The Beatles - Abbey Road 50th Anniversary (5.1 & Dolby Atmos mixes)

[Quad Linda]

Last week, I asked Joe to pre-order this. He said, aah, too late. I've already ordered it as a gift for you. Yay!!

Hopefully, he'll be able to find the 78 rpm version I requested.

This ranks as my fave Beatles record and one of my 10 fave albums overall.

I've owned this on US LP, UK LP (blue collection), MoFi 1/2 speed LP, UK mono LP (foldover mix in UK red mono albums LP box), MoFi 1/2 speed LP (from MoFi Beatles collection black LP box), Toshiba/EMI Japan CD (from '83), US CD, UK CD (rolltop box), and US CD box. This will be copy #10.

Oh, that magic feeling!!

 

[Snood]

Hopefully, he'll be able to find the 78 rpm version I requested.

Huh?

 

[Larry Geller]

Last week, I asked Joe to pre-order this. He said, aah, too late. I've already ordered it as a gift for you. Yay!!

Hopefully, he'll be able to find the 78 rpm version I requested.

This ranks as my fave Beatles record and one of my 10 fave albums overall.

I've owned this on US LP, UK LP (blue collection), MoFi 1/2 speed LP, UK mono LP (foldover mix in UK red mono albums LP box), MoFi 1/2 speed LP (from MoFi Beatles collection black LP box), Toshiba/EMI Japan CD (from '83), US CD, UK CD (rolltop box), and US CD box. This will be copy #10.

Oh, that magic feeling!!

Nowhere to go, eh.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Same. And at 5-10% lower price than any other vendor, so far, I'm comfortable taking my chances that I'll get a clean copy from importcds. Otherwise, I'll go down the rebate/return route with them.
I really would like to hear the surround mixes ASAP though.

Well, ya can't have your cakeand eat it too. ImportCD delivery may take a week or so prior to others receiving their Abbey Road set so I suggest you and the family watch surround Disney movies instead until the set arrives! LOL

 

[watsontr]

I'm getting mine for Fathers Day (September the first in Australia) but I'm quite happy to wait

 

[markshan]

Last week, I asked Joe to pre-order this. He said, aah, too late. I've already ordered it as a gift for you. Yay!!

Hopefully, he'll be able to find the 78 rpm version I requested.

This ranks as my fave Beatles record and one of my 10 fave albums overall.

I've owned this on US LP, UK LP (blue collection), MoFi 1/2 speed LP, UK mono LP (foldover mix in UK red mono albums LP box), MoFi 1/2 speed LP (from MoFi Beatles collection black LP box), Toshiba/EMI Japan CD (from '83), US CD, UK CD (rolltop box), and US CD box. This will be copy #10.

Oh, that magic feeling!!

Which one do you like best?

 

[bayards]

 

[wavelength]

Well, I got an update on my $37 order from Amazon.ca advising re Delivery dates. So maybe this will go through!

 

[César]

Well, I got an update on my $37 order from Amazon.ca advising re Delivery dates. So maybe this will go through!

Lucky you, still displays delivery date not available on my order.

 

[Quad Linda]

Which one do you like best?

Great question!

My favorite sounding pressing is MoFi 14 LP & Geodisc LP box: https://www.rootsvinylguide.com/eba...l-low-212-unplayed-14-lp-master-recordings-nm
LP's are same titles as in EMI blue LP box, EXCEPT add MMT, minus Rarities LP. Of course, MoFi's sound much better. Ortofon moving coil cartridge makes them breathtaking!

MoFi box is individually numbered. Limited to 15,000 copies. Album jackets are photos of the boxes that the master reels are stored in w/notations circa '82. Ex: 7/24/73 Safety copy. There is an LP size booklet included w/full size reproductions of LP covers, including gatefolds. Original price: $325. It recently sold for $999 used. There is a sealed box which seller is offering for $3500. We sold out instantly in my store and were able to get some more. After that, we took backorders subject to availablity. Sadly, few backorders were filled.

