Beatles Review – Please Please Me Remastered CDs

posted by Rob on September 23, 2009 at 12:40 am | Comments (27)

Please Please Me was The Beatles’ first album, originally released in England on March 22, 1963. Just like in my Abbey Road remastered review, I’ve listened to the old mono Please Please Me CD and the new mono and stereo remastered versions – as well as the stereo versions of each song from the 2004 and 2006 The Capitol Albums boxed sets – several times on my computer through headphones (Sony MDR-CD570) and on my home stereo system through speakers (Yamaha HTR-5540 receiver, JVC XV-523 DVD/CD player, and EPI T/E 100 Series II speakers). Just to recap, the audio from my DVD player is connected to my receiver using a digital cable. My headphones and speakers are able to reproduce clean, strong low frequencies, crisp, clear high frequencies, and an even tone in between. I know this isn’t the most expensive, high-end audiophile equipment ever created, but it’s still a nice setup and allows me to study all of the details of the music I’m listening to.

While the remastered Abbey Road CD sounded very similar to the 1987 one and left me disappointed, the remastered Please Please Me CDs sound mostly better than the previously released one. Read on…

The Packaging

Please Please Me by The Beatles (2009 mono and stereo remastered CDs, front) – click to enlarge

The remastered mono Please Please Me CD comes in a simple cardboard sleeve inside of a resealable clear plastic sleeve and features the original album artwork on the front and back. The disc itself comes in a plastic sleeve inside the cardboard sleeve. There’s also an Emitex paper sleeve the disc can go in, which I assume is a replica of the original vinyl record sleeve from 1963:

Please Please Me by The Beatles (2009 mono remastered CD, Emitex paper sleeve) – click to enlarge

The remastered stereo CD comes in a foldout cardboard sleeve and features the original album artwork on the front, but a redesigned back:

Please Please Me by The Beatles (2009 mono vs. stereo remastered CDs, back) – click to enlarge

Inside the stereo foldout sleeve are more photos of the band, plus two pockets: one to hold a booklet featuring linear notes and photos and the other to hold the CD:

Please Please Me by The Beatles (2009 stereo remastered CD, inside) – click to enlarge

Please Please Me by The Beatles (2009 stereo remastered CD, inside) – click to enlarge

The disc itself now resembles the original Parlophone record label, as opposed to the 1987 disc’s no-frills treatment. Nice touch!

Again, I like the cardboard sleeves because they introduce less plastic into our environment, but I know that if I handled them on a regular basis, they’d eventually get damaged and fall apart, whereas my plastic jewel cases from the 1980s are still in good shape. I don’t have to worry though because now that the CDs are ripped to my computer, I’ll hardly ever touch the sleeves (or the discs) again. From now on, I’ll listen to the songs on my computer, listen to them on my portable MP3 player, or connect my MP3 player to my stereo system and listen to them that way.

The Remastering

The remastering on this album is probably the best it’s going to get. There’s no brickwall limiting (for the most part) and none of the peaks reach 0.0 dB, which is great, especially in today’s world of clipped and distorted music CDs. The highest peaks reach -0.3 dB on the stereo CD and -0.09 dB on the mono CD, which could still introduce distortion on some devices, but this is far better mastering than any CD I’ve bought in the last decade or so. Here’s the waveform of the 2009 stereo remastered version of “Twist and Shout”:

The Beatles “Twist and Shout” stereo remastered waveform (2009) – click to enlarge

To compare, here’s the waveform from the stereo remastered version of “Twist and Shout” on The Early Beatles CD, released in 2006 in The Capitol Albums, Volume 2 boxed set:

The Beatles “Twist and Shout” The Early Beatles stereo remastered waveform (2006) – click to enlarge

The Capitol Albums boxed sets were definitely victims of the loudness war. That version of “Twist and Shout” is missing 3.56 decibels of dynamic range compared to the 2009 remastered version, plus the low and high frequencies have been boosted too much.

Here’s the waveform from the original mono Please Please Me CD, released in 1987:

The Beatles “Twist and Shout” 1987 mono waveform – click to enlarge

When I adjust the peaks of the 1987 version to reach 0.0 dB, the average level is -12.08 decibels. That means the 2009 mono version features an additional 0.41 decibels of dynamic range and the stereo version features an additional 2.14 decibels. That’s great!

