Beatles' White Album

[AndyD.]

I've decided to go back and explore my favorite Beatles' album (been over 25 years since I did). Which CD reissue is the best sounding? Best extras? Any help is deeply appreciated.

[karlhenning]

Well, I've got both the monaural and stereo remasters, and they're both splendid. "Revolution 9" particularly surprised me in mono, somehow.  I think it's the stereo reissue which has a video extra, but I haven't watched it yet.

[AndyD.]

Well, I've got both the monaural and stereo remasters, and they're both splendid. "Revolution 9" particularly surprised me in mono, somehow.  I think it's the stereo reissue which has a video extra, but I haven't watched it yet.

Is that the 2009 reissue, Karl?

[Bogey]

34 pages of discussion here, Ange:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=193406&highlight=white+album

and another thread that may interest you here:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=234340&highlight=white+album

[AndyD.]

34 pages of discussion here, Ange:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=193406&highlight=white+album

and another thread that may interest you here:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=234340&highlight=white+album

Thanks, Bill, looks like the 2009 remaster stereo is the way togo (I'll eventually get the vinyl as well, had it back in the early '80s).

[Bogey]

Thanks, Bill, looks like the 2009 remaster stereo is the way togo (I'll eventually get the vinyl as well, had it back in the early '80s).

I believe that it looks like it is between that one and the mono remaster.  George will pipe in soon and has heard them both, I believe.

[George]

Thanks, Bill, looks like the 2009 remaster stereo is the way togo (I'll eventually get the vinyl as well, had it back in the early '80s).

I wouldn't buy the 2009 stereo remaster, as I find the bass to be bloated and the overall sound was needlessly compressed. For example, Long, Long, Long is much louder than it was before. The original CD should be very easy to find, not to mention dirt cheap.

The mono 2009 is nice, but only comes in the mono box.

[AndyD.]

I wouldn't buy the 2009 stereo remaster, as I find the bass to be bloated and the overall sound was needlessly compressed. For example, Long, Long, Long is much louder than it was before. The original CD should be very easy to find, not to mention dirt cheap.

The mono 2009 is nice, but only comes in the mono box.

I was hoping you'd show up, George.

Also thinking about buying the 2009 Revolver remaster.

[George]

I was hoping you'd show up, George.

Also thinking about buying the 2009 Revolver remaster.

I don't really like most of the stereo remasters, as they sound too processed to me. The earlier masterings had their flaws, but they sound more natural to me. If you want samples of each, just PM me.

Revolver really should be experienced in mono, IMO.

Also, Beatledrops is a cool site where you can compare the various available issues of Beatles stuff: http://www.beatledrops.com/ He has samples of all the original (1987) masterings and 2009 remasters.

[DavidRoss]

You just sent me through the way-back machine to 1968, Andy!  I still remember the excitement of the White album release and listening to it over and over again for the next few days.  Hearing it takes me back forty years, when the world seemed so fresh and new and full of promise and possibility...damn but we were innocent!

I have the CDs from 1987.  Typical of early digital, they are thin-sounding, tinnier than the LPs.  Note that sound fidelity wasn't a priority for the original recordings, however.  I haven't heard the later remasters, but George is probably right about the superiority of the mono sound.  Word is that the engineers cooked the stereo set a bit hot in keeping with today's fetish for high-compression maximum dB dreck.  Perversion of quality like that makes me doubt the value of the entire project, but I haven't heard it so have no opinion.

[karlhenning]

You just sent me through the way-back machine to 1968, Andy!

Until this week, Dave, I should not have recognized that as an allusion to Peabody's Improbable History!

[AndyD.]

Way-back with the "Way Outs":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obyuyajrz9g

[DavidRoss]

Until this week, Dave, I should not have recognized that as an allusion to Peabody's Improbable History!

Improbable as it may have been, the lesson that the past might not have been exactly as depicted in history books was worth learning.  My favorite segment of the show, then and now.

[DavidRoss]

http://www.youtube.com/v/iU8TbLza3qY

[AndyD.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHqy-chPMnM

[karlhenning]

Jeepers?

— That's an expression all children in cartoons use.

Fort Heathen. Love it!

[Szykneij]

Being snowed in for the day gave me some rare free time so I decided to finally digitize my Beatles vinyl and, motivated by this thread, I started with the White Album. It's been a long time since I listened to this album and I forgot or never realized a few things about it.
  It contains a lot more music, timewise, than most albums of the period (making it impossible to fit both records on one music cd-r.) All of the tracks either blend into the next one or start immediately after the previous one ends, making the process of copying to CD a bit more challenging. For some reason, I thought Abbey Road was their only album that did this.
  I never noticed that Yoko Ono sings in the background of some of the tunes, either.
  "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Martha My Dear", and "Julia" remain my favorite cuts.
I think my Beatles vinyl collection is close to complete, but I've never had the urge to update it with CDs except for a few of the re-issued compilations. These recordings are as important to me personally as much as they are musically, so all of those familiar pops and clicks are sort of like old friends (which will now be digitally preserved forever).

[karlhenning]

  I never noticed that Yoko Ono sings in the background of some of the tunes, either.

Gosh, Tony, where besides "Not when he looked so fierce" &c. on "The Continuing Adventures of B.B"?

[Szykneij]

Gosh, Tony, where besides "Not when he looked so fierce" &c. on "The Continuing Adventures of B.B"?

You can hear her voice on "Birthday" and also in "Revolution 9". Not much, really, but too much for me.

It turns out Linda McCartney was the only Beatle wife not to sing on the album. Check out this trivia site:

http://www.funtrivia.com/en/Music/White-Album-12431.html

[Daverz]

I was thinking of getting the Mono box, but realized that I'm not all that excited by this material.  I do have all of it on vinyl, though not always the best pressings (only a Capitol Rubber Soul and my Revolver is a nasty sounding late pressing.