Article: The Definitive Sgt. Pepper's In High Resolution

[The Computer Audiophile]

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[ted_b]

Nice write-up.  I ripped the BluRay as soon as I got it, and the 5.1 surround mix is quite something special too.  I can't wait for the White Album and Abbey Road, to name two.

[firedog]

Pretty much agree with you, Chris - and I am older and had a lot of built up sonic/emotional memories of this one.

My only complaint about the remix is that I wish it had just a bit less volume compression - maybe even one db less of added loudness. But overall I think it is great, and is the version I listen to now.

I think Giles accomplished exactly what he set out to do - make a modern stereo remix that still gives us what the Beatles intended with the mono mix  they made in 67. 

 

Hope Ted B. is right and more remixes come out. Of course, I actually prefer Revolver and Rubber Soul because their stereo mixes really suck - they are just bad. The White Album and Abbey Road were all or in part recorded on at least 8 tracks and were mixed to stereo by the Beatles, so they sound pretty good. 

[Rt66indierock]

I don't think my preference for the mono albums of this vintage is going to change. If the artist intended the album to be stereo I'm good with it but if they didn't it you don't have what the artist intended. The Beatles cared about the mono versions good enough for me.

[wwaldmanfan]

It's easy to embrace this revisionist remix as the definitive version if you weren't alive when the original came out. There is a strong nostalgic component in the Beatles music for me.  My fond memories from those days are brought back when I listen to the original versions, and less so when I am aware that it is a modern remaster.

I prefer Beatles on vinyl. I still have the US mono LP of Sgt. Pepper that I got as a bar mitzvah gift right after it came out.

[#Yoda#]

A quite good example for the "divide et impera" strategy of the major labels. Sgt. Peppers as HiRes download is only available at HDtracks.com and Qobuz.com and quite expensive, compared to other recently reissued HiRes "must haves", if you're not being a Qobuz Sublime subscriber and pay "only" € 19.99 what seems to be a fair price.

[Milt99]

I grew up with The Beatles from Ed Sullivan to Let It Be, and I love what is happening with their catalog.

From the Capitol releases to buying English and German import vinyl with the hideous faux stereo to the original Toshiba\EMI Abbey Road CD(beautiful) to the Mono Masters(killer), the Green Apple 24/44.1 stereo(good for Abbey Road & Let It Be) to Love and now Sgt Pepper.

Call the remix by whatever name you wish but this is the way George Martin would've constructed the mix if he had had the technology that Giles has.

Paul McCartney finally got the version of Sgt. Pepper he wanted.

I sprang for the full-on Japanese boxset and don't regret it for second.

Sgt. Pepper has never sounded so good.

 

Nice write up, Chris.

[stewboss]

18 hours ago, ted_b said:

Nice write-up.  I ripped the BluRay as soon as I got it, and the 5.1 surround mix is quite something special too.  I can't wait for the White Album and Abbey Road, to name two.

 

I couldn't see this on Amazon Ted. Do you have a link?

 

Thanks

[firedog]

1 hour ago, stewboss said:

 

I couldn't see this on Amazon Ted. Do you have a link?

 

Thanks

https://www.amazon.com/Peppers-Lonely-Hearts-Blu-ray-Deluxe/dp/B06WGVMLJY

[DreamOperator]

I find the remix to be stunning and I am (I was?) typically against this kind of thing. 

[stewboss]

1 hour ago, firedog said:

https://www.amazon.com/Peppers-Lonely-Hearts-Blu-ray-Deluxe/dp/B06WGVMLJY

 

I wasn't sure this was the right version. Many thanks 

[ted_b]

20 hours ago, firedog said:

Hope Ted B. is right and more remixes come out. Of course, I actually prefer Revolver and Rubber Soul because their stereo mixes really suck - they are just bad. The White Album and Abbey Road were all or in part recorded on at least 8 tracks and were mixed to stereo by the Beatles, so they sound pretty good. 

Giles is quoted somewhere that the White Album is next, so I assumed the earlier anniversary dates won't be redone like this.  Yes, Revolver in hirez, OMG.

 

I am 63 and remember just about every Beatles album purchase or sibling's purchase like it was yesterday (Beatles 65 at a store called Uncle Bill's for $3.20).  And have nostalgia for the mono mixes (which are included on the Pepper bluray).  But the 5.1 remixes are so amazing (the 5.1 Love stuff that wasn't mashed up aggressively, for example) that I can't wait for the rest of the catalog going forward. 

[firedog]

Quote

At 5:05 of track 13, A Day in the Life, there is very loud 16.026 kHz sound that plays for roughly four seconds. 

 

Okay, this is funny, ,I think. The Beatles added a dog whistle to the end of Sgt Pepper, just for a joke - so dogs would react and maybe people wouldn't. I seem to remember that it was at the very end of the record -but maybe it is those 4 seconds. I assume this is what you are hearing, as I can't hear it anymore - I just hear silence in those 4 seconds you are referring to.

 

The dog whistle wasn't included in the original US release of the album:

http://www.beatlesebooks.com/sgt-pepper-song

 

Quote

On September 21st, 1987, twenty years after its initial release (as in “twenty years ago today”), theSgt. Pepper album was first released on compact disc.  It was the only Beatles CD released at that time to have extensive liner notes.  Also in place for the first time in the US was the high pitched dog whistle and “inner groove” that was omitted from the original vinyl release in the states.  This CD was then re-mastered and re-released on September 9th, 2009 with even more extensive liner notes.

 

[firedog]

10 minutes ago, ted_b said:

Giles is quoted somewhere that the White Album is next, so I assumed the earlier anniversary dates won't be redone like this.  Yes, Revolver in hirez, OMG.

