The Beatles Anniversary 6CD:Blu-ray
The White Album Collection
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Deluxe EditionThe Deluxe 3CD set is presented in an embossed digipak with the fold-out poster and portrait photos, plus a 24-page booklet. | Double VinylThis 2LP ‘White Album’ release includes Martin’s new stereo album mix, sourced directly from the original four-track and eight-track session tapes. | Deluxe Edition 4LP VinylPresented in a lift-top box with a four-page booklet, the limited edition Deluxe 4LP vinyl set presents the 2LP album in a faithful, embossed reproduction of its original gatefold sleeve with the fold-out poster and portrait photos, paired with the 2LP Esher Demos in an embossed gatefold sleeve. | Super Deluxe EditionThe comprehensive, individually numbered 7-disc collection features: CDs 1 & 2: 2018 stereo album mix CD3: Esher Demos CDs 4, 5 & 6: Sessions – 50 additional recordings, most previously unreleased, from ‘White Album’ studio sessions; all newly mixed from the four-track and eight-track session tapes, sequenced in order of their recording start dates. Blu-ray: – 2018 album mix in high resolution PCM stereo – 2018 DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 album mix – 2018 Dolby True HD 5.1 album mix – 2018 direct transfer of the album’s original mono mix |
The White Album
This is the first time The BEATLES (‘White Album’) has been remixed and presented with additional demos and session recordings. To create the new stereo and 5.1 surround audio mixes for ‘The White Album,’ Martin and Okell worked with an expert team of engineers and audio restoration specialists at Abbey Road Studios in London. All the new ‘White Album’ releases include Martin’s new stereo album mix, sourced directly from the original four-track and eight-track session tapes. Martin’s new mix is guided by the album’s original stereo mix produced by his father, George Martin.
| Dimensions: | 32 x 26.39 x 3.3 cm; 2.12 Kilograms |
| Model: | 602567571C |
| Manufacture: | UMC |
| Origin: | Germany |
This is a great product if you love listening to the Beatles, this is a must. The remix sounds great and I love the outtakes. Well worth the price.
I grow up with them and i still can’t be without…
Great Superdeluxe Edition. Just a quality product. The remix is wonderful.
Every part of the this package is superb. For me a special treat is the inclusion of the original British mono mix on the Blu-ray disc.
Super Aufmachung , Erstklassige Aufnahmen , kann ich nur jeden empfehlen , einfach ein Muss……… Nicht vergessen der Preis , ob da noch etwas brig bleibt , mit ist’s egal ich hab’s und geniee es
Now it’s released with out-takes, extras, alternative versions, etc., i.e. a joy for the senses and a paradise for the (many) Beatles fans.
Enough said. Just sit back, relax, play it loud and enjoy some of the best music made in the last 50 (or sixty or 70 or more) years.
This Super Deluxe edition of the White Album is a wonderful package for fans of the Beatles and I’m loving it all. For the current price of 58 it really is an absolute steal. There are so many treats here, from the joyous Esher demos, the delightful alternative takes (which are sometimes as good as the final versions that made it to the album), and the superb hardback book that also houses the discs, the glossy pictures of the chaps and a poster/lyric sheet.
One thing to watch out for is the delicate transparent plastic cover. My first copy of this collection had a small fracture in one of the bottom corners which I assume happened when it was packaged. I didn’t think too much of it at the time but after taking it off the hardback cover several times I noticed yesterday that it had spread up the spine so I taped it to prevent it getting any worse.
The other issue I had was that the Blu-ray wouldn’t play properly in my Xbox One X which never has issues playing Blu-rays. The picture and audio would break up. I had the same issue with the Blu-ray in the 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition of Sgt. Pepper but no issues with the Blu-ray in the Abbey Road Super Deluxe box set. It seems that the Xbox One could be at fault in some instances as the Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road Blu-rays played perfectly in an 8-year-old Samsung Blu-ray player. The White Album Blu-Ray still had problems however and couldn’t get through the high-res audio version of Bungalow Bill and wouldn’t play the following three tracks. The disc was pristine. Anyway, I ordered a replacement Super Deluxe of the White album and found the blu-ray played far better, only the first few seconds of the hi-res stereo version Happiness is a Warm Gun wouldn’t play. I’ve also read of many other owners having issues playing the Beatles Blu-rays from the Super Deluxe editions.
If you have been sitting on the fence with regard to buying this Super Deluxe edition then I really would urge you to grab it at this stellar price. Just make sure you play through all the discs soon after purchase.
Piesa clave de They Beatles. Cada cancin refleja el genio individual que conformaban al mejor grupo de la historia.
Excelente disco, tal vez la mejor reedicion, sonido extraordinario, precio increible y entrega super rapida
Esta edicin de coleccin, no debe faltar para cualquier fan de The Beatles.
Awesome,get it while you can.For me their
best album.Looking forward to Let it Be.
This cd is excellent. Especially the blu ray in surround sound. It has given new life to the white album for me. Love it.
– extras are interesting and cool – the book and extras are very very well done – price is bit steep – but hey it’s the Beatles and a fantastic surround mix – too bad from digital not analog source
Uno de los mejores lbumes de The Beatles, cualquier fan de la banda lo disfrutar mucho su msica y arte del libro, increbles!
Est vinyl o lp doble, complete mi coleccin en estreo del legado Beatle, llego con antelacin antes de lo previsto y en buen estado.
I ordered this for my boyfriend who loves the Beatles and collects vinyl for his Birthday. The “White Album” was always one of those vinyl’s I knew he wanted, but would never buy for himself. After looking at several other ads selling the album, I felt this one was the best for the price. It took a while to show up, but I was quoted that time slot accordingly. The only thing that I was disappointed with was that the shipping box got damaged in the corner and thus, the vinyl carrier inside took a slight beating- the vinyl plays just fine however.. Overall, i’m happy with the purchase… Not happy with the handling of the product; however, that could very well be just the shipment company’s fault.
