There's a 24/96 rip on rutracker. I'm just listening to it now for the first time. I've honestly never heard this album sound this great in it's original stereo mix. It's truly fantastic, genuinly a three dimensional punchy sound, everything is EQ'd to perfect and just right!
I just came across a copy put on the online market ( i.e. a French classified site), as i was chatting witht the seller of this LP, he told me an American offered him 3000€ ! So he just sold it to him
This is what the mastering engineer who cut the infamous Australian Audio-5 pressing of Sgt. Pepper's had to say: "I was amazed at how (the tape) corresponded with that first record I had been listening to. I thought it would be more open and detailed, but there was very little difference in terms of those early vinyl recordings, which is a testament to how good they were. That’s the thing about this album - how well it was recorded and produced. And how the tape sounded like the original vinyl issue - there was so little difference. The tape was nearly identical. The vinyl records at the time were high quality - if you had a good pressing and a good system, it was an amazing representation of what was going on in the performance, and what was meant to be released. Vinyl in those days was capable of very high quality reproduction." With any Nimbus Supercut I have heard so far - and I am assuming the Sgt. Pepper's is no different - it is apparent that some EQ has been applied: a touch of bass, a hint of treble, some widener effect, ... the "audiophile" treatment. The Supercuts were also pressed on high quality vinyl that plays nearly without distortion, background noise or sibilance. They are truly fine lp's and a great addition to any collection. But, like with any Beatles release, the original UK pressings will forever remain the benchmark, imho.
Well, if you are after that slight bass/treble treatment, I can recommend the late 70s HTM. It also has great clarity and instrument separation while retaining the details of the original re: vocal presence. And it's not that expensive, either. The early 70s -2 (I have Side B of this cut) is similar in that respect, but has some odd changes, like the voice of Paul in Part II of "A Day in the Life" being muffled, or John's vocalizing between Parts II and III in the same song being overly buried in the mix. The late 70s -3 cut is truer to the original in that respect.
The -3 side two is really good. The -3 side one is OK enough, but not up to the -3 side two for me. They were not cut at the same time. I'm curious about the -2 side one, if that possibly sounds more like the -3 side two...
I can't believe I watched this and you DIDN'T GET TO HEAR ANY OF THE TRACKS!! When you say you're going to find out which one sounds the best, you've got to PLAY the AUDIO.
Hah! don't we all wish! Not gonna happen on RU-vid anymore, unfortunately, unless he likes receiving copyright strikes, which I'm sure he does not. If he were to try to do something like that, it would likely detect it before the video would even be published.. then after 3 strikes & you're out on here. He just can't risk it. Sucks, but it is what it is I guess.
I was the first person through the door at the Sydney Hi-Fi Show in July 1983 and I bought two copies of the Audio-5 version of Sgt Pepper. (at AUS$25.00 each)The two copies were # 70 and # 79, of which I have opened and played copy # 70 only half a dozen times in the last 37 years. It is a very loud and bassy cut and the vinyl is extremely quiet, if you like your Pepper 'hot' then this is the one for you. I have made a needle drop of this release too, just to be on the safe side. I also have the MFSL 1982 box set and find the version here preferable to the Audio-5 version. Another audiophile version I own is the Gold Note Records pressing from 2016 (GN Records DT-01) limited to 500 copies, which sounds very good also and is worth tracking down. And as a final note I recently sold my mint unopened copy (copy # 79) of the Audio-5 pressing for AUS$4,000.00, it was a bittersweet sale but at least I still have copy # 70. Great video here, good work Andrew, I will subscribe.
I was at the same hifi show and purchased no.38 and 42 of the first 100 pressings of the 497 units for the show they are sealed mint condition i think i will sell .Open to offers
@@kevinirla1031 Hi Kevin, I wish you good luck with your sale, I'm sure you will find either a collector of audiophile records or a Beatles fan who will be very interested in your albums. Regards, Peter.
A few weeks ago I was fortunate to find a NM copy of the 2014 mono pressing (on Gumtree of all places!) for just £25! Nearly choked on my food when I saw it, as I'd given up hope of ever getting one at a reasonable price! It does sound wonderful, and between that and the 2017 stereo pressing I'm a happy pepper! 🙂 No plans to buy any others, but I'm sure the ones in this video sound great too.
