSN, Satchmo and more have company. I'm a completist on them, too. In past years, they would have been on my shelf upon "dropping," if not before.

This is where I’m at, and I took the same route with Rumours. I don’t believe any of the previous Beatles SEs have sold out, have they? At the very least none seem to have gone UP in price so I see no reason to not wait a couple of years and see if I can pick one up at a discount.

I might even lean towards a used copy just so I’m not helping with the sales/revenue for UMG on this one.

 

[ssully]

"Walls & Bridges" is an album that really clicked with me when I turned 40. It's now my favourite Lennon solo album.
There were portions of his radio appearances that were played on the Lost Lennon Tapes where he mentioned remixing that album for Quad.

It certainly happened.

A digital remaster of the quad would be nice. Hello Sony Japan?

 

[~dave~~wave~]

"Walls & Bridges" is an album that really clicked with me when I turned 40. It's now my favourite Lennon solo album...
...remixing that album for Quad.

The four tracks from that album on Gimme Some Truth are among my favorites.
Both Atmos & 5.1 mixes.

I had forgotten Jesse Ed Davis played guitar on them.
The intro to #9 Dream is one of his iconic licks.

 

[Ephi82]

Anybody with a DAW could cut and paste those 'Mr Wilson/Mr Heath' bits into the rear channels of a Penteo or SPECWeb version of Taxman, doing it themselves. So the streaming version doesn't appear to be that grand.

The funny thing is, when a box set is sold with outakes and a 5.1 BluRay, which discs do you think get played more (provided the person has BluRay capability)? If they're like me, they listen to the outakes once, enjoy them for what they are and their differences, then never take that disc out again. THAT'S WHAT THEY SHOULD BE STREAMING!! Single or low use audio

The 5.1 disc gives the buyer value, current and future, and will get far more use than an outakes CD.

DUMB ASS SUITS

Jon, I have another angle on this that might be helpful. Why is surround music not appreciated, and listened to, by most people younger than boomers?

Hardware. very few people have or are buying BluRay players because everything they want to see and hear is available by streaming through their mobile devices and SMART tvs. Other than us surround and audiophile fanatics, no one cares about hi res stereo and surround content on a disc. Because of this, the availability of new ( and old) surround music on discs has been fading, and fading fast.

i sincerely believe that the best hope for seeing surround music availability survive are the recent initiatives like those between Apple, Tidal and the record companies. In the last 9 months with Apple Music, I’ve listened to more “ new to me” surround music than I did in all the years since the early 2000’s when I bought one of the first Pioneer Cd/DVDA/SACD players and gleefully listed to Roxy Music Avalon.

there are also financial benefits. For $11 a month I have virtually unlimited access to an huge amount of recorded music including lots of surround content. Included in this were the Super Deluxe surround content found on Rolling Stones GHS, many of the Elton John recordings, Abbey Road, Let it Be, Get Back, All Things Must Pass, Beatles 1 in ATMOS and many more. Do the math….if I purchased 10 of those deluxe sets on disc, at $120 ea, it would have cost me $1200. Instead I spent $132 with Apple. My only slight concern is that at the present time, streaming ATMOS is lossy compared to content on a disc, but I would expect/ hope that this will change at some point with further advancements in the technology.

 

[Mcallister]

Jon, I have another angle on this that might be helpful. Why is surround music not appreciated, and listened to, by most people younger than boomers?

Hardware. very few people have or are buying BluRay players because everything they want to see and hear is available by streaming through their mobile devices and SMART tvs. Other than us surround and audiophile fanatics, no one cares about hi res stereo and surround content on a disc. Because of this, the availability of new ( and old) surround music on discs has been fading, and fading fast.

i sincerely believe that the best hope for seeing surround music availability survive are the recent initiatives like those between Apple, Tidal and the record companies. In the last 9 months with Apple Music, I’ve listened to more “ new to me” surround music than I did in all the years since the early 2000’s when I bought one of the first Pioneer Cd/DVDA/SACD players and gleefully listed to Roxy Music Avalon.

there are also financial benefits. For $11 a month I have virtually unlimited access to an huge amount of recorded music including lots of surround content. Included in this were the Super Deluxe surround content found on Rolling Stones GHS, many of the Elton John recordings, Abbey Road, Let it Be, Get Back, All Things Must Pass, Beatles 1 in ATMOS and many more. Do the math….if I purchased 10 of those deluxe sets on disc, at $120 ea, it would have cost me $1200. Instead I spent $132 with Apple. My only slight concern is that at the present time, streaming ATMOS is lossy compared to content on a disc, but I would expect/ hope that this will change at some point with further advancements in the technology.

This can go both ways. They know the younger generation likely do not have Blu Ray players and do stream. If that’s the case why even release the box set at all then, include the Blu-Ray and they have a reason for consumers to purchase the box set and not just stream.

 

[Rickenbacker]

Jon, I have another angle on this that might be helpful. Why is surround music not appreciated, and listened to, by most people younger than boomers?

