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The Beatles - The Beatles Mono Box Set Audio CD

A fair review of the The Beatles "The Beatles Mono Box Set" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Beatles reviews here, or go back to the The Beatles tabs.

The Beatles Band: The Beatles
Title: The Beatles Mono Box Set
Rating:
Release Date: 2009-09-09
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: I Saw Her Standing There [Mono Version] 2: Misery [Mono Version] 3: Anna (Go to Him) [Mono Version] 4: Chains [Mono Version] 5: Boys [Mono Version] 6: Ask Me Why [Mono Version] 7: Please Please Me [Mono Version] 8: Love Me Do [Mono Version] 9: P.S. I Love You [Mono Version] 10: Baby It's You [Mono Version] 11: Do You Want to Know a Secret [Mono Version] 12: Taste of Honey 13: There's a Place [Mono Version] 14: Twist and Shout [Mono Version] 15: It Won't Be Long [Mono Version] 16: All I've Got to Do [Mono Version] 17: All My Loving [Mono Version] 18: Don't Bother Me [Mono Version] 19: Little Child [Mono Version] 20: Till There Was You [Mono Version] 21: Please Mister Postman 22: Roll Over Beethoven [Mono Version] 23: Hold Me Tight [Mono Version] 24: You Really Got a Hold on Me [Mono Version] 25: I Wanna Be Your Man [Mono Version] 26: Devil in Her Heart [Mono Version] 27: Not a Second Time [Mono Version] 28: Money (That's What I Want) [Mono Version] 29: Hard Day's Night [Mono Version] 30: I Should Have Known Better [Mono Version] 31: If I Fell [Mono Version] 32: I'm Happy Just to Dance with You [Mono Version] 33: And I Love Her [Mono Version] 34: Tell Me Why [Mono Version] 35: Can't Buy Me Love [Mono Version] 36: Any Time at All 37: I'll Cry Instead [Mono Version] 38: Things We Said Today [Mono Version] 39: When I Get Home [Mono Version] 40: You Can't Do That [Mono Version] 41: I'll Be Back [Mono Version] 42: No Reply [Mono Version] 43: I'm a Loser [Mono Version] 44: Baby's in Black [Mono Version] 45: Rock and Roll Music [Mono Version] 46: I'll Follow the Sun [Mono Version] 47: Mr. Moonlight [Mono Version] 48: Kansas City: Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! 49: Eight Days a Week [Mono Version] 50: Words of Love [Mono Version] 51: Honey Don't [Mono Version] 52: Every Little Thing [Mono Version] 53: I Don't Want to Spoil the Party [Mono Version] 54: What You're Doing [Mono Version] 55: Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby [Mono Version] 56: Help! [from the Film "Help! "] [Mono Version] 57: Night Before [from the Film "Help! "] [Mono Version] 58: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away [from the Film "Help! "] [Mono Versio 59: I Need You [from the Film "Help! "] [Mono Version] 60: Another Girl [from the Film "Help! "] [Mono Version] 61: You're Going to Lose That Girl [from the Film "Help! "] [Mono Version] 62: Ticket to Ride [from the Film "Help! "] [Mono Version] 63: Act Naturally [Mono Version] 64: It's Only Love [Mono Version] 65: You Like Me Too Much [Mono Version] 66: Tell Me What You See [Mono Version] 67: I've Just Seen a Face [Mono Version] 68: Yesterday [Mono Version] 69: Dizzy Miss Lizzy [Mono Version] 70: Help! [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 71: Night Before [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 72: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 73: I Need You [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 74: Another Girl [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 75: You're Going to Lose That Girl [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 76: Ticket to Ride [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 77: Act Naturally [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 78: It's Only Love [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 79: You Like Me Too Much [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 80: Tell Me What You See [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 81: I've Just Seen a Face [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 82: Yesterday [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 83: Dizzy Miss Lizzy [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 84: Drive My Car [Mono Version] 85: Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) [Mono Version] 86: You Won't See Me [Mono Version] 87: Nowhere Man [Mono Version] 88: Think for Yourself [Mono Version] 89: Word [Mono Version] 90: Michelle [Mono Version] 91: What Goes On [Mono Version] 92: Girl [Mono Version] 93: I'm Looking Through You [Mono Version] 94: In My Life [Mono Version] 95: Wait [Mono Version] 96: If I Needed Someone [Mono Version] 97: Run for Your Life [Mono Version] 98: Drive My Car [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 99: Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 100: You Won't See Me [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 101: Nowhere Man [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 102: Think for Yourself [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 103: Word [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 104: Michelle [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 105: What Goes On [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 106: Girl [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 107: I'm Looking Through You [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 108: In My Life [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 109: Wait [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 110: If I Needed Someone [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 111: Run for Your Life [Original 1965 Stereo Mix] 112: Taxman [Mono Version] 113: Eleanor Rigby [Mono Version] 114: I'm Only Sleeping [Mono Version] 115: Love You To [Mono Version] 116: Here, There and Everywhere [Mono Version] 117: Yellow Submarine [Mono Version] 118: She Said She Said [Mono Version] 119: Good Day Sunshine [Mono Version] 120: And Your Bird Can Sing [Mono Version] 121: For No One [Mono Version] 122: Doctor Robert [Mono Version] 123: I Want to Tell You [Mono Version] 124: Got to Get You into My Life [Mono Version] 125: Tomorrow Never Knows [Mono Version] 126: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Mono Version] 127: With a Little Help from My Friends [Mono Version] 128: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds [Mono Version] 129: Getting Better [Mono Version] 130: Fixing a Hole [Mono Version] 131: She's Leaving Home [Mono Version] 132: Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! [Mono Version] 133: Within You Without You [Mono Version] 134: When I'm Sixty-Fout [Mono Version] 135: Lovely Rita [Mono Version] 136: Good Morning Good Morning [Mono Version] 137: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) [Mono Version] 138: Day in the Life [Mono Version] 139: Magical Mystery Tour [from the Film "Magical Mystery Tour"] [Mono Versi 140: Fool on the Hill [from the Film "Magical Mystery Tour"] [Mono Version] 141: Flying [from the Film "Magical Mystery Tour"] [Mono Version] 142: Blue Jay Way [from the Film "Magical Mystery Tour"] [Mono Version] 143: Your Mother Should Know [from the Film "Magical Mystery Tour"] [Mono Ve 144: I Am the Walrus [from the Film "Magical Mystery Tour"] [Mono Version] 145: Hello, Goodbye [Mono Version] 146: Strawberry Fields Forever [Mono Version] 147: Penny Lane [Mono Version] 148: Baby, You're a Rich Man [Mono Version] 149: All You Need Is Love [Mono Version] 150: Back in the U.S.S.R. [Mono Version] 151: Dear Prudence [Mono Version] 152: Glass Onion [Mono Version] 153: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da [Mono Version] 154: Wild Honey Pie [Mono Version] 155: Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill [Mono Version] 156: While My Guitar Gently Weeps [Mono Version] 157: Happiness Is a Warm Gun [Mono Version] 158: Martha My Dear [Mono Version] 159: I'm So Tired [Mono Version] 160: Blackbird [Mono Version] 161: Piggies [Mono Version] 162: Rocky Raccoon [Mono Version] 163: Don't Pass Me By [Mono Version] 164: Why Don't We Do It in the Road? [Mono Version] 165: I Will [Mono Version] 166: Julia [Mono Version] 167: Birthday [Mono Version] 168: Yer Blues [Mono Version] 169: Mother Nature's Son [Mono Version] 170: Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey [Mono Version 171: Sexy Sadie [Mono Version] 172: Helter Skelter [Mono Version] 173: Long, Long, Long [Mono Version] 174: Revolution I [Mono Version] 175: Honey Pie [Mono Version] 176: Savoy Truffle [Mono Version] 177: Cry Baby Cry [Mono Version] 178: Revolution 9 [Mono Version] 179: Good Night [Mono Version] 180: Love Me Do [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 181: From Me to You [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 182: Thank You Girl [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 183: She Loves You [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 184: I'll Get You [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 185: I Want to Hold Your Hand [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 186: This Boy [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 187: Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 188: Sie Liebt Dich [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 189: Long Tall Sally [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 190: I Call Your Name [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 191: Slow Down [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 192: Matchbox [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 193: I Feel Fine [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 194: She's a Woman [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 195: Bad Boy [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 196: Yes It Is [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 197: I'm Down [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 198: Day Tripper [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 199: We Can Work It Out [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 200: Paperback Writer [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 201: Rain [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 202: Lady Madonna [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 203: Inner Light [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 204: Hey Jude [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 205: Revolution [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 206: Only a Northern Song [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 207: All Together Now [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 208: Hey Bulldog [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 209: It's All Too Much [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 210: Get Back [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 211: Don't Let Me Down [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 212: Across the Universe [2009 Digital Remaster][Version] 213: You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) [2009 Digital Remaster][Version]