Everything on both albums is pristine but theres one problem on the track im so tired there is a skip but no scratch and it happened right out of the box
Ok I’m now 47 years of age( born in 1972!!!). I’ve been listening to this album either record, cassette or cd for all this time. I’ve mostly been listening to the stereo version all this time up until about ten years ago when I stumbled across the mono vinyl version which I must admit even on headphones blew me away!!!. So up until recently mono had become my favoured choice of this classic album. I was aware Giles Martin had worked his wonders on this album a year ago and was impressed with his Sgt Pepper cd package in which he had released a few years ago and which I had purchased!!!!. So to The White Album I have got to say I am very impressed with once again ….. in fact I have just put my headphones ( Senheisser!!!!!) down now and have been blown away!!!!. I have been very sceptical about remixes in the past eg Genesis Nick Davies remixes which were ok but a few were awful!!!, but Giles Martin has got it right ie subtlety mixing but not completely changing the tracks…… almost it’s like a fantastic remaster!!!!!!. If I have one slight criticism its Helter Skelter….. McCartney’s voice on this isn’t quite as raw as on the mono version!!!!!….. but all in all I give the whole package five stars….. its unbelievable rest of tracks sound great…. and I can now give my mono vinyl version a rest as I will continue to play this instead!!!!. I’ve not even skimmed the extra discs yet!!!!. Enjoy…
Ich habe das Album meinem Papa zu Weihnachten geschenkt und er hat sich wirklich sehr gefreut. Wir haben es auch gleich ausprobiert und durchgeguckt. Alles luft wunderbar und jeder Beatles Fan sollte das besitzen. Die dvd mit den wechselnden Bildern ist einfach toll gemacht. Es gibt das ein oder andere Lied was man sich gerne dazu wnscht aber alles in einem ist es einfach klasse. Ich kann es nur weiterempfehlen!
well package as always amazon is the place to buy cd they have everything on cd what can I say about the white album it great sound is very clear and crisp the book is well worth read if you can buy it because it will go out of print every beatles fan should buy this
Not as good as the white album for sound quality, missing bass, many songs sound flat.
La mejor versin deluxe que existe actualmente de 50th aniversario de white album.
Solo recomiendo adquirir la que proviene de Alemania, la calidad del trabajo de la impresin y del audio es suprema.
Date la oportunidad de adquirir este material, s que no es nada econmico; pero anmate…
terminars bastante complacido, ahora bien. Es probable que encuentres este material en uso y en buen estado; la mica que lo envuelve es muy delicada, tendrs que tener mucho cuidado, tanto en cuanto recibas el paquete como para conservarlo. Viene numerado, eso lo hace coleccionable, adems de nico.
The white album Delux was a peek in to the Beatles as writers. What never saw the light of day on a commercial release, is testimony to their skill as musicians, song writers and artists.
While the beginning infantile first performances of certain songs were informative, they were only so as testimony to their brilliance. They knew a good or enemy possibly great composition when they heard its initial recording. They were the best and they knew how to pick their best. But don’t stop giving the genesis of all their songs even if they chose to leave them behind. Some day somewhere another group of musicians may resurrect their rejects and inject the missing ingredients. These unfinished songs are a legacy to musicians to follow.
Till now, the best Super Deluxe Edition is this!!! All the songs are in DEMO version and ofcourse in original edition and worked versions. White album demo versions were known is bootlegs like Esher Demos. Now you can listen the best quality sound of these in Super Deluxe Edition. The sound is not exceptionally like in Abbey Road Super Deluxe but it is also very good. And most important thing ofcouse are those – around 30 tracks wrote by John, Paul, George and Ringo. The contained book are full of interesting pictures, information and manuscript verses.
What a collection of tracks-a pleasure to listen to and I saw the real thing when I was younger and this version does not put me off at all-in fact it enhances it.
The Beatles wrote and recorded some of best pop music ever. The “White Album” is one of those albums where you hear something new each time it is played and listened to without distractions. The 50th anniversary set gives us a lot more to take in and if you are an old lifelong Beatle nut like me you’ll be damn happy that this was released. Thank you Beatles, no one has ever or ever will come close to your accomplishments.
My second favorite Beatles album again just got better.The book that comes with all the cds is worth every penny. I highly recommend anyone who likes the white album to purchase the 50th anniversary super edition! You won’t be disappointed.
Magnifico sonido, supera las expectativas y debe formar parte de la coleccin de todo fan de la agrupaci
I am biased… I love the Beatles. This is such a great album. Give it a try along with Sgt Peppers and Abbey Road.
El lbum blanco es la evidencia de madurez, innovacin y creatividad musical de The Beatles. Esta edicin, hecha en Alemania, es una joya, perfectamente cuidada en sus detalles. La msica incluye tomas alternas, en ensayo, ya publicada en formato pirata, pero la calidad del audio es insuperable al momento. 100 % recomendado.
Una edicin de lujo, perfecta para disfrutar y conocer ms acerca del lbum
I finally bought the 6 disc version of the Beatles Anniversary sets and everything is great about it except that there are not very many photos of White Album’s recording sessions included in the set’s book.In fact,there are more photos of the White Album recording sessions on the internet.
As I listen to the 5.1 Blu-Ray mix on our home theater system, I find this mix to be a true achievement.
I am literally hearing elements I have NEVER heard before, the vibrato in Paul McCartney’s voice really stands out on Back in the U.S.S.R.