Hardware. very few people have or are buying BluRay players because everything they want to see and hear is available by streaming through their mobile devices and SMART tvs. Other than us surround and audiophile fanatics, no one cares about hi res stereo and surround content on a disc. Because of this, the availability of new ( and old) surround music on discs has been fading, and fading fast.

i sincerely believe that the best hope for seeing surround music availability survive are the recent initiatives like those between Apple, Tidal and the record companies. In the last 9 months with Apple Music, I’ve listened to more “ new to me” surround music than I did in all the years since the early 2000’s when I bought one of the first Pioneer Cd/DVDA/SACD players and gleefully listed to Roxy Music Avalon.

there are also financial benefits. For $11 a month I have virtually unlimited access to an huge amount of recorded music including lots of surround content. Included in this were the Super Deluxe surround content found on Rolling Stones GHS, many of the Elton John recordings, Abbey Road, Let it Be, Get Back, All Things Must Pass, Beatles 1 in ATMOS and many more. Do the math….if I purchased 10 of those deluxe sets on disc, at $120 ea, it would have cost me $1200. Instead I spent $132 with Apple. My only slight concern is that at the present time, streaming ATMOS is lossy compared to content on a disc, but I would expect/ hope that this will change at some point with further advancements in the technology.

Indeed, there has been a huge shift in the consumer base migrating towards streaming.

However, these boxes/collections are aimed at fans who still want the tactile/hands-on experience.
A fan who is going to stream this isn't going to bother even looking at this.
We are the weirdos, we still want books, and shiny aluminum things that spin really fast.
So it leaves me confused that they would eliminate something from a set that would be well received by those people.

I'll throw this in, too. I bought my first 5.1 discs in 2003.
I didn't get around to listening to the multi-channel layer for 5 years.
A little after that, circumstances changed, and it was easier to go back to regular stereo.
Now, it's been a few years where I once again have a proper 5.1 setup, and there is no going back back for me.
I think a lot of people just never took the time or trouble to experience the bliss of a good surround album.
I suspect if they did, there'd be a lot more listeners who would see that disc as the centrepoint of the release.

"Once you go surround,
Your listening is profound"

(I know, that needs work. I just thought of it. It's a rough draft)

 

[edisonbaggins]

The comments on the Life in Surround NOT BUYING IT video are overwhelmingly full of disappointment over this.
Hopefully Giles and company read them.

If anybody knows of some appropriate emails or twitter accounts...

 

[Mj33]

If they think that streaming Atmos will pull more audiophiles into streaming, they are wrong on several fronts. Audiophiles are already streaming since there are good quality lossless streaming services out there, have been for a while. They are doing this IN ADDITION TO listening to physical formats, which are of higher quality than streaming. We are willing to shell out the cash for a Blu ray because we care about sound quality. Also, what's the use of a big box set full of just CDs? How about LPs, like with The Band reissues? If the issue is less physical media, just put it all out on one Blu ray, or two if there's not enough room. The "Animals" remix in 5.1 is being release as a standalone Blu ray like "Fish out of Water". Audiophiles like myself love that format. No cumbersome box, no fluff, just pure hi rez audio.

 

[leefarber]

I would actually be fine with a streaming-only Atmos mix if the streaming quality equaled that of the Blu-ray, but the stream is a Dolby Digital core (lossy) while the Blu-ray is a Dolby TrueHD core (lossless). So we really are being robbed of a non-lossy surround mix. Is it conceivable that Apple could upgrade the Atmos streams to lossless someday, or is just too much bandwidth?

 

[Ephi82]

The comments on the Life in Surround NOT BUYING IT video are overwhelmingly full of disappointment over this.
Hopefully Giles and company read them.

If anybody knows of some appropriate emails or twitter accounts...

why is Giles the bad guy? He’s not making Apple ( Beatles Apple) business decisions. Paul, Ringo and George and Johns families and Apple management are the decision makers of what goes into these releases. Take it up with them!

 

[edisonbaggins]

why is Giles the bad guy? He’s not making Apple ( Beatles Apple) business decisions. Paul, Ringo and George and Johns families and Apple management are the decision makers of what goes into these releases. Take it up with them!

Not sure anybody is saying he is. Certainly not me. He does use his twitter account though. He's a possible contact and key player.
If you know the appropriate contacts, by all means, please use them.

 

[Ephi82]

If they think that streaming Atmos will pull more audiophiles into streaming, they are wrong on several fronts. Audiophiles are already streaming since there are good quality lossless streaming services out there, have been for a while. They are doing this IN ADDITION TO listening to physical formats, which are of higher quality than streaming. We are willing to shell out the cash for a Blu ray because we care about sound quality. Also, what's the use of a big box set full of just CDs? How about LPs, like with The Band reissues? If the issue is less physical media, just put it all out on one Blu ray, or two if there's not enough room. The "Animals" remix in 5.1 is being release as a standalone Blu ray like "Fish out of Water". Audiophiles like myself love that format. No cumbersome box, no fluff, just pure hi rez audio.

Apple Music offers lossless stereo, and I expect it’s only a matter of time and technology for ATMOS to be as well.

I agree with you in being willing to pay $ for a full resolution ATMOS recording, and i assume that a lot of box sets get purchased because of full resolution surround. All the ones I purchased were primarily motivated by the surround mixes.

The sales numbers of Revolver MAY show how many of us elected not to buy the set because there’s no BluRay. ( I’m not buying 4 CDs and a book for $140 when all the music in lossless and the ATMOS mix is available by streaming)

Whether that dents the sales numbers is the question. We might be disappointed