Waiting with anticipation.... for Beatles "Love"

[Alloroc]

,,,,for Beatles Love - the new compilation. Due in one week now!

I've heard some of the tracks on radio and online and they sound great.

The DVD should be really interesting.

Reviews will follow

Any of you in the US seen the show in Vegas?

V.

[bigburner]

I'm really intrigued by the concept of this album - take original Beatles songs and rework them by adding vocals and instrumentation from other Beatles songs. Yes, from other Beatles songs. I hope it works because I'm a huge admirer of The Beatles. If it doesn't work then George Martin will be dropped from my Xmas card list.

While we're improving things I think the Mona Lisa would look better with a hat...

Nigel.

[Brandon B]

So wear a hat when you look at it. What's the problem?

BB

[David Meek]

Nah, she just needs her eyebrows back. :B

[Alloroc]

Well the CD arrived in my local Virgin Megastore yesterday - so I picked it up. I thought it was not available until the 21st but there it was so I had to have it!

I have only managed to listen to it fully once and thankfully my fears were put to ease.

I'll pop up a proper review when I get to listen to it a few more times b ut my inital impression is very positive.

It sounds fresh and clean and I am in no way dissapointed by the end product. it has come into some criticisim from some quarters but I am a Beatles fan to the core and I think it a really interesting reworking of their music.

V.

[Foxman]

Well, after reading the comments of many around the web, I learned that the surround disk does have one pretty nasty little flaw or inconvenience. In order to access the PCM, DTS or Dolby options you have to set your DVD-A player to Video instead of Audio. If you have it set to audio it will still play in surround sound and one nice thing is that it is an autoplay, but again you do have to switch to be able to choose.

So, I listened to the first two tracks and I listened to I am the Wallrus in all three surround modes. I ended up listening to the whole disk in Dolby after initially starting out with DTS. Of the three I probably would repeatedly use the default surround mode without having to change my player's settings, but I think I preferred the Dolby surround the most on the tracks I listened to. It just seemed to me that the rear channel artifacts were more prevalent using the Dolby setting, that is unless my own perceptions were squeing my thoughts.

The disk is sooooo much cooler in surround regardless of which one you choose and really is done in a nice way. I could imagine some fans not appreciating some of the liberties that were taken, but I enjoyed the music a lot. Best Buy had the regular cd for 9.99 and the CD-DVD-A combo for 14.99 which is a no brainer. Clarity wise it is just amazing what they were able to do with certain tracks and I was particularly impressed with what they were able to do with "I Want To Hold Your Hand". On the other hand I didn’t like "Gnik Nus" at all and wondered why it was included. Another favorite was what they did with "Strawberry Fields". Some songs were listed in the track listing such as Blackbird and Helter Skelter, but you really don't get the song at all, rather some of the music mixed into another song. I point that out because it is odd to me that they would even list the song when so many other songs were used in part but not listed.

So, anyway these are my thoughts. Overall I very much enjoyed listening last night, it has been a while since I have done any kind of "critical" listening and I enjoyed it, but I stayed up too late to exercise this morning, so I can not make a habit out of that. I would rate the disk a :45: out of :5:

One other thing I will mention about the clarity. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to "Let It Be: Naked" then you are missing another excellent example of what today's technology can do with older music. I thought the clarity of that disk rivaled the clarity of "Love". Also, as far as a reference disk to show off surround, the golden standard has been Dark Side of the Moon and I think a lot of that has had to do with the music itself being so liked as well as the fantastic way the surround mix was done. This disk will fall into the same category as DSOTM in both terms of liking the music and have a surround mix so well done IMO.

[John Holmes]

A very informative review Foxman. :T

[Danbry39]

Honestly, I wouldn't have even known about the release if not for Alloroc's mention.

So, after my youngest daughter and I went out for some Japanese food this morning, I thought, "Oh, hey, that new Beatles release is out now," and we popped on over to Best Buys to grab a copy.

Well, instead of going home, I suggested we give it a listen while taking a leisurely drive along one of the local rivers (we stopped only once for some coffee).