On average, the mono remastered CD features an additional 0.5 dB of overall dynamic range compared to the Please Please Me CD from 1987 and the stereo remastered CD features an additional 3 dB of overall dynamic range compared to the stereo The Early Beatles CD from 2006.

The Songs

Here’s my rundown of the various CD versions of each song:

1. “I Saw Her Standing There”

MONO: The 1987 and 2009 remastered versions sound very similar and feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range. The remastered version has a slightly longer fadeout, which reveals a faint click or drum stick noise at the very end.

STEREO: The version on the Meet the Beatles CD from The Capitol Albums, Volume 1 boxed set is severely compressed and features a significant boost in the low and high frequencies, which makes the song sound too harsh and causes a low frequency rumble throughout. The 2009 remastered version features an additional 3.12 dB of dynamic range and the rumble is no longer present. It’s the better sounding version.

A brief drumstick click or hi-hat tap in the left channel at the very beginning of the 2006 stereo version has been removed in the 2009 stereo version.

Here’s an audio clip comparing the stereo 2006 version (first) to the stereo remastered 2009 version (second). In the very beginning of this clip, you can hear the click/tap in the left channel:

Listen:

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50 second MP3 file – 1.9 MB (right-click to save)

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2. “Misery”

MONO: The 2009 remastered version features a boost in the low and high frequencies. It sounds a bit crisper and more powerful than the 1987 version. Also, the 1987 version features minor tape dropout in the intro, which has been fixed in the 2009 version. The 2009 version features a slightly longer fade-out, which reveals a faint noise at the very end, like someone dropped something. Both versions feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range.

STEREO: The remastered version sounds very good, but I noticed some hard limiting in the right channel during the piano sections. It’s fairly minor, but I feel the need to point it out. “Misery” hasn’t been released in stereo on CD before, so I have no other version to compare this one to.

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3. “Anna (Go To Him)”

MONO: The 2009 remastered version has a slight boost in the high frequencies and sounds a bit clearer now. Both versions feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range.

STEREO: The version on The Early Beatles CD from The Capitol Albums, Volume 2 boxed set is severely compressed and features an extreme boost in the low and high frequencies. That version sounds crisp and powerful, but a bit harsh. The 2009 version features an additional 4.86 dB of dynamic range and less distortion. It doesn’t sound as modern or as forceful as the Capitol version, but it’s easier on the ears.

Part of me prefers the Capitol version’s more rock-oriented equalization, even though I know the new remastered version is technically far superior. Maybe I’ll change my mind as I get used to the new version.

Here’s an audio clip comparing the stereo 2006 version (first) to the stereo remastered 2009 version (second):

Listen:

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49 second MP3 file – 1.9 MB (right-click to save)

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4. “Chains”

MONO: The 2009 remastered version has a boost in the high frequencies and sounds clearer now. The vocals and hi-hats are crisper and have more prescence. This version is much better than the old 1987 version. Also, the fadeout is slightly longer now. Both versions feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range.

STEREO: The version on The Early Beatles CD features an extreme boost in the low and high frequencies, so at first, it seems clearer and more powerful than the new 2009 version. However, the 2009 version features an additional 3.03 dB of dynamic range, less distortion, and sounds less harsh and aggressive.

Here’s an audio clip comparing the mono vs. stereo 2009 remasters:

Listen:

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Download:
59 second MP3 file – 2.3 MB (right-click to save)

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5. “Boys”

MONO: The 2009 remastered version has a slight boost in the high frequencies and sounds slightly clearer than the old 1987 version. It also features an additional 0.83 dB of dynamic range.

STEREO: The version on The Early Beatles CD features an extreme boost in the low and high frequencies, so at first, it seems clearer and more powerful than the new 2009 version. However, the 2009 version features an additional 5.14 dB of dynamic range, less distortion, and sounds less harsh and aggressive. Here’s an audio clip comparing the stereo 2006 version (first) to the stereo remastered 2009 version (second):

Listen:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

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50 second MP3 file – 1.9 MB (right-click to save)

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6. “Ask Me Why”

MONO: The 1987 and 2009 remastered versions sound nearly identical, but the remaster seems to have a very slight boost in the high frequencies. Minor vocal plosives around 0:52 and 1:52 (the “p” in “happened”) were reduced in the remastered version. Both versions feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range.