If you have the coin, pick this one up. You will not be dissapointed!
(I am seriously looking forward to “ABBEY ROAD” Later this month!)
If there is any question, preview some of the cuts and if you are the least of a Beatle fan, you should love this. The casual sessions working out how to perform the songs and later recording sessions are wonderful not just for the variations of how they perform the songs but especially the bits of chatter between the Beatles discussing changes, and the chiding and chatter between them. Priceless!
Just wondering about the thought process behind adding this waste of 12:53. I listened to Helter Skelter (Take 2) hoping it would have some substance musically. I don’t like to critique anything The Beatles provide, but did the production team just decide we have an extra 12 minutes and 53 seconds of time to fill, let’s drop this track in? We could have done without this and we’d be none the wiser. Non the less, A Masterpiece!
First off, this is a high quality package from Apple. The book is a true thing of beauty, with lively photos, many of which not seen by we mere mortals before and the text is interesting and very informative. The remixed album is shimmering and spellbinding in sound and depth, the ‘sessions’ discs are interesting but to be honest I think we all know we won’t be playing these our takes much. The blu ray delivers on level
My only quibbles are I would have preferred the discs separate (in fact I have separated them) so as to keep the book as, well, a book. My big complaint is the omission of John Lennon singing his song ‘goodnight’ as its been on YouTube for moths I can only assume that Yoko controls this version, bless her heart, pity as it’s the best version
So 4 big stars from me and if you like The Beatles treat yourself you won’t be sorry
Deluxe edition, original purchase price day of release November 2018 109.00
This purchase 69.50 Amazon Prime Day 2019
I have two of these 7 disc box sets, one I never intend to open and the one I use as a ‘Day to Day”
Giles Martin has not altered the original recordings akin to what he did on the ”Sgt’ Pepper’s 2017 anniversary edition”
What he has done is refreshed the originals and brought more detail out from the 1988 CD and the 2009 CD releases, and I can actually say I do prefer what he has done this time, I hate what he did on Sgt Peppers, but give the lad his due ‘he has done a very good job this time’
I can recommend this issue, it’s near perfect, worth every penny of its then 109 purchase price.
Revolution 9 finally makes sense when you listen to the ‘Hi-Res stereo’ version of the album on the included BD-Audio disc.
Incredible set but sadly had to send mine back as recieved damaged 🙁
What a great job re mixing this one. I love the technique used on all of the vocals. Alternate vocal tacks panned in from different sides. Paul’s accoustic version of Mother Nature’s son is briliant. All four Beatles singing harmonies on good night is a gem. Ringo’s drums on Long Long Long bring it to a new life. The Esher demos are supurb. I guess I should stop now… I just loved the whole thing. Soon as I can i’ll give it al another go.
The box set is a terrific package of course but the highlight is the hard cover book that serves to house the six CDs and Blue Ray disc. If you already have the Sgt. Pepper box Apple set from 2017, then this is the amazing sequel. BRAVO Apple Corps. Ltd.
ALL THE BEATLES ALBUMS WERE GREAT IN THEIR TIME-THIS IS BETTER BECAUSE THERE’S MORE OF IT
If you love the White Album this box set is a must have.
What’s to say, it’s the Beatles, White Album to top it off!
What else can you say about the worlds best band that hasn’t already been said?
Get this and listen to the outtakes….wow!
Es la segunda edicin de sper lujo despus del stg peppers. Ya espero con ansias e
Abbey
There is not much that I can say that hasn’t been said before? My opinion is that the Esher Demo tracks are interesting, more so if you like “unplugged” music. To my mind the real attraction is the various tacks of the songs. They reveal a band having fun, playing with the sound, highly creative, and very exploratory. The surround mix was a bit disappointing because the vocals were a bit too buried in the mix.
Brilliant box set of the biggest record the Beatles ever made. Wish they could’ve included a documentary on the making of the album. Like they did with Sgt pepper box set.
It’s the freakin Beatles White Album remixed superbly with tons of bonus content. The Esher remix and cleaned up is worth the price alone. Great packaging with a fantastic book and tons of out takes. SO GOOD!
1. Die neuen Stereo-Abmischungen von Giles Martin machen aus historischen Dokumenten Musik. So habe ich “The Beatles” noch nie gehrt.
2. Bisher haben wir uns viel zu viel Rotz auf Polycarbonat andrehen lassen. Und:
3. Es gibt fr mich ab jetzt keinen Grund mehr Vinyl-LPs auch nur fr gleichwertig als Aufnahmemedium zu halten. Als Speichermedium ist es wegen des Abriebs ohnehin nicht diskutabel. Die Qualitt diese Albums liegt weit ber der jeder Pop-Aufnahme, die 1968 auf Vinyl verffentlicht wurde. Jede pressfrische LP hat zuviele hrbare Artefakte. Hier hre ich noch nicht mal Bandrauschen.
(Die Esher-Demos und die 5.1 Abmischung habe ich noch nicht gehrt. Das Buch als Tresor der 7 Discs ist ebenfalls erstklassig. Ich habe einen Amazon warehouse deal abgeschlossen. Der leichte Anstoss am Schutzumschlag macht die Ausgabe 20 billiger. Vllig ok.)
It’s a REMIX, a wise reviewer reminded us all, not just a remaster. It is surely Giles Martin’s finest work, both on disk and in the huge accompanying book. In the latter he TRASHES the nonsense view that this is some kind of mush mash of solo efforts of the individual band members. It’s far less that than Sgt Pepper. This is fine group work, close to live band performance.
From the simply sublime Esher Demos through the mesmerising outtakes discs, you see and hear the Beatles as a GROUP playing laughing agonising and collectively solving their solutions.
