That's insane. Imagine your friends are over and they ask "What are you listening to?" and you say "Sgt. Pepper's." They're like, "Okay, on what format?". "The original master tape."
I worked for a company called Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs when it was relocated to Northern California and we released a remastered vinyl collection of the Beatles entire catalog. Stan Ricker cut the albums. We kept the original 2-Track masters in a little safe in a back room where we kept supplies and cassette duplication machine. I was in my 20’s at the time but I still couldn’t believe that those masters were allowed to sit in that safe (which was left open by the way). When I held them in my hand I simply couldn’t believe the significance the tapes represented and how MoFi was entrusted to keep them in such a casual manner. John Lennon was killed just 5 years prior and knowing the Beatles would never be together in a studio again made keeping those tapes laying there in a stack, complete with George Martin’s notes on them, something I never forgot. Thank goodness they made their way back to Abbey Road Studios.
I just found my 1980 Mofi pressing of Abbey Road which I thought I’d lost. Had only played it a few times on my old 80s era Pioneer turntable in my college dorm. Remembered it sounding clean and pure but after cleaning it up last night and listening again for first time in years on a much more deserving home system it really makes me appreciate all the work that originally went into this masterpiece and it’s various pressings and versions since. Compared to a newer US pressing I bought in the early 2000s your old company’s attention to detail in pressing this half speed mastered bit of history is a revelation and about as close as I’ll ever get to hearing the original master tapes. Definitely good enough for me and brings me back magically as if a fly on the wall inside the control booth at Abbey Road 1969. Thank you for your service 🫡
Crazy to think that so many of us have listened to that tape in its various duplicated forms. You’re a custodian of some true history there! Fantastic.
Many thanks for an entertaining, informative and educational year’s worth of viewing Andrew. Here’s to an exciting and expansive 2024! Best wishes from the Fens.
Only Parlogram gives us this kind of amazing material. You're the best, Andrew. Happy Holidays, and we're all looking forward to your channel content in 2024!
@@Parlogram "The Sgt. Pepper's Master Tape" or "A Sgt. Pepper's Master Tape"? Incidentally, I met Mr. Bartley in his very small and congested mastering studio, during my fact-finding mission to Sydney in 2005. I wonder if he is still extant?
It feels as if I just witnessed the unveiling of a musical holy artifact. Thanks for sharing this video Andrew & Happy Christmas and New Year to you and your family. 🎄 from 🇨🇦
To have the Studio 5 vinyl alone is crazy cool but to have the actual tape used to make that album is stratisphere cool! Congratulations on having a set of some really wonderful The Beatles collectibles!
You have a treasure, indeed. Protect it at all costs.Seriously. Being a former studio engineer, I never used BASF, but that is great to hear that you do not have to "bake" it to listen to it. (AMPEX was the tape of choice in my day.) I see that it was properly stored....tails out. That is how you store magnetic tape, due to "print-through." (The data can transfer through the tape, and result in "pre-echo.") Your discussion is very educational when it concerns engineering jargon.......that is indeed a "pancake." That is the same term we used here in Nashville. As for recording, we used Studer 24 track and 2 track machines. You might be able to pick up one at a good price, if you shop around! LOL. Anyway, as someone who heard master tapes before they were sent away to be turned into vinyl, you might be in for a shock. My fellow engineer would always tell me, "You will get spoiled when you hear master tapes." And he was right. The low pass eq, high pass eq and compression used for making vinyl masters takes the TOTAL LIFE out of master tapes.(For those who say that vinyl is the ultimate listening platform, then I am sorry to say NO. In fact, NO platform has ever come close to an actual recording. So there!) Please update us when you do finally get to hear those master tapes! I am totally envious that you have these............this is the album I have always wanted to hear on master tape! Keep up the good work! (for those of you who say, "this is just another album. what's so special about it?" Well, beyond the social aspect, which means that it changed society in a short period of time, and turned the world upside down.......it was also a musical revolution. It took pop music forward, beyond the 3 minute disposable pop song. Some might say that Bob Dylan already did that, but he never made an album like Sgt. Peppers. But for engineering and recording, this album really changed how things were done. But no-one cares to hear about that. LOL! That's old-school.)