I have the needledrop of UHQR, audio5 and Nimbus. I also have the physical copy of MSFL box set version, BC13, the famous 2014 mono, and the of course the 2017 remix. My conclusion: 2014 mono and the 2017 remix are the best. Yes, you have the 2 best versions of this album in my ears! The 2014 Mono is great for all the obvious reasons. The 2017 remix has everything….. vocals and instruments all centered and three dimensional, dead quiet in between tracks, great dynamics, it’s how the album was supposed to sound in stereo all those years. Finally, it’s damn affordable (as matter of fact, the cheapest one amongst the audiophile versions)!! Now, maybe that’s not fair, ok so amongst the original stereo mix, hands down Nimbus is the best, and boy did I enjoy the journey to get to these conclusions :-) By the way, what a score to find that 2014 mono at such low price. I wish I could say the same!
@@TheTigersfan20 Yeah Riiiiight!! Let's all go back to black and white TV too. It might be a good idea to go back to horse and buggy too. Imagine being rushed to hospital at 20 miles an hour and the horse stopping for a shit half way. No thanks.
Having grown up in the 80's and thus being accustomed to the stereo versions of the 60's recordings and never having experienced the era of mono vinyl and AM radio, I always felt that mono was just inferior and archaic and contained no inherent benefit whatsoever towards stereo. I also had the Yugoslav pressings of the first 3 Beatles albums, which all used the stereo mixes, while elsewhere they were only available in mono back in the day, and while the Yugoslav vinyls and cassettes were generally of lesser quality, I still preferred those. It wasn't until the Beatles mono albums were reissued in 2009 that I completely shifted my opinion on that issue, and Sgt Pepper especially was an absolute eye (or in fact ear) opener. Before that I could have never conceived that such a sonically complex and multi-layered record of all things would actually sound better in mono, but lo and behold, I stood corrected. Since then, I keep looking for original mono mixes of anything 60's and fortunately, a lot of those have been reissued on digital by now, such as the Dylan and Stones albums, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, or the complete Motown singles discography. There are still exceptions though. Jimi Hendrix for instance was practically born for stereo and he would basically go crazy on that format with all those panning sound effects, and I still do prefer the '95 stereo remix of Pet Sounds to the original mono version, as a matter of fact. But overall, I've come to appreciate the more punchy and dense sound of mono as opposed to the somewhat thin and empty sounding extreme channel separation of old stereo, which can be quite strenuous to the ears, especially on headphones.
Has anyone come across a Sgt Pepper with a faulty lock groove gibberish? My one has a runout index of YEX 638-2 and when the stylus reaches the lock groove, first I hear the shortened gibberish, followed a 1 second of silence, then it repeats I took a closer look on the lock groove and I have noticed that part of it is smooth which means that when the stylus plays that part, the sound cuts off.
Love it, unlike Abbey Road. Waiting for Revolver and Rubber Soul remixes by Giles. Wondering if stereo will mean less of the extreme panning. Ive made some 'remixes' of ( i think) the 2009 Rubber Soul' cd pulling the sides a tad closer together when needed. I simply hate drums on one side..
@@reuvengershon6625 AR always sounded a tad sterile to me even on record. Giles's remix adds too much bass which just separates it from the rest. I wonder if macca had a hand in that?
stero sound of the Beatles recording is amazing. I like it very much.. the separation between the channels makes the detail of the individual instruments and voices something captivating that makes today's recordings seem boring and stereotyped
I have what I assume to be a very rare pressin' o' Sgt. Pepper on vinyl. I purchased a red box mono Beatles collection.I was interested in each album but was especially interested in the mono version o' Sgt. Pepper. I listened to side 1, then flipped it over 'n was shocked to discover side 2 was in stereo! I wrote to EMI to explain this dilemma 'n asked for a replacement. What I received in return was a package containin' a replacement disc 'n a letter from an EMI executive. He apologized for the freak error 'n said although there were no more copies available he had taken the copy from his personal box to send to me. He said not to return my original copy so now I have a true mono copy as well as the mono/stereo version. Have you heard o' this pressin' mistake before 'n do you have any idea o' it's value? Thanks! Sincerely, John Collier.