I noticed something weird in the 2009 version. From 1:26 to 2:10, I hear an intermittent grating, high-pitched tape defect or distortion that isn’t present in the 1987 version or the stereo version. It sounds similar to fingernails scratching a blackboard. Does anyone else hear that noise? It’s faint, but it’s most noticeable around 1:26 and around 2:07.

STEREO: The version on The Early Beatles CD is severely compressed and features an extreme boost in the low and high frequencies, which makes the song sound too harsh. The 2009 version features an additional 3.88 dB of dynamic range and less distortion. It’s the better sounding version.

Here’s an audio clip comparing the 1987 version (first) to the mono 2009 version (second). Listen for the weird high-pitched distortion around 27 seconds into the clip and onward (headphones should help):

Listen:

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49 second MP3 file – 1.9 MB (right-click to save)

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7. “Please Please Me”

MONO: The 2009 remastered version is much, much clearer than the 1987 version, especially in the high frequencies. The tone is more evenly balanced now, there’s more presence, and there’s less distortion. The 1987 version had over-emphasized mid-range frequencies, weak high frequencies, and sounded awful, as if it were recorded off an old transistor radio. Was the 1987 version the result of too much noise reduction? If so, that doesn’t make sense because there isn’t an unusual amount of tape hiss in the remastered version. Both versions feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range.

STEREO: The version on The Early Beatles CD features a boost in the low and high frequencies. This makes the song sound more modern, but it also makes it sound too harsh. The 2009 version features an additional 2.52 dB of dynamic range and much less distortion. As a result, the harmonica overdubs are more noticeable now, but it’s the better sounding version overall.

Here’s an audio clip comparing the 1987 version (first) to the mono 2009 version (second):

Listen:

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58 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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8. “Love Me Do”

MONO: The 2009 remastered version sounds clearer than the 1987 version. Like “Please Please Me,” the tone is more evenly balanced, there’s more presence, and everything sounds more defined and crisp. Again, it seems like the 1987 version had too much noise reduction applied, which is strange because there isn’t an unusual amount of tape hiss in the remastered version. Either that, or the tone in the old version was just very poorly equalized. It sounds much better now. Both versions feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range.

STEREO: A stereo mix of “Love Me Do” doesn’t exist. In the version on The Early Beatles CD, the high frequencies have been cut in the left channel and the low frequencies have been cut in the right channel in an attempt to simulate stereo. This mock stereo technique doesn’t work and ends up sounding annoying, especially in headphones.

The mono remastered version on the 1 CD from 2000 sounds very good, but is slightly thin compared to the 2009 version. This new version is probably the best sounding version we’re going to get. Just to clarify, the stereo remastered Please Please Me CD features “Love Me Do” in mono.

Here’s an audio clip comparing the 1987 version (first) to the mono 2009 version (second):

Listen:

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Download:
42 second MP3 file – 1.6 MB (right-click to save)

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9. “P.S. I Love You”

MONO: The 2009 remastered version features a boost in the high frequencies and a more balanced tone overall. It sounds much clearer and fresher than the old 1987 version. Once again, my guess is too much noise reduction was applied to the 1987 version, though there isn’t an unusual amount of tape hiss in the remastered version, so I don’t understand why. Both versions feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range.

The remastered version fades out slightly faster than the 1987 version.

STEREO: A stereo mix of “P.S. I Love You” doesn’t exist. In the version on The Early Beatles CD, the high frequencies have been cut in the left channel and the low frequencies have been cut in the right channel in an attempt to simulate stereo. Like that version of “Love Me Do,” this mock stereo technique doesn’t work and ends up sounding annoying, especially in headphones.

Again, this new 2009 version is probably the best sounding version we’re going to get. Just to clarify, the stereo remastered Please Please Me CD features “P.S. I Love You” in mono.

