Please join your Audiophile Roundtable host Steve Westman as he is joined by Norman “Mazzy” Maslov, Nathan Goss and George Borden.
The gang discuss their thoughts and RANTS on the latest Beatles box set “the Blue and Red remixes” and Analogue Productions UHQR release of Steely Dan’s Aja release.
Plus the latest news of the week and rants.
Please join.
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Automatic turntables creating playback noise is a myth.
Just replaced my 2016 70s Floyd pressings (ANIMALS excepted) with pristine UK OGs, which I’m pleased with. Also just replaced my 2017 MASTER OF PUPPETS pressing with a very minty 1987 MFN pressing at 45rpm. I don’t feel I need to do the same with my Doors collection, because honestly I find the AP 45rpm reissues are extraordinary and I think it would get excpensive and very hit or miss in terms of grading reality.
Great discussion.
Mr.Pete———–>
aging hippie
The 1973 German Horzu MMT pressing to get has Matrices A-1, B-3. The other Horzu pressing, Die Beatles was pressed 3 times 1966, 1969, 1973 by Horzu. I have all 3 variants, as long as you get the -2 Matrices, you'll be happy.
I have the all analog AAA Blue and Red albums that were done several years ago, the same ones Mazzy showed, and they sound absolutely beautiful. Don't need nuthin' else 😊
George KILLED it with his take on there no longer being any analogue / original mixed Beatles available on the market. Great roundtable Steve!
Good show. Why don’t you guys talk about Oasis for once?
They were one of the 5 biggest bands to ever come out of the UK. Next week they’ll be releasing their 25th anniversary edition of ‘the masterplan’ 2LP, which gapped the bridge between the huge selling ‘what’s the story morning glory’ and ‘be here now’ albums.
Oh do stop the belly aching!! If you don't want to buy the upteenth version of something you already have, you do have a choice, you know. No one is making you buy it. Then it is UP TO YOU to go out and explore other artists!! DUH!!!
The sound of those AR half speeds is more to do with the sources than the speed. Good and bad.
Pepper 2017 is mostly bloated digital garbage with excess EQ and FX. I can't believe they are recycling those horrid mixes and not making new mixes that more reflect the originals. The DE remixes are unlistenable to me except for a few of the remixes.
Great Roundtable, Steve.
Nice rant Maslov, was fun watching a SanFran/Seatle WOKE turn full blown capitalist on a dime.
Nathan Goss, I hear what you’re saying RE: The Beatles. Have you heard an early UK original mono? I would consider them audiophile quality. All the magic and power you could want, and may help you appreciate the Beatles more. They blow the 2014 monos out of the water, which sound lifeless in comparison. Sold my 2014s for huge gains and bought a few grails. Grab your favorite Beatles album in VG+, and as long as you have a mono switch, mono cart, or double Y Cord will sound amazing! Cheaper than the 2014s for an acceptable copy.
Here's my rant:
Steely Dan UHQR's – AP has been releasing these albums in the order they originally came out in, until now. I'm pretty pissed about it! Katy Lied, then The Royal Scam should next, but now they're pushed back until next year. WTF.. I just don't get it! Aja, and Gaucho obviously should've came last. >:(
Re: The Beatles – Red & Blue albums. Just get the 2014 analog stereo pressings and call it a day. They sound absolutely incredible! 👍
Re: The Beatles – German PPM & MMT. Just look for the late 70's/early 80's Apple/EMI Electrola versions… They're cheaper, more plentiful, have the same matrices and incredible sound as the HörZu versions. 😎
Edit:. George's comments are 100% spot on. It's bullshit that there aren't original Beatles mixes anymore and that Giles remixes took over. 😑
Great discussion and loved and agree with the rants.
Omitbyelling please!
When it comes to song writing, harmony, The Beatles win hands down. They had a much larger palet than the Stones. I really feel a lot of this arguing is rooted in just not getting it.
I actually really love the Beatles remixes, especially the later ones once Giles really got the process down, but they should absolutely also have original AAA pressings widely available on the market too. It’s kind of weird that they’ve essentially replaced all Beatles albums with modern remixes or digital remasters and you can’t get mono copies for an affordable price. This is the most iconic catalog in music history; it deserves to be heard in its original form AND in a fresh, new way.
It’s like with film preservation — it’s fine to have all kinds of different cuts; Director’s cuts, extended editions, new restorations with revised color timing and Dolby Atmos, etc… but you have to also keep the original theatrical cut on the market as well. Films like Blade Runner, Aliens, Terminator 2, and E.T. all have multiple cuts but pretty much every home video release includes every cut so that the original is right there alongside the “remixed” version. It’s why there’s a massive community of people out there pissed at George Lucas for refusing to allow the original theatrical versions of Star Wars to be seen in an official capacity. There are dozens of fan preservation projects out there to restore prints of the theatrical cut, and there was even a whole documentary about it called “The People vs. George Lucas”!
Also, Mazzy is absolutely correct in that the 2014 AAA reissues of red and blue are phenomenal, but you have to be careful when trying to buy a copy because they were re-released in 2017 as digital cuts, and it’s tricky to tell the difference between the two versions because they both have the exact same hype sticker, same UPC, same copyright date, and same packaging. The only way to confirm that you’ve got one of the 2014 AAA pressings is by the label logos on the back cover. I can’t recall the exact difference that tells you which is which, but check out the Discogs reviews for both to find out how to identify them.
RED/BLUE it’s Really Lovely that this Rained down Freely as a Blunder
Buying for the Red remixes and extras in blue lps
The blue was my gateway 12 year old introduction to the Beatles
Followed quickly by Pepper, Road and Mystery
Already own the 2014 stereo (modern minimal e) but enjoy a UK original more
Yes Mazzy the Horzu MMT is so vibrant – thanks for mentioning that
Tube cut UK Blue Boxes?