German Beatles White Album question

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by JPartyka, Jan 3, 2003.

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  1. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    According to yokono.com, the original German "White Album" had the catalog number SMO 2051/52.

    At some point, the catalog number seems to have changed to 1C 172-04 173/74. I'm not sure but I think I read somewhere that the ('70s??) white-vinyl German issue had that number.

    Is one preferable over the other? Is a white-vinyl 1C 172-04 173/74 edition better than a black-vinyl one? Is the original the best? You folks who rave about the German White ... which one do you have? Thanks for any and all info.
     
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  2. Joe Koz

    Joe Koz Prodigal Bone Brother™ In Memoriam

    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Well Jeff, I have the "White Album" on white vinyl from Germany and I must say this record is my favorite. There's bottom on this that you don't get any where. Including the CD, MFSL or the Japan version for that matter. I will warn you that it is a DMM pressing and a lot of forum members will advise against it. These early DMM pressings are a bit bright, however you are supposed to dehorn the records with your stylists and after 10 or 12 plays the records tone down a bit. After that you're in for a great ride. IMHO.
     
  3. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    I believe these are the release dates for the various versions:

    1968 Nov. Apple 2 051/ 2 052 (stereo)
    1969. Apple 1C 062-04 173/ 174 (stereo)
    1977. Apple 1C 072-04 173/ 174 (stereo)
    1981. Odeon 1C 072-04 173/ 174 (stereo)

    As far as I know, 062 was always 1969, while 072 could be a number of different pressings. I don't have a whole lot of experience in the various pressings, but I've heard the 062 pressings are good/best. I know the 062 Beatles Beat is really nice, and I'll have 3 more 062 pressings shortly. Don't know how the 072 pressings stack up.
     
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  4. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Jeff,

    For what it's worth, I have a 1C 172-04 173/74 pressing, black vinyl. It sounds great. It's stamped No. 229414 on the front cover.

    I've heard (and have) a white vinyl copy, but I think the black is quiter.

    In theory, since the German version is Neumann cut, all original issues sound great.

    HOWEVER, I know nothing about the sound of pressings after the 1970's though.

    My German "White "Album" has a front sticker in gold that says: "Deutscher Schall Platten Preis".

    Hope this helps ya!
     
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  5. PMC7027

    PMC7027 Forum Hall Of Fame

    I have a French The Beatles with that same SMO serial number.

    My German The Beatles white vinyl is also serial number
    1C172-04 173/74. It is a DMM (Direct Metal Mastered) pressing.

    My German The Beatles from The Beatles Collection box set (blue box) which significantly pre-dates the white vinyl edition is NOT DMM and is serial number 1C198-53 171/72. This serial number is specifically for editions from the box set, as the albums in the set all start with 1C198-53 and are consecutively numbered starting with 163 (Please Please Me) through 176 (Rarities).

    I'm sorry to provide so much (possibly useless) information without actually answering your question. Since I'm a "crazy" Beatles collector I've never played any of these LPs.

    I've always heard through the grapevine (not from Gladys Knight or Marvin Gaye, either!) that DMM pressings weren't the be-all and end-all they were advertised to be.
     
  6. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Steve wrote:
    Thanks, Steve ... I actually bought one exactly like yours on eBay this morning: black vinyl, 1C 172-04 173/74, same gold sticker on the sleeve (mine is stamped #198258), and just wanted to know what I might expect.

    I already have a Japanese EAS, the MoFi, and the UK pressing from the blue BC-13 box set. All have their strengths, but each has its own specific weakness, too. Should be interesting to compare, at any rate ... I look forward to hearing the German when it arrives.
     
  7. lennonfan

    lennonfan New Member

    Location:
    baltimore maryland
    I have the white vinyl DMM and love it. Now to throw everyone in a tizzy:)
    ....this white album has different editing!
     
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  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Are you saying my German White album is a DIRECT METAL MASTERING?

    I'm gonna kill that Tom Port!
     
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  9. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    Check the dead wax. You should be able to tell... :cool:

    Todd
     
  10. reechie

    reechie Senior Member

    Location:
    Baltimore
    Please elaborate. :cool:
     
  11. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    Does it have 'One After 909" on it?? ;)

    Todd
     
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  12. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Hmm. So if the white-vinyl German White is DMM, is it safe to assume its black-vinyl counterpart with the same catalog number is as well? Is that what the German legend "Deutscher Schall Platten Preis" means?

