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First, the mono mixes are different. These are true mono mixes, not someone combining the left and right from a stereo mix. In some cases, the mono version is a completely different take! As such, you will hear things on some tracks that are missing in the stereo mix. In the early years, The Beatles and George Martin did prefer to mix for mono, and stereo was an afterthought. This did change as time went by, but while they still did mono releases, these were always a separate mix and process. The sound quality is excellent, and is worthy to take a place in your Beatle library. Second, there are a lot of completely clueless people reviewing this set. Those that find fault aren't listening closely enough or are incapable of understanding what they are hearing. A really clueless comment is that the set lacks the albums that followed The White Album. Yellow Sub, Abbey Road, and Let It Be were never mixed or released in mono. Duh! Others seem to think that stereo itself was something unheard of at the time these recordings were made. Note: Commercial stereo recording has been around as early as 1952, and stereo records came into being in 1958, and many stereo players and releases were available from the outset. Initially a stereo version was a dollar more than a mono version. Stereo records really picked up by 1963 and started out-selling mono records by 1966, in the US at any rate, at the peak of The Beatles' career. But, while mono record buyers were still a substantial part of the market, mono mixes were necessary. To a non-audiophile or non-musician, or someone that isn't old enough to remember the mono mixes, they may decide they've been ripped off and will warn others not to buy this set. Well, I am a musician, an audiophile, as well as a mastering engineer, and a life long fan of The Beatles, and I can declare that this set is AWESOME! The best ride in this set , I would have to say, is Sgt. Pepper, but all of it sounds great. A nice bonus on this set is the inclusion of the original 1965 stereo mixes for Help! and Rubber Soul. Before the initial release of the Beatles catalog on CD in 1987, George Martin decided that the original stereo mixes weren't up to snuff on these two albums and remixed them from the final pre-production master for the CD version. If the mono mixes are the definitive version to you, you will need this set. For me personally, I prefer the stereo versions for the most part, but sometimes I am nostalgically drawn to the mono mixes and have to hear them again. Great set!Read full review
I would have liked to have had, Yellow sub, Let It Be and Abby Road in this collection. I am not sure why exactly they could not have been included but it is still a very nice collection to have. For the savy collector, if you do not need to have the box, one would be just as well to collect the single discs and be just as satisfied. For the money and effort the small book that comes with you could live with out and find the info and pictures else where.
I purchased this box not only for sound quality, but also 'cause I cannot afford one of the few mono vinyl box sets still around; I hope EMI/Apple decides to reissue the vinyl set for people like me who missed out on the original 2014 run.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
The only missing from this collection are the albums Let It Be, Abbey Road and Yellow Submarine. Other than that, this is the collection to beat all collections. I got into a debate with a friend of mine who bought the stereo version of this collection... I am not necessarily a purist but with music and film I want to see or hear the film or record the creator wanted to put out to the world. Stereo was just coming into being at the end of the Beatles' career. As such, it has been said that the Fab Four put more effort and care into the mono versions than the stereo versions. In fact, they oftened used different takes for each version. It is said that the mono versions are the ones that are the definitive version of what the group wanted to put out. Given that this group influence rock music as we know it (even grunge and beyond) I want to hear their vision... this is it.Read full review
When The Beatles first started recording in the Abbey Road EMI Studios, monophonic recording was the only way available to record. Stereo was, literally, in its infancy. George Harrison related a story of a party with one stereo speaker in one room and one in another room. The whole song was unable to be heard. The Beatles decided to stay with mono. The secondary engineers at Abbey Road were not present at the sessions and when given the job of "splitting" the mono tracks into stereo, failed miserably. One song in which the differences are immediately noticeable is the Sgt. Pepper reprise. At the beginning of the tune, you hear Ringo say, "You say it." And Paul counts off. In the stereo version, nothing is heard except a muffled count-off. Pitiful. So, I first saw the Mono set and was resigned to never owning it. Tooooo pricey and for no good reason except, "we've got it; how bad do you want it?" As luck would have it, someone reniged on their bid, so I got it on eBay very cheaply. And I'm very happy!Read full review
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