Yep, I’d LOVE to hear that tape! Presumably as well as the hi and low passing, there would be some additional limiting/compression done during the vinyl cutting process? Plus the additional distortion/unwanted artefacts of going through all that additional circuitry and transformers etc., The original master must sound incredible.
@@Tony-yp7ok I'm not an expert on mastering, but I learned the basics. Compressing the signal during mastering raises the signal above the noise floor, which makes it louder during playback. (Compression evens out the dynamic range......soft to loud.) If the dynamic range is too broad, then you will hear surface noise from the vinyl, and possibly tape hiss. When compression is added, it enables "masking," which drops the unwanted noise below the level of the desired signal. Like I said, I'm not an expert, but this is what I was taught as a basic engineer. The original master will have a full dynamic range, along with a full frequency response. Sometimes! It's not guaranteed. In the situation with "Sgt Pepper," tracks were bounced, so that means a generation loss (which means a loss of fidelity). Still, that was kept to a minimum. And you are correct when you say going through additional circuitry adds another sound to it. But if the equipment is top-notch, along with the mastering engineer, then that is something that cannot be discerned. Nobody has hearing that good, contrary to what they claim. So, an original 2 track stereo master (or even a first generation copy) will blow you away. But only if you hear it in the right situation........in the control room of a studio or something similar. I hope you get that chance to do so!
I have a couple of BASF reel tapes and a couple of BASF cassettes in my collection. The BASF reel-to-reel tapes that are in a hard plastic case. Gotta love those.
We can’t all own Beatles artifacts like this, of course, but I certainly am thankful for people like you who not only acquire objects like this, but also share them with us via video. Thank you, Andrew!
Oh man! My jaw just dropped! I’ll make an offer on the bubble wrap those came in!😅 Wow how beautiful!! Glad you showed how the cake reels work. Well this made my holidays a lot nicer! Congratulations for acquiring the tapes! And I wish you a very merry Christmas and a Cool Yule new year Andrew!
You're a left-hander Andrew! The most detailed unboxing of an item I have ever seen. I'm surprised you didn't show the guy delivering it! Best wishes Andrew for Xmas and 2024 from Oz.
Here's a bit more about the technical specs on the tape. "AES" would refer to the AES standard playback curve, which would be the equilization curve necessary for proper playback. That function would be selectable on the machine. They also included a set of test tones (1k, 5k, 10k and 100Hz) and a reference level of -4 dB plus another note that 0 VU on the meter references +2 dB. The "reference fluxivity" or "hotness" of the tape is also given: 320 nano Webers/meter. All for ensuring the playback machine is calibrated for maximum gain in the preamp section without distortion. It's also curious to see the outside leader pasted back onto the spool of tape instead of somewhere on the reel. Its not often that we mere mortals get to see a first generation production master dubbed directly from the official studio master tape. This is as close to the "true" sound of the album as any listener is going to get, save for Abbey Road engineers. Thanks!
Hi Andrew. Just the biggest jaw-dropping video you've ever put up. I sat there open-mouthed. Can't wait for the spectrograph video of this stunning tape.
How fascinating that despite the tape being BASF (and you're absolutely right that depending on the particular formation there should be few issues with sticky shed) EMI clearly still had a stock of EMITAPE pancakes lying about to use up even in the 80s! I bet that is going to sound amazing at 30ips...
Scotch/3M are my absolute choice, and so does Audiotape. Audiotape was made by Audio Devices Inc. which was a division of Capitol Records where they did the Beatles albums in the US including “Sgt. Pepper”. In the 1970’s, Capitol Records made blank tapes which includes reel-to-reel, 8-track and cassette of all choices and it has that cool psychedelic graphics on the cover. Those were great times.
Most exciting 15 minutes I have had in a long time - WOW Andrew and as an Aussie it's nice to see this copy coming your way ! I have so many questions... 😉
My Maxell reel to reel tapes are 48 years old. They are due for a play. Last time out of the box was 2 years ago. Thanks for the show. I am really speechless.
Absolutely an amazing find Andrew. I know from Geoff Emerick's book that the tape of Jet shredded during recording of the song and he had to add treble to it, hence the odd sound of it. But glad you said it was tails out. Once again you have outdone yourself Andrew.