No matter how good the pressing is of Pepper's original stereo mix is...the mix is often atrocious. The clear choice is Giles Martin's 2017 remarkable stereo remix from the original multi-tracks. Which has the density of the mono mix with the dimensionality of stereo. All earlier stereo versions are obsolete to my ears...because the original mix is terrible in comparison.
The bass on the 50th anniversary on sgt pepper is all over the place. I really want this album on mono. Also I want the original magical Mystery Tour mono.
Hi res needledrops of the Aussie version are out there! Just need to do some digging. Then again someone’s particular needledrop may have some different characteristics due to the gear used.
@@jonathanyork8977 When George Martin said it would be too expensive to hire an orchestra for Day in The Life, allegedly Ringo said "Hire half the orchestra and play it twice." Urban myth probably, but that's the kind of thing Ringo, master of the Mallapropism, might just say....
Great video, thanks. One thing to add, MFSL did a third cutting, done by Jack Hunt. The UHQR and "box set" cuttings were done by Stan Ricker, and as you said, do not have the "inner groove" recording on Side 2. The MFSL cut by Jack Hunt (released as an individual title) does have the inner groove recording, albeit not executed all that well.
I am lucky to own The Nimbus Hi cut version, and several others issues including the label mispress omiting Day In The Life. I always thought the Original Stereo Yellow & Black was how the Beatles wanted everyone to here the album. So few are around I would say for every 20 Mono Lp's I've found you'd be lucky to find one Black & Yellow original Stereo copy. Yet Record collector Magazine values them both the same. On a different note, I once meet a guy who as a young lad was the tea boy and friend of George Martin, Brian Epstein came into the studio in 63 and had given him a fully signed copy of a Stereo Gold Please Please Me and got Brian & George M to sign it too. Brian said "Look after it son it's only one of 900 it will be worth something on day!"
Of the versions I’ve heard (which is limited) , ive always preferred the mono mix and the 2014 Mono is my favorite. Would love to hear Nimbus but I don’t see that happening. No way am I shelling out 1700-2000 for a record
Thank you for this video. You mention the master tapes a lot in this video. Is there a video to be made about the life and journeys of some of The Beatles master tapes? One which talks about how they were originally kept, their connection to matrix numbers (which you also quote and show). What happened to that whole culture and management of sources when digital came along? The two copies of the master of St Pepper were made on the cusp of digital, the Australian Audio 5 and the Nimbus master. Where did the masters go after the cutting. Were they returned? I can imagine Nimbus still having the original analogue copy of their master tape. Generally what happens to analogue master tapes in the digital world, masters of The Beatles or of other artists? Are the analogue master tapes ever auctioned or sold to buyers with the equipment to play them on? At some level what I am asking about is rather like me asking about old and missing episodes of Dr Who-how many careless archivists could attach themselves to one highly popular TV show when we did not know the archivists existed or how careless they could be? But still...... ...over to you.
EMI Australia received a 1:1 copy of the UK master done at 30ips. I believe it still resides in their vaults. I would think that the mother and stamper would also be there. All of the Beatles’ masters are still kept at Abbey Road. Oh, they’re not fore sale either.
I remember finding that Sgt Pepper picture disc in a music store when I was in university over 25 years ago. I remember giving it to my brother, who was an even bigger Beatles fan than I was, and he framed it and had it ever since.
There’s an easy to find needledrop of the Australian rip online for download if you can accept that kind of thing. It sounds pretty good. I can’t really say much more than that. The clarity is great and the bass is crystal clear, even if it’s a little recessed, especially in comparison to the 2009 remaster.
I got the Nimbus copy of this and Band on the Run from the hi-fi magazine and they do indeed sound wonderful. Sure they were only £10 though not £30. There were other titles available including Wish You Were Here which I didn’t get, information
Very informative but there are so many stereo pressings of this albums, not discussed in this video. I just purchased a 2 EMI box black Parlophone label stereo copy from 1978, which I Believe came out of the BC13 box. I haven’t received it yet, but it’s in Near Mint “unplayed” condition. Are you aware of this pressing? And what are your thoughts on the sound quality? Thanks
I found that the stereo pressing of the UK Blue Box version was "as good" or better than the original 1967 UK version for this album. It was Matrix / Runout (Side O (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)): YEX 637-3 (stamped) HTM (etched) Matrix / Runout (Side P (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)): YEX 638-3 (stamped) HTM (etched) I can send you my digital files - I think you will be impressed with the sound quality.