Worth it just for "Helter Skelter"
And for some reason, all of John's songs from the "White Album" are a lot punchier. No, seriously, the mono mix of "Helter Skelter" is overwhelmingly powerful and worth the cost of the set for any true Beatles fan. In general, the background vocals and percussion really pop in these mixes, while Paul's bass, overly prominent in the stereo versions, is mixed down somewhat, resulting in a more balanced mix overall. Of course, the mono mix of "Pepper' is the only way to hear that album. So what are you waiting for? .


Never thought I'd call Mono a thing of beauty
People's thoughts are so diverse no-one can be totally right or wrong but it's fun to share experiences right?

I thought Beatles in Stereo was going to be IT. These are my thoughts and experiences. The best, Beatles holy grail, get rid of the mono recordings and be done with it - all of that.

Now I've been listening to The Beatles since the early 70's. I watched the movie "Hard Day's Night" and was mesmerised and hooked. I was about ten I guess.

So the first LP I managed to save for was Hard Day's Night. The stereo release and it sounded so good. The next was Sgt Peppers. First class, blow your mind Sgt Peppers in mono.

I didn't buy many more after that, just listened to other peoples.

Then the CD's started dribbling out. But Hard Day's Night was only released in Mono here - Yuk I thought to myself. Hard Day's Night sounds wonderful in Stereo, why go mono? So I didn't buy it. I did however buy Sgt Peppers - it was released in Stereo.

Stereo is better right?

Thinking back, I listened to Stereo Peppers just a handful of times on CD.
It just never had the same impact on my subliminal self that I had enjoyed as a youngster. I just presumed I had grown up and my taste had changed.

Now, all these years later, after purchasing the Stereo and Mono set, and after reading some of the excellent reviews on this site I've realised the obvious. Peppers sounded better from my LP for the simple fact that it was mono.

Peppers was destroyed by the stereo re-mix (at least as far as I'm concerned it was). The left/right sounded so thin and weak and the impact was gone. Left/right wasn't as bad as Revolver, Rubber Sole etc but most of the time; the Stereo album had lost something.

Now Sgt Peppers has the same impact from my budget but reasonable (NAD CD, Pioneer A400 amp, Paradigm loud speakers, naim speaker cables) system, as I remember it sounding decades ago. I'm serious - the mono does sound that good.

So I find I'm getting the most enjoyment from the Mono mixes for the most part.

Abbey Road has always been stereo (have to say the new release is magic - never noticed Paul's chuckle in Maxwell's Silver Hammer before), Hard day's night stereo (just sounds right and after reading the reviews I now know why - early multi-track), and the bulk of the others beautiful Mono (never thought I'd call Mono a format of beauty).

Speaking of Hard Day's Night has anyone noticed the mono recording differs from the stereo recording? Listen to "I Should Have Known Better" and pay attention to the harmonica riff at the opening of the song. It breaks toward the end of the riff on the stereo mix but not the mono.

It's always made me wonder what other differences there are between Beatles mono and stereo recordings.

Anyway - what ever folk own with the new releases we now have choice so I hope you can enjoy the new remasters as much as I am. Loads of fun.

Cheers. .


A definitive, unparalleled Beatles listening experience
Now I don't know how limited this set will end up being, but I'm incredibly glad I am able to own this. After reading many of the positive reviews for this Mono set, I was sold on purchasing myself a copy of the set as well as a gift copy for my father for Xmas.

The only thing I wish they had done differently is corrected the speed of "Don't Pass Me By," the first Ringo song on the White Album. For some reason there was a mastering error on the original Mono release which resulted in it running at a faster speed (thus raising the pitch of the music/vocals). The stereo version plays at the natural speed, and clearly trumps the mono version on which Ringo sounds like he just breathed helium. Now it's understandable that to present the authentic original mono mixes they would keep the original mistake, but this is a case where I think the public would have benefitted from a correction (and besides how many people in the USA ever had a copy of the MONO version? It was never released in the USA in mono. ) I don't think too many people would have cried foul if this were the only correction.

