сегодня получил e-mail от доктора эббетса:
QUOTE: | This is part of the "Good News" I eluded to in the subject line ... But I must first give a quick background of what (and why) these extra upgrades are coming your way.. (PLEASE READ).. Last year, Ebbetts began, in earnest, what is now known as the EBBETTS UPGRADES PROGRAM. This program's purpose was (and still is) to offer the best sounding and looking representations of the Beatles original LP releases. The idea is: If improvements are ever made to any of the audio masters in the catalogue, or if any of the artwork inserts and labels are improved upon during the course of the Dr. Ebbetts Sound Systems Project (now in its sixth year), then those improvements are made available free of charge to those who acquired the originals directly from me. When Capitol announced its FIRST boxed set last year, it was exciting, to say the least. This was EXACTLY what many of us were waiting for - official releases representing the original Capitol catalogue in the United States. When the set was released, I had mixed emotions. While the artwork was an embarrassment, the audio on the four CDs was actually pretty damn good. Logically, it would almost have to be, seeing as Capitol (and Ted Jensen) had access to the original tapes. However, as good as they sounded, they did NOT have that "certain something" that would make them definitive for me - and that was the ever-intangible but all-too conspicuous "feel of vinyl." The Capitol set was simply a bit too harsh for my ears, and a bit too bright. It was crisp and full of bottom end, but it still sounded very digital to me. Yet, despite all of this, it still sounded better than the original Ebbetts versions of the same titles as far as I was concerned (Meet The Beatles, Beatles Second Album, Something New and Beatle 65) - particularly the MONO versions. This prompted me to begin the Capitol UPGRADES program. Better equipment and procedures at my end helped fuel my decision to "try again." When Ebbetts released (or rather, re-released) those first four Capitol LPs as upgrades, I was VERY pleased. They sounded MUCH better than the original Ebbetts releases, and were as good (in my humble opinion) as the Capitol set, although for different reasons. I was proud of them. Many of you upon comparing the Capitol to Boxed Set to the Ebbetts upgrades agree with me on this, and your unbelievable support has shown this. I am forever grateful. Additionally, I never discouraged those from buying the Capitol set in favor of mine, and I would never do such a thing. I encourage anyone and everyone to go out and buy the initial Capitol set. Support your local Beatle merchants! Now, to the crux of the matter, now that the foundation is set ... Obviously, the SECOND Capitol BOXED SET was released in America on the 11th (and in Europe and Japan earlier than that). Being a Beatles Collector, I obviously purchased a set way ahead of time... I have now "officially" done my own comparisons of the UPGRADED EBBETTS versions of "The Early Beatles," "Beatles VI," "Rubber Soul (original US stereo mix)," and "Rubber Soul (dexterized US stereo mix) - all of which will begin shipping to some of you tomorrow - to the corresponding stereo titles in the boxed set. Regarding the STEREO titles only, I will say unequivocally (and quite enthusiastically), that the Ebbetts stereo versions stand up to the official releases in the same way the original upgrades did to the FIRST BOX SET - in my humble opinion. I am very pleased with the new upgrades and I'm quite sure you will, too. (The artwork, obviously, is FAR superior to the official release). However, when I compared my upgraded mono versions to the mono versions of the boxed set - in terms of fidelity ONLY - I was not quite as pleased. True, my mono versions are all correct mixes, utilizing the original vinyl as the source - but whereas I was VERY pleased with the mono upgrades as compared to the FIRST BOX SET, I was not quite as warm and fuzzy about the comparisons made to the SECOND BOX SET. I'm not sure why, but something told me I had to do something about it. Now before I go on, let me say this ... I understand it would be difficult to compare, say, my American mono Rubber Soul to the Boxed Set mono version knowing that Capitol used WRONG mixes, but there was still something lacking I couldn't put my finger on. I got the same feeling about the Ebbetts upgraded version of "The Early Beatles" in mono. Now, with that said, let me state that the LP "The Early Beatles," in glorious monphonic audio, sounds considerably different than the boxed set version in many ways - not the least of which is the echo and compression. Just listen to "Twist And Shout," for example. The boxed set version is remarkably clean and drier sounding, whereas the version from the original vinyl LP sounds compressed and over-echoed. This is PRECISELY why the Ebbetts project exists - to preserve the vinyl experience. I am here to help create representaion of the band original vinyl output ... However, they still need to sound as good as they can be... To that end ... to save time ....and thanks to an Ebbetts friend from way back (Big Mitch on Christopher Street) ..... |
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