Parlogram "The Forgotten Beatles EP Box Set & Why You Should Own It"

[Choking Smoker]

The first time I heard the sound quality of this set praised was many years ago by Steve Hoffman on his forum. I thought I had it but on checking I only have the bonus EP.

[Lord Reith]

It does have a very nice EQ on it which makes the tracks a bit brighter. I think they hit the same sweet spot EQ-wise as Ebbetts did with his later transfers. But the NoNoise makes it a NoGo for me. As I said the MMT ep is particularly affected. Compare the mono Blue Jay Way to the 2009 cd.

[harrylime]

Couldn't agree more. Before the 2012 release I always preferred the Furmanek mixes for these songs.

[Lord Reith]

There's a lot of waffle talked about the 1987 releases though. The first six are horrible I'll give you that, but the rest are all fine (actually Help and Rubber Soul in their Canadian form are great too and better than the bonus 2009 versions). But they always get tarred with the same brush as the first four. In actual fact they have no limiting, no NoNoise, no stereo narrowing and no cosmetic fixes. People should love them. Why are they so hated? Maybe if they'd just "sweetened" them a little with minor eq like the EP set they would have got a better rap.

[tymime]

It does have a very nice EQ on it which makes the tracks a bit brighter. I think they hit the same sweet spot EQ-wise as Ebbetts did with his later transfers. But the NoNoise makes it a NoGo for me. As I said the MMT ep is particularly affected. Compare the mono Blue Jay Way to the 2009 cd.

Odd, the video claims no noise reduction was used. Is he mistaken?

[Track06]

Why You Should Own It before Andrew praises it:
On Aug. 5th, the european release was available 42 times on discogs, now 8. 23 cheapest offers are gone.
The average price never was 65€ (median) but likely about 90€. Now the lowest price is in that range.

[Lord Reith]

Odd, the video claims no noise reduction was used. Is he mistaken?

Yep.

[slane]

[/quote]
Odd, the video claims no noise reduction was used. Is he mistaken?
[/quote]

I'm quite certain it does. It has the same mastering characteristics as the Red & Blue albums from the same time (Andrew even mentions that She Loves You is the same on both). Compare Baby You're A Rich Man to the 2009 stereo and you can hear straight away how unnaturally 'clean' the EP version is.

That said, I really like the set on the whole. The mono tracks particularly were a revelation after the 1987 mono CDs and the CD singles. A nice full sound (maybe the bass was overdone a tad on some tracks though), and I find the NR not bad on the mono tracks. I wish the 2009 monos had similar EQ, or something nearer to it.

And unless I misunderstood him, Andrew is wrong about those tape boxes. The album masters for PPM and AHDN don't show that tracks were *copied* for the No.1 and AHDN2 EPs. They show that these tapes were actually *used* for those EPs, as the songs were in the same order. No need to make copies, as those 2 EPs could be cut directly from the LP masters..

Not that the any of the CD EPs had to be sourced from any EP copies anyway.

[Lord Reith]

NoNoise came to Abbey Road in 1989 I think. From then on, they used it to death on EVERYTHING. Even on stuff like the EP set which, patently, did not need it. They just liked using it I think.

[harrylime]

And unless I misunderstood him, Andrew is wrong about those tape boxes. The album masters for PPM and AHDN don't show that tracks were *copied* for the No.1 and AHDN2 EPs. They show that these tapes were actually *used* for those EPs, as the songs were in the same order. No need to make copies, as those 2 EPs could be cut directly from the LP masters..

Then why do EP reels for both exist in the vaults? TL12344 for No. 1 and TL14452 for Extracts from the AHDN Album.