[WGH]

Fantastic interview. Giles Martin explains and demonstrates the differences with original mono, stereo and the new re-mix comparisons.

Why Remix 'Sgt. Pepper's'? Giles Martin, The Man Behind The Project, Explains
"We now can go back to the early generations of tapes. It's hard to explain, but my father had to record everything on a four-track — that means you can record four things on one tape. And that was bounced to another four-track. [Each time sounds are bounced to another tape the sound degrades]. What we do is we go back to the previous generation [the original tapes], so we're mixing off generations of tape that they never mixed off. [Martin here is referencing the final takes of each instrumental part, which were transferred to four-track tapes, which were then used to create the final mix.] So it's almost like a car that comes straight out of a paint shop. The tapes are glistening. What was recorded in '67 sounds pure and crystal clear — there's not any hiss or anything. And with this version of Sgt. Pepper that's what we try to do — we're trying to get you closer to the music."

http://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/05/23/528678711/why-remix-sgt-peppers-giles-martin-the-man-behind-the-project-explains

[Phil A]

Thanks for the article.  I'll have to at least pick up the CD. Remember well when the album was released and even with the last boxed sets and 24/44.1 downloads the mixes sounded dated.

[WGH]

"We've done a great vinyl cut of this [Sgt. Pepper], which we did half-speed, so it's a much more precise cut. We still use the same techniques, we've just developed them."
Giles Martin

[Tyson]

Is it available in hirez?

[brother love]

Is it available in hirez?

I wondered the same thing. Be curious to know how it compares to the 2009 24 bit/ 44.1 kHz version of which I own the complete remaster collection.

Found this: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beatles-prep-massive-sgt-pepper-50th-anniversary-sets-w474974

It looks like you have to get the deluxe box set where disks 5 & 6 contain a Blu-ray DVD LPCM Stereo 24 bit/ 96 kHZ audio mix. No mention of digital files being available.

Edit: article details are a little confusing ... the 24/96 audio may be only for a couple songs & not all tracks.

[Phil A]

Is it available in hirez?

Apparently the deluxe set includes a Blu-Ray with some - http://www.nme.com/news/listen-rediscovered-beatles-sgt-pepper-outtake-2061249

The only reason I haven't jumped on the band wagon is I'd like to see just a nice hi-res stereo version (I'd jump all over that).  So I'll probably wait a bit.

[Phil A]

I wondered the same thing. Be curious to know how it compares to the 2009 24 bit/ 44.1 kHz version of which I own the complete remaster collection.

Found this: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beatles-prep-massive-sgt-pepper-50th-anniversary-sets-w474974

It looks like you have to get the deluxe box set where disks 5 & 6 contain a Blu-ray DVD LPCM Stereo 24 bit/ 96 kHZ audio mix. No mention of digital files being available.

Beat me to it by a second.  I have both the old stereo and mono CD box sets and the 24/44.1 files.

[WGH]

I wondered the same thing. Be curious to know how it compares to the 2009 24 bit/ 44.1 kHz version of which I own the complete remaster collection.

The 2017 remix is a lot clearer, I have both the 2009 24/44.1 and the new stereo remix. The remix went back to the original performance tapes before they were bounced to 4 track tape.
The link above includes A/B/C comparisons of all three mixes so you can hear the differences for yourself.

[simon wagstaff]

This is very similar to what was done with King Crimson In The Coirt Of The Crimson King. By going back to the original performance tapes and remixing you can eliminate at least one tape generation.

[witchdoctor]

Is it available in hirez?

Yes, get the BRD. It is also on Tidal

[brother love]

The 2017 remix is a lot clearer, I have both the 2009 24/44.1 and the new stereo remix. The remix went back to the original performance tapes before they were bounced to 4 track tape.
The link above includes A/B/C comparisons of all three mixes so you can hear the differences for yourself.

Thanks. I'll give the All Songs Considered interview a listen.

[Tyson]

Just listened - wow, the difference is not small.  Man, I'm sitting here listening to the Beatles in better sound than anyones has ever heard, in all history, and it just reminds me that we are living in the best time in history.

[WGH]

Fresh Air's Terry Gross has another fantastic interview with Giles Martin, 44 minutes of absolutely riveting Sgt. Pepper history.
Once again there are sample tracks of the Sgt. Pepper remix, history of the out takes and Beatles stories.
Giles is a natural story teller so this interview is pure fun and the stories are completely different than the All Songs Considered interview linked above.
http://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/

[firedog]

I have lots of verisons: LP (stereo) from the 60's, 1987 CD, 2009 mono and stereo and 24bit, and 2014 mono LP (also ripped) and this 2017 stereo.

I like this remix a lot. I think GM hit his goal of making a stereo mix that sounds (in terms of mix only) similar to something the Beatles themselves would have done if they had mixed in stereo and not just in mono. A "mono in stereo" mix, as it were. You can hear each element of the mix very clearly, and there's a good stereo sound without extreme panning. Vocals, Bass and drums are more present.

That said, I think he pumped up the overall volume compression too much. I wouldn't mind some added VC, but I think he added about double the amount he should of. Doesn't ruin it or make it unlistenable, I just think it would have sounded FANTASTIC if he'd done a little less VC.

Unfortunately, the hi-res remix on the DVD etc has the same Volume compression. I was hoping it would be less than the CD, but it isn't.

[Mike B.]

I got the CD a couple days ago. My only reference is the original album I purchased in 1967. I am very happy with the mix and SQ of the new CD.

[dB Cooper]

Was just listening to 'A Day in the Life' on my Etymotics and heard two things I've never heard before: One, right in the segue between the alarm clock and McCartney vocal ("Woke up, fell out of bed'), you can faintly hear someone (probably McCartney) mutter "motherf**ker..." just after the alarm goes off. (I wonder if some eagle-eared BBC producer heard this- or heard about it- and that was the real reason the song was banned, not the blatant drug references?) And two, late in the fadeout, I could hear what sounds like a wooden chair creaking like someone was getting out of it.

[dB Cooper]

Thanks for the article.  I'll have to at least pick up the CD. Remember well when the album was released and even with the last boxed sets and 24/44.1 downloads the mixes sounded dated.

The mixes do sound dated (partly because the style was imitated by so many over the years), but much much more revealing of what was laid down on tape.