Unboxing Elvis: "The Complete 50s Masters" (CD/LP Set) (EAPS S02E03)

"Elvis: The King Of Rock And Roll - The Complete 50's Masters" unboxing and discussion!
Few CD sets in the history of Elvis Presley fandom have had a widespread cultural impact as the "decades" box sets, headed by Ernst Jorgensen. In this episode, Jamie and John unbox not one, but TWO versions of the legendary box set that paved the way for both Elvis fans and the general public to see Elvis more seriously as a music artist - a vital step that helped get how Elvis is perceived from where it was in the 1980s to where we are today - and not only the unboxings; you'll hear behind-the-scenes info on how the information was curated, and more!
Note: Members get an extended version of this episode - see it by becoming a member today!
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Original video link:
• Unboxing Elvis: "The C...

[@haraldtrittner4396]

One of the most important Elvis Box Releases till today imo. In the EU the Set was released in a LP Size format (LP, CD and MC) plus 2 different Hype-Sticker for the CD Box Set exists. A lot of Merchandising was also "available" incl some cool Promo CD Releases and official 45rpm Singles! The most amazing Merchandising were 4 "wooden" framed different Pics of the Covers in LP Size Format it was very hard to get all 4 limited and numbered (only four different Cover Pic's exists) beauties; i was a lucky one😁. The CD Box-Set was re-issued over the years (a small size set in a cheap cardboard package without the Booklet was available only for a very short time and it's a cute little raritie). On my humble opinion the Sound Quality is very good and listenable! Thank You John and Jamie👌

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you all the wonderful EU info, Harald! I've pinned this so other people see it, too! On the sound, it's certainly listenable (it's Elvis, after all 😁), but compared to what's come later, the quality doesn't really hold up. It's the unfortunate victim of the dawn of digital post-production tools - and one of these days, we'll have to dig into some older equipment of this era and show the differences to everybody using some of the reel-to-reel transfers I have. But we wouldn't be where we are today if we hadn't been there first, so it's still important history!

[@haraldtrittner4396]

Thank you Jamie, talkin' about Sound Quality yesteryear, today and future; i guess 90% of the "Elvis Newbies from 2022" (and i'm NOT disrespectful, no way!) streaming digitally Elvis Music Legacy 😉. A "Reel-To-Reel" episode would be fascinating. I own 3 Elvis Reel-To-Reel: The Original 1967 Christmas Special for US Radio-Stations only plus "That's The Way It Is" and "Elvis Country" (a still sealed 1966 "The Dean Martin Christmas Album" and Sinatras "My Way" Album too). I'm really lookin' forward, thanx in advance Jamie

[@EAPSociety]

You're very welcome, Harald! And you're right; a lot of newer fans won't know the crazy road of how we all got to the sound quality level that we have now - it's pretty fascinating, and we're looking forward to diving into it! And that's a FANTASTIC set of reels you have! I have a few of those, too, and we'll definitely use those as examples, as well! I should have clarified what I meant by reels, sorry about that: I have transfers of both some Elvis 50s masters and some sessions taken from RCA backup reels (nothing that hasn't been heard at this point), which makes them perfect to show everyone what tools are used by Vic/Sebastian/etc when doing mastering and post-production. 😁

[@haraldtrittner4396]

@@EAPSociety OK Jamie; thank you😌 (but a special "Reel-To-Reel Episode" would be sensationel) btw your Outfit fits you perfectly, compliment my friend👌

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you, Harald! Yeah, I love that shirt!

[@tcbsince73]

In the U.K. we got the cd set in a full-size box. I got that and the vinyl set.

[@EAPSociety]

Oooh, very nice! And funny enough, I saw the larger CD sets online after we filmed this video - I didn't know they existed!

[@chni1]

Yeah, the three decade cd sets were released in full-size boxes in Europe.

