Don't Buy This Beatles Box Set - Mobile Fidelity | Vinyl Rewind

[@adammedbery4454]

I feel really lucky to have the mono vinyl set. Barnes and Noble did an insane discount thing for their membership that year, 40% off any item. I paid $225 for it.

[@mmmbbq]

I think I might have gotten the last retail priced "Help" in mono available from anyone from them. I was looking all over the web for one when prices started creeping up to $50 and I found one at a semi local B&N. Even got 20% off!

[@AppleCorp3]

I love hearing stories like this. Congrats on your deal.

[@THEJ0KER0815]

i got mine from an old lady. paid 120 bucks.

[@dmaster5556]

I'm glad I got my Beatles in Mono CD set when I did some 6-7 years ago. $50 off discogs and pretty much the only issue was the booklet got partially damaged by water on the front cover and first couple pages, but the albums were all virtually untouched.

[@emptyspotlight]

I got mine off craigslist it was in excellent condition

[@duff0120]

sgt peppers, white album and abbey road are good in stero, the rest i prefer in mono

[@stephencooke4569]

Bought the Mono CD box when it came out (very few of the vinyl sets turned up locally), and had it out yesterday, comparing the mono White Album CD to my Japanese stereo LP. It's definitely my favourite sounding Beatles on CD.

[@davecostello3095]

I got my Beatles in Mono when it first came out. In Vinyl. It is my pride and joy.

[@rocdocs]

TRICKY TITLE! I AM HOOKED IN!!! Also, I like the records behind you always being relevant. Excellent attention to detail, great video! Yes.... I WANT THE MONO SET!

[@therealdjbc]

Totally. I was just noticing the MoFis behind.

[@wyldebill4178]

You look like George Martin back when these were recorded.

[@ChubbyChecker182]

And one of the Doctor Whos

[@wyldebill4178]

@@ChubbyChecker182 well he’s definitely a Time Lord, I’ll give you that!

[@jellybIood]

“Would anyone care for a cup of tea?”

[@kevinhentze1909]

Nah, He's a Dead-Ringer for... Chet Baker!!

[@friendhui4320]

Put on a black tie, black suit jacket, pocket protector, roll sleeves up while recording and he’s George.

[@ralex3697]

This channel is so creative, incredibly presented

[@SpeedyMcGhee]

Your video is always so timely. I just bought the Blue box for $400. No one says anything good about the MOFI box sound. I have the 2014 mono albums. I should be set. Thanks for all you do.

[@makeshiftocean8611]

I really got into vinyl after the Mono set was already pressed and sold out and haven’t been able to find any listings for any reasonable price. Desperately hoping for a repress someday soon 🙏

[@ianpurnell4752]

Enjoy your channel. I have the MoFi box set, but rarely listen to it. I bought it more to add to my collection. My go to sets are the BC-13 UK box and the Mono Vinyl box

[@ReasonablySane]

I think you're exactly right that the picture of the tapes should have been on the inside and not on the main covers. That being said when the Beatles first Rose to popularity, I was in fourth grade and my friends and I even had a pretend band where I "played" drums made out of Quaker oats containers. And also, after Let it be came out I lived in Seattle and there was a simulcast between I believe it was King tv and both King radio stations including FM and AM and when they played that on the TV I had everything set up. One channel sound came out of the TV two came out of the stereo FM and a fourth channel came out of am radio. I was so excited for it to come out, but I wasn't impressed with the sound at all sadly. My fanaticism and that sort of stuff did end up with me being a HiFi salesman though in the 70s and early 80s. 🤣 I've got about 3,500 LPS and most of the Beatles albums but, frankly, I'm pretty burned out on their stuff. Comically I even picked up a record in a big box of records I bought at an estate sale in Seattle about 14 years ago that had an album with just a plain white cover and the word pepper written in pen in one corner. I pulled the record out and it was a mofi record that only had grooves on one side. I pop the needle on it and was one side of Sergeant pepper. Sounded perfect obviously, but once I realized what it was I took the needle off and put it back in the container. I'll probably sell it one day once I get my music room done. By the way, I did take some design hints from your room tour. I'm the guy that was blown away by it and I still am. I'm a privately send you some pictures in email once it's all done. A friend of mine last month gave me an old ice bucket and it is coincidentally the exact same one on your bar. I love that thing.

