Silly question #1: does the CD play just right by itself?
Do the CDs sound okay in a regular CD player?
You should carefully read the literature that comes with that Box set. The recordings are unedited analog recordings, some of them before mixing effects.
The set is meant to capture all the flaws and mistakes and “live recording” feel of the original recording sessions.
What hardware are you using? And, just like another FReeper asked, does it play okay, playing from the CD, and not just from the downloaded tracks?
And are you hearing this through an iPod, a desktop, or what? [basically at “what stage” of the process are you hearing this kind of a “result” that you see as “something is wrong”)?
:-)
I had something similar to this happen once, when I was listening to Monday, Monday by the Mamas and the Papas. I had one speaker turned off for some reason. All you could hear was the female vocal parts. Kinda cool, actually.
I’ve had luck in the past creating a MP3 version of problem tracks, takes the edge off so to speak.
Some “iTunes help” for a FReeper by some Mac-sters... maybe?
Did you contact iTunes support? Sounds like the problem could be on their end.
If the tracks seem reversed - Swap your earbuds..DOHHHH
I have also “rerecorded” some tracks at different sampling rates. Send me Freepmail if you want details.
George Martin, the Beatles producer, was legendary for using this “wall in the middle” effect. It’s quite possible that these tracks are historically correct but will sound like crap through headphones. The MP3 remix might be your best bet or just torrent them.
Goo goo ga choob...
Try playing them backwards. Let us know what you learn.
Is the CD made in China?!
Could it perhaps be a way of preventing people from copying the CDs? ie, DRM.
When the Beatles first recorded in stereo, they would sing into one mic and have their instruments play in the other.
Is it possible that you’re hearing the stereo versions of these songs after listening to the mono versions for a while? The difference can be a little startling.
For what it’s worth...
“The Beatles in Mono is a box set compilation comprising the remastered monophonic recordings by The Beatles. The set was released on 9 September 2009, the same day the remastered stereo recordings and companion The Beatles Stereo Box Set were also released, along with The Beatles: Rock Band videogame. The remastering project for both mono and stereo versions was led by EMI senior studio engineers Allan Rouse and Guy Massey.[2]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles_in_Mono
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“The Beatles Stereo Box Set is a box set compilation comprising all of the remastered stereo recordings by The Beatles. The set was released on 9 September 2009, the same day both The Beatles: Rock Band and the remastered mono recordings were released (see The Beatles in Mono). The remastering project for both mono and stereo versions was led by EMI senior studio engineers Allan Rouse and Guy Massey.[2]
This is the third complete box set collection of original Beatles albums after The Beatles Collection and The Beatles Box Set.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles_Stereo_Box_Set
Check the back of your stereo. Make sure that the RED out on your stereo goes to the RED in on your speakers — both sides.
If you attach RED-RED on one speaker and RED-BLACK on the other, you’ll get phase cancelation, and your center will be messed up.
I had the same problem with iTunes yesterday. I burned some songs to disc for my 4 year old to listen to in the car, for whatever reason she loves “Day Tripper” so that was one of them. And it burned with no bass or drums, just vocals, guitars, and tambourine. It sounds perfect on CD and on the computer but not on the CD burned by iTunes.