[@markw8353]

This is the best ever addition to any Elvis collection. Pure history gold....... I got the LP sized CD box set with the stamps 🕺🕺🕺🕺

[@EAPSociety]

Very cool, Mark! And yeah, it's a great piece of history!

[@sincerelyelvispresley]

Definitely agree that the placement of Danny is a puzzle, because it hadn't been officially released during Elvis's lifetime, as it didn't appear until A Legendary Performer Vol 3. I think the shot on the back of Disc 3 comes from the press conference in Vancouver on August 31, 1957, as Elvis has a pen in the top pocket of his jacket, and that can be seen in other shots taken on that date

[@markbanister3178]

Yes indeed. I remember my first listen to Danny being on the Legendary Performer picture disc from '78

[@mikebutcher2024]

Just discovered this channel and have been binge watching like Netflix. I've had all these sets since day one and bought it them play, not display! Amazing content, fellas!

[@EAPSociety]

That's fantastic, Mike! Thank you so much, so glad you're enjoying the channel! And definitely lots to binge, for sure! And yeah, most of ours are definitely for playing, too - life's too short not to enjoy them!

[@helgeevensen856]

well done, good job with this episode 3 of the new season... as always very good background info on the release... 👍

[@EAPSociety]

Thanl you so much, Helge!

[@biggestliberacefan1988]

Loved the review John and Jamie I have thought this box set and the other 2 in the series 60s and 70s were fine releases. I guess when the 50s set came out in 1992 we were so used to playing our worn out original 45s and 33 rpm that mom still had from the 50s and reissue vinyl from the 60s and 70s of the 50s material that was well worn and scratched having been played at one to many parties that when this CD set came out it was a revelation crystal clear and crisp clean sound. But I do know what you mean if you compare the tracks to the latest FTD releases as the FTD wins hands down as mastering has come a long way . Many thanks guys loved it cheers Carl .

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you, Carl! And you're right; compared to a lot of what was around then, the sound was definitely good for it's time - like you said, it just doesn't hold up so well. But still a fun time to be an Elvis fan!

[@willlsmith8063]

Been a fan for 50 years......really enjoying your content on this channel..........this boxset was a turning point in 92

[@EAPSociety]

Hi, Will! Thank you so much! And you're absolutely right - this was HUGE when it was released! I still remember them talking about it on Entertainment Tonight and a whole bunch of other places!

[@kensmith8546]

Another great show guys. I too had the UK release with the LP size box. wonderful stuff\ To answer your question re the Gene Vincent box set, Bear family released two sets, one was of his complete masters of every thing he recorded between 56-71 covering all record labels he was on plus tracks recorded at the BBC studios in London (8 CDs plus 132 page book). The second box was of alternant takes from different periods of his career. For me Gene's sessions with Cliff Gallup on guitar are head and shoulders over everything else he recorded later. Some of the best Rack n Roll ever made!!!

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you! And that's awesome, Ken - we'll have to check those sets out! Thanks for sharing the info!

[@red_vodkamasacre9751]

Yo tengo ese box sets 2 veces cada uno ,el primero me llegó en mí cumpleaños número 15 y me llegó el de los máster de los 60' con los años descubrí que existía el de los años 50' y de los años 70 ' son bellísimos sobre todo las estampillas de las carátulas de sus discos .ahora me compré el box sets de vinilos Elvis Aron Presley conocida como la colección plateada .me gusta su canal y los productos que muestran en ellos ,podrían mostrar figuras de acción de Elvis . abrazos y saludos desde chile 🇨🇱🇺🇸💗💗

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you so much, and thank you for sharing your memories of this box set! And we'll definitely be talking about more Elvis toys soon! :)

[@LeftyPem]

Bought my tape set (with my own money!) in 1992 when I was 10. This was a game changer and I still treasure it to this day. Just ordered the vinyl set after decades of dreaming and lusting after it. Doubt I’ll ever get the 60s vinyl set, but that’s okay.