[@mod.3x]

Thee must buy more records

[@c.f.mixolydian8926]

I know it’s wishful thinking, but I would LOVE to see the Beatles catalogue given the modern audiophile treatment. I have The Beach Boys Analogue Productions pressings and I am absolutely blown away at their quality. If we could get something like that for the Beatles, I would be set!

[@matthewshelbourne9560]

Regarding the 2014 Mono versions of the Beatle albums, most of the A side of Yellow Submarine is on the Mono Masters. They just didn't release the non Beatle orchestral B side. Yellow Submarine and All You Need Is Love are on other albums. Also, it was the Record Companies in the early 60's that didn't care about the stereo versions. of the

[@browe]

I had the 'In Mono' set, loaned it to a colleague, and then I never got it back. 😟 This was well before it mattered (price increasing.) That was my definitive Beatles collection--hearing Sgt. Pepper's was simply revelatory.

[@theayeshaerotica]

Sue him

[@NotoriousLightning]

Don't lend your goodies to others!

[@kevindoran9389]

His oxy dealer has them now🙄

[@glennk1931]

Really enjoy your videos. I bought the MFSL box set back in 1983. As far as the sound quality (at that time) was a big improvement. Yes they have refined the mixes over the years. Just played my Abbey Road MFSL pressing a few days ago. I bought that in 82 I believe. That pressing still sounds fantastic IMHO. The biggest complaint that I had was the lack of the low end, on the Capitol pressings. Had good equipment at that time too. The British imports were a game changer. (Another story). I started buying them back in the early 70’s. I would love to purchase the mono box set on vinyl, but the cost is almost prohibitive. My bad for not buying one at its initial release. I do own the cd mono set. 🎸

[@billleary5779]

Thanks for sharing this. I own the Mobile Fidelity set which I bought in 2008 just prior to the remaster series. I think the set is okay but I prefer the BC13 set or some German pressings of Magical Mystery Tour,Please Please Me or Revolver from the mid 1970s which all sound great. I do have the 2012 stereo box but I don’t listen to it that much….more of a collector piece. The Mono box from 2014 is top notch and I am glad I got it when it came out. Another release from 2014 that went under the radar was the re-release of the Red and Blue album collections from 1973. These are stereo all analog from Sean Magee based off Harry Moss’s cutting notes and they sound amazing…..makes you hope that Apple will do the same for the whole collection…probably not but there’s always hope. Thanks again.

[@custardpie69]

I have no wish to diss a fellow collector but I detect a distinct case of “sour grapes” with this video

[@DarkSideOfThePepper]

I bought the Beatles Mono Masters 2014 3LP release and the 45RPM Abbey Road Let It Be Boxset. Everyone is whispering since the Stones in Mono popped up on UK Amazon for a few weeks that Beatles Mono Boxset might get a reissue. I will be all over that if it happens.

[@mikejeffries8630]

Nice video, but towards the end you make a brief comparison of the “mixes” on the 2012 stereo vinyl boxset with the mofi. However, they are the same mixes; it’s the remastering that is different.

[@tenej6992]

Yea I heard they used the master tapes for Magical Mystery tour where the last three songs with in duophonics. I have an original Japanese pressing which contains that mix and it sounds horrible. Last three songs are absolutely unhearable. I have no idea what they were thinking, but sadly MoFi got the wrong master tapes and they remastered those. Apart from those three songs though, everything else sounds great!

[@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion]

You need the German Horzu copy for true stereo of those 3 songs! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZO9YnWKfKmnmbc

[@hankforeman91]

Good thing I got the Mono box set when I did 5 years ago.

[@lukeiovenitti4124]

Thanks for the great videos and the great content. You’re a joy to watch; your videos feel very personal and intimate and I think it’s because you’re such a natural on screen presence. Always looking forward to more! :)

[@Plarocks]

I grew up with my dad’s original US red apple copy of Let It Be. The Mo-Fi version that I bought sounded FANTASTIC. Really was the first time that album actually sounded right to me.

[@Levdrekinn]

Even though it's a bummer that the source used for the 2012 Vinyl Stereo Remasters were digital files, what's a big major dud is that they legit had the audacity to down sample the 192khz/24bit files they made to friggin' 44khz/24bit and used those for their Apple USB and for the vinyl pressings themselves. Like there's absolutely no point in even owning these copies whatsoever.