Unbelievably, I got mine for free! We were a MoFi dealer and they were running a contest. I also won over 100 MoFi individual titles. I kept a handfull, which were the only ones I didn't already own. Fortunately, a friend who owned several record stores gave me store credit for most of them. I did the same thing in our store. It financed my Concord HPL 130 https://www.facebook.com/1637959449794646/photos/concord-hpl-130/1658935914363666/w/HPQ 90 dbx module https://www.facebook.com/1637959449794646/photos/concord-hpl-130/1658935914363666/and dbx 224. Not a bad haul!

MoFi LP (individual release) sounds the same, but has yellow "Original Master Recordings" band w/usual cover.

IMHO, MoFi LP's are the best sounding Beatles to date. Perhaps the hi-res versions in the box sets sound better. I need to do some a/b'ing of these. The early albums are REAL STEREO (from 3 track masters). Sadly, MMT has a couple electronic stereo recreations on all LP versions, including these. The only LP MMT w/REAL STEREO on ALL tracks is the German LP: https://www.discogs.com/The-Beatles-Magical-Mystery-Tour-Plus-Other-Songs/release/910326
There is no gatefold nor booklet on the German MMT LP. MMT is ALL real stereo on all offical CD's. MoFi did release ALL real 2ch mixes on their cassette MMT. IMHO, the German MMT LP is the best one.

Any Beatles CD's labeled "Original Master Recordings" are boots or counterfeits!!

I also grabbed a Toshiba/EMI CD in'83: https://www.popsike.com/The-Beatles...83-1st-Press-BLACK-TRIANGLE/301953421383.html
A flat transfer official release! A week later it was pulled, NOT a two years as the Popslike listing here contends. It was a few years until Abbey Road was released officially on CD. Imagine a room full of hi-fi pros sitting in my rec room lamenting no Beatles on CD. My friend John immediately went to one of my CD sheves and produced this disc. Jaws dropped! I still have it.

I love the revised Abbey Road cover w/Daleks! Will that be the cover on the new box set?

Thanks to Roots Vinyl Guide, Popslike, Discogs and Facebook for the pix, etc. I'm too damn lazy to snap pix of mine. Hey, I need to eat breakfast!

 

[markshan]

Of course, MoFi's sound much better.

Interesting. I find the MoFis to be a bit of a mixed bag. I do like the MFSL AR vinyl best, but I find their White Album to be far too bloated in the bass and prefer my Blue Box on that one. And MMT is just a mess (as you alluded to). I have a German of it to supplement my Blue Box. I'm fairly content with my Blue Box and sold several of my MFSLs.

Oh, and free is my favorite price! Congrats on that.

 

[Quad Linda]

Beatles UK blue LP box was what made me enjoy listening to Beatles again. It is a great value. I got rid of the discs, but kept the box itself.

 

[markshan]

Beatles UK blue LP box was what made me enjoy listening to Beatles again. It is a great value. I got rid of the discs, but kept the box itself.

Yeah, it's getting harder to find complete boxes because you can sell the individual records (80s UK all analog) for more than the collection goes for. I got mine for a buck (sort of). I found a fairly rare jazz album at the thrift and traded it for the box.

 

[paligap]

Well, I got an update on my $37 order from Amazon.ca advising re Delivery dates. So maybe this will go through!

I just got my email too!

 

[edisonbaggins]

To celebrate Abbey Road in 5.1 and Atmos:

Abbey Road 50th Anniversary Pre-sale Discussion + The Beatles in Surround Review


And in case you missed them and are interested:

The White Album review video


Abbey Road Atmos news video 1

 

[Circular Vibes]

Amazon.ca for $37cdn
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07VLMMG28/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=B07VLMMG28&qid=1565287695&s=gateway&sr=8-1

It is back with an updated price of CDN$ 133.45. I preordered using a $50 card my partner was hoarding since a heart operation. Let's hope the price does in fact drop some, if just to offset the HST.