What a great privilege and responsibility, not only viewing something like this but to actually own a set of these tapes in unimaginable to me. Thank you for the video!
Andrew what a Christmas Day treat for you to drop this episode on us. Thank you. What a grail these tapes are. My hands would be shaking too. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Cheers, Steve
Whoa, neat. I'm extremely curious about that 1973 Quad remix attempt...presumably they tried and gave up, perhaps because it was too difficult in the analog era to remix it for surround with such a packed 4-track master? I bet that's an entire story worth digging into... 🤔
Quad L.P. replay needed a separate decoder unit, to separate the 2 encoded tracks to 4, on the Quad L.P. record. I’d say in their tests, the very high frequency inaudible decoding signal wouldn’t record then replay from their 2 track master tape. @@mbvideoselection
@@allanblack1645 I think my comment has been misunderstood. What's listed on the tape box under those dates are the times and purposes for which that tape was used, not what is ON the tape. Therefore it is saying that two track tape was withdrawn from the library for the purposes of making a Quad Remix. So my point is valid... It seems strange that a quad remix would be attempted using a two track mixed master as its source rather than the 4-track multis.
Nice find Andrew, you now have the best sounding SPLHCB with the exception of the flat master that resides in Abbey Road’s Archive. As you and I both know, the “Powers That Be” will never release to the general public a copy from the original Flat Master on vinyl or digital. It’s not in their DNA to do such a thing.
Do we really need a flat transfer of the Master Tape(s)? You seem to think that Abbey Road is presenting us (on purpose) with Beatles material inferior to what the Original Master Tape(s) sound like. I am sceptical about that. Why would they do that(?), I see no reason for it.The Original Master Tapes are work parts and they need work (mastering) to sound the way they should. I am pretty sure people like Sean Magee will agree with my assumption. And they know how the Original Master Tapes sound. I have listened to lots and lots of editions of "Sgt. Peppers" (LP - MC - CD etc.). There are differences, sure, but they are not huge. So I guess, one can find a very good transfer of the Original Master Tapes that sounds as good (or better) than the tape(s).
Congratulations, Andrew, on acquiring the tapes. This video is like watching the young ones open their Christmas presents. So excited and full of joy! Thanks for sharing. Wishing you the best this holiday season and into 2024.
This is so exciting to see! Thank you for sharing such an amazing moment. I'm glad to see some of those invaluable tapes are resting in good hands! Merry Christmas Andrew!! 🎄⭐🎵🎵🎵🎵
You’ve added a piece to the Beatle’s music history with this acquisition Andrew, how very exciting! Thanks for sharing it with us. I can see these tapes made for a very Merry Christmas indeed. Happy New Year, looking forward to seeing what you have for us in 2024!
Andrew, thought I would share that the 2nd cutting was done by Otto Ruiter, he along with Don Bartley and Allan Parsons (no relation to the more famous one) were the three main mastering engineers working for EMI Australia at or around that time. The signature on the tape box next to 25-10-82 is his.
This is a treasure, Andrew...enjoy it! Thank you for sharing this with us. Merry Christmas. I have a digital transfer which has floated around online that is flat, but two generations down, with the second copy being done at only 7 1/2 ips. It still sounds great, but a little soft. The raw sound of the mix is just beautiful though, so these 30ips one gen down tapes you have should be amazing to hear. I won't say which album, but I have a digital transfer from another Beatles album from a flat 15ips copy made by EMI when the album was new to send to another country, and its outstanding.
Very cool to see this what an item! Thank you for the great uploads this year Andrew I wish you and your family a great Christmas and a fab 2024. Cheers Tim
Again great video, I really enjoyed it. It would be nice to hear some of it. Good luck on your search for a tape machine to play it on. Again thanks for the video.
Merry Christmas, Andrew! Thank you for showing me a master tape of my fave Beatle album!! Looking forward to more of your superbly done videos in a Happy New Year of 2024!
Alan Crowder worked at Paul's office in Greek St, Soho, MPL Communications. He was the office manager way back in 1977 when I went there to pickup a couple of tickets for a Wings concert Linda McCartney arranged for me at the Empire Pool, Wembley. I went straight from Paul and Linda's house in St Johns Wood and went directly to Pauls office. Whilst I was waiting for Alan to hand me the tickets I waited in the boardroom and was mesmerised by looking at all the gold and silver discs hanging all around the boardroom walls, amazing ! ps. Linda McCartney was an angel, a wonderful lady.