[@stephencooke4569]

I have the 2012 stereo box, which thankfully didn't cost me anything (it was a promo), and the sound is noticeably poor. The first LP I put on was A Hard Day's Night, and I could hear digital distortion in the sound, compared to my '70s vinyl pressing and CD copy. I've heard other LPs in the set sound better, but that was a shocking discovery.

[@xxEzraBxxx]

all the editing was done on the 24b 44khz, 44khz is a good sample rate, and you can’t tell between digital and analog on vinyl anyway (no matter what analog audiophile priests say)

[@Levdrekinn]

@@xxEzraBxxx still lame

[@xxEzraBxxx]

@@Levdrekinn in the best world, the 24b 44khz (although i would rather do 48khz) could be on the usb, and the 24b 192khz on vinyl

[@Levdrekinn]

@@xxEzraBxxx That's what everybody would've been fine with. I'm someone who's not against digital on vinyl.

[@bigchief8493]

I got really into vinyl collecting after seeing your series of videos on The Wall and then finding out i somehow had a miraculously intact original US pressing of The Who’s Quadrophenia in my possession. I find it to be a really enjoyable hobby, thank you! Note: Have you heard the new mix of Pink Floyd’s Dogs, if so: what are your opinions of it?

[@barstow_]

its so strange after being used to the old one for so long haha

[@bpabustan]

Probably because I was born in the 70s, I don't enjoy listening to any recording in mono (unless there is no way to create a true stereo version of a recording). For me, the 2012 stereo reissue is a godsend. MoFi is expensive for my budget. So I'd rather collect the albums individually which I eventually did.

[@sgtpepper1138]

I generally prefer stereo as well.

[@bpabustan]

@@sgtpepper1138 stereo helps me a lot in figuring out what's happening in the recording.

[@800series]

Me neither! Mono sounds like mud!

[@gabriel38g]

I remember the first time someone asked me if they should buy the Beatles Blue Album (the compilation album with the blue trim that says 1967-70) and I answered "if you can't get it for $20 or less, then don't bother because they printed about a billion copies of those and most of them sound mediocre to poor." and they were very surprised because they thought that the Beatles were always a good purchase. I'm glad that you're honest and don't just accept everything that Beatles as justifying the price. Sometimes it's not worth the price, even though it's the Beatles.

[@christopherrigby2798]

If a BLUE album appeals, get the analogue UK editions which were available right to end of 1993. Cut by the legend that is Harry T Moss, they sound great!

[@gabriel38g]

@@christopherrigby2798 Thanks, but I actually already got a copy of the BLUE album (not great sound, but okay.). However, I'll keep in mind when I talk to friends who have more interest in collecting Beatles than I do.😀

[@mjanovec]

You’re confusing the terms “mix” and “mastering” in this video. The original UK stereo albums, the late 70s “blue box” LPs, the Mobile Fidelity pressings, and the 2012 stereo pressings all use the same mixes, but different mastering. (Though some of the 70s pressings use the same stampers that were used in the 60s.) Mixes establish where vocals and instruments fall in the stereo image and how loud they are with respect to each other. Mastering establishes how much overall volume, compression, and EQ-ing takes place when the tapes are cut to vinyl. The Mobile Fidelity LPs are generally disliked because they applied the so-called “smiley-face” EQ mastering that was popular at the time with audiophile releases, boosting the high and low frequencies. The problem is that this diminishes the mid-range frequencies. And that’s where a lot of the “magic” lies in Beatles recordings, especially with respect to vocals. (In contrast, the 50th anniversary releases are truly new mixes created by Giles Martin, not just new mastering of the original mixes.) I agree that the Mono LP box set from 2014 is the best investment, even at today’s inflated prices. Those LPs were mastered to stay as true as possible to the original pressings. And since hunting down true near mint original mono LPs is insanely expensive, as I can personally attest to, the 2014 set is a more economical way to replicate the original listening experience. With regards to Abbey Road and Let it Be, I suggest finding 70s UK pressings. Those will be all analog and will be much more faithful to the originals than the Mobile Fidelity versions. All of the Beatles tracks from Yellow Submarine do appear in the mono box set. Only the George Martin instrumental songs are missing.