Wow, there’s nothing more exhilarating than carefully scrutinizing the wave forms of a Beatles classic. I am wall-to-wall goosebumps! Let’s pretend it’s 1967 and watch this over and over again.
I dropped vinyl as soon as cds came out. Had a garage sale of all my albums, flogging them off for a dollar each, 2 dollars for the Australian pressing of the White Album. Silly bugger am I, although I just prefer the ease of use of cds and their inherent silence. The extended dynamic range is a plus too. I've never been tempted to go back to vinyl, not once, mostly because decent vinyl gear is beyond my capacity to either afford or justify. So I guess I'm not what one would call an audiophile, just an old dude with old ears. I've got everything Beatle on CD, even several copies of most. I generally don't hear a great difference, because my ears are glued on and don't work real well. Having said all that, the music mostly played in our car is Beatles, mainly the early stuff, all taken from mid-fi usb sticks, and it makes us happy, which I guess is what the hobby is about. I've watched quite a few of these Beatles podcasts, and though the emphasis is on vinyl, it matters not. I'm being provided with an education, and I thought I knew the Beatles well. How little do I know, so thanks for the education dude.....
Hi Andrew, how are you? While looking at an old huge Record Collector's price guide book, I've seen that EMI released two pressings in 1969, one last Yellow-Black label and the first Black-Silver, that you talk about by the end of the video... Is there any difference between the two versions? Do they come from the same master? Many thanks man!!! Max.
I am the very proud owner of a near mint copy of the Audio-5 pressing which I got for US$700 off Ebay about 2 years ago. I never thought I'd ever see a copy for sale and assumed that if I ever did it would be way out of my price range. It sounds great! I also have a red vinyl Australian pressing from 1987 which Discogs states is cut from the same master as the Audio-5 pressing. It also sounds great and I would recommend it as a lower price, much more common and similar sounding alternative to the Audio-5 LP.
Hi Mark. I just bought a copy of the 1987 red vinyl. $180. Mint. Sounds brilliant and cannot see those prices lasting when the penny drops on the pedigree! Well done on the Audio 5...BARGAIN!
I don't want to jinx it, but I'm very pleased to see that both this video - and your previous upload - have no dislikes. Content as good as this should never be disliked.
That 1983 Aust audio press. There may be another way to get it at a reasonable price. In 1987 EMI australia issued a 20th anniversary Sgt Peppers. Wanted something special so thought right...RED VINYL. They then realised their press could not do colored vinyl so they commissioned another company... Festival to do the press. They made new half speed masters from the same tapes made for the 1983 audio limited release (497). So you would have to imagine they would be OK! Many wants and very few haves with no sales that I can see on discogs. Imagine a lot less ...$200??... than the $1000s asked for the 1983 issue
Thank you for another priceless episode. Hope you might consider comparing the 5.1 mix from he box set a few years ago just to see what the differences are.
Andrew's video of the 'Beatles 2012 Box Set Improved' recommends the late 90's version of 'Yellow Submarine' on vinyl. It's still available today for about $30 on Walmart.com. It sounds incredible, and has 'Sgt Pepper's/Little Help from my Friends' and 'Lucy in the Sky'. Maybe the closest you'll get to the rare 'Nimbus' sound. I wish I knew where it was pressed. All the songs seem to 'float' as Andrew says.
I have some Nimbus jazz and classical CD's, along with samplers, and they certainly are quality recordings. If the Nimbus LP is half as good then i must try and find it.
I also have the same copy, and it was a US release on the Capitol label in 1967 and it’s a stereo copy with nothing on side 2 after “A Day in the Life”, just a silent inner groove with no gibberish. The UK version as you can see has gibberish at the end of side 2, while the US version doesn’t.
