Post by Beatle Bob on Jan 24, 2009 20:34:13 GMT -5
REVIEW – ABBEY ROAD Pro-Use Series – By Dr. Ebbetts (DESS)
By Beatle Bob
Dr. Ebbetts has just released one of the more anticipated releases in his cannon of Beatles titles, the Japanese ABBEY ROAD Pro-Use Series that I’ve had the pleasure to listen to the last few weeks. One of my biggest concerns is that with all these other pressings we might get to the point of where we’re just “splitting hairs” in the differences. Up until the last few years I was never big on the different pressings and concentrated my interest on outtakes, alternates, demos, live, etc. Once the DESS label got into full swing issuing everything from Captiol Versions, to MFSL, “Red Mono’s,” the “Blue Boxes”, to things like Canadian and Mexican pressings. These turned me onto this audiophile world that I’ve been missing, and it’s been a joy-- especially with a label like DESS that issues pristine version of these pressings from virgin vinyl LPs, and the differences on some pressing can be more than just minor at times. As mentioned before and I will again, this and all of the DESS CDs have artwork that is immaculately reproduced on heavy stock paper and with the thermal printing process used on the discs, we have one beautifully reproduced green Apple label, that in comparison to every green Apple put on every legit Beatles CD to date, just blows away what EMI/Capitol can do in sharpness, color and detail.
I was impressed upon first spin of this CD. Knowing it’s from the same master as the highly touted and probably best legitimate CD release of this album on the Toshiba/EMI label, known as the “Black Triangle” disc, I had something directly I could compare to and immediately noticed a difference. What stood out immediately on the first song , “Come Together” is a deeper bass and more powerful presence to the track. Like the DMM White Album, this DESS CD jumps out at you. Of course it’s not a DMM pressing, and isn’t quite that, but what grabs you is it really makes my stereo system play like I had a more expensive set-up. Audiophile releases really do make a difference in my experience so far. Its treble is only slightly better than the Toshiba disc and not as pronounced as the bass improvement was, but overall detail was more discernible. The Toshiba/EMI disc feels a bit narrow from the top end to bottom end in comparison--with this new release feeling more open on the spectrum, giving it a better stereo presence. Tracks like “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” you’ll notice the clanging pierces your ears and has a tone and pitch that was impressive. On this Pro-Use disc, the slight in between track noise is seemingly identical on both being from the same master. The audiophile Pro-Use Series for this disc still isn’t quite like listening to a DCC remastering of the MCCARTNEY album, which dramatically improved upon the Capitol release, but this is the best version of ABBEY ROAD to surface to date for collectors. The “Blue Box” version may feel a bit warmer to some (I felt it the previous best version to date and overall still the best stereo series in my collection) , but I like this one as it tends to jump out at you more and it’s bass really gives it a harder more thumping feel. Something I like on a rock album.
All in all, probably now my favorite version of ABBEY ROAD to surface. Certainly not by miles and not as impressive as the DESS DMM "White Albuma" is, but enough to warrant it as the stand out release of this album to date.
I hope you've enjoyed this and it becomes helpful!
Regards,
Beatle Bob
By Beatle Bob
Dr. Ebbetts has just released one of the more anticipated releases in his cannon of Beatles titles, the Japanese ABBEY ROAD Pro-Use Series that I’ve had the pleasure to listen to the last few weeks. One of my biggest concerns is that with all these other pressings we might get to the point of where we’re just “splitting hairs” in the differences. Up until the last few years I was never big on the different pressings and concentrated my interest on outtakes, alternates, demos, live, etc. Once the DESS label got into full swing issuing everything from Captiol Versions, to MFSL, “Red Mono’s,” the “Blue Boxes”, to things like Canadian and Mexican pressings. These turned me onto this audiophile world that I’ve been missing, and it’s been a joy-- especially with a label like DESS that issues pristine version of these pressings from virgin vinyl LPs, and the differences on some pressing can be more than just minor at times. As mentioned before and I will again, this and all of the DESS CDs have artwork that is immaculately reproduced on heavy stock paper and with the thermal printing process used on the discs, we have one beautifully reproduced green Apple label, that in comparison to every green Apple put on every legit Beatles CD to date, just blows away what EMI/Capitol can do in sharpness, color and detail.
I was impressed upon first spin of this CD. Knowing it’s from the same master as the highly touted and probably best legitimate CD release of this album on the Toshiba/EMI label, known as the “Black Triangle” disc, I had something directly I could compare to and immediately noticed a difference. What stood out immediately on the first song , “Come Together” is a deeper bass and more powerful presence to the track. Like the DMM White Album, this DESS CD jumps out at you. Of course it’s not a DMM pressing, and isn’t quite that, but what grabs you is it really makes my stereo system play like I had a more expensive set-up. Audiophile releases really do make a difference in my experience so far. Its treble is only slightly better than the Toshiba disc and not as pronounced as the bass improvement was, but overall detail was more discernible. The Toshiba/EMI disc feels a bit narrow from the top end to bottom end in comparison--with this new release feeling more open on the spectrum, giving it a better stereo presence. Tracks like “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” you’ll notice the clanging pierces your ears and has a tone and pitch that was impressive. On this Pro-Use disc, the slight in between track noise is seemingly identical on both being from the same master. The audiophile Pro-Use Series for this disc still isn’t quite like listening to a DCC remastering of the MCCARTNEY album, which dramatically improved upon the Capitol release, but this is the best version of ABBEY ROAD to surface to date for collectors. The “Blue Box” version may feel a bit warmer to some (I felt it the previous best version to date and overall still the best stereo series in my collection) , but I like this one as it tends to jump out at you more and it’s bass really gives it a harder more thumping feel. Something I like on a rock album.
All in all, probably now my favorite version of ABBEY ROAD to surface. Certainly not by miles and not as impressive as the DESS DMM "White Albuma" is, but enough to warrant it as the stand out release of this album to date.
I hope you've enjoyed this and it becomes helpful!
Regards,
Beatle Bob