[@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion]

I agree those were misstated and a common “mix up” :). I tried to address that situation in my latest video ironically! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipTcaHRontl9oLs

[@debessar95]

The Beatles In Mono vinyl box set 2014 got a digital treatment as they mentioned in leaflet for Please Please Me. Thus, this is not an analog mastering at all. Don't be fooled by the name.

[@theo9952]

One way or the other, after buying lots of beatles records, remixes, remasters, cds, vhs, dvds etc, I have NO MONEY to buy music anymore, no matter what they sell and how they pack it. Plus I am pushing 70 now and I won't be taking any of it with me when I kick the bucket. So there.

[@mercurialmagictrees]

You could sell physical music you own and buy something else with the profits. However just enjoying the music you like any way possible is what matters most.

[@theo9952]

@@mercurialmagictrees I have already sold more than half of my LP collection. I love my records and keep them like new, but the truth is that I have been listening to CDs for the last 20 years or so and hardly ever bother playing vinyl records. Maybe i wouldn't sell them if i didn't need the money, maybe I would keep them just to look at them, but like you said, it is the music itself which matters most and I can keep that as long as I am still around.

[@monetfaversham6703]

I like this video. You come across as a likeable and credible person who knows his stuff

[@beatlemania2006]

I happened to come across the Blue Box BC13 set and the Mobile Fidelity set at a record store recently. Luckily, I went for the BC13.

[@stratmad]

Bought the mono cd box and was on the fence about the mono lp set but glad I ponied up and bought it before it was gone. It sounds so good.

[@jismism9515]

Clicked this while scrolling - OK > Very detailed overview, BUT: Man, U have the absolute BEST look/image !!! Jeez ... Keep it up - Harkens back to the good ole' days; LUV IT ??? !!!!!!!!!!! *Subscribed

[@stephencostello1296]

I have the Mono Box Set and the price now is just skyrocketing. Great review once again.🎵🎶

[@Onteo1]

The MFSL box set from 82 sounded good back in the day, it is by no means my go to for everyday play. I bought all the 1982 Japanese red vinyl mono lps and Didn’t bother with the recent box set. I did buy a few single copies. The 82 set were taken from the UK masters. They did the same thing with the Stones Box set, all the covers were red with a booklet included. Since the recent Mofi controversy I’ve wondered how did they press 20,000 of this set? Stampers are good for 5,000 copies so did they use the tape 4 times? As I recall they pressed 5000 and stopped. Sales were good so,another 5000 were pressed and so on. Good topic.

[@utube4andydent]

Mono V Stereo. A few years back I volunteered for a radio station that broadcast in mono. The Dat tape machines were connected to the left hand channel. All worked fine until one of the presenters recorded a show in another studio. All fine until he played some 50s music. Great instrumentals where had the singing gone! The video answers the question.

[@douglasbarbiero634]

I bought the stereo set when it came out. I transferred them to metal cassettes and played them extensively. Enjoyed them until the CD’s came out. I travel a lot and cassettes no longer were in cars. Played them until X Fm started. Everyone nowadays seems so crazy about versions and quality and play them through their iPhones…..

[@ldchappell1]

Great information. I considered buying one of those Beatles box sets back in the day. Glad I didn't. Not having the original album covers would have made me mad. Especially for The Beatles! _Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band_ is regarded as the most iconic album cover of all time, according to Rolling Stone magazine. I think Pink Floyd's _Dark Side Of The Moon_ was the second most iconic. You don't look like the kind of guy who likes The Beatles. My father (who sang and played lead guitar in a country band for 3 decades) didn't look like somebody who enjoyed the Beatles either but he really admired them and had his own versions of Get Back, One After 909 and a few others.

[@OGeniusTheFirst]

No foreplay on this vid, felt kind of like a rant more than an informative video. Props to your research / craft!

[@bobsoldrecords1503]

I bought the mono box as individual albums, as I was working at a crap job at the time and couldn't afford it in one go. I made sure to get an extra Sgt. Pepper, knowing that it would go up in value once the press run was over.

[@starsdream2]

I think that the original mixes of the Beatles songs had a kind of magic that took their music to where it was. The new mixes for the Beatles songs in general have taken down the specialness that was there before, which is a great shame. This is just my opinion.😊

[@Primodummy92]

Please do a video on Steely Dan's new Analogue Productions releases!