 

I am 63 and remember just about every Beatles album purchase or sibling's purchase like it was yesterday (Beatles 65 at a store called Uncle Bill's for $3.20).  And have nostalgia for the mono mixes (which are included on the Pepper bluray).  But the 5.1 remixes are so amazing (the 5.1 Love stuff that wasn't mashed up aggressively, for example) that I can't wait for the rest of the catalog going forward. 

Giles made a comment about the White Album being the 'next" album in an interview, and that was immediately interpreted to mean he was remixing the White Album. He came out and made a correction, saying he was only referring to album order (as MMT wasn't originally an album, just an EP) and not to any remix project of his. He said at that time (when the 2017 mix came out) that there haven't been any discussions of what or if there will be more remixes. I think I saw that on his Facebook or Twitter page. 

 

edit: okay found one of the Twitter quotes: 

Giles Martin‏ @mashupmartin May 18

More

Giles Martin Retweeted David Doll

Just to confirm..I said the White Album is the next Beatles album. I promise that I'm not working on it. Enjoy Sgt Pepper first! X

[firedog]

18 hours ago, wwaldmanfan said:

It's easy to embrace this revisionist remix as the definitive version if you weren't alive when the original came out. There is a strong nostalgic component in the Beatles music for me.  My fond memories from those days are brought back when I listen to the original versions, and less so when I am aware that it is a modern remaster.

I prefer Beatles on vinyl. I still have the US mono LP of Sgt. Pepper that I got as a bar mitzvah gift right after it came out.

To each his own. I was alive back then, but prefer this version and it doesn't lessen my memories of it. But if you prefer the vinyl, great. Did you get the re-releases of the vinyl in mono that came out? What did you think?

[wwaldmanfan]

3 hours ago, firedog said:

To each his own. I was alive back then, but prefer this version and it doesn't lessen my memories of it. But if you prefer the vinyl, great. Did you get the re-releases of the vinyl in mono that came out? What did you think?

 

I have heard the 2014 mono box set, and I like it, especially Revolver and Rubber Soul, as the original stereo mixes were not done well.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Wow, Paul talks about the dog whistle in this video. 

 

 

[monteverdi]

I am not quite understanding why mono as originally intended is not the definite version. It was their artistic choice!

And I like the mono box set a lot! 

[firedog]

3 hours ago, monteverdi said:

I am not quite understanding why mono as originally intended is not the definite version. It was their artistic choice!

And I like the mono box set a lot! 

It's not an argument, just a matter of taste. A lot of people agree with you. 

The intent of the stereo remix us to give a modern improved stereo sound that reflects the intent of the original mono mix. 

Most people seem to think GM succeeded - it sounds "like the mono", but is in stereo, with overall sonics also improved.

Paul and Ringo approved the remix. They and George also approved the "Love" mashup and remix, and remixes to the soundtrack songs from Yellow Submarine.

If you aren't on board with the the results, you can simply listen to the original.

 

 

[Major Roadrash]

I too am 63 years old. I've been listening to Sgt. Pepper's since 1967, when my sister received a vinyl copy as an Xmas present. I've had various other copies since then, stereo vinyl, regular CD, remastered mono CD. This is certainly the best version I've heard, the greater depth and fullness in both instrumentation and vocals, which are buried in older versions, bring out details that, I think you could argue, are likely closer to what the Beatles envisioned when they were in the studio.

My advice? Buy it and enjoy!

[ChrisG]

On 12/28/2017 at 6:28 AM, ted_b said:

Giles is quoted somewhere that the White Album is next, so I assumed the earlier anniversary dates won't be redone like this.  Yes, Revolver in hirez, OMG.

 

I am 63 and remember just about every Beatles album purchase or sibling's purchase like it was yesterday (Beatles 65 at a store called Uncle Bill's for $3.20).  And have nostalgia for the mono mixes (which are included on the Pepper bluray).  But the 5.1 remixes are so amazing (the 5.1 Love stuff that wasn't mashed up aggressively, for example) that I can't wait for the rest of the catalog going forward. 

Uncle Bill's! I haven't thought about that store for years. We'd go to Uncle Bill's in Rocky River then go down a few storefronts and hang out at Olson's electronics drooling over the hi-fi stuff they had there. Good times!

[ted_b]

22 minutes ago, ChrisG said:

Uncle Bill's! I haven't thought about that store for years. We'd go to Uncle Bill's in Rocky River then go down a few storefronts and hang out at Olson's electronics drooling over the hi-fi stuff they had there. Good times!

+1  Yep, same store, Rocky River.  And Olson's, down at the east end of the strip.  Yes!  Years later I think Tokyo Shapiro took over that location and I would buy my laserdiscs there!!

[ChrisG]

4 hours ago, ted_b said:

+1  Yep, same store, Rocky River.  And Olson's, down at the east end of the strip.  Yes!  Years later I think Tokyo Shapiro took over that location and I would buy my laserdiscs there!!

Tokyo Shapiro...holy crap, talk about the wayback machine. I bought a lot of stuff from them, including lots of EPI speakers. Haven't thought about any of these places for years. And don't leave out the Lafayette store at Great Northern!

[saturdayboy]

sounds great, but can a remix be the definitive version of any album?

[firedog]

4 hours ago, saturdayboy said:

sounds great, but can a remix be the definitive version of any album?

 

If definitive means "best", then yes.

 

This one has the advantage that the remaining principals approved it. 
GM was quoted somewhere  saying that Paul and Ringo did ask for changes in some of the test mixes they received, so apparently their approval is something to be taken fairly seriously.