[@johndeleo563]

Great content as usual EAP Society; I like the new set, plus for ditching the kitchen countertop with backsplash. You always bring esoteric and/or comprehensive content to the Elvis KZbin community: from 1.1k to 110k subscribers guys. Thanks for all you do.

[@johndeleo563]

Put my money where my comments are and am now a $5/mo subscriber.

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you, John! Yep, we just started with what we had available, but now we're starting to grow - and lots more fun stuff coming!

[@EAPSociety]

And thank you for becoming a member!

[@rinkrat06]

I got all 3 of the masters box sets and the command performances 2 cd when they all came out in the 90's I love them all! Long live the king! I don't have the lp set hopefully someday i'll get it. Great video!

[@SuperAtlantis1]

I still have this set in cassette format. I still have all inserts included. The booklet was worth the price.

[@EAPSociety]

Very cool! And I agree - it's a pretty cool book!

[@MichaelSmith-990]

I remember all these. I had the 50's box set on cassette and the lost performances on VHS. And had not all the movies but a number of em. Great memories I wore these out😊 ⚡ TCB ⚡

[@EAPSociety]

Hi, Michael! Yep - definitely some great memories in these sets, and more!

[@milesforman]

This brings back memories! I loved/listened all 3 of these box sets for years. They are still a very good entry points for new fans and can be found for dirt cheap!

[@EAPSociety]

Oh, absolutely, Miles! For us, too, as we were making these. And that's a great point as an entry level for new fans!

[@nigelwilson1957]

Hey Jamie and John live the U.K got this one cd set in a full-size box. true sound so great love play this boxset keep up cool video guys TCB forever

[@EAPSociety]

Very cool! Thanks, Nigel!

[@nigelwilson1957]

you welcome all the time guys

[@Cpayne30]

Great episode here, guys. I bought this along with the 60s box set early on in my Elvis fandom. I already had the 2005 Kevan Budd remasters of the first 3 albums, so I do remember thinking that parts of this sounded poor - especially Hound Dog. That one sounded bad up until that Budd CD, seems like. But the box and booklet are both beautiful- still a very classy looking package!

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you so much! Yeah, the sound may not have held up, but the whole package really is cool!

[@Cpayne30]

@@EAPSociety I think this set might also be the first time I heard the fast "Ain't That Loving You Baby," which I love!

[@EAPSociety]

Oh, very nice! Yeah, and this is a different (unspliced) version of the fast version, as opposed to the heavily spliced one found on "Reconsider Baby", which was also cool to hear.

[@paulandrew6457]

How strange our CD set was a full sized box and booklet. Same with the 60s ans 70s masters. The 50s set was a dream come true it was obviously a labour of love for Ernst the lavish and comprehensive content reflected that. I was disappointed that the complete theme got lost with other sets but understood the reasoning. This was about showcasing Elvis the artist and I get that the soundtracks are not considered his best work. Even though 2 were his biggest selling albums. I hated the compilation that representated the movies. I never thought one day we would get complete sessions. Dream come for us completists. Glad complete is a theme that you are going for. I don't have every album where there is repetition of content but I would like to hear everything Elvis recorded before I snuff it.

[@truegrit69]

I remember getting this day one. After living through albums like “Elvis Sings For Children” and compilations with the same songs on them, this was something finally to get excited about! And of course, I did send in for the “Lost Performances“ poster. It actually hangs in my man cave to this day. Another good video guys. Thanks for bringing back good memories of when this came out. TCB⚡️

[@EAPSociety]

Very cool, Eddie! Thanks for sharing that! And you're very welcome!

[@ELVISDINNERSHOW]

I been a fan of Elvis since i was about 9, now at the time i became a fan i was mostly aware of bootlegs and FTD through Elvis forums but as i got older and investigated more i found the treasury that's called the essential master, interestingly at the time i couldn't find a CD Box of it, so i ended up with a mint (still sealed at the time) LP box for about 50 euro's. A gorgerous set! I don't have the 60's set thou but i was always suprised that the Essential 70's masters was never released on vinyl, it kind of seems to be the odd one out!