It was absolutely a great listen. For those who don't know, Beatles producer George Martin and his son put it all together. If I had to describe it, I'd kind of call it a musical collage. For instance, on Strawberry fields, it moves through three versions of the song, overlaying it with keyboard music from In My Life and Piggies, as well as adding on vocals from Hello, Hello. Or, they might insert a guitar or drum solo from another song into another. Or, perhaps combining several songs into one. Some of the music is new, such as an acoustic guitar While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

They also have added strings, horns, and studio effects to the effort. Really hard to describe, but, for any Beatle fan, enjoyable.

We liked it so much that, after getting home, we waited about a half hour, before grabbing my wife for a listen while driving to, you guessed it, another Japanese restaurant for lunch.

[bigburner]

So, after my youngest daughter and I went out for some Japanese food this morning,

We liked it so much that, after getting home, we waited about a half hour, before grabbing my wife for a listen while driving to, you guessed it, another Japanese restaurant for lunch.

Keith, I presume that your preference for Japanese food is due to your deep love for Yoko Ono?

Nigel.

[Danbry39]

Yikes :E , outed after all these years of being in the closet of secret desire :B and totally owned by Bob. ;x(

As John sang, "Oh, Yoko...Oh, Yoko......I'd love to turn you on."

Just kidding, of course.

[David Meek]

Keith, I presume that your preference for Japanese food is due to your deep love for Yoko Ono?

Oh barf. :B Yoko, that is.

[David Meek]

Thanksgiving has passed so I'm in my annual family-imposed-no-CD/DVD/Vinyl-buying-until-after-Christmas period. But, after reading Russ' and Keith's comments it's gone on the Christmas list.

Are there major differences between the regular and Special Editions?

[bigburner]

Thanksgiving has passed so I'm in my annual family-imposed-no-CD/DVD/Vinyl-buying-until-after-Christmas period. But, after reading Russ' and Keith's comments it's gone on the Christmas list.

I've requested socks for Xmas so I should be able to pick up my copy this week.

[bigburner]

Well I picked up my copy today and my initial reaction is that it's a very cool album. I need to listen to it a couple more times to make sure.

Are there major differences between the regular and Special Editions?

The Special Edition includes 2 discs: CD and DVD-Audio. I bought the Special Edition expecting that the second disc would be a DVD-Video. That just shows I have trouble reading.

My Oppo 971 plays DVD-Audio so I was able to listen to the second disc. It's my first ever DVD-Audio. As I run a 2.1 system I didn't get to enjoy the surround sound experience. On my system the CD sounded better.

[Alloroc]

Well I picked up my copy today and my initial reaction is that it's a very cool album. I need to listen to it a couple more times to make sure.


The Special Edition includes 2 discs: CD and DVD-Audio. I bought the Special Edition expecting that the second disc would be a DVD-Video. That just shows I have trouble reading.

My Oppo 971 plays DVD-Audio so I was able to listen to the second disc. It's my first ever DVD-Audio. As I run a 2.1 system I didn't get to enjoy the surround sound experience. On my system the CD sounded better.

Hi Nigel,

I have to say that I felt the same thing with the disks. The CD quality is fantastic. The DVD-A does sound really good in 5.1 but on my 2 channel setup it has to be CD.

Every time I listen to the CD for some reason it reminds my of my childhood. I have almost every Beatles album and single on vinyl. Original too and almost all are in great condition. My Mum was a huge Beatles fan and bought them all. I inherited the collection! Anyhow, I also have most of their stuff on CD but for some reason this particular compilation and its freshness and youthfull quality just keeps reminding of me, my mum, dad and sisters singing and dancing away at home when I was a kid. Choked me up, I have to admit. I can't help but be reminded of how they were themselves back then - youthful and fresh. I'm sure John and George would have loved this collection.

I was at the excellent Paul McCartney concert in Dublin a couple of years back and it was another one of those moments. Anyone else see him that tour?

This album has got to be the most essential music purchace this year. Don't wait 'till Christmas. Buy it now.