Don’t bother with the 3 CD set, get the full box set and you will thank yourself for years to come.
Ps those of us who have always loved Ringo’s drumming get a special treat on CD 6 “Birthday” instrumental version.
Well done, Giles Martin, your father would be proud of it. It’s like listening to the “White Album” for the first time. Superb!
The new remixing of the white album is fantastic! Blu ray audio gives you the music like never before. Really great box set.
Classic album from the Beatles. Nearly every track is amazing. Nicely packaged.
wow what an amazing box set. love everything about this. 3cds of sessions. i cant stop playing. box is so well done outside. incredible!!
The White Album has long been my favourite Beatles album. It’s an album that only the Beatles could have made – in the history of popular music no other band could have come within a million miles of making such a brilliant, multi-faceted, rich, varied, distinctive, extraordinary piece of work that sounds as fresh today as it ever did. It’s no wonder that it had The Observer’s music critic of the time calling them the best composers since Schubert.
It sprawls, but it sprawls wonderfully. There are 30 songs on the album and within them are all kinds of nooks and crannies, all sorts of musical hidey holes that showcase the breadth of imagination of the creators. While it could be said that the album contains only a few of the Beatles’ very best songs – Dear Prudence, Happiness Is A Warm Gun, Julia, Helter Skelter, perhaps – and a few of their lesser ones – Wild Honey Pie, Honey Pie, Revolution 9, Rocky Raccoon – the general standard is high, the variety is remarkable and the surprises are constant.
All art needs humour and the White Album is bathed in it. This is evident without even having to hear the songs, you could just read the titles: the way I Will can be read as a reply to previous song Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?; the way Honey Pie is foreshadowed by Wild Honey Pie three sides previously (and whose only lyrics are ‘Honey pie, honey pie, honey pie’); the way the ‘animal songs’, Blackbird, Piggies and Rocky Raccoon follow one another; the sequencing of Savoy Truffle after the similarly sweet sounding Honey Pie; just the TITLES of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill.
Then when you listen to the album you can properly burst out laughing: at John’s ‘He was such a stupid GET’ on I’m So Tired; at Ringo’s ‘I got blisters on my fingers!’ at the end of Helter Skelter; the way the ferocious final punch of Why Don’t We Do It In the Road? is immediately followed by a could-not-be-more-different Paul vocal on I Will’s intro; John’s ‘Ay up!’ just before While My Guitar Gently Weeps; the way the soothing strings of Good Night gently waft in following eight-minute tape collage Revolution 9. (You could also argue that Glass Onion is effectively a comedy song, and lines like ‘The walrus was Paul’ betray its sung-straight but tongue-in-cheek humour.)
The sequencing of the songs also indicates perfection – you would not want them in any other order. The construction of each of the four sides is superb, often alternating singers, nearly always alternating styles and genres, switching between peace and fury or whimsy and seriousness, all helping make it an always interesting and hugely enriching experience.
Songs often crash in immediately (Glass Onion, Helter Skelter, Don’t Pass Me By, Birthday; several open with vocals: Happiness Is A Warm Gun, I Will, Julia, Yer Blues, Cry Baby Cry), and many go out with a bang – witness Piggies’ symphonic coda (that spawned many an ELO song), the weird, table-shaking cries at Long, Long, Long’s close, the aforementioned Helter Skelter Ringo hollering, and Dear Prudence’s majestic climax, followed by its final reflective cords that are then punctured by Glass Onion’s drum intro. These are songs that are canvases, frequently splashed with vibrant marks that surprise and delight, like Ono’s line on Bungalow Bill, the six-bar buzz guitar break on Everybody’s Got Something To Hide, the ‘Can you take me back?’ lines sung by Paul between Cry Baby Cry and Revolution 9, the shouting and then the BANG BANG BANG of the drums that greets Don’t Pass Me By. The entirety of Happiness Is A Warm Gun is a twisting, unpredictable, bizarre, bewitching wonder of a song. Like so much with the White Album, you can pick your favourite bit. Most people will choose different bits, and that’s part of its appeal.
Throughout their remarkable career, the Beatles demonstrated a wondrous ability to master different types of music and to make individual soundscapes in different songs. The White Album is the apogee of their chameleon-like ability. Music genres covered on it include, but are not limited to: rock ‘n’ roll, light reggae, heavy metal, country and western, tape collage, 1920s flapper music, Reformation era music, blues (well, mock blues), children’s sing-a-long, nursery rhyme, Eastern-influenced mysticism and a classically scored lullaby. Pick songs at random and contrast how different they literally SOUND, in every conceivable way: Sexy Sadie’s sly lilt with Birthday’s jabbing and banging; the plaintive Cry Baby Cry with the goofy Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da; the frantic energy ball of Everybody’s Got Something To Hide with the elegiac Mother Nature’s Son; the imperious elegance of Dear Prudence with the shambling, rough-hewn charm of Don’t Pass Me By; the bouncy cartooniness of Wild Honey Pie with the grown-up, solid groove of While My Guitar Gently Weeps; the crazed stare of Revolution 9 with the serenity of Good Night; the weary, onomatopoeic I’m So Tired with the tightly compressed, saxxy Savoy Truffle.
The songs’ structure is similarly all over the place (in the best possible way). Cry Baby Cry’s verse/chorus, verse/chorus is formal and straight; Bungalow Bill’s format is also verse/chorus, verse/chorus (no middle eight) but it’s a much baggier, looser production; Back In the USSR and Helter Skelter are razor sharp, except towards the end of Helter Skelter when it goes torpid and crazed; two songs, Wild Honey Pie and Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?, have extremely limited lyrics, whereas While My Guitar Gently Weeps is like a curled book full of learned wisdom, Happiness Is A Warm Gun is a melange of opaque, teasing language and Rocky Raccoon is a long, long story without recourse to a standard chorus. Martha My Dear is an unusually structured song about a dog that jumps up a key towards its close. Revolution 1 has a false start (Helter Skelter has a false finish). Birthday goes in for long non-vocal parts and purely rhythmic sections. There are no two songs on the album that are in any way similar.