[@ELVISDINNERSHOW]

As a side note i noticed John said he hasn't heard the LP version, it sounds a bit better then the CD version imho, most of the ''Castle'' Releases tend to be mastered well and sound better, this includes ''Collectors Gold'' ''Peace In The Valley '' and ''Live In Las Vegas'' boxes that i own by them.

[@EAPSociety]

Oh, very cool! Thank you for the info on the vinyl, I appreciate that!

[@michaelcavino8009]

The 50s box brings back a ton of memories for me. I was 15 when I acquired it on June 23, 1992 (the day it was released). I saw the preview for it in People's Summer Preview issue and it blew my mind. Thanks for doing a video on this!! By the way, Lou Simon is a well known disc jockey from the L.A. area who was working at RCA Records at that time. He now works for SiriusXM and has been there for nearly 20 years. He is an executive programmer who helped create several channels on Sirius including The Sinatra Channel, The Beatles Channel and The Billy Joel Channel. He has a show called "The Jukebox Diner" on Sunday Night on 60s Gold. I corresponded with him on his association with the box several years ago. And, he provided some great insights. He also helped narrate the radio program about the box which BMG put out as a promo cd at the time to promote the release. If you need a shot of this cd, let me know as I have a copy. Ironically, according to Ernst, BMG was worried the set would not sell strongly so only about 25,000 copies were originally pressed -- they sold out quickly.

[@EAPSociety]

Michael, thank you SO much for sharing that - great information about Lou, and the set! That's very cool! And we'd love to see the CD! And you're very welcome! These videos bring back good memories for us, too!

[@SharingElvis1935]

I found the stamp sheet a odd choice to include at the time as well Great review as always 👍

[@stevesmets6822]

I was 16 when this came out and went crazy over it. I have the lp sized box set.

[@EAPSociety]

Very cool, Steve!

[@brandyl2183]

I’ll be waiting for the HGTA sessions review video once it’s released. Guys I have my RCA cards in my Elvis 50s,60s and 70s sets. I say we all mail them off to RCA 25 or 30 years later lol

[@EAPSociety]

Very cool, Brandy! And LOL! I LOVE it - but we should send copies instead of originals so they aren't missing from the sets. :) hehe

[@Rock4UNow]

I am the proud owner of both versions. I think with the sound they wanted it to sound the same across the board /All 5 CDs. Very safe and no adjustment with your system when it goes into a different session. What stood out to me was the King Creole sessions, especially "Trouble" you could hear the instruments especially the different horns. I have never done a sound comparison between the CD & Vinyl. Overall I loved when it came out. I never understood the stamps either. ..lol I was actually working part time as a Graphic Designer then , Photoshop, Quark Express & Adobe Illustrator was first coming on the scene, so John made a good point in saying, some of it might have been done by actual cut and paste on a sheet for a negative. Great show! Are you guys going to the 1960s Nashville to Memphis box set?

[@EAPSociety]

Thanks, Levi! And that's a good observation on the sound, we'll have to factor that in when we do a deeper audio dive! And we are indeed doing tge 60s and 70s - in fact, the 60s masters video is in the members' section now, and will have an exclusive bonus video coming soon, too!

[@Rock4UNow]

@@EAPSociety That's cool you guys are going to do the other two box sets. I hate that I keep forgetting that I have a membership...lol I will play it during my downtime at work. Have a Great Weekend ⚡TCB⚡

[@EAPSociety]

Hehe - it's all good, man! Happy to remind you! Enjoy, and hope you have a great weekend, too!

[@johnbull9155]

This was a game changer to me, a lot of care and attention went into this set.

[@EAPSociety]

Definitely! All three sets were for me, too.

[@lestresorsdelvis8431]

Another excellent video very informative, I listened to this box a lot also at the time of its release, thank you guys! 🇫🇷🙋‍♂️⚡Teddy from France 🗼

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you so much, Teddy! And absolutely, we listened to this over and over back when it came out, too!