V.

[Brandon B]

My Oppo 971 plays DVD-Audio so I was able to listen to the second disc.

It does? I thought only the 970 did. If the 971 does, I may start picking some up.

BB

[bigburner]

It does? I thought only the 970 did. If the 971 does, I may start picking some up.

BB

BB, the 970 does SACD but the 971 doesn't. Perhaps that's what you were thinking of?

Nigel.



OPPO OPDV971H Overview:

DVI (Digital Video Interface) output to eliminate flickers and to produce more clear pictures

High resolutions include 480p, 540P, 576p, 720p, 1080i
Up Convert from 480i to 720p/1080i
DCDi by Faroudja. Video is analyzed on a single pixel granularity to detect presence or absence of angled lines and edges, which are then processed to produce a smooth natural looking image without visible artifacts (jaggies)
Official DivX® Certified product
Plays all versions of DivX® video (including DivX® 6) with standard playback of DivX® media files
Plays XviD and .SRT, .SMI, .IDX and .SUB formats
Per-pixel Motion Adaptive De-interlacing
Patented Film Mode Processing ( Used for proper de-interlacing of 3:2 and 2:2 pull down material)

Functions:
DVD Video, DVD Audio, DivX®, XviD, Audio CD, HDCD, WMA, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW, Kodak Picture
Super Error Correction with Twin Laser and Intelligent Laser Wavelength Control
PAL / NTSC discs
Automatic screen saver
Menu Driven Setup Screen
Playability of self-recorded discs may vary depending on media and formatting software types

Video:
108MHz/12bit Video D/A Converter
DVI Output
NTSC / PAL Output
Screen Aspect Ratio 4:3 and 16:9
Smart Video: Sharpness/Contrast/Brightness/Saturation
Multi-Angled View
Multi-Language for On-Screen-Display

Audio:
192 KHz Sampling Frequency, 24-Bit High Quality Audio DAC
Dolby Digital Down-mixed 2-Ch Stereo (L. R)
Built-in Dolby digital Decoder, Dolby Digital (AC3) 5.1 Channel Output
Built-in DTS Digital Decoder, DTS 5.1 Channel Output
Dolby Digital/DTS/LCPM Bitstream Output
3D Surround (Virtual Surround): Concert, Live, Dance, Techno, Classic, Soft

Power Supply:
~~110V - ~~250V, 50Hz/60Hz AC Universal Power Supply
Automatic Short Circuit Protection

Connectors:
Analog (Mixed 2 Ch) Stereo (Left, Right) Audio
S/PDIF (IEC-958) Coaxial/Optical Digital Audio
Component Video/Composite Video/S-Video
DVI (5' DVI-DVI-D cable included)
Bonus: 6' DVI-HDMI cable
5.1 Channel Audio

[bigburner]

Hi Nigel,

I have to say that I felt the same thing with the disks. The CD quality is fantastic. The DVD-A does sound really good in 5.1 but on my 2 channel setup it has to be CD.

Every time I listen to the CD for some reason it reminds my of my childhood. I have almost every Beatles album and single on vinyl. Original too and almost all are in great condition. My Mum was a huge Beatles fan and bought them all. I inherited the collection! Anyhow, I also have most of their stuff on CD but for some reason this particular compilation and its freshness and youthfull quality just keeps reminding of me, my mum, dad and sisters singing and dancing away at home when I was a kid. Choked me up, I have to admit. I can't help but be reminded of how they were themselves back then - youthful and fresh. I'm sure John and George would have loved this collection.

I was at the excellent Paul McCartney concert in Dublin a couple of years back and it was another one of those moments. Anyone else see him that tour?

This album has got to be the most essential music purchace this year. Don't wait 'till Christmas. Buy it now.

V.

Hi Vincent,

You are lucky to have such a cool mum! My mum saw The Beatles in concert when they toured New Zealand in 1964 but sadly she doesn't own a large vinyl collection for my future benefit!

Your reaction to the "Love" album captures what music is all about, the ability to induce an emotional response. In this case your response has been quite intense. That's absolutely wonderful.