Imagine coming to the album for the first time. You would have no idea as each song starts what you were about to get next. Imagine looking at the song titles and musing: ‘Back In The USSR – what could that be about? Sexy Sadie – is that a love song? I Will – well, that could be anything! Revolution 1 – how is that different to the Revolution on the B-side of Hey Jude? And what on earth is the very similar named Revolution 9, just four tracks later? Why is there a song called Wild Honey Pie and another called Honey Pie? Are they parts of the same song? Who is Prudence? Who is Rocky Raccoon? Who’s Martha? Why does Don’t Pass Me By sound like the only song title that could have been an early Beatles track? Isn’t Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? a bit rude?’ And so on. You’d have no idea whether the upcoming song would have strings on it, have Paul or John or George or Ringo on it (and in what style the first two would be singing), have a piano on it, or even whether it would sound like it was from the future or from the past – expect the unexpected, basically. The sheer AUDACITY of it is breathtaking – who else would have Helter Skelter and Good Night on the same album? Who else would pen songs about their late mother and a big-game hunter (and his mum) and the Maharishi and Yoko Ono on the same album? Who else would put Honey Pie and Revolution 9 on the same side of a disc?
The album is such a thing of barnstorming beauty because it is a product of its time and a huge influence on everything that came after it. It exhibits the strong personalities of all four Beatles and gives them free reign to indulge in their art: it is the Beatles freed, freed from the constriction of a single-player LP, from having to write a film soundtrack, from writing and recording strictly to order, from having to play the songs live, from having to be as well-behaved as they’d been before under Brian Epstein’s watchful eye. It is the Beatles untamed, unleashed, untethered, and it is a masterpiece.
Hearing a fresh remix of a classic album would be enough to make this worth getting, but we get a lot more than that here. We get tons of demos, alternate takes and even a few songs that might have wound up on the White Album but didn’t make it for some reason. Along the way, we get some chit-chat and other signs that recording this wasn’t the gloomy affair that we’ve long been told it was. On top of that, there’s a lavishly illustrated coffee-table book with all kinds of background info about the making of the White Album. The perfect gift for the Beatles fanatic in your life!
I have enjoyed reading all the information and listening to the music. An amazing amount of work was involved to produce this deluxe edition.
I just received The White Album box set today. There have been many reviews of this set and I doubt if I can say anything that hasn’t already been said. I started out with the 5.1 mix on the bluray and I must say I was absolutely stunned. It sounded so good that I listened to it twice through. Some people may think that it may be too pricey for them but if you love The Beatles and the White Album and have a 5.1 system then you should get it. The book is fantastic with lots of great photos, articles and track by track details for each song.
Si bien ya se han editado (al menos) un par buenas reediciones de este lbum en CD a travs de la remasterizacin del audio (es decir, el balance final de audio al aumentar/disminuir la seal de las frecuencias de la cinta con la mezcla final de audio); nunca se haba traspasado la barrera que “re mezclar” las grabaciones originales obtenidas directo de las consolas de grabacin. Este tope en que tan profundo se quiere llegar cuando se trata de “arreglar” el audio de una grabacin tiene implicaciones artsticas y legales y tcnicas; ya que por un lado la mezcla resultante no es ya la grabacin final tal y como la conocemos e implica un trabajo adicional de produccin, ya que es “otra versin” de la obra y finalmente, la manipulacin de las cintas fuente es un riesgo adicional por el peligro constante de estropearlas y perder la grabacin.
El legado musical de los Beatles, hasta antes de la dcada de los noventas del siglo pasado, era un territorio en disputa legal entre EMI, Apple y los restantes ex beatles sus representantes e infinidad de compaas que, de una u otra manera, tenan material en video y audio del grupo, incluyendo a la propia BBC. Por tal motivo, despus de aos de litigios y acuerdos, Apple Corps. se constituye como la nica empresa que tiene todos los derechos sobre todo lo que ostente la marca The Beatles y, en consecuencia, de todas sus grabaciones. As pues, Apple es el beneficiario de los resultados de la bsqueda que EMI realiz en sus bodegas a mediados de los aos ochenta para realizar la primera remasterizacin del catlogo de los Beatles en CD. Esta bsqueda y catalogacin de cada rollo de cinta que tuviera algn material de los Beatles fue posteriormente trasferida a archivos digitales los cuales sirvieron tanto para las reediciones en CD como para otros “productos” como lo fue la Antologa de los Beatles.
Sin embargo, siempre se hizo un uso casi “religioso” de este material hasta que, en 2003, se realiz el primer uso “creativo” de las cintas al editar, a insistencias de Paul McCartney, una nueva versin del lbum Let It Be –“tal y como estaba originalmente concebido”; es decir, sin los arreglos orquestales de Phil Spector y con el orden de las canciones como originalmente se tena pensado. Paul Hicks, Guy Massey y Allan Rouse fueron los ingenieros de audio de los estudios Abbey Road que hicieron la bsqueda, limpieza y correccin digital de los rollos de cinta de las sesiones del lbum que posteriormente se ensambl: Let It Be Naked.
Este trabajo fue muy criticado, sobre todo porque la mezcla final difcilmente se podra argumentar que fue la que “originalmente estaba pensada planeada” debido a muchas de las grabaciones fueron corregidas digitalmente y al final, la mezcla se escucha demasiado “limpia”, debido al proceso digital de restauracin.