[@TheBohemianAngels]

I still have this one in the plastic. Never opened it.

[@FrankieLovesElvis]

I have 2 copies, (one CD, one cassette), Still Sealed as well.

[@EAPSociety]

Nice! Funny enough, I have a sealed promo CD set (not numbered), but I forgot to show it! You'll see it in the beginning of next week's video, when we talk about the 60s box! 😁

[@FrankieLovesElvis]

@@EAPSociety That’s awesome. Once you get to the 70s box, maybe you can get into some technical details of Ernst working with Dennis Ferrante on reconstructing the masters that sounds so good on that set.

[@EAPSociety]

@@FrankieLovesElvis We do talk a bit about that, but we'll dive in even more when we get to "sounds of the decades" for Elvis releases in future episodes. :)

[@Patracat]

I suspect this set is still to be unearthed at my late girlfriend's home. I vaguely remember Char proudly showing me that box of CDs. Just hope somebody else in her family hasn't nicked it😮, If I do eventually inherit it, I will certainly talk about it on my channel❤ OMG looking at the LP set....I wish I had known about that when it came out🥴 Thanks guys for the great review😊

[@EAPSociety]

Very cool, Gina! And you're very welcome! Good news is, if you don't find it, there are later sets with much better quailty audio - so while it's listenable, it's more just a nice piece of history at this point. 😁

[@MisterMasterShafter1]

Great video, guys! I still have this CD set completely intact, as well as the 60s and 70s sets. They were all big at the time they came out, 92, 93 and 95, but especially the 50s set. Even the 60s and 70s sets put EP's 60s non-movie work and his 70s catalogue in more proper perspective.

[@EAPSociety]

Thank you!! Yep, we'll be covering the other sets, as well, and all of these are ones we loved back then, too. And you're right; it really can't be overstated just how much these sets had an impact on how Elvis was perceived, both by critics *and* by fans!

[@MisterMasterShafter1]

@@EAPSociety - Yep, I remember when they came out, they were well-received by EP fans and music critics at the time. Top of the line back then. I'll be watching for your vids on the other two sets.

[@EAPSociety]

Absolutely! And very cool - they'll be coming over the next three weeks (since we talk about "Command Performances" as well. 😁

[@MisterMasterShafter1]

@@EAPSociety - Right on!

[@helgeevensen856]

it's impressive to see the 6 LP edition, how much better this format is... i have this set in the smallest format, more recently released...

[@dennyepresley6082]

Another great reviews guys, hope you do the rest? Here in the UK we had those LP sized boxes but for cds? Yes all 3 sets? Cheers JnJ ❤

[@EAPSociety]

Hi, Denny! Thank you so much! And yeah, I saw the LP-sized boxes for CDs only after making the video - that's very cool! And yes, indeed, we're doing them all - the 60s is next week!

[@michaelcavino8009]

As far as the collectible stamps, I think they did this to tie into the U.S. stamp vote (young Elvis vs. old Elvis) which occurred earlier that year and was released in 1993.

[@EAPSociety]

Hi, Michael! That could certainly be, though they'd just be decorative since they're not USPS approved. Maybe as envelope decoration, though!

[@EAPSociety]

Thanks, Paul! I suppose stamps would be a fairly inexpensive inclusion at the time, so it does make sense to do that to add value in the minds of fans who buy the sets!

[@EAPSociety]

@paulgwyn7836 Oh, yeah, I knew they weren't actually usable as postage. Still, a fascinating idea!

