In 1987 the music of the greatest band of all time was first released in the CD format but unfortunately the best job wasn’t done on the mastering of those CDs and only the stereo versions of their classic albums were released.

The biggest issue was the digital mastering. Digital mastering in the 1980s was still a new thing. The knowledge and technology on how to get the best sound compact disc has significantly progressed since then. For example mastering in the ’80s was done in 16bit and the mastering for the new Beatles remasters was done in 24bit. This allows for less digital distortion and for more of the original analog tape sound to be captured.

But the lack of mono versions of The Beatles albums was also a big problem for a lot of fans who either grew up with those mixes or who were curious to hear them.

Luckily now with the Beatles remasters, both of these issues have been fixed. Both mono and stereo mixes of The Beatles albums are now available and they are both digitally remastered beautifully in such a way that allows the music to soudn better than ever.

The Beatles in Stereo USB Stick

This USB memory stick is basically a digital version of The Beatles in Stereo Box Set. It includes both 320kbps mp3s and 24bit FLAC files. Along with the obvious audio component, this Apple USB stick also contains all of the visual elements from the stereo box set such as the 13 album documentaries, the extended liner notes for each album, and the photos.

This USB memory stick is compatible with both Mac and PC computers. The mp3s should work with no hiccups with your mp3 player (whether you own a Zune, an iPod, or a lesser known brand.)

The Beatles Remastered Mono Box Set

The release that has created the most excitement of serious Beatles fans is The Beatles Mono Box Set because it represents the very first time that the original mono mixes of their music have been available on CD.

Some “purist” Beatles fans believe that these mono mixes were really the way their music was supposed to be enjoyed and these “purists” have a good reason for believing that. Mono was what most Beatles fans listened to in the ’60s and The Beatles spent the majority of their time working on getting the mono mixes just right. It really wasn’t until around 1968 that The Beatles started to take their stereo mixes seriously.

The Beatles in Stereo

The most popular Beatles release of the year has been The Beatles in Stereo Box Set. It’s been an enormous seller and for good reason. It contains the band’s complete 1960s catalog in brilliantly digitally remastered stereo. It sounds absolutely wonderful (these CDs are far superior to the 1987 mastered Beatles CDs you likely have now.)

The biggest improvements compared to the old discs can be heard in the way Paul’s bass cuts through the mix more so than ever before and Ringo’s drums sound much better too. It’s also great to be able to hear each individual vocal part more clearly which we can do with these new remasters.

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