[@angrycat3525]

The absolute LAST thing I need is to buy ANOTHER Beatles album when I still have the original vinyl in excellent condition! And here's why: Every time I hear a "remastered" song, I wonder if the remastering "engineers" even bothered to listen to the original recording. Some fade in too late or fade out too soon. Others pile on additional tracks that were excluded from the official recording.* Maybe those tracks were not compatible with vinyl cutting technology of the day. Perhaps the engineer thought, "Oh, they'll hear THIS in a different way now!" Only one problem: Most of us know what we grew up with. And unless we're being forced to listen to these "new and improved" as part of a discipline program in a re-education camp, it's pointless. Boy, I'm so glad I don't use Twitter!

[@steveyonkman]

I’ll stick with my original parlophone uk presses. Great stuff though love the channel!

[@init4fun]

The MFSL mixes used “smiley-face” EQ, meaning, if you’ve ever seen a graphic equalizer, the low and high frequencies are boosted, which really aren’t indicative of the intended EMI sound reproductions. I have several and there’s often a good amount of sibilance on the high frequencies. I don’t care for EQ’s, so, if you’re a purist, stay away from the Beatles MFSL Box Set or individual albums. You’ll be just as disappointed. If you have to go vinyl, get the Mono Box Set, as there wasn’t any compression used, as was prevalent in the 2009 remastered releases.

[@louissilvani1389]

Playing mono with a pure mono cartridge for me is the way to go 😊

[@joshuadimesa5296]

I have the 1982 mono box set #849. The stereo box was blue, the roughly 2000 British mono boxes were the red box. I was lucky enough to score a black mono box U.S. import 1 of only 1000 made and numbered. I love it.

[@Clay3613]

You realize even smaller labels have made better mixes of those albums for less money?

[@joshuadimesa5296]

@@Clay3613 I wouldn’t be surprised. Throw some pressings out in the comments. I would love to compare.

[@Clay3613]

@@joshuadimesa5296 Parlogram Auctions is a whole channel talking about the different masters and releases of Beatles albums. I can't really name them myself.

[@joshuadimesa5296]

@@Clay3613 Andrew from Parlogram is the man. He inspired me to find a mono box. I also picked up some of his stereo recommendations. The German Horzu Please Please Me is superior to the UK mono I have as is the early 70s UK -1/-1 stereo pressing of Beatles for Sale. It is a better listen then the mono version. I’m sure their are better mono versions of some of my set and some nice stereo copies sound better then their mono counterpart. It is a costly experience, but fun none the less experiencing and acquiring different quality pressings.

[@tinpanalley5856]

I'm glad I bought them all in mono on each release . $ 2.79 that's all I could afford as a kid.

[@mercurialmagictrees]

I'm happy I just purchased vintage U.K and U.S mono and stereo pressings. I don't really like box sets so I am a bit biased.

[@darthwarren4599]

I just got my mono cd set for 80 bucks and im so happy with it. Im in the process of uploading all my cds to my plex server for listening outside of the house

[@CraigBickerstaff]

It's a shame they won't print more of the mono records, that box set has pretty much doubled in value since I bought it.Though annoyingly my mono masters was a little bit warped, I guess I could track down a single at some stage if I could be bothered though. Even the Stereo box set has gone way up in value, I bought that one just for the book but they were still in stock when I got mine so I got it for whatever the original price of the box was. I think the MFSL box really is just for hardcore collectors at this stage.

[@Roland314]

I think this is bad advice. If you are looking to get good stereo pressings, the 2012 remasters sound very good. People liked to dump on them because they were digitally sourced, but they used the high definition masters to cut the lacquers and the records sound really good. The EQ has more bass and drums than the originals, so that's a matter of taste. The Mofi Set, like the Blue Box or the 2014 Mono Box are for hardcore fans that value having different mixes. If all you want is the original sound and are on a budget, the 2012s are a solid solution. As for the MoFi mixes, they're different sure, but it's a matter of taste on how good or bad they are. I think it varies by album, honestly. The White Album is great, in my opinion, as is Let it Be. Abbey Road is only fine. But again, this is down to taste and looking for these pressings is really only worth it if you're someone who is looking for something that sounds unique anyhow. And for that, they ARE unique and ARE high quality records. So, YMMV, but I have many, many different pressings of most of the Beatles output, and cannot understand why people dump on the 2012 remasters. Judge with your ears, not with what people on forums tell you.