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10. “Baby It’s You”

MONO: The 1987 and 2009 remastered versions sound nearly identical and feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range. The remastered version has a slight boost in the high frequencies and sounds slightly clearer now. The remastered version also features a slightly longer fadeout.

STEREO: The version on The Early Beatles CD is over-compressed and features a significant boost in the low and high frequencies, which makes the song sound too harsh. The 2009 version features an additional 2.32 dB of dynamic range and less distortion. It’s the better sounding version.

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11. “Do You Want to Know a Secret”

MONO: The 1987 and 2009 remastered versions sound nearly identical and feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range. Low frequency rumble/hum was removed from the intro in the remastered version.

STEREO: As usual, the version on The Early Beatles CD is over-compressed and features a significant boost in the low and high frequencies, which makes the song sound too harsh. The 2009 version features an additional 2.11 dB of dynamic range and less distortion. A low frequency rumble/hum has been removed from the intro as well. It’s the better sounding version.

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12. “A Taste of Honey”

MONO: The 2009 remastered version features a very slight boost in the high frequencies and a slight cut in the mid-range frequencies, plus it features an additional 2.5 dB of dynamic range. As a result, it sounds a bit crisper and more balanced than the 1987 version.

STEREO: As usual, the version on The Early Beatles CD is over-compressed and features a significant boost in the low and high frequencies, which makes it sound too harsh. The 2009 version features an additional 2.25 dB of dynamic range and less distortion. It’s the better sounding version.

A faint creaking noise during the fadeout in The Early Beatles CD version has been removed from the 2009 remaster.

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13. “There’s a Place”

MONO: The 1987 and 2009 remastered versions sound nearly identical, though the remastered version features an additional 1.4 dB of dynamic range.

STEREO: The remastered version sounds very good, just like the other songs on the new CD. “There’s a Place” hasn’t been released in stereo on CD before, so I have no other version to compare this one to.

Here’s an audio clip comparing the mono vs. stereo 2009 remasters:

Listen:

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Download:
59 second MP3 file – 2.3 MB (right-click to save)

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14. “Twist and Shout”

MONO: The remastered version has a slight boost in the low and high frequencies and sounds a bit clearer and more powerful than the old 1987 version. Both versions feature roughly the same amount of dynamic range.

STEREO: The version on The Early Beatles CD is severely compressed and features an extreme boost in the low and high frequencies. In a way, it seems clearer and more powerful than the new 2009 version. However, the 2009 version features an additional 3.56 dB of dynamic range and less distortion. As a result, it’s more pleasing to listen to.

The Mini-Documentary

Please Please Me by The Beatles (2009 stereo remastered CD, mini-documentary) – click to enlarge

Included on the stereo remastered Please Please Me CD is a 3:50 mini-documentary that can be played on a computer. It’s comprised of film clips, moving photographs, brief studio chatter, and comments from George Martin, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. The video can be played in a small window or in a much larger “fullscreen” mode.

For someone like me who’s a huge Beatles fan, the best part of the documentary was getting to hear the few snippets of studio chatter and seeing several seconds of The Beatles performing at The Cavern.

Please Please Me by The Beatles (2009 stereo remastered CD, mini-documentary) – click to enlarge

As with Abbey Road, the mini-documentary is a nice inclusion, but don’t expect more than a few interesting photos and sound bites. I don’t mind though, because I bought the new CDs to listen to the music.

Closing Comments

After I reviewed the new Abbey Road CD, part of me was afraid to listen to the rest of the remastered albums. Would they all sound so similar to the original 1987 CDs? Did I waste my money by buying all of these new versions? In the case of Please Please Me, I’m happy to report the answer is no.

The new mono and stereo CDs sound great, but they aren’t 100% perfect. There’s a touch of brickwall limiting in the stereo version of “Misery.” This is the first time “Misery” is available on CD in stereo, which is great, but I still have to point out the minor shortcoming. There’s also a grating, high-pitched tape defect or distortion in parts of the mono version of “Ask Me Why,” which isn’t present in the 1987 version or the stereo remastered version. It’s strange and I really want to know if anyone else notices it.

Either way, I’ll be replacing the new mono “Ask Me Why” with the 1987 version on my portable MP3 player. They sound very similar otherwise, so it’s not a big deal.