Other than that the only place where I would prefer the stereo mix to the mono mix version is on the song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" on Sgt. Pepper's. This is one of the only places where I find that the stereo panning adds to the psychedelic effect of the song (on one of their most psychedelic songs). Although Sgt. Pepper's is the one everyone seems to insist is far, far greater in Mono, and while I agree that it is indeed quite fabulous in mono, I personally thought they did a great job with the stereo remaster this time around (and originally) and that album would be the only one worth also purchasing in stereo (aside from the albums never released in MONO and not available with this box set, Abbey Road, Let it Be and Yellow Submarine. ) It is to be noted though that as others have said the faster version of "She's Leaving Home" on the mono version is clearly superior to the stereo. It is my opinion that even though apparently the Beatles themselves didn't have anything to do with the stereo mixes of Sgt. Peppers, the engineers did a phenomenal job mixing the album for stereo and to me the stereo mix of this album holds up pretty well versus the mono. Still, I would prefer to listen to the mono mix.

To contrast what other people have said, I found that the two albums most benefitting from the MONO treatment were Magical Mystery Tour and The White Album. Case in point is "Glass Onion", the 3rd track on The White Album. You would have to be crazy to prefer the stereo mix of this song. It's practically beyond opinion and a solid fact that the mono mix of this song is superior. For some reason the bass and drums are panned to opposite sides on the stereo mix, which sounds ok until you hear the mono version where the combined drums and bass practically punches you in the gut! I by far prefer the mono version of The White Album with the obvious exception of the mastering mistake on "Don't Pass Me By".

Magical Mystery Tour in mono is probably my favorite so far, that just goes to show you what a difference there can be in preferences between listeners. I haven't read a single testimonial praising the mono mix of this album versus the stereo mix, and to me it's as clear as day that the mono is way better.

Revolver is excellent in mono, even the extreme psychedelia of "Tommorow Never Knows", but it's a crying shame that the feedback note at the end of the guitar solo was mixed out of the mono version. That alone makes it a real toss up between mono and stereo versions on that song. It had to have been one of the very first examples, if not THE very first example of distorted electric guitar feedback on a recording, so to be missing that bit of rock history on the mono version is a let down, even though I feel the song overall sounds better in mono.

All in all, from start to finish, I found the mono box set to be a revelation. Everything sounds so sharp and clear, never "muddy" as so many people have suggested, but who knows what people are listening to these through. I should also point out that the potency of these mixes vs. the stereo mixes isn't as clear to me when I listen through my mid-range computer speakers. Through the receiver and bookshelf speakers The Beatles in Mono is an unparalleled listening experience. .


It's All Too Much!
The only comment I have regarding the MONO box set is that I wish Abbey Road would have had a mono mix. . I have discovered so many details on the mono versions compared to the stereo versions that were not apparent before!

Oh! one more thing:

Apart from eBay, where else does it state that this is a "Limited" edition?

The box set itself doesn't mention it. . .

T wonder. . .

In any case, this mono box is the one to have, limited edition or not!.


The mono box is great ! White album in mono is tremendous !
I have all the 87 cd's and it was time to listen to Revolver and Peper in mono after all that has been said about these mix. It was hard to choose but I finally opted for the mono box.

A great box indeed ! I'm glad I have it. Peper in mono is fantastic. But the real revelation is the White album mono mix. I think it's far better. Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence are just tremendous. And even Ob La Di-Ob La Da sounds nice without the stupids hand claps of the stereo version.

But is it the ultimate box ? No. Some stereo remasters works better and for each cd it's mainly a question of taste. Mono or stereo ? Here's my choice :

PPS : mono even if I'm not so impressed. Actually I love the stereo version of the Capitol Early Beatles album.
WTB : mono, but again I think the stereo Capitol Second album with the reverb is great.
AHDN : stereo. Mono is also great.
BFS : stereo shines.
Help : stereo. Don't forget that the 65 stereo mix in on the mono box. But the capitol version is the one I love best. That's only me you know. . .
RS : stereo, more airy . .
Revolver : stereo, even if Taxman and Rigby are better in their mono incarnations. But overall I'm a bit dissapointed with the mono mix : the trippiest songs are best heard in stereo.
Peper : mono, so smooth. Really great !
MMT : mono.
White album : mono. The real surprise for me !

KInd regards.


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