The Beatles Super Deluxe sets and your reviews please

[rich]

I have refrained from buying these. I have been buying these LP's and everything Beatles since the very early 70's. It's partly the cost, they just seem very excessive dollar wise for what you get and again I have everything they have put out but these. Having said that I think I'm going to give in and purchase one. I really want to hear the surround sound versions and the rarities. I found plenty of reviews for the individual releases but could not find one review comparing them or ranking them to each other... by say which has the best 5.1 disc or which has the best or most unreleased outtakes... Abbey Road and Let it Be are both now under $100 US so that's a plus, The White Album is over $200! Sgt Peppers and Revolver right in the middle.

So I defer to the members who own or have heard these. Any favorites or opinions?

[Garyhead]

I believe the white album is OOP. It is getting pricy and no longer available on The Beatles Website. Get one while you can. Same goes eventually for the others.

[Mister Triscuits]

Pepper and the White Album are by far the most generous with unreleased material. Abbey Road is good, too, but the creep towards making the CDs match the limitations of vinyl had begun. Let It Be offers a disappointingly small sampling of the vast amount of session material available, and wasting a whole disc on a four-song so-called "EP" in both vinyl and CD formats is downright insulting. I do not own the new Revolver, but I can say that it's again stingy in unreleased material, wasteful of plastic, and overpriced. The omission of the surround mix from the CD edition is a big misstep. At least the EP in the vinyl edition actually is an EP this time, being pressed on a 7" disc.

[rich]

Pepper and the White Album are by far the most generous with unreleased material. Abbey Road is good, too, but the creep towards making the CDs match the limitations of vinyl had begun. Let It Be offers a disappointingly small sampling of the vast amount of session material available, and wasting a whole disc on a four-song so-called "EP" in both vinyl and CD formats is downright insulting. I do not own the new Revolver, but I can say that it's again stingy in unreleased material, wasteful of plastic, and overpriced. The omission of the surround mix from the CD edition is a big misstep. At least the EP in the vinyl edition actually is an EP this time, being pressed on a 7" disc.

Thank you Gary and Mr Triscuits.

The White Album does look best but that is pricey! But considering what a ticket to a top concert cost's and that experience is over in 2/3 hours... I think I can get Abbey Road and Sgt Peppers for the price of the White LP so I may go that route. Let it Be was covered quite well by Peter Jackson.

[ronmac]

Actually the best Beatles/Beatles-related SDE to come out in recent years is "All Things Must Pass."

[moecurlythanu]

Thanks for the thread, guys. Between last night and this morning I purchased the CD Deluxe Editions of Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, and The Beatles. I already have the 2 CD edition of Abbey Road. I don't know if I'll go for Let It Be. I'm guessing no Deluxe Editions for RS, MMT and YS?

[ronmac]

Thanks for the thread, guys. Between last night and this morning I purchased the CD Deluxe Editions of Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, and The Beatles. I already have the 2 CD edition of Abbey Road. I don't know if I'll go for Let It Be. I'm guessing no Deluxe Editions for RS, MMT and YS?

Rubber Soul could be next. I would not expect one for Yellow Submarine, but a MMT one would be nice (even though it wasn't an LP), as well as A Hard Day's Night, at the very least.

[rich]

Thanks for the thread, guys. Between last night and this morning I purchased the CD Deluxe Editions of Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, and The Beatles. I already have the 2 CD edition of Abbey Road. I don't know if I'll go for Let It Be. I'm guessing no Deluxe Editions for RS, MMT and YS?

Safe to say it will take a few days to run through these... let us know your thoughts...

Ronmac in a follow up post speculated Rubber Soul would be next... That does seem to be the next logical release.

[Garyhead]

I was able to obtain The White Album copy #0001599 from Amazon UK last month. It had a bad disc #3 so I ordered another copy. Made up one complete copy and sent the other one back with 2 defective discs.

Yes, they are individually Numbered. The low #'s are going for STOOPID money right now on eBay.

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

My White Album is #00024049. Too bad it has been played to death for 45 years!

[rich]

I was able to obtain The White Album copy #0001599 from Amazon UK last month. It had a bad disc #3 so I ordered another copy. Made up one complete copy and sent the other one back with 2 defective discs.

Yes, they are individually Numbered. The low #'s are going for STOOPID money right now on eBay.

You are in the USA aren't you Gary? And you bought it from Amazon UK?? Was it cheaper that way? Just curious, maybe I'll go the same route!