[@SublimMedia]

This is a great video with info on the box. For me it’s the other way around. I got the MoFi box not to long ago but I don’t have the mono. I also got the bc-13 stereo so I’m planing on doing a comparation video on my channel. I think mofi box gets way to much crap thrown at it. To me it’s a bit thin and sterile but it’s the version I have heard that have the biggest soundstage and best details. The details and separation of each instrument is insane. I agree that it is a missed opportunity but this is still a 8 in my book where the bc-13 is a 9. But to be fair it’s like listening to two different albums. That’s how much of a difference the mastering does to the music.

[@gregsnarke610]

Same thing that’s why I got the Beatles red and blue cd 💿 albums I got them for my birthday last month I’m happy with them 👍

[@referenceanalog]

I have the mono box and though it was very mediocre. I also have the mofi stereo box and it’s the best stereo versions I have heard.

[@michaelhiggins6462]

Very amazing! Beatle records can and are treasures .I have the mobile fidelity box set, and I recall that John Lennon had stated about the Sargent Peppers album was way better in mono, and that says lot.

[@TheHSIHP]

I just bought most of the albums from the Blue Box. I'm happy with those!

[@Romchikthelemon]

2:54 well, this is just different approach, see no problem with it. It was 1982, don't forget, there was no "rules" for reissues as well as for boxsets. On the other hand, I get deadly bored with the sea of nowadays reissues having the same old artwork - this is cheap-pop and lazy move at the same time.

[@johnholmes912]

I bought the albums in the 60s, I see no need to buy them again.

[@connorbiddle4703]

Have always wanted a box set from a special band, but am hesitant due to packagingThis video has definitely helped me decide more of what I would like in a box set especially mono vs stereo

[@shnibby69]

I agree…..they should’ve used the original album covers. Great video, friend!

[@cristianasilva6127]

what's the best way to listen to the Beatles digitally? in terms of audio quality/mix. the amount of versions leave me so confused

[@bobromano7548]

If I remember correctly the MOFI versions kind of use the smiley EQ which have boosted highs and lows and less in the midst.

[@stephencooke4569]

This was covered in a Parlogram Auctions video a while back. Such a weird way to remaster those records. I only have a handful of MoFi releases from that era, and the pressings are fantastic, but some of their decisions presaged how CDs would be remastered years later.

[@BCZF]

Didnt MFSL do the gold cd's? I think I have a Dark Side of the Moon that they remastered.

[@Jyw008]

Glad I bought at least the 3 Vinyl Mono Master Set about 4 years ago that has the analog recordings. The CD version was done via digital remastering. Now the price has more than tripled.for the the 3 vinyl set.

[@novangoghmusicofficial]

I’ve always thought that the Mobile Fidelity pressings were overrated. I have a lot of BC13 box sets. My favorite is the Italian set. Every album sounds awesome.

[@Slammintone]

I think I’m only missing Help and Yellow Sub and the White Album from the 2014 Mono vinyl albums. I would buy the whole set again and sit in it. Played back with my Koetsu the sound is crazy good.

[@bsizzy17]

I also got my "used" Beatles in Mono CD box set for $100... barely even touched when I bought it from Newbury Comics.

[@jesserussell7242]

I missed out on getting the final box set from 2014 and that is the box that I am still wanting to get. I do have a mono box set on CD which is great and I love the Beatles stereo box it is great on CD.

[@mikeymutual5489]

Good and valuable information in this video! Thank you!

[@fbt25]

Do the individual Mofi albums use the same matrixes as the ones on the box set?

[@JaredLekites]

I fully believe that people were only impressed by MFSL Beatles albums back in the day because of A) the quality and presentation of the vinyl itself and B) because the sound was so overly bright that it 'tricked' people's ears into seeming clearer and more detailed when in reality it was just like playing back a regular Beatles album with the treble jacked all the way up. Then when The Beatles catalog first arrived on CD, we got a more accurate picture of what the master tapes *should* sound like and it quickly became apparent that the MFSL LPs did not, in fact, represent that sound at all.