Sin embargo, este fue el primer ejercicio formal de modificacin de las grabaciones de los Beatles; y continuo en 2006 con la edicin del lbum Love, coacreditado a Goerge y Giles Martin; los cuales, de manera digital, modifican muchas canciones del lbum love usando las cintas originales para crear el soundtrack del espectculo del mismo nombre del Cirque du’ Solei con un xito impresionante tanto artstica como comercialmente.
Posteriormente, vendran otros ejercicios de “modificacin/restauracin” que incluiran el famoso concierto del Hollywood Bowl que, por primera vez y gracias a las nuevas tcnicas de edicin digital de audio, se pudo rescatar el sonido de las hasta ese momento inservibles cintas de 1965 y finalmente los dos conceptos ms ambiciosos y controversiales de esta nueva camada de “grabaciones Beatles”: La “restauracin” del Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hertas Club Band y el lbum doble “The Beatles”.
Giles Martin, hijo del finado productor de cabecera del grupo, Sir George Martin fue el encargado de llevar a cabo estos dos proyectos al tener acceso total a todos los archivos de audio digitalizados del catlogo Beatle y, a travs de nuevas tcnicas de limpieza digital y siguiendo las notas originales de su padre de las sesiones de grabacin, reconstruy, a partir de las cintas marcadas como masters de las versiones monoaurales de ambos lbumes (estas versiones son las que en su momento, tuvieron participacin de los msicos. Las versiones estreo, generalmente las realizaban los ingenieros de audio) dos nuevas mezclas estreo de ambos lbumes.
Los resultados obtenidos han dividido la opinin entre los que consideran estas mezclas como las “definitivas” de como debieron sonar ambos lbumes y por otro lado, estn quienes consideran estas mezclas como una reinterpretacin de Giles Martin de los mismos; aunque no las que el grupo deseaba que sonaran debido a que ninguno de los cuatro Beatles participaron en la mezcla de estas nuevas versiones.
En trminos puramente de audio; la mezcla de Giles Martin del Sgt. Peppers es ms apegada a a la versin original monoaural del lbum con el agregado de que la definicin y mezcla de los instrumentos y voces realmente cobran una nueva dimensin en cuanto a la presencia en cada corte. Es ms, viva su presencia que en versiones anteriores y el resultado es verdaderamente asombroso. Quizs esto se deba a que George Martin tuvo el control total de las sesiones y, si como dijo Giles, se guio en la mezcla en las notas de su padre, la mezcla final refleja el espritu tanto de los msicos como del productor.
En el caso del Album Blanco, si bien la tcnica fue la misma, el resultado es difiere en detalles que pueden ser sutiles para el escucha casual; pero que para los fanticos del grupo resultan notorios y por tanto, generan la impresin de estar escuchando “otras versiones” de las canciones; no su “versin definitiva”. Estos cambios se deben a que las sesiones del Album Blanco fueron caticas por la propia decisin de los msicos de elaborar de manera casi solitaria sus composiciones; reunindose lo mnimo indispensable y por tanto, sin la supervisin de Martin en la mayor parte de las grabaciones y por tanto, sin notas tcnicas sobre la grabacin de muchas pistas del lbum; lo que hizo que Giles se guiar ms por la intuicin para lograr un mejor ensamblaje final de la mezcla del lbum.
El resultado no es malo y se agradece la limpieza del audio en los instrumentos y la voz; sin embargo, hay momentos donde la “versin original” rompe con esta nueva mezcla, generando extraeza. Tal es el caso ms notable de “Wild Honey Pie” y “Helther Skelter” donde las diferencias son tan notorias que rompe la magia de estar escuchando una versin definitiva del lbum y cambiarla por un “mix de Giles Martin”.
Sin embargo el resultado final es disfrutable, si no tomas en cuentas esos pequeos detalles que puedes localizar si es que has escuchado infinidad de veces el lbum en el pasado y es una muy buena experiencia, sobre todo en la versin muticanal (5.1 master audio) incluida en el Bluray de esta edicin especial del lbum; misma que viene acompaada de material que har salivar a cualquier fanatico del los Beatles como lo son los Esher Demos y las tomas alternas de las grabaciones del lbum.
Un excelente boxset para los fanticos del cuarteto de Liverpool (Universal Stereo dixit)
igalo recio, por favor.
This set is an incredibly intimate look into what it was like being in the studio when the greatest rock band in history was creating one of the most revered musical masterpieces in recording history.The remix of the original on discs 1 and 2 is absolutely brilliant-after hearing the original vinyl and CD releases countless hundreds of times,I was blown away by the little snippets that were added and the bits that were once buried in the mix and have now been brought to the fore.The evolution of some of the songs from first drafts and literally dozens of takes until the final mix was a telling example of their dedication to perfection and no doubt their committal to ensuring that their fans got the absolutely best music that they could commit to recordThe 5.1 Blu-Ray is just mind blowing,no other words could do it justice.The book is an indispensable companion to the set and it adds info that even such an obsessive Beatlephile as me wasn’t aware of.This is the quintessential set for not only committed Beatle fans but it would certainly open the eyes-and ears-of those who never got what all the hoopla regarding The Beatles was all about.
I consider This Album as the Beatles finest and have an original copy myself on Vinyl.
This copy here was ordered for my eldest son as a Christmas Present, which, together with all the additional info supplied has proved to be one of the most memorable gifts he has ever received! Just a superb buy!
I bought this anniversary issue for all the background discs……The bright new mixes of the original tracks are good too.
There’s a clarity that breathes new life into songs already well known to me.