@@Parlogram no problem, and my story is 100% authentic, I have no reason whatsoever in lying about it. It’s a shame Linda is not with us anymore as she would confirm every word I said. That tape you have is a real gem, your a very lucky man to have such a rare tape in your possession. Great channel by the way.
You lucky bugger! Congratulations! Couldn't have found a better home. Well, besides mine (l kid, l kid, sortsla). But seriously. I'm a safety master collector myself and drooled own my keyboard while viewing the unboxing. Thanks so much for sharing this fab' treasure with us all. Parlogram is without question my favourite Beatles related UA-cam channel. Cheers, Rodney London Ontario, Canada
There are so many clowns on you tube who tell us exclusive news we already know and in box records we already have and who dress up on the obligatory Beatle T shirt. And then there is Andrew who gives us videos like this. Different class Andrew Happy holidays Andrew And thanks for the Beatles education
Not only do you have a copy of the Master, you possess the BEST one! The knife scenes were scary, but we all know that it was the camera angle, and that you were very careful. Now you have to round up a PRO reel-to-reel 30ips stereo 2-track. Can't wait for that video. Thank you so much, Andrew.
This is absolutely stunning, congratulations on your amazing find! Interestingly enough I was listening to my dad’s (unfortunately) junked US mono first press probably around the time this video was posted. I can’t wait to see follow up videos about this tape
Wow! Incredible acquisition! Maybe the only way to top this would be with some particularly iconic direct relic, such as Paul's Hofner bass, or John's eyeglasses, things which probably belong more properly with the families or in the custody of a major museum. Thank you, Andrew, for a fantastic year for this channel. Merry Christmas everybody!
Totally awesome Andrew, and I couldn't imagine this type of Beatles holy grail now being in better hands than yourself. As an Aussie and someone who has been to 301 Studios in Sydney in the early 90's, it was truly a world class studio.
Absolutely fantastic to add something like this to your collection. But it's also fantastic that you share this with us. Thank you! Have a wonderfull christmas and a great 2024!
A beautiful piece of history from the last century, not only musically, but also culturally and you have it in your hands. Totally blessed that you managed to access these tapes and I hope that one day some masters can be legally cut to re-release SPLHCB with this unique mix and equalization. Congratulations Andrew!!! Greetings from Argentina :)
Very fascinating video. I wonder about print-through. Assuming these are reeled heads-out to minimize what will naturally happen over time. I wonder if it's even a factor, though. I really appreciate you covering every minute detail. Clearly you know how to present with an eye for what we very much want to hear. What a delight to see the well-engineered packaging--which has stood the test so well until today. The Grail! I have seen it!
Wow Andrew, thank you. It's kind of like a Christmas gift to all of us. I found myself holding my breath as you were opening it up. Thank you and have a Merry Christmas
Now that is Christmas present Flex! Grats! I hope you get to listen to it soon. :) What did you get for Christmas? A Tie, and what did you get for Christmas? Oh, nothing much, just side one and side two of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Master Tapes. Lol...worth more than a Ferrari in my opinion.
now that's what one calls a Merry Christmas) no doubt you're having a great one, Andrew! many thanks for your labour of love that you share so competently and elegantly. looking forward to every video! all the best with finding a/the perfect condition 2-track machine for that treasure.
Well, that certainly beats my polythene dust jacket from NEMS and Percy Phillips acetate (no, not THAT one) into a cocked hat. Thanks for the videos and have a great Christmas fella....
Congratulations on your latest amazing purchase, Andrew! And once again, a fascinating subject. Well done as always. And I agree with one of the other viewers: I hope Apple reaches out to you on the next Beatles remix releases. Thank you for a wonderful job all year and Merry Christmas. 🎁
What an amazing find! Now finding a calibrated 30ips machine to play it back on may be nearly as challenging as finding this tape was. Merry Christmas Andrew!
Another great Andrew! Amazing find. Good luck trying to find a deck that plays 30ips. I'm certain it will blow away my US Capital 7 1/2 ips copy that sounds pretty great.