[@Patracat]

Both LP and CD sets are still around, just checked eBay. Several hundred A$ which is to be expected...but do I REALLY need either of them? No, but I WANT them, LOL😊 Oh S**T I wish I hadn't seen those LPs...😢

[@EAPSociety]

Hehe - we definitely understand that! Apologies for sparking the ol' collection bug with the LP reveal! 😁😆

[@davehugo8799]

I've got the full sized cd box set,so the 50s original cd set was full sized guys

[@EAPSociety]

Hi, Dave! Well, that's true in the UK and Europe, but the full size set wasn't anywhere that I ever saw at the time in the U.S., so it just depends on where you were at the time. 😁

[@peterx1957]

Hey guys great video about a fantastic CD set. Firstly while I appreciate CD reproduction and remastering/remixing has improved over time, I don't buy into making comparisons with newer releases. They are what they are. They sounded pretty good back in 1992 on release and still do to this day. My ears aren't so great that I can tell the difference anyway which is why I'm content with them (including the later sets). However I agree that an LP sized boxed would've presented them much better. I do appreciate the long boxes if only for storage space purposes. I wonder sometimes if we aren't so spoilt for choice that we start to question the quality of what's been made available previously? (Having said that I'll admit that the Beatles 2009 CD remasters were an improvement on the 1987/88 ones which still sounded great to my ears😉). I only found out about the LP box of this a couple of months back and that looks amazing. Also have a very vague memory of seeing it in a shop here in Australia, but I'm not totally sure. Another Elvis fan on his 'LPSRUS' channel showed it. As an owner of the "Double Features" boxed set I can confirm also that there aren't any stamp sheets inside that set. Look forward to you unboxing the next 2 sets. Love the new set too. 👍👌😊 Cheers guys. 😊

[@EAPSociety]

Hi, Peter! Thank you so much! And I definitely understand what you're saying on comparing - though one of these days in the future, we're going to do some "x vs y" tests of older and newer releases to really show the differences in sound. It's one of those "once you hear them, you can't unhear them" things with sound quality - It's certainly listenable, just not close to the sound of what came after. After we get done doing our overview videos, we'll do more deep-dives info sonic fidelity and exactly why the differences are there, which I think will be interesting and enlightening for everybody! 😁

[@cbbdrummer23]

2/4 on stamp sheet is for format . 2 is cds and 4 is cassette

[@EAPSociety]

Oh, interesting! Thank you!

[@cbbdrummer23]

@paulgwyn7836 no clue . But that number denotes the format . Look on your cds ./

[@sincerelyelvispresley]

I started with the LP size box, switched to the long box version and then switched again to the even smaller box, which is the same size as the MRS releases. As you all will be only too aware, collecting Elvis brings with it space and storage challenges, so I usually go for smaller versions of sets, as long as nothing is omitted. The downside of the small boxes is that the actual storage of the discs is pretty rubbish ☹️

[@EAPSociety]

Hi, Sean! Yeah, I hear you on the storage challenges! It's almost a full-time job by itself, lol! Perhaps, as we get finished looking at releases of the past, we can take some time looking at ways the smaller CD sets could be improved, storage-wise. Might be interesting, if nothing else!

[@sincerelyelvispresley]

Great idea 👍🏻

[@EAPSociety]

Thanks, Sean!

[@sincerelyelvispresley]

Speaking of collections, and as it was referenced in the vid, A Boy From Tupelo was the one major FTD book I didn't have and I've just managed to track down a mint copy for just under £400, which I'm feeling pretty pleased about!

[@EAPSociety]

WOW! Sean. That's a fantastic find! Well done, and congratulations!

[@eduardohag]

Guys... fans of the FTD era will never know what it was like to play these cds... I believe that at that time, the audience that explored this material was made up of teenagers... without cell phones, in their rooms full of posters... good times...

[@EAPSociety]

That's true - and that's basically what John and I were at the time (I was 12, he was 9), so we can give the "then and now" perspective. But yeah, back then this was a revelation!

[@cbbdrummer23]

2/4 means format. Cd v. Cassettes

[@Hayden1969-ws4vy]

Hi guys. This box set was rereleased in 2012 in the UK in a smaller sized box. Do you know if the tracks were remastered or are they still the same 1992 masters? I'm thinking of re-buying it as it's only about £15-£20.