 

[Clement]

​

And in the end... there's no pleasing everyone It has been 10 days since Universal Music and Apple announced the 50th anniversary reissue of The Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road and while it's not out until 27 September, the feedback from fans – based on track listings and specification – has been coming through. As a seasoned observer of music box sets hitting the marketplace, I have to say that there does seem to be a pragmatic approach to the Fab Four reissues which means the label will bend and make adjustments when it comes to preparing the next anniversary box set, if they feel something could be improved, and that has happened with Abbey Road. This can presentational; so for example Abbey Road is back to being a 12-inch box set after the 'book' dimensions of The White Album. But it can also lead to content changes. The White Album CD 6CD+blu-ray super deluxe had three discs of 'sessions' but vinyl buyers got exactly NONE of those sessions, having to make do with two LPs of those (admittedly great) Esher Demos. This time around, vinyl buyers get a lot more. In fact, ALL the sessions on the two CDs included in the big 3CD+blu-ray super deluxe are included in the 3LP vinyl box. But for every positive, a negative can always be found. A few have queried whether the CD content has been artificially limited in order to allow for the same content to appear on the time-constrained vinyl. To be fair, it's a reasonable question. Also, vinyl fans are wondering 'where's our book?' Why do CD box set buyers get an 100-page hardcover volume full of great photos and essays and vinyl buyers get naught? Yes, the CD box is more expensive (by about £20) but you are also getting the blu-ray with surround sound. Talking of which, Sony's recent Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland 50th anniversary included a blu-ray with the surround sound mix on BOTH the CD and vinyl box sets. Couldn't Apple/Universal have done that? Other grumbles include issues such as the original stereo mix being missing and the fact that the blu-ray with the 5.1 and Dolby Atmos mix isn't available separately. While Apple might argue that the original stereo mix is easily available elsewhere, this is supposed to be reissue that celebrates the album. And 'the album' that everyone knows and loves is the original version. Whatever the merits of Giles Martin and Sam Okell's 2019 stereo remix, surely that should sit alongside the original and not supersede it? In the end, there is no perfect reissue that satisfies fan cravings and addresses the more strategic concerns of the record label. So, for example, while fans love the XTC CD+blu-ray reissue packages or the Jethro Tull deluxe sets, neither would generate the kind of income Apple require to make these project worthwhile. The Beatles are and always will be 'premium' product and Apple are never going to throw EVERYTHING on a blu-ray (multiple mixes, outtakes, demos, sessions, surround mixes) and charge you less than £20 for it. But the debate is always an interesting one. What do you think? If you have a strong view or a take on this, then please do head over to the Abbey Road post on SDE and leave a comment! For now, have a great week!

18 August 2019 Paul Sinclair. Editor, SuperDeluxeEdition. [email protected]

 

[TheAbsentMind]

I’ll refrain from personal editorial but for discussion’s sake I wanted to post the ATMOS-related excerpt by Michael Fremer about the preview listening he attended in NYC. I highly recommend clicking on and reading the full piece here.

After a pause, we got to hear the Atmos mix and there finally got to hear how it was supposed to sound. By that I don't mean to endorse (or not) Atmos. What we heard was the mix we were expecting to hear with some added room sound and height. The Atmos track was produced by playing the stereo mix back in studio two on carefully placed speakers and recording the room. That element as the rear, side and height channels definitely added some "space" without doing damage to the stereo mix.

So how did it sound? Unlike the Sgt. Pepper's.... remix where elements were placed where they would have gone and would have been sourced from the first generation tape had the technology allowed—all of which IMO made for a far better mix—here there was far less for Mr. Martin to do since the original mix was so clean and orderly to begin with, especially since the track recordings were too. For instance Geoff Emerick placed the group around the microphone each the correct distance from it to achieve a perfect vocal blend so there was no need for and no way to do post-production mixing (he complained bitterly about the 2009 re-mastered reissue saying that the dynamic compression ruined the blend he'd worked so hard to achieve). Where vocals were originally placed on one channel, they were left there here. I didn't hear any placement surprises in the few tracks we did hear.

We heard a very orderly mix with few surprises, one of the biggest being the bass drum on "Come Together", which now was delightfully explosive and sounded right—as if it had been missing before—not as if more was added to satisfy Ringo!

 

[Mark Anderson]

Well if I understand correctly what was written about the surround mix, that just sucks

 

[edisonbaggins]

I'm ok if the Atmos effect is derived via that description. That's as expected.
The base 5.1 mix better be discrete though...