So, What is the Verdict on the Beatles Box Sets?

The living Beatles approved the remasterings.

I think they could have gotten them pressed on purple vinyl in mono if they felt that was the only proper way to hear them. They probably will be reissued on vinyl in mono at some point as well as other formats.

So, if the cd remasters sound good to you, they sound good to Paul and Ringo too, so go ahead and enjoy the hell out of them!

Approval doesn't necessarily mean they prefer them to the Mono versions. I'm sure they're being told the recordings need to be louder, punchier to compete with "modern" recordings (and to sell better to that target group). What do they know at their age what kids want? They don't want to be thought of as old fogeys out of touch with what's current. Besides the stereo remasters aren't *that* bad. They could've been a lot worse so it's not a case of total loss of artistic integrity.

With regard to the old classical masters, of course we'd all rather hear them as intended in the large concert hall. But we don't have the opportunity very often. OTOH we do have the opportunity to hear the Beatles mono masters anywhere and as they were intended to sound.

As far as intent goes, sure there are better remakes. I prefer Mannfred Mann's version of _Blinded by the Light_ and 3-Dog-Night's version of _Try a Little Tenderness_ over the originals. The difference is they reinterperated the orginal into something new. They didn't take the orignal and try to copy it but with improved recording techniques. I think there's a difference. The Beatles remasters weren't remastered to create something new, but only improve the sound quality. I think they did that with the Monos and remained faithful to the artists' vision of how it should sound. The stereo remasters have a different audience. They just don't know any better. :)

I really thought that i would be able to keep my two cents out of this post, but I just couldn't. I have both the stereo versions and the mono versions. I've been listening to the Beatles for as long as I can remember. The mono and stereo versions are a definite improvement over the 87/88 CD's. For all the naysayers, maybe it's time for a new power cable or component. On my system, they are the closest thing to vinyl. Anyone want to move on to the Zeppelin remasters.

thats it.mooooooooove on