I have the needledrop of UHQR, audio5 and Nimbus. I also have the physical copy of MFSL box set, UK BC13, the famous 2014 mono, and the of course the 2017 remix. My conclusion: 2014 mono and the 2017 remix are the best. These are the 2 best versions of this album in my ears! The 2014 Mono is great for all the obvious reasons. The 2017 remix has everything….. vocals and instruments all centered and three dimensional, dead quiet in between tracks, great dynamics, it’s how the album was supposed to sound in stereo all those years. Finally, it’s damn affordable (as matter of fact, the cheapest one amongst the audiophile versions)!! Now, maybe that’s not fair, ok so amongst the original stereo mix, hands down Nimbus is the best, and boy did I enjoy the journey to get to these conclusions 🙂
Mono has had it's day. The current interest in mono is a fad. However the idiotic British panning of instruments to one channel and vocals all on the other is downright silly. So in that respect the mono can be a more rational sound. Remember unless you are deaf in one ear as is Brian Wilson we hear in stereo. This said Pepper is a a very overrated album. Rubber Soul and Revolver are the last two great Beatles albums.
Absolutely riveting and fascinating as always. I have a few Sgt Pepper's in my collection but none are rare or worth particularly more than I paid. I have an 80s US pressing, 70s Japanese pressing, and 2017 remix. The 2017 may be the best sounding of the ones I have. On the look out for an OG mono...
Great video....I love this stuff! I am fortunate enough to own a Sgt. Pepper from the MFSL box set but none of the others from your list. I do have a copy from the BC13 set as well as the 2014 mono so I am content with those. Thanks again for sharing and please continue to make more of these!
Isn't it true that in 1967 stereo albums were still priced higher and were relatively poor sellers compared to mono, so the Beatles took the attitude of "Why waste a lot of time mixing to a format that nobody's buying?"
I’ve heard this album was repressed plenty of times (along with the rest of the Beatles’ albums) during the 1970s and 1980s, but now the cutting was re-done with “HTM” (Harry T. Moss) etched in most of the runouts. What are your thoughts on the HTM cut, and is it worth seeking out (alongside the HTM cuts of the other albums)?
Anyone else out there have the exact first pressing original from 1967 this gentleman uses here? Is your copy noisy too? Oh and in near mint condition I might add. Wondering if it can vary between individual copies.
Hello, Andrew. For the standard MFSL press, did you notice in the dead wax if it was a "JH" Jack Hunt cutting, or an "SR/2" Stan Ricker cutting? Have you ever compared the two versions?
Hello Cameron, the one I tested was the "SR/2" Stan Ricker cutting from the box set. I believe Jack Hunt did the stand alone release, which I haven't heard.
If you are ever Down Under, please feel free to pop in for a cuppa and a listen to the Australian Pepper Audiophile Pressing. My rating is awesome. Please feel free to bring the Nimbus and we can compare. 👍
Excellent video! I think I'll stay with my two-box press for the stereo version of this album. Just wondering, have you ever encountered the side 2 -2 matrix on the B/Y Stereo Hard Day's Night pressings? I've just picked one up and it all looks 100% genuine but there's only a single Steve Hoffman reference to this specific matrix ever being used in the late '60s, perhpas a withdrawn cutting?
The side 2 -2 HDN stereo doesn't turn up too often. However it did appear again briefly on some later 2-box pressings. Its limited supply is due to an error on side 2 where the first fraction of a second of the drum crack on 'Anytime At All' is missing.
Thank you so very much. I really love your vids and how in depth you get with them. They are much appreciated. One of my true joys in life is putting on a good record, sitting back, and letting it just envelope me. I’m sure you know the feeling. Thanks again. ✌️🎶🔊🙂
Love your videos ,so informative ,I'm lucky enough to own Sgt Pepper and Band on the Run nimbus pressings bought from Practical Hi Fi in 1984 and both sound amazing, haven't compared it to the 2014 mono pressing yet.Just out of interest what hi fi system do you compare them on ?
Thank you, Richard. My main system components are a Project Debut Carbon turntable fitted with an Ortofon 2M blue cart going through a Naim Supernait amp.
