Refusing to Let It Be: The Beatles in Stereo

Washington Post ^ | September 8, 2009 | Matt Hurwitz

[NRA1995]

This is beginning to get as bad as George Lucas cleaning up the “defects” in his “Star Wars” movies

[La Lydia]

I am not sure precisely how it works. Michael Jackson bought the rights to the Beatle’s songbook, that is, the right to royalty payments when anyone else records or plays or publishes their music. But I don’t believe he bought the rights to the actual Beatle’s recordings. Also, I think he sold part of whatever stake he had in it to Sony several years ago.

[discostu]

That’s just reality. As others on this thread have also discussed. There’s a cut off point in the low end of CDs which is out of the range of most people’s hearing but well above what LPs carry. Disbelieve if you chose, don’t care.

[ResponseAbility]

****I can only afford Klipsch but I like them... Trying to save up for some Krell’s but they are probably a long way out siigghhh.**** The best low cost speakers I know of are Merrill Zigmahornets. Here is a link to a review of them if you are handy you can build them for $100.

[KevinB]

I just put 5 albums (err... CDs) in my Amazon cart.

I don't know why people think CDs can't be referred to as albums.

From Websters: Album: a collection usually in book form of literary selections, musical compositions, or pictures (emphasis added)

A CD is a medium on which a collection of songs is stored, so it's appropriately referred to as an album.

[ResponseAbility]

****Bottom end for most people is around 20Hz. Or do you have different data?****

Correct, and as someone else mentioned even lower if you consider that we also feel music as well as hear it.

[KevinB]

Pete Best was a Beatle for more than two years, is still alive and well.

Saw Pete and his band live in a small venue two years ago. It was a great show and he seems like a great guy. He seemed generally shy and quiet and I could see how he wouldn't have fit well with the others.

[Petronski]

Feeling the 18Hz or even 15Hz is especially important when watching a film like Saving Private Ryan (hopefully in a fully-detached home).

[angkor]

>>>> How about Stu Sutcliffe? Although he died a long time ago (early 60’s, I believe), he was the group’s original bass guitarist. <<<<<

It’s that “died a long time ago” part that takes him out of the running ;-)

[curth]

Murray the K called himself the fifth Beatle too. Only three humans alive,Paul, RIngo and Pete can call themselves former Beatles and as important a part as George Martin played in their success, he was not and never will be a Beatle.

[HungarianGypsy]

In honor of this ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xUijgqZ-xM&feature=player_embedded

[Rebelbase]

I enjoyed that video right up until Yoko’s mug polluted the screen. Seeing George playing a Tele revived me.

[angkor]

>>> as important a part as George Martin played in their success, he was not and never will be a Beatle. <<<<

Yes, I see your point and and I’m not gonna’ press the case too far.

However:

Meet The Beatles: George Martin – piano, producer

Beatles ‘65: George Martin – piano

Hard Day’s Night: George Martin – piano

Help!: George Martin – piano and production

Revolver: George Martin – producer; piano on “Good Day Sunshine” and “Tomorrow Never Knows”; Hammond organ on “Got to Get You into My Life”; samples of the marching band on “Yellow Submarine”

Rubber Soul: George Martin – producer, piano (”In My Life”), harmonium (”The Word”)

Sgt. Pepper’s: George Martin – producer and mixer; tape loops and sound effects; harpsichord (on “Fixing a Hole”), harmonium, Lowry organ and glockenspiel (on “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!”), Hammond organ (on “With a Little Help from My Friends”), and piano (on “Getting Better” and the solo in “Lovely Rita”); final harmonium chord.

White Album: George Martin – record producer and mixer; string, brass, clarinet, orchestral arrangements and conducting; piano on “Rocky Raccoon”

Abbey Road: George Martin – piano; electric harpsichord, harmonium and percussion.

Let It Be: George Martin – producer and maracas (”Dig It”)

Et cetera....

[angkor]

>>>> Correct, and as someone else mentioned even lower if you consider that we also feel music as well as hear it. <<<<

I’ve always thought that the digital clipping somehow interferes with the emotive and physical sonics in analog vinyl.

[ResponseAbility]

I have over 2000 vinyl albums and I prefer the sound, but I grew up listening to vinyl so it could just be that i am conditioned to think it sounds “normal”.

[Yo-Yo]

Harmonics? Have you ever heard of a little thing called the RIAA Equalization Curve? Have you ever heard of stylus inertia? Have you ever heard of "half speed mastering" of LPs (I owned PF's Dark Side of the Moon) to improve high frequency response?

Can you hear the difference between Monster Cable premium speaker wire and zip cord?

Do you really believe that dragging a rock across some plastic makes a more faithful reproduction of a sound wave than a numeric digital representation? Heck, Left/Right channel separation in CDs are perfect, where LPs have up to 20% crosstalk.

I appreciate fine music as much as the next guy, but as an Engineer I can see with my own eyes on an oscilloscope how accurately, or inaccurately, sound is reproduced via an LP and via a CD.