Check out the included full size booklet:
Anyone could have purchase this record with the included booklet easily in the stereo version that has been back in print since November 2012. However, this is the mono version of the album, which was just re-released on September 9. Extra exciting is that, unlike the stereo version which is mastered from digital sound files, this new mono version was mastered using only an analog signal path from the original master tapes. I could post a picture of the vinyl itself, but you wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at the grooves how much better it sounds, but it sounds amazing! If I post a sample of it, that sample will be digitally sampled, so you would loose the effect of hearing the beautiful pure analog sound that comes out of my speakers when I play this record. If you would like to hear for yourself, please stop by our new house some time to listen, and if you like, compare it to the beautiful but digital sounding 2009 mono cd.
I decided I could't afford to buy the entire new mono vinyl box at once, so I'm collecting these one at a time, and will likely leave out some of the albums that I prefer in Stereo, such as The Beatles (The White Album). So far, I also have the new AAA mono vinyl versions of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (the only album so far that I have on vinyl in both stereo and mono), Revolver, and Rubber Soul. I will increase my collection as I get more record funds, as these new AAA (analog recording, mixing and output) Beatles vinyl mono records are amazing. Now we can just hope that they will someday re-release AAA stereo versions, and also that more music artists will recognize the importance of pure analog sound and record and release new records that are mastered with pure analog equipment (today a lot of new records, even those that are recorded to tape and released on vinyl, are still mastered using digital equipment, which is easier but very unfortunate to get so close but then fail to deliver a pure analog listening experience.)
On the topic of analog sound that has never been digitally sampled, I've recently discovered that I really like the sound of some of my old cassettes. The cassette was never a great format from an audio quality standpoint, but now that I've become more attuned to what digital sampling takes away from sound, I am appreciating the sound of old cassettes that are taped from analog master tapes more. It is funny that at one time I thought cassettes were fairly worthless once I had a cd copy of the album, and unfortunately, I've thrown away several cassettes that I now wish I still had. Now when I do comparisons between the same album on cd vs cassette (where the original tape source is analog), I actually usually find the tape is more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI have liked listening to cassettes, too. I like the feel, and I like how indestructible they are.
ReplyDeleteYes that is a good point - if you break or crack a cd, there is no way to repair it. You can complete smash a cassette, and then still get the tape out and put it inside another cassette. And you can easily remove damaged tape sections and splice tape back together, whereas a scratched cd or record will skip every time it gets to that part.
ReplyDeleteI really think it would be cool if someone would develop a fairly small portable cassette format with wider tape than standard cassettes, which could then have much better audio quality. Either that or an analog laser disc format, which is technically possible. It would be great if we could go back to the standard music distribution being pure analog, and I think a portable format that sounds better than cd would be a big step in that direction. I would think Record companies would love it, as you can't copy analog without degradation. If they convinced everyone that digital sampling is a form of sound degradation (which it is, just not enough people notice it), file sharing would be only for those who don't care about sound quality. But unfortunately, that is apparently most everyone in the world, so we continue to degrade our only lasting record of so much of current culture by producing it only in digital format.