[@ianz9916]

I picked up the BC13 UK blue box set for £200 which is under $240 so I think I did pretty well.

[@christopherrigby2798]

It is just the late 70's early 80's pressing rounded up and boxed which do sound really good even the vinyl is a bit thin. I have them bought seperately and wouldn't change them for any later stereo set. I have the Mono 2014's - pure analogue perfection writ large.

[@MsKalachakra]

Not a huge Beatles fan but I enjoy having my 16 beat up original Capitol albums, the complete US collection I had forever. That is more than enough Beatles for me to have.

[@PrankZabba]

Wasn't it the Help album that had that crazy spliced edit in the title song? I've always wondered why the stereo version never had this issue.

[@myles7522]

Love your channel, thank you

[@michaellord9745]

I have the independent Mo-Fi releases of The White Album and Abbey Road. I've always thought they sound really good but they are both in "minty" condition so perhaps that's the difference from what you've experienced. Kicking myself for not buying the vinyl mono box set back in the day, and now the cost is prohibitive. Now that the Rolling Stones mono box set has been re-released maybe The Beatles mono box set will get re-released also? I know that one has nothing to do with the other but the demand for it is more than there, that's for sure. Have you heard anything about a Beatles mono box set on vinyl re-release?

[@projectpat006]

Look for the white UK vinyl of Let It Be. Best pressing of that album out there

[@DanandJoeMusic]

I agree that Blue BC-13 box is great! Totally worth the money. I found one in my local store a few years ago for $300 or so. All-analog cuts, and many that sound better than the original, more expensive first pressings. As far as MoFi goes, they are all awful. Terrible "smiley face" EQ, almost clinical sounding. I would say some are better than others, but always steer way clear of the MFSL Magical Mystery Tour. It was cut from a copy of a copy of a dub tape. EMI sent over a UK copy of the US Capitol master, which itself was a dub tape of the UK master tapes that made up the album. Insane, right? The best sounding MMT is the German Hör-Zu with A1/B3 matrices. That + the 2014 mono box + the BC-13 box = sonic nirvana!

[@martygould5114]

I was born in 1961. I've been collecting all of my life. My Beatles LPs were all bought individually over the years. I don't need a box set.

[@sebastianpiazza796]

I totally agree, I am not a real tech guy but I could hear the difference. After wasting my hard earned money on all the reboots, remixes, even going as far as trying to take the best of the UK mixes and US mixes and downloading them on thumbdrive then even on my old 4 trk ampex reel to reel machine I purchased "the Beatles in mono" which I perfer on cd. My turntable needed to be upgraded to the 20 century. I.was really pleased. I'm not going to nit pick But I was totally happy. Even on my head phones it sounds great. I know the Beatles especially John liked mono I agree.

[@johnupdate]

I love the 2018 Version of the white Album its sonuds so conteporary! And the bass sound is way better imho (maybe it‘s because paul was involved in the remix?😉)

[@Daftchild89]

Working on my Beatles collection. These videos help a lot. Appreciate you

[@radiotvhistory]

I always enjoy your videos, but I must slightly disagree with you on this one 😉! My very early MFSL Beatles box with a serial number in the 400‘s sounds absolutely great, and I own ALL other boxes and all original UK and US pressings, so I can easily compare it to other pressings! I noticed that many who own these boxes with high S/Ns (mostly from the second pressing) complain about its sound! I guess a first/early pressing of this box does make a big difference in sound quality, as is usually the case with vinyl pressings: earlier pressings = fresher stampers = better sound!

[@OstaraBooks]

You have a vintage look going on. I did a double take and thought you were my father lol

[@dd-bq3xv]

are u gonna cover up the new set- The Rolling Stones Singles 1963-1966 - Limited Edition box set? its exactly like the beatles one, and a MUST ) much love

[@MrJimiJam]

The MFSL Beatles catalog are not re-masters using the original mixes. They are remixed from the original master tapes.

[@analoguecity3454]

Great info! Thank you! 😊

[@michaelharrington75]

The 4 songs from Yellow Submarine are on the Mono Masters album.