Should you drop everything, rush to the store, and immediately buy this new CD? If you’re a fan of the stereo mixes, then yes. The stereo CD sounds great overall. Compared to the versions in The Capitol Albums boxed sets, the tone is more balanced and the album has been mastered much more sensitively, preserving several decibels more dynamic range.

If you aren’t a fan of the stereo mixes and you don’t plan on buying the mono boxed set, then you’ll have to be satisfied with the mostly inferior 1987 CD. Other than the weird noise throughout the second half of “Ask Me Why,” the mono remastered CD sounds crisper, clearer, and fresher, especially “Please Please Me,” “Love Me Do,” and “P.S. I Love You.” It’s too bad it isn’t available separately.

I still prefer the stereo mixes because I can hear the instruments more clearly and there’s a sense of space that mono just can’t provide. However, these clearer mono mixes are growing on me and are much more enjoyable to listen to than the 1987 versions. At this point, it’s a matter of personal preference, as both remastered versions sound fantastic overall.

With Abbey Road, the biggest difference between the old and new CDs was loudness. With Please Please Me, the loudness between the 1987 CD and the new 2009 CDs is very similar. In this case, the biggest difference is an increase in clarity – some songs much more than others.

My faith in this whole remastering project has been restored and I’m excited to compare the rest of the CDs. I’ll post my next review soon!

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The Beatles Mono vs. Stereo, Part 2

posted by Rob on July 26, 2009 at 11:30 pm | Comments (24)

In April, I wrote a blog entry titled The Beatles Mono vs. Stereo (Remastered CDs Coming Sept. 2009). In it, I discussed the upcoming Beatles remastered CD boxed sets and my preference for the stereo versions of their albums. I also created and posted several mono vs. stereo audio clips, so you could hear the difference.

That post has been very popular, so as a follow-up – and as a reminder that the new sets are less than seven weeks away – I’ve created more mono/stereo comparison clips and posted them below. After putting these samples together, I still believe that the stereo mixes are superior to the mono mixes. Listen for yourself and let me know which mixes you prefer (listen to these clips in headphones for a more dramatic effect):

“I Call Your Name” 1964, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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58 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“If I Fell” 1964, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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58 second MP3 file – 2.3 MB (right-click to save)

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“I’m Looking Through You” 1965, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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59 second MP3 file – 2.3 MB (right-click to save)

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“I’m Happy Just to Dance with You” 1964, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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58 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“In My Life” 1965, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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58 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“I Should Have Known Better” 1964, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

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57 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“Long Tall Sally” 1964, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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49 second MP3 file – 1.9 MB (right-click to save)

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“No Reply” 1964, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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56 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” 1965, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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58 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“Please Please Me” 1963, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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Download:
58 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“Rock and Roll Music” 1964, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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53 second MP3 file – 2.1 MB (right-click to save)

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“Run for Your Life” 1965, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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58 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“Think for Yourself” 1965, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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56 second MP3 file – 2.2 MB (right-click to save)

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“Twist and Shout” 1963, short stereo/mono comparison clip:

Listen:

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Download:
37 second MP3 file – 1.4 MB (right-click to save)

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If you’re planning on buying only one of the boxed sets and aren’t sure which one, I hope my audio clips in this post and my previous one help you decide. Keep in mind, these clips aren’t comparing the remastered versions of the songs that are coming out in September. I obviously don’t have access to those yet (I wish I did!), but I assume their sound quality will be even better. For now though, at least you can hear the difference between the mono and stereo mixes.

While I’m on the subject of the remasters, I pre-ordered both boxed sets on Amazon about a week ago. They set me back $448. Ouch! At least if the price goes down between now and September 9, I’ll pay the lower price, though I doubt that’ll happen.

For the price I’m paying, I really hope the sets are worth it in terms of mastering quality. The first thing I’ll do when I receive them is rip a few of the songs to my computer and analyze the waveforms. If there are any signs of the loundess war (brickwall limiting, hard-clipping, or severe dynamic range compression), I’m returning them. I’ll post my impressions and waveform analyses as soon as the CDs arrive in September.

In the meantime, which boxed set are you going to buy, mono, stereo, or both?

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