Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems The Beatles

Any thoughts as to the sound quality on the new box set?

I have my name on the list and I'll go pick it up tomorrow.

My concern is that they will have compressed the sound because that's how the record companies seem to be mastering the new music. My hope is they say they spent years going back over the original master tapes and working the best magic they could on them. Im hoping for just a more pleasing result in the car, on the iPod, and yes, via the big M rig. I have a feeling I will be rewarded in the car and via the iPod but Im concerned the M gear will expose the compression and result in a flat sound.

It's funny how you mention the Beatles.

Just heard a show on NPR this morning about Rockband Beatles being released tomorrow.

This is variation of Guitar Hero (or the same company any way).

I used to dismiss it as corrupting the next generation. But after hearing the story about how younger generations get to share this music with our generation. And how it gives you a “taste” of playing an instrument which for some folks is enough to inspire them to take up real instruments. It also teaches you a lot about the music itself. It turned my opinion around. As one commentary said, it sure beats having kids kill each other in Video games.

It sounds pretty cool and the “game” grows up with the Beatles and they grow more facial hair as the game advances etc. All the current Beatles were involved in developing it including Yoko Ono.

Sorry for the off topic comment, but I couldn't help mention it when you started a thread on Beatles.

Actually after hearing some of the songs on the show I'm tempted to get the full boxed set myself (I only have a few odd albums now).

I'm tempted to check out the Mono box set and pick up the relevant stereo albums individually, but I'll be waiting for the set to drop in price. �200 is a fair bit at the moment. There's a nice detailed review of both the mono and stereo remasters here. They sound promising.



Not quite. Rock Band and Guitar Hero are competitors on the market, although the developers of Rock Band are Harmonix, who were responsible for developing the first two Guitar Hero games on the PS2 which kick started this whole obsession in the games industry for music based titles and peripherals.


I'm of two minds about these kinds of games too really. They're amusing, good party games, though I can play a handful of instruments and head out for actual sessions with friends when looking for musical fun. Having said that, mastering the drums in Rock Band can get you surprisingly close to being able to play away on a real drum kit. I like that it encourages some people to move onto something real, and I also think they're a good way to introduce younger people to older (by which I mean better ) music. At the end of the day it's just a laugh for a bunch of people in your living room (or online). Harmless stuff really.

Giles Martin oversaw all the mastering of the music for the game. His work on the LOVE album (with a wonderful DVD-A version out there) I thought was fantastic so I imagine the game in 5.1 will be a bit of a treat.

Great interview with Giles Martin about the game and his thoughts on these types of games here, and he also discusses his opinion of the new remasters (which he didn't have a hand in).

They mentioned the same on the show that drums were pretty good, and singing (that you're on pitch or not) is pretty good and that the guitar was actually the furthest from the real thing but it does start to touch on the left hand doing one thing while the right does another.

I read a while back that there was no limiting applied to the mono set and only a very small amount to the stereo set. Cannot now recall where I read this but hopefully the small amount is really just that - I ordered the stero set. Too bad no 5.1

I don't remember if it was in the Tone Publications review or a review in a Norwegian paper, but it stated no limiting at all on the mono set, about five minutes in total of very light use on the stereo set.

Sorry to continu the be off topic, speaking of guitar hero and rockband, I want to sue guitar hero for being such a bad game. I got an injury in my left hand that forced me to stop playing guitar for 6 months! It was during one of the hardest song from slayer and the Guitar Hero guitar pattern was just not doable. I tried to play those buttons combination and got a pretty bad muscles burnt (don't know how to say it)
On the other hand, I like rock band, they have better patterns that lead to a more real feeling. But since my injury I only play the fake drum, it is fun! (injury long gone now, I can play may real guitar and got most of my technique back) I'll never touch that plastic guitar again, it is just awefull.
The drums is an awefull lot of fun to play, give your kids a go, I'm sure they will envy to play real drums afterwards!
The beatles game seems promising! On a musicological level, Ringo's drums is not the funniest, but well it may be after all!

I will be very interested in what people think of the stereo set after a few listens . I already have the previous boxset so I will hang back on this one .

Like Simon I am very surprised and disappointed that there's no 5.1 ( or even hi-rez stereo ) option given that both Ringo and Paul were really ecstatic with the ' Love ' set . Ringo subsequently released his own 5.1 disc .


Hands up all who ever said ' Im not buying the ' White Album ' AGAIN ?


~M~

Thanks fellas for the lively and informative discussion.

I just popped in the Love DVD-A for a few minutes and yes, George and Giles Martin did a WONDERFUL job of mastering the DVD-A. What a sound. I enjoy the mix they created because its unique but still authentic and its a way of getting a "quick hit" of the Beatles music.

The Beatles are my favorite group- not the best to rock out or work out to- but they will always be my favorite. They had real "soul" and were talented musicians and wanted to put out a quality product. One thing I never knew was that they intended albums like Rubber Soul and Revolver to be in mono- I have the stereo LPs and CDs and I figured they were just using the stereo technology of the day. I have to get my hands on the mono set.

Thanks for the link Daniel- I actually found the link via google and I was about to post it here. Its a great review that has me really excited.

If anyone has DVD-A playback capability and if you even moderately like The Beatles, you should check out the Love DVD-A. WOW.

Not sure I should admit this on a open forum .... but, the only Beatles CD I have ever bought is the DVD-A Love. I know ... I know ... no excuse - although I do still have the red and blue anthologies on vinyl - or at least, I think I do. Anyhow, these remasters come at a great time for me - about every 5 years or so I get bored with my CD collection and decide to do some exploratory 'branching out'. This tyipcally results in a few new bands of interest along with a barrow-load of crap.

Simon then let me recommend The Beatles.

I suspect the people who said Im not buying the White Album again are the same ones who said the same thing about buying the countless reissues of Star Wars!

Goo goo ga joob.

After reading this thread I popped in my CD of The Beatles 1967-1970 (Blue CD cover double album) and put it through the system. I love this album, and have been listening to it since my teen years way before I knew about Meridian or could afford anything they make. I haven't listened to this one in a little while, but it sounded really anemic and lifeless. It looks like the mastering was done back in 1987 or '88. I wonder if the 808.2 or apodization would give a substantial improvement?

I would be curious to hear what people on this forum think of the quality of the new releases.

John