[Mister Triscuits]

I was able to obtain The White Album copy #0001599 from Amazon UK last month. It had a bad disc #3 so I ordered another copy. Made up one complete copy and sent the other one back with 2 defective discs.

Yes, they are individually Numbered. The low #'s are going for STOOPID money right now on eBay.

I don't know how such a low number would be available at this late date. I bought it when it was first released and my copy is #0126722.

[Garyhead]

You are in the USA aren't you Gary? And you bought it from Amazon UK?? Was it cheaper that way? Just curious, maybe I'll go the same route!

It was simply the Cheapest Price when I searched Amazon. I think they were defective Returns and Amazon UK just put new shrink wrap on them. First copy had a bad disc#3 and the 2nd one had a bad disc#4. I just assembled a working set and returned the bad one....Final price $106.00 the price was fluctuating daily.

[Garyhead]

I don't know how such a low number would be available at this late date. I bought it when it was first released and my copy is #0126722.

See post #13. I think it was an early defective copy resold w/o checking for bad discs. Disc 3 had two short rehearsal recordings not play at the end of the disc.

[starless and bible black]

I have refrained from buying these. I have been buying these LP's and everything Beatles since the very early 70's. It's partly the cost, they just seem very excessive dollar wise for what you get and again I have everything they have put out but these. Having said that I think I'm going to give in and purchase one. I really want to hear the surround sound versions and the rarities. I found plenty of reviews for the individual releases but could not find one review comparing them or ranking them to each other... by say which has the best 5.1 disc or which has the best or most unreleased outtakes... Abbey Road and Let it Be are both now under $100 US so that's a plus, The White Album is over $200! Sgt Peppers and Revolver right in the middle.

So I defer to the members who own or have heard these. Any favorites or opinions?

My ranking on The Beatles Super Deluxe Editions (the ones that I own anyway);

1. The Beatles (aka The White Album), 2. Sgt. Pepper, 3. Abbey Road

[ca1ore]

I bought them solely for the surround versions …. plus I figure if needed I could get most of my $$$ back on the used market. I have even thought about keeping the surround discs, and selling off the rest as they just take up space on my credenza. I did that for all the Rush Sector sets. FWIW, my favorite Beatles surround disc is the Love soundtrack.

[mozo-pg]

Received my Box today!

[rich]

I bought them solely for the surround versions …. plus I figure if needed I could get most of my $$$ back on the used market. I have even thought about keeping the surround discs, and selling off the rest as they just take up space on my credenza. I did that for all the Rush Sector sets. FWIW, my favorite Beatles surround disc is the Love soundtrack.

Baed on your take on the Love soundtrack I bought the 5.1 fo $20 bucks on amazon. Can't wait to hear it... and a bargain at that! Had no idea that was out there in 5.1.

[ca1ore]

Baed on your take on the Love soundtrack I bought the 5.1 fo $20 bucks on amazon. Can't wait to hear it... and a bargain at that! Had no idea that was out there in 5.1.

I ‘love’ it LOL. Some might find it a bit heretical since it plays around with some of the classic songs, but I was blown away when I first heard it. Had no idea that the old analog tapes used in the mix could sound that good. Hope you enjoy it.

[TheNefariousHED]

We find them all to be essential. The White Album stands out for me. I can also heartily recommend the Love 5.1 as well.

Because of the lack of a Blu-ray with surround and HD audio mixes, we are sticking to the 2-CD edition of Revolver.

[ronmac]

Had no idea that the old analog tapes used in the mix could sound that good. Hope you enjoy it.

Some call it warmth.

Seriously, though, there are recordings earlier than The Beatles that sound tremendous. A lot of Buddy Holly studio tracks are just stunning.

[JKL2000]

My super-deluxe white album is #0021005 for those who were very curious. I ought to get Let It Be and Revolver, I’ve got the others, and the only copies I own are crappy Chinese counterfeits.

[ca1ore]

Some call it warmth.

Seriously, though, there are recordings earlier than The Beatles that sound tremendous. A lot of Buddy Holly studio tracks are just stunning.

My point was less about them being analog, and more about how long they had been sitting in tins and under what conditions. Had a similar reaction to the Genesis Live box where tapes unearthed from 1973 still sounded great.

[ronmac]

Rubber Soul could be next. I would not expect one for Yellow Submarine, but a MMT one would be nice (even though it wasn't an LP), as well as A Hard Day's Night, at the very least.

FWIW, I did just grab a nice fan-made unofficial Yellow Submarine two-disc special edition. It even includes the original comic book!