Wow, just wow. Only just seen this cos of the Christmas break. What a fab Christmas pressie for you Andrew. Cant wait to hear what it sounds like. What an amazingly precious thing to own. Look forward to seeing a video of how this piece of history got to be in your possession as well Andrew. Congratulations. Happy New Year
Andrew, WOW!! What a fascinating master tape!! I feel proud to be an Aussie. Mastered by Don Bartley, this may well be THE best sounding version of SPLHCB in existence. Truly incredible that you've got hold of it. Merry Christmas!!
Very nice. The title of the video may have fooled me into thinking that you somehow got your hands on THE master tape, but this is certainly impressive, too.
Absolutely correct concerning Ampex baking. BASF and 3M were not as prone to shedding, which is why most forward-looking studios spec’d those brands instead of Ampex. An ounce of prevention…
At 8:58, the capital letters of SGT. PEPPERS... that mark the label are in a very recognizable hand. That was Don Bartley who you recognized. Fascinating video.
Great! Andrew, i noticed how you were emotionally driven !! Me too, watching The video! Really interesting! Happy Xmas to Andrew and everyone out there! Ciao
Wow, what a Xmas gift for you Andrew! Congratulations for this iconic piece of Beatles history. It would be really interesting how you got your hands on it and how much it cost... But I fully understand that this will not be disclosed. Great item. Thanks a lot for sharing and I am looking forward to the next Beatles video! Best wishes for 2024!
After this video, it's hard for me to think of Andrew simply as a Beatles collector and commentator. In my mind, he is now a true Beatles archivist.
I wish Apple would get him involved with the first 6 studio album remix deluxe sets.
I can't imagine how one arrives at the worth of such an item, because in my mind it's priceless.
@@coolhandluke-123 agreed
Little tear in my eye watching this video, awesome piece for your collection ❤
Andrew would be the perfect spokesman of REAL Beatles' fan to get what we REALLY want @@coolhandluke-123
That's insane. Imagine your friends are over and they ask "What are you listening to?" and you say "Sgt. Pepper's." They're like, "Okay, on what format?". "The original master tape."
Well...this is a second gen of the Master actually ;)
u mean a copy of the master tape which should be ONLY in the archives.
JAWS DROP
@@MikeGervasi Couldn't be any closer without committing a felony!
I worked for a company called Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs when it was relocated to Northern California and we released a remastered vinyl collection of the Beatles entire catalog. Stan Ricker cut the albums. We kept the original 2-Track masters in a little safe in a back room where we kept supplies and cassette duplication machine.
I was in my 20’s at the time but I still couldn’t believe that those masters were allowed to sit in that safe (which was left open by the way). When I held them in my hand I simply couldn’t believe the significance the tapes represented and how MoFi was entrusted to keep them in such a casual manner.
John Lennon was killed just 5 years prior and knowing the Beatles would never be together in a studio again made keeping those tapes laying there in a stack, complete with George Martin’s notes on them, something I never forgot. Thank goodness they made their way back to Abbey Road Studios.
Great story. Thanks for sharing it!
I just found my 1980 Mofi pressing of Abbey Road which I thought I’d lost. Had only played it a few times on my old 80s era Pioneer turntable in my college dorm. Remembered it sounding clean and pure but after cleaning it up last night and listening again for first time in years on a much more deserving home system it really makes me appreciate all the work that originally went into this masterpiece and it’s various pressings and versions since. Compared to a newer US pressing I bought in the early 2000s your old company’s attention to detail in pressing this half speed mastered bit of history is a revelation and about as close as I’ll ever get to hearing the original master tapes. Definitely good enough for me and brings me back magically as if a fly on the wall inside the control booth at Abbey Road 1969. Thank you for your service 🫡
Crazy to think that so many of us have listened to that tape in its various duplicated forms. You’re a custodian of some true history there! Fantastic.
@@cuda426hemi I first bought Pepper on CD in 1992 in Australia so chances are it was duplicated from Andrew’s tape.
Many thanks for an entertaining, informative and educational year’s worth of viewing Andrew. Here’s to an exciting and expansive 2024! Best wishes from the Fens.
Thank you so much, Kevin! All the very best to you too!
Only Parlogram gives us this kind of amazing material. You're the best, Andrew. Happy Holidays, and we're all looking forward to your channel content in 2024!