However, Ive spent most of my time listening carefully to the extra discs. Even after 50 years it’s given me a new appreciation of just how GREAT these 4 guys were.
After a month I’m still listening……..and being surprised by new things. Songs I’d previously had little time for I’m learning to love.
Then there’s the book………haven’t even opened that yet.
The quality of the package and the insight of the Beatles developing the songs to the final released versions is educational.
Highly recommended and I hope Giles Martin is commissioned to do the same to the complete Beatles catalogue
…you have to have this. Most extravagant packaging for artists includes throwaway recordings. In this case, the ‘throwaways” are wonderful documents showing the artistic process of the greatest band that ever lived.
The book that goes along with this package is also fantastic. If you’re debating, do I just go with the deluxe music package, or go up a notch and grab the 6 disc set with book, the answer is easy. You need this.
When I knew that this album was coming out, I knew that I just has to get it. Having bought the 50th anniversary edition of Sgt Pepper, my problem was ” which version to buy”. Although a bit more expensive, I went for the 7 disc set. I still have this on vinyl, which I would never get rid of, but this remastered version is terrific. Not only are the original 30 songs here, but acoustic and demo versions are included. I just had to get this album, as its a part of our musical heritage. Would highly recommend, as there are hours of listening here.
I love this package of the White Album, the 7CD set. Its beautifully packaged and has lots of music and information I have not heard before. But as with the Dylan Blood On the Tracks multiple CD deluxe issue and the Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland one, the record company cannot be bothered to upload the metadata. This means i’ve had to do it myself manually, which takes a long time and I think when I am paying top dollar, I should get a top dollar production. I don’t see why I should have to do someone else’s job for them. I know its the record companies at fault because when I put other CD’s in my player by obscure indie artist, the meta data appears. And I can get the metadata for bootleg issues of The Beatles or Hendrix. Its really slack on the part of the record companies involved and leaves me with a sense of disappointment when I should be feeling joy. The record company production teams deserve a slap. Other than that, this anniversary issue of the white is fantastic.
An incredible set, Giles Martin ‘s remix is perfect, love the esher demo’s.
Calidad de audio insuperable tanto en los cd’s como en el blu-ray.
Varios tracks haban circulado anteriormente de manera no oficial (en bootlegs) y algunos otros de manera oficial (como en Anthology 3), pero aqu la calidad de audio es excelente, no sin mencionar toda la cantidad de nuevos tracks que nos entregan en esta edicin de 50 aniversario. An con todo el material entregado, se queda uno con las ganas de escuchar ms, pero para eso hara falta una edicin de ms discos =D.
La presentacin est de lujo. Un item INDISPENSABLE en la coleccin de todo beatlemano.
There is something different about this re-hash of an already classis collection that gives it that extra edge. Long live the Beatles
I was trying to open the packaga and accidentally cut into the thick vinyl cover. Remove the thin shrink wrap very carefully.
Just packaged beautifully….The remastered Album sounds phenomenal…The Esher Demos are a joy to listen to and the different takes and alternative versions are the icing on the cake
Wow!! What a treat!!! Giles did a Great job. Get rid of the old White album and replace it with the new remixed one. Some songs could have been done better, in my estimation, but overall, it’s very good. I wish he’d remix all the Beatle albums. They sure do need it. That old recordings is so out dated compared with what they can do now to up grade the sound quality.From Please please me to Let it be…remixed them all and let us re-enjoy The Beatles once again.And if you don’t wnat to, go back and listen to the old albums. What’s next Giles?
Bought this for my husband and he absolutely loved it.
Lleg el producto muy bien empacado y a tiempo, adems con una excelente presentacin del libro y los discos en su interior adems del material visual y auditivo que est de lujo por todo lo incluido para deleite de un lbum tan emblemtico, conflictivo y elaborado para The Beatles. Altamente recomendado!
Highly recommended. The book is worth it by itself. The songs have stood the test of time. Interesting to compare how the songs developed into the final version. After all these years I finally get Revolution 9. I had never heard the song Child of Nature, but the tune later became Jealous Guy, Amazing. No wonder the Beatles are still the best group, even after nearly 50 years since they broke up.
Can’t wait until Abbey Road anniversary set released.
If you are an avid Beatles fan, you are doing yourself a disservice by not getting this set. Although technically not a box set, the 6 CDs and Blu-ray are tucked neatly inside a large, well done, hardbound book. It also includes the original poster and four individual portraits. The remix is incredible and, whether you listen to that or the rehearsal sessions, the audio quality is so fantastic that, if you close your eyes, it feels as if the band are actually in the same room with you!
The diehard Beatles fans like me will love this. For the less discerning, regular listener, the 3-disc set will probably suffice. Opinion seems to be divided over the new mix of the original album by Giles Martin – and I’m the same. Some of the songs sound great, with greater clarity of elements that were buried in previous mixes. But then some of the songs offer no real difference or improvement on the 2009 mono & stereo remasters. The jewel in the crown is definitely the “Esher Demos” cd. The 3 “Sessions” cd’s offer rehearsals, jam sessions, “takes” that broke down, and alternate versions of songs – great for the hardcore fans only. The packaging is fantastic & I’m looking forward to reading the book, which appears to be jam-packed with information and photos. Overall, the Super Deluxe Set gets 2 thumbs up from me, but like I said, I fall into the diehard category of fans.
Sound quality on the remixed-remastered 2 CDs is incredible. Treble and bass are extended without being strident or boomy. The sound stage is huge, with lots of “air” between and around instruments. It’s like hearing the album again for the first time! There are differences in the mixes, and they are all for the better, in my opinion. The 5.1 Bluray audio mix is mind-blowing. If you ever wondered what it would have been like to be sitting on the floor of the studio as the Beatles recorded the White Album, well, this is it! All Beatle people MUST experience this! The Esher demos are great, as we see where the finished versions actually came from. The bonus tracks, alternate takes, and unreleased tracks are very interesting, and well worth the listen. I highly recommend this set!!!