I have several Sgt. Pepper pressings. In fact I have perhaps the worst sounding copy. A US Capitol green target label I bought at WH Grant in Newport News VA in 1972. I was ten at the time didn’t have a decent record player/stereo, and didn’t take care of it properly. Also I had a little brother who kinda hurt it. Anyways I have that, a Japanese pressing, a Greek pressing, an original mono US pressing, and an MSFL one. Out of all of these I’m kinda partial to the Greek one. Why I dunno, just am. Perhaps I should give it a spin.
Great video as usual. I love all the technical aspects of the different cuts. Can you shed any light on the first mono cut of Revolver side 2. Remix 11 of Tomorrow Never Knows. My friend has always had it, but didn't know it was unusual until I heard it. My Beatles sessions book says George Martin told Geoff Emerick to replace it with remix 8 before it was cut. But copies got out. How many?
Thanks, Jonathan. All your questions about remix 11 of 'Tomorrow Never Knows' are answered in this video I made it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8VE5P7hMkGI.html
More info on the Australian record here; www.beatlesaustralia.com/10_PEPPERS_7_audio5.html I"ve still got mine which I bought at the Sydney HI-Fi show in 1983. I was able to track down this webpage because of the markings etched into the disk; Side 1 - AUDIO 5 A 3 DB Side 2 - AUDIO 5 B DB STUDIO 301
Re: Audio-5 Im lucky enough to own the UHQR and Nimbus Supercut. I also own a late 80s Aussie press on red vinyl. It is said this red vinyl is pressed from the Audio-5 plates. It certainly sounds fantastic. Without going into a deep comparison, the nimbus sounds best to my ear. UHQR and red Aussie are on par.
I never had an issue with the Stereo version, although it severely lacks Bass and general impact when compared with the Mono. 'See H. Moss for this' refers to the legendary disc cutter Harry Moss. I don't know what advantage there is to gain by making a 30 ips copy of a 15 ips master. Although Nimbus' pedigree gave them legitimacy to make Compact Discs, it's the general feeling that the first CDs made sounded horrible and often were rush produced from inferior generations-old tape copies.
The copy tape running at 30ips was to reduce tape hiss and preserve the mid and high end frequencies. If the tape had run at 15ips, then you would’ve get double the amount of hiss from the master and of course the copy tape
I'm just gonna pretend that I know what half of this is about ...I've been a musician for 30 years and this video reminds me that ..I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about...and I'm glad cos this is like ' science class'....but I'm gonna pretend I know what it's about
I have former Yugoslavia issued copy,(stereo),vinyl 1987.Australian CD stereo copy,and Dutch issued stereo/ mono issue i think 2017...I had German picture disc but it was bad sound. And not to forgett,1987 cassette issued in Germany( apple label.)Sgt.Pappers are all of those.
A friend of mine has all of the audiophile versions mentioned in this presentation. On his system, he actually preferred the Australian half speed mastered version from 1984. He said that it surprised him about the outcome, although he did not go into this kind of detail on the sound. I cannot afford most of the audiophile pressing mentioned. I will just have to put up with the MFSL UHQR pressing.
How I have confidence in this recording company today?So make us the foolish with fake mono and stereo and yet pay much money for nothing sometimes.About this Sgt. Pepper´s so the remix make by Sir Giles Martin I found very good,because give that sound as I waiting a long time and now I can hear this Lp in high fidelity ok.I don´t like others remixes make before this date,because I found the sound fragile and don´t give that fight in my stereo turntable,so leave the wish this.I buy my record directly by Univesal Music and seen are original my guess,because pay expensive money,but have quality yet.Uchino of Japan.Thank you.
The Beatles remastered recordings are a waste of money. In 5 year's time today's remastered recordings will be in the bargain basement bin and priced at 15 pounds. Because technology will have moved on and they will be remastered again. 5 more year's goes by and the same happens again. And so on and on. Also, to appreciate the remasters, you will need a listening device practically as good as Abbey road studios themselves. As most folks listen to their music on a cellphone or laptop, they can't possibly here any difference between the original recording, and the remastered recordings. Save your money is my advice. I am still listening ( on my Sony Walkman) to Beatles recordings made back in the 80s. They sound just fine😁😁👍👍