Disc 1 - Main Album
01. Pepperland
02. March Of The Meanies
03. Yellow Submarine
04. Liverpool
05. Eleanor Rigby
06. Love You To
07. Entering The Seas
08. All Together Now
09. Sea Of Time
10. When I'm Sixty Four
11. Only A Northern Song
12. Sea Of Monsters
13. Nowhere Man
14. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
15. Sea Of Holes / Sea Of Green
16. Yellow Submarine In Pepperland
17. Think For Yourself
18. Pepperland Laid Waste
19. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
20. With a Little Help From My Friends
21. March Of The Meanies (Reprise)
22. All You Need Is Love
23. Baby You're A Rich Man
24. Hey Bulldog
25. It's All Too Much
26. All Together Now

Disc 2 - Outtakes and Extras
01. Yellow Submarine (Take 5)
02. Nowhere Man (Live At The Nippon Budokan Hall)
03. Think For Yourself (Take 1 / Instrumental)
04. Eleanor Rigby (Take 14 / Strings Only)
05. Eleanor Rigby (Take 15)
06. When I'm Sixty-Four (Take 2)
07. When I'm Sixty-Four (Take 4)
08. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Take 1 / Instrumental)
09. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Take 9 and Speech)
10. Only A Northern Song (Takes 3 & 12)
11. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Take 1 And Speech At The End)
12. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Speech, False Start and Take 5)
13. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Take 6, 7 & 8)
14. With A Little Help From My Friends
15. It's All Too Much [RM1 - Full-Length Version]
16. All You Need Is Love [Take Unknown]
17. All You Need Is Love [Warmup]
18. All You Need Is Love [Take 58]
19. The Inner Light [Stereo Backing Track]
20. The Inner Light [Take 6 / Instrumental Backing Track]
21. The Inner Light [Take 8]
22. Lady Madonna [Jam Session]
23. Lady Madonna [Overdub Track]
24. Lady Madonna [Take 3]
25. Lady Madonna [Take 4]
26. Lady Madonna [Take 5]
27. She Can Talk To Me [Hey Bulldog Demo]

[JKL2000]

FWIW, I did just grab a nice fan-made unofficial Yellow Submarine two-disc special edition. It even includes the original comic book!

Disc 1 - Main Album
01. Pepperland
02. March Of The Meanies
03. Yellow Submarine
04. Liverpool
05. Eleanor Rigby
06. Love You To
07. Entering The Seas
08. All Together Now
09. Sea Of Time
10. When I'm Sixty Four
11. Only A Northern Song
12. Sea Of Monsters
13. Nowhere Man
14. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
15. Sea Of Holes / Sea Of Green
16. Yellow Submarine In Pepperland
17. Think For Yourself
18. Pepperland Laid Waste
19. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
20. With a Little Help From My Friends
21. March Of The Meanies (Reprise)
22. All You Need Is Love
23. Baby You're A Rich Man
24. Hey Bulldog
25. It's All Too Much
26. All Together Now

Disc 2 - Outtakes and Extras
01. Yellow Submarine (Take 5)
02. Nowhere Man (Live At The Nippon Budokan Hall)
03. Think For Yourself (Take 1 / Instrumental)
04. Eleanor Rigby (Take 14 / Strings Only)
05. Eleanor Rigby (Take 15)
06. When I'm Sixty-Four (Take 2)
07. When I'm Sixty-Four (Take 4)
08. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Take 1 / Instrumental)
09. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Take 9 and Speech)
10. Only A Northern Song (Takes 3 & 12)
11. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Take 1 And Speech At The End)
12. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Speech, False Start and Take 5)
13. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Take 6, 7 & 8)
14. With A Little Help From My Friends
15. It's All Too Much [RM1 - Full-Length Version]
16. All You Need Is Love [Take Unknown]
17. All You Need Is Love [Warmup]
18. All You Need Is Love [Take 58]
19. The Inner Light [Stereo Backing Track]
20. The Inner Light [Take 6 / Instrumental Backing Track]
21. The Inner Light [Take 8]
22. Lady Madonna [Jam Session]
23. Lady Madonna [Overdub Track]
24. Lady Madonna [Take 3]
25. Lady Madonna [Take 4]
26. Lady Madonna [Take 5]
27. She Can Talk To Me [Hey Bulldog Demo]

With disk one, putting the music in the order it's in in the movie seems to make sense, but I think I'm too used to my old LP where the "soundtrack" and Beatles music are on separate sides.