    Irregardless (as Homer Simpson would say), if it ends up sounding good to me, I'll keep it. I'll probably have to sell one of my White Albums though when this one arrives ... there's no way I can justify owning four copies of the White Album to my wife. :)
     
  13. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    Tell her an early White Album was released as a four volume set! (in different langauges) :)

    Todd
     
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  14. lennonfan

    lennonfan New Member

    Location:
    baltimore maryland

    It's been a while since I gave it a spin and didn't take notes the last time I did, but I remember that Savoy Truffle goes right into Cry Baby Cry with -no pause at all-. There's a couple others that are diff from the standard lp set but I can't remember (it must have been the experimentation of the 60's that killed my memory, LOL):laugh:
     
  15. PMC7027

    PMC7027 Forum Hall Of Fame

    Did you know that "irregardless" is now in the dictionary? Here is the passage from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online:

    "Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less
    Pronunciation: "ir-i-'gärd-l&s
    Function: adverb
    Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
    Date: circa 1912
    nonstandard : REGARDLESS

    usage: Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead."
     
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    No, it's not a DMM cut.

    The German translation of the Gold sticker (as far as I can tell): "German pressing, lower price."


    So relax, Jeff.
     
  17. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    What?! But I just sold all of my German records!!!! I thought "Deutscher Schall Platten Preis" translated to english means: "Warning! This pressing is a stinker!!" :D :cool: :angel:

    Todd
     
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  18. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Groovy. Thanks again, Steve.


    No, I didn't. I guess I'm not surprised, though ... I hear more and more people using that term all the time. :rolleyes:
     
  19. PMC7027

    PMC7027 Forum Hall Of Fame

    My German beatles colored vinyl LPs, The Beatles, 1962-1966, and 1967-1970, each has a sticker that says Direct metal mastered.
     
  20. joachim.ritter

    joachim.ritter Senior Member

    Actually the "Deutscher Schallplattenpreis" sticker tells that the LP received an award ... :)

    Joachim
     
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  21. sgraham

    sgraham New Member

    Location:
    Michigan
    The French white vinyl pressing that I heard was pre-DMM. It sounded pretty good, with a nice bottom, but had too much treble IMHO. Very different balance than the original U.K. LPs
     
  22. proufo

    proufo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bogotá, Colombia
    Next they will accept "I could care less" for "I couldn't care less" and "momentarily" for "in a moment".

    Languages are living beings. Wanting to keep them proper and clean is impossible.
     
  23. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    So much for my automatic translator.... :rolleyes:
     
  24. I tried to get a loose translation using an on-line German-English dictionary.
    I came up with German, sound or sonic or acoustic noise, platter, price.

    My German pressing of "The Beatles" is the same label no. as Steve's with the "Deutscher Schall..." sticker, but no number. My French pressing of "The Beatles" has the U.K. label number PSC 7067. The label says Mfd. in U.K. and Made In France :confused:. My U.K. pressing is from the Blue Box. The box has a small sticker on the back; "Imported By Capitol Records-EMI of Canada Limited... BB 100".

    The German vinyl sound very nice. It's a little fuller than the French pressing, which also sounds good. Probably 'cause it was pressed in the U.K. I've never played the U.K. vinyl from the Blue Box. I used to have a early Canadian "The Beatles" on Apple, but dumped it years ago. Couldn't justify having four copies of the White Album and the CD. But wait, don't I have 6 or 7 Pepper's? :laugh:

    My brother Paul in Edmonton has a Japanese "The Beatles" on Apple.
    EDIT: His pressing is EAS-77001/02. "Nọ A 334165". Is this from the mid 1970s?
     

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  25. I have that german dmm pressing

    . . . and I love it, the separation and 3-d ness of the record is pretty terrific. Some cartridges will sound insanely bright though. If you have a Music Hall 'table with a chocolate-y sounding Goldring cart on it, it should balanace out nicely.

    The surfaces are pretty quiet. All my german vinyl was pressed in the early 80's and it is all very quiet, the japanese vinyl I purchased about the same time has not aged as well although was played a similar number of times.

    HZ said he'd read of some noisy horzu pressings, but I've heard nasty crackle, rumble, etc. on mexican, portugese, aussie and french vinyl but never ever on the german pressings.

    - - -

    You must be a serious vinyl listener to discard the White album cd, though. It's a killer too. Steve H. even said so himself on the DCC forum the other year.

    - - -

    My white vinyl dmm white album has the "Cry Baby Cry" problem as mentioned above, but I do not remember any other weird sonics on the lp; Just limitless, clear, solid bass down to infinity. . . .
     
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