As a long-time Beatles collector, I immediately recognized that this is a true stereo remix of the original, Beatles supervised, Mono mix.
It’s great fun hearing everything in the audio mix that the Beatles originally approved… except in a stereo format.
Yes, there are differences between the original 1960’s Mono and Stereo Beatles music.
Some differences are slight and some are more obvious.
Both the (2017) Sgt Pepper and the (2018) White Albums are stereo remixes of the original Mono mixes.
‘Brilliant!’ – Dr Who.
Beautiful book, rare photos. Knew most of the contents but still good as a reference book. Used book to study their recording process from demo to session to final master. Awaiting 5.1 bluray audit pending use of necessary player equipment.
Giles Martin has excelled himself with the remixing of the Beatles’ “white album”. While I have always liked most of the tracks on this album, I wouldn’t rate it as one of my favorite Beatles’ albums, but I’ll certainly be paying it much more attention now. The tracks have a brand new life, as if they were recorded yesterday and not 50 years ago. I can now hear instruments and vocals that previously were buried in the old mix. Never one of my Paul favorites, I am now in love with Martha My Dear. The super deluxe edition is well worth the money and is highly recommended. The Esher disc in particular is lots of fun as you hear the boys work their way through the 27 songs they had brought to the table, most of which ended up on the “white album”, but there are some surprises on the other discs, like a rudimentary version of Let It Be, and the surround sound version of the album puts right there in the studio. I know Abbey Road will probably be next up, but Rubber Soul in particular (which has a shocking stereo mix) and Revolver both need that magic Martin touch – Giles Martin that is.
The Esther recordings never sounded this good on bootlegs for sure – a great addition to any record library
I have to admit that I still haven’t listened to the remixed version. But the 4 discs of bonus material are wonderful. There are a few songs that appeared on Anthology, but a couple are longer on here, which is nice. I had heard crappy bootleg versions of the demos, and these are cleaned up nicely. The book is very informative also. A must for a true Beatles fan.
It was received on time and is loved by the recipient.
Got excited in anticipation of this issue when I heard it was an actual remix and not just another remastering. The clarity especially on the acoustic bits (think “Dear Prudence” and “Julia” and “Blackbird”) is delicious. Even the throwaway track “Wild Honey Pie” is fab, the twangy-ness of the guitar is so very lucent as to astonish. A must have for any serious fan of The Beatles.
My favourite Beatles album. This is the ultimate eye-opening version of this stellar creation I hear thing here that have been ‘hidden’ from my ears for years. a great artistic success.
This was a gift to myself to celebrate my 70th birthday and it did not disappoint.The deluxe version is a beautiful packaged presentation and Giles Martin has done a fantastic job of remixing the tracks.
This is even better than the Sgt. Pepper box set from last year. The new mix is a lot like the mono version of The Beatles…much more in your face than the previous stereo remaster from about ten years ago. The Esher demos and sessions discs are a delight for any serious fan. Others may be slightly overwhelmed, but The White Album itself is a glorious puzzle anyway. The packaging is also top notch…the book the discs are housed in is perhaps the ultimate book on this sprawling album.
I absolutely love this version of The White Album! This album has not been one of my favorite of the Beatles, but after listening to the remixes I changed my mind. Many of the songs are cleaner and the background vocals are more obvious. But what makes this version so special has to be the other CDs. Hearing the interaction between the guys, goofing around, and hearing John laughing felt like I was a fly on the wall in the studio. Kudos to Giles for giving us all this gift!
A great box set, the mixes are really well done.
Would have been great if Giles Martin would have done the remixes on the stereo and mono box sets back in 2009:-)
Worth the buy.
A must for all you Beatle fans:-)
Five (5) stars for the album, three (3) for packing. Checked the carton box prior to opening it, looked fine. Surprisingly, the box set had some bumps on the reverse corners. All discs present and accounted for. Thought that I waited to much before purchase, thought will receive a high number. Was pleasantly surprised when I lookd at the number, got copy # 8702! Only reason why will not return it! Will edit this post after I have a chace to listening the whole thing. Started with the Blu-ray, the mono tracks. Courious to see if they were any different from the remastered 2009 mono mix. Sounds much better!
The White Album has been one of my favorite albums since I first bought it in 1972. This multi disc release provides insights in how the album came about. It’s fascinating to listen to the home demos, including songs that didn’t make the final cut. Also, the studio outtakes include very interesting early (and long!) versions of songs like Revolution and Helter Skelter. The book provides valuable background stories and includes great B/W pictures by Linda, showing not only Yoko hang around during the sessions.
APPLE have simply outdone themselves with this release. The care and detail in the packaging is absolutely outstanding. Then, more importantly, there is the music! Beyond the beautifully remixed official tracks, a treasure trove of musical insights into the workings of arguably, The Beatles greatest album. The quality in the sound has this album, and its many outtakes, feeling like they were recorded last month, and not 50 years ago! This is value for money and a fitting celebration of a musical masterwork by four guys who changed the world!
Excellent package. Worth the wait, Great listening to the Beatles again, there music never ages
Just received it today. Well packadged, fast delivery, The quality of the product is amazing a well done packadge…A lot of never seen Linda McCartney pictures in the very nice book. Sound is great….Can’t wait for the 50th anniversary of Abbey Road…Hope Giles Martin is already workin’ on it….Again he did an amazing job for this masterpiece.