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sgt. pepper

Might have to pull out my copies of each and test this. I do remember the crescendo back in the day being powerful...but don't remember when I got the cd having a hugely different experience. I probably do not have the mono version either way....
 
David Harper said:
when listening to "A Day in the Life" on CD I'm confused and underwhelmed by the crescendo at the end. The reason why is I remember what it sounded like almost 50 years ago on vinyl. It was awesome in it's power and grandeur. Now, on CD, it doesn't sound at all the same. "
Click to expand...
In 1969 I listened to Sgt Pepper on a small plastic gramophone with an internal 3-tube amp and still my memories are the same as yours.... Everything "The Beatles" sounded awesome to me 50 years ago :). I still enjoy their music, but it will never be the same. Try perhaps the 2006 multichannel DVD-A remix "Love" - sounds very good.
 
the dynamic range database says this;
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (vinyl rip) (1967) year 1977/ Codec uncompressed PCM (WAV)

but this is not the CD I have. The CD I have says on it (in type so tiny that it's microscopic) "digital remaster 2009".
I'm pretty sure I may have the worst remaster ever. I'm going to toss it in the garbage and start hunting for a better version. Why would anyone in their right mind do this to this album? It's like painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa. Even the new vinyl versions are remastered from digital files. My original vinyl 50 years ago was in mono.
I have new vinyl of "Revolver", "Rubber Soul", "Abbey Road", and "Let it Be" all remastered from digital files. I didn't even think to check that when I bought them. If I would have known that I wouldn't have bought them. What's the point? If I remember correctly MFSL had for sale newly recorded vinyl mono versions of these albums mastered from the original master tapes (I think). But they were like $50.00 each.
Maybe there are CD versions that haven't been ruined by compression?
 
Last edited:
Everyone here is right about my being stoned at the time and being young and easily impressed and the music was new and my hearing was better.
All of that stuff is true. But none of it explains (IMO) why this CD sounds so pathetic.
Back in the day my system was ;Micro Sieke DD 40 TT with MA 505 tonearm (the most beautiful TT I ever saw),Stanton 681 EEE cartridge, SAE amp, and ESS Heil speakers.
My current rig is Oppo 203 CDP, Schiit Vidar amp, and Polk RTia5 floorstanding speakers. The speakers have recently been replaced by Maggie LRS speakers. The new maggies don't compete with the Polk floorstanders in terms of dynamic power and volume. The polks kick the maggie's ass.
 
David Harper said:
Why would anyone in their right mind do this to this album?
Click to expand...
To convince people to buy another version of an album they likely already have?

PS I like Mona Lisa with a moustache:

43163AB2-1B79-490B-B8C6-B6B47D3ABBA4.jpeg
 
David Harper said:
when listening to "A Day in the Life" on CD I'm confused and underwhelmed by the crescendo at the end. The reason why is I remember what it sounded like almost 50 years ago on vinyl. It was awesome in it's power and grandeur. Now, on CD, it doesn't sound at all the same. Like the dynamics have been sucked out of it.
Click to expand...
Some analysis that might help. Here are two radar plots of the BS1770 loudness of "A Day In The Life", that on the left from an early mono release on CD (sorry, I don't go anywhere near vinyl) and the other, the stereo Giles Martin remix. The latter is, on average, about 4dB louder so I did a rough level match at the early, gentle part of the song.

A 360° sweep represents 1 minute and each radial division is 6dB. In each case the plot commences on the word "Hall" as in "now we know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall"

Day In The Life mono.jpg
Day In The Life remix.jpg


Interestingly, the dynamics are broadly similar up to the big crescendo, although the modern mix starts building a few seconds earlier which might make the final climax feel a little less dynamic. Following the climax the earlier version dies away more and earlier which is a tiny bit surprising as I thought they would have taken great delight in showing off the wonderful creation of the final chord lasting for ever and ever! I can only surmise that they were anxious to get it over with owing to the very real playing time limitations of a side of vinyl.
 
David Harper said:
the dynamic range database says this;
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (vinyl rip) (1967) year 1977/ Codec uncompressed PCM (WAV)

but this is not the CD I have. The CD I have says on it (in type so tiny that it's microscopic) "digital remaster 2009".
I'm pretty sure I may have the worst remaster ever. I'm going to toss it in the garbage and start hunting for a better version. Why would anyone in their right mind do this to this album? It's like painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa. Even the new vinyl versions are remastered from digital files. My original vinyl 50 years ago was in mono.
I have new vinyl of "Revolver", "Rubber Soul", "Abbey Road", and "Let it Be" all remastered from digital files. I didn't even think to check that when I bought them. If I would have known that I wouldn't have bought them. What's the point? If I remember correctly MFSL had for sale newly recorded vinyl mono versions of these albums mastered from the original master tapes (I think). But they were like $50.00 each.
Maybe there are CD versions that haven't been ruined by compression?
Click to expand...
Have you tried the 50th anniversary remix I mentioned? Pick up a copy of that and see what you think.
 
Pluto :yes I would have thought the earlier version would have been the longer ending. Otherwise your graphic is real interesting. I just watched the youtube music video of the song and the ending you're talking about seems to go on much longer than on my CD.
 
How many CD versions are there?
IME in general early CD releases had original dynamics, but later ones, after loudness became desirable :facepalm: often had to lose any crescendi so the average level could be higher without the loud bits clipping.
I don't know if this is the case with Beatles albums as well as so many others, I am not much of a Beatles fan. The CD I have is from 1987
 
Frank Dernie said:
How many CD versions are there?
IME in general early CD releases had original dynamics, but later ones, after loudness became desirable :facepalm: often had to lose any crescendi so the average level could be higher without the loud bits clipping.
I don't know if this is the case with Beatles albums as well as so many others, I am not much of a Beatles fan. The CD I have is from 1987
Click to expand...

4 masterings available on CD:
1987 Stereo
2009 Stereo
2009 Mono
2017 Stereo (remix) +Mono
 
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