[@myyootube2]

When I hear the term remaster, I think the remix. It is isn't it? Even if it's only done with EQ. It's always a new "mix". And you might like what they do or you may not. MFSL always worked from original master tapes, and you pay extra for that. But the EQ choices they made still have a profound effect on the outcome. Perhaps in some cases those choices could have an even bigger effect on the mix than whether an original master or tape copy was used. Their claim was that many many albums were being produced by major labels on vinyl and then on CD from tape copies, due to laziness, filing and storage ineptness on the part of those labels. I worked at MFSL for a year (not in mastering, I was in marketing), but I cannot confirm or deny that claim. Certainly though, to get a great analog product, you need to work from a first generation master tape, and they did produce some great "remasters". You like what you like, but last food for thought, most of us will never have that $10,000 stereo with multiple turntables and inputs and magic button where we can do the perfect A/B test to compare formats and mixes anyway. In fact, I sat in Herb's office and listened to an album or so on his $10,000 stereo, and even he didn't have that magic button! Ha Ha Ha

[@donald60s14]

I still see the Mono box set records sold separately brand new for around $20-30. The White Album and Mono Masters are around $50+ because of it being more vinyl, and it’s always been like that. I didn’t know these Mono records were becoming rare. I think for beginners to Beatles and Vinyl that want the official studio releases brand new, the stereo records are cheap enough and not terrible to start

[@mmmbbq]

That's simply not true. Unless you live in a time phased place.

[@Robutube1]

Really helpful guide - many thanks.

[@mikegriffin4425]

The 2009 stereo vinyl box gets bashed because it's "cut from digital" so like every Mofi for the past 10 years. I compared the 2009 vinyl stereo and mono Revolver versions and they both sound good. The fake stereo is a little off putting but all in all they sound more alike than different. The stereo box is getting an undeserved bad rap imho

[@gunnarbenjamin6348]

I have The Rolling Stones box set from the same era. Those covers are just black and red and same deal, have a book with the original album art. It bothers me too, hahaha, but they sound amazing!

[@zer0tzer0]

You may see the Capitol Stereo release in America as wonky, but that's how we remember them. So I prefer it to the corrected releases. It's like George Lucas going back to fix Star Wars movies. It may seem fixed to him, and his original intent. But to me, it's just f*cking with my memories.

[@mmmbbq]

Wish I bought the Monobox. I bought over half of them separately, so it's better than nothing. I just wasn't feeling the "need" for it at the time. I was way more into the Stones Monobox and the Kinks, Dylan, etc, so I bought those.

[@F4O2R7D]

LOL, so you tell people not to buy issues of box sets you don't even own, great input. I'll just say this, what sounds good to someone is very subjective and with records will be very system dependent as well. But to tell people not to buy something like the MFSL box set is way off base considering how many different masterings they did with the Beatles records. Take a look on Discogs and see how many different lacquer cuts where done for each title that where put out individually with the cover art. Off hand I don't know if any of the individual record Matrix numbers even match the box set numbers at all, but different matrix numbers equal different masterings. With the Beatles is one of the rarest issues of theirs they did because the last plates got damaged and they couldn't get the tapes again to cut more lacquers. If you look at an individual copy of this title, it's price is about a third of the box set price alone, and you get it in the box. Anyway I have this MFSL box set, the complete set of the individual issues sealed and open, the UK and Japan Blue box sets, the 2012 stereo, 2014 mono sets as well as all the anniversary deluxe titles. None of them are bad, just different from each other, that's all, and glad I own them all without any regrets, nore would I dissuade anyone from buying any of them.

[@toothbrush5190]

How ridiculous! The energy on the stereo masters of With The Beatles and A Hard Days Night is the best I've ever heard. I don't know what cartridge/tone arm you're using but I have 2 sets of these and most LPs are fabulous sounding

[@wpfairbanks]

So many mistakes on the stereos though. One example is the harmonica intro cutting off early on I Should have Known Better. Energy may be better but such disappointing mistakes in mastering

[@garyhunt8067]

Too expensive. Happy to get the CD both Stereo and mono

[@noscrubbubblez6515]

"She Said She Said' has a nosebleed high droning organ note all thru the song. I have not heard it since the 1980's. Anyone heard it lately?

[@themasterjinn]

I own the 2009 CD box set. on CD the mix sounds amazing, on LP not so much.

[@utube4andydent]

Mono can sound flat but in some cases a good mono mix is always the best option.