I haven't heard "Love" enough yet to decide whether it's the most essential music purchase this year. My top music acquisition so far this year is Paul McCartney's "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard", which is coincidental given your comments above about the Dublin concert.

Nigel.

[Brandon B]

Maybe. It seems the 971 does do DVD-A, but only out the 5.1 outputs, and my analog inputs are full up from my SACD player so guess I won't be going this route yet.

BB

[Chris D]

Hmm. I'm kind of surprised that a brand new player coming out doesn't upscale to 1080p.

[bigburner]

Hmm. I'm kind of surprised that a brand new player coming out doesn't upscale to 1080p.

I must have missed something here Chris. What player are you referring to?

Nigel.

[Chris D]

Whoops, my bad. Thought we were talking about the NEW Oppo.

[Burke Strickland]

The Beatles "Love" is an amazing compilation of many of their best known and best, ahem, loved works. Although it seems cobbled together in a few places where the transitions are a bit clumsy, most of it flows from song to song very well, providing a highly entertaining continuous musical experience that takes "concept album" to a new height and is revelatory in the clarity, depth and breadth of the sound field -- their music has always been wonderful, but it has never sounded this good before. I really hated for the DVD-A to end, I was enjoying it so much.

I missed the intro week pricing, but Best Buy's online site has the special edition with both CD and DVD-A in the package on sale (as of Friday afternoon when I ordered it) for $15.99 USD which is a buck more than the first week's price, but $4 USD less than the current retail store price of $19.99 USD, and since they let you pick it up at the retail store at your convenience instead of having to be held hostage waiting for UPS to deliver it, buying online a great way to save a few dollars and still get the album right away.

If you are a fan, it is a "must have. If you are not a fan, it is still worth listening to for the glorious sound and the imaginative way much of the material has been reworked -- still quite recognizable as the Beatle's own work, but with up to date sonics and imaginative use of sound effects and overlapping sequences of some of their songs that add texture and complexity without overwhelming the simple and recognizable pleasures of the orignal songs. Very highly recommended.

Burke

[Jack Gilvey]

Very nice, Burke. It's the best the Beatles have ever sounded, certainly, and perhaps my best-sounding disc overall in terms of timbre and surround immersion. The music, of course, well...there are the Beatles, and there are bands that are not the Beatles. Simple, really.

[Arneson]

I've been playing this on repeat all day.
The album should have been under every christmas tree, like Sargent Pepper was.

[Brandon B]

OK, help the clueless guy.

The DVD-A disk also contains a DVD layer playable in any DVD player with DTS and Dolby Digital tracks. Tried to use that but could not get it to play the DTS or DD 5.1 tracks, and there is no menu on the disc to make that happen. There must be a way to access the 5.1 material or else there would be no point in even including that since regular DVD players virtually all play audio CDs as well.

Is it me, or is my Oppo misbehaving?

BB

[Brandon B]

Well I have a clue. The oppo is misbehaving. It is seeing the DVD-A layer and trying to play it, but is sending a downmixed stereo out the SPDIF. Now I just ahve to figure out how to force the other audio track to play.

Any ideas?

BB

[bigburner]

On my OPPO 971 all I did was press the Setup key on the remote, go into the General Setup Page, toggle down to DVD-Audio Mode, and change the setting to DVD-Audio (it's usually set to DVD-Video).

[Foxman]

On my OPPO 971 all I did was press the Setup key on the remote, go into the General Setup Page, toggle down to DVD-Audio Mode, and change the setting to DVD-Audio (it's usually set to DVD-Video).

You kind of beat me to it. While I do not own the brand mentioned, in order for me to be able to access DTS or Dolby I have to switch my Denon from Video to Audio.

[Brandon B]

Yeah, I figured that out last night after I posted. I had never put a DVD-A in the machine before as I didn't own any up until then, and didn't know about that setting.

Thanks though.

BB

[Brandon B]

Oh, and cool album. This will get a lot of play from me.

BB