AND THE (MONO) WINNER IS...

MIRROR SPOCK, by a (MONO) ear!

The new Mono Beatles box is a great piece of work, with painstakingly reproduced replica's of the original vinyl albums, right down to label, and with all paper

inserts, some not seen for years.

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BUT, how do the mono remasters sound?
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Well, I always thought that the best test for at least one title-Sgt. Peppers-would be to do an A-B with Mirror Spock's EMI/Odeon

Japanese needle-drop+ bag of audio tricks, and let the best piece of plastic be the winner.

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And guess wot, mates?

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While the new EMI mono CDs definitely sound better than anything else they have ever released on CD in mono, I'd vote for the MS Sgt. P over EMI's.
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Now of course this is an admitted very subjective test, but, compared at the same volumes, on the same sound system, Spock
noses out EMI.

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In my mind, what it shows is that there is only so much one can do with 42 year old mono master tapes, and that a well-mastered
Japanese record, transferred to CD properly with the right
equipment can yield professional, or better, results.

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Remember, the difference between the two versions is slim, but it

sounds to me that Mirror Spock has more vibrancy, less flatness,

even less harshness and brittleness on the highs, especially noticeable in the opening guitar notes

of Getting Better.

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Other differences I noted were fullness of bass and overall musicality of the MS Sgt. P, compared with EMI's.

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Even some vocals, for example on Lucy in the Sky, seem fuller as

well, from the pointy-eared re-mix master.

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So, by all means buy the new Beatle Mono Box-if you can find one.

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But don't even think about selling or trading in your Mirror Spock stuff. Cuz I suspect you will regret it.

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