Happy Holidays to you too. Stay tuned for more in '24!
@@Parlogram
"The Sgt. Pepper's Master Tape"
or
"A Sgt. Pepper's Master Tape"?
Incidentally, I met Mr. Bartley in his very small and congested mastering studio, during my fact-finding mission to Sydney in 2005. I wonder if he is still extant?
It feels as if I just witnessed the unveiling of a musical holy artifact. Thanks for sharing this video Andrew & Happy Christmas and New Year to you and your family. 🎄 from 🇨🇦
Thanks Robert. Wishing you and yours the same!
😅it was so dramatic when he was slowly using the box knife. I was expecting a fanfare or dramatic music 🎉🎺
To have the Studio 5 vinyl alone is crazy cool but to have the actual tape used to make that album is stratisphere cool! Congratulations on having a set of some really wonderful The Beatles collectibles!
You have a treasure, indeed. Protect it at all costs.Seriously. Being a former studio engineer, I never used BASF, but that is great to hear that you do not have to "bake" it to listen to it. (AMPEX was the tape of choice in my day.) I see that it was properly stored....tails out. That is how you store magnetic tape, due to "print-through." (The data can transfer through the tape, and result in "pre-echo.") Your discussion is very educational when it concerns engineering jargon.......that is indeed a "pancake." That is the same term we used here in Nashville. As for recording, we used Studer 24 track and 2 track machines. You might be able to pick up one at a good price, if you shop around! LOL. Anyway, as someone who heard master tapes before they were sent away to be turned into vinyl, you might be in for a shock. My fellow engineer would always tell me, "You will get spoiled when you hear master tapes." And he was right. The low pass eq, high pass eq and compression used for making vinyl masters takes the TOTAL LIFE out of master tapes.(For those who say that vinyl is the ultimate listening platform, then I am sorry to say NO. In fact, NO platform has ever come close to an actual recording. So there!) Please update us when you do finally get to hear those master tapes! I am totally envious that you have these............this is the album I have always wanted to hear on master tape! Keep up the good work!
(for those of you who say, "this is just another album. what's so special about it?" Well, beyond the social aspect, which means that it changed society in a short period of time, and turned the world upside down.......it was also a musical revolution. It took pop music forward, beyond the 3 minute disposable pop song. Some might say that Bob Dylan already did that, but he never made an album like Sgt. Peppers. But for engineering and recording, this album really changed how things were done. But no-one cares to hear about that. LOL! That's old-school.)
Yep, I’d LOVE to hear that tape! Presumably as well as the hi and low passing, there would be some additional limiting/compression done during the vinyl cutting process? Plus the additional distortion/unwanted artefacts of going through all that additional circuitry and transformers etc., The original master must sound incredible.
@@Tony-yp7ok I'm not an expert on mastering, but I learned the basics. Compressing the signal during mastering raises the signal above the noise floor, which makes it louder during playback. (Compression evens out the dynamic range......soft to loud.) If the dynamic range is too broad, then you will hear surface noise from the vinyl, and possibly tape hiss. When compression is added, it enables "masking," which drops the unwanted noise below the level of the desired signal. Like I said, I'm not an expert, but this is what I was taught as a basic engineer. The original master will have a full dynamic range, along with a full frequency response. Sometimes! It's not guaranteed. In the situation with "Sgt Pepper," tracks were bounced, so that means a generation loss (which means a loss of fidelity). Still, that was kept to a minimum. And you are correct when you say going through additional circuitry adds another sound to it. But if the equipment is top-notch, along with the mastering engineer, then that is something that cannot be discerned. Nobody has hearing that good, contrary to what they claim. So, an original 2 track stereo master (or even a first generation copy) will blow you away. But only if you hear it in the right situation........in the control room of a studio or something similar. I hope you get that chance to do so!
I have a couple of BASF reel tapes and a couple of BASF cassettes in my collection. The BASF reel-to-reel tapes that are in a hard plastic case. Gotta love those.
We can’t all own Beatles artifacts like this, of course, but I certainly am thankful for people like you who not only acquire objects like this, but also share them with us via video. Thank you, Andrew!
It's beyond impressive that you got your hands on this.
Oh man! My jaw just dropped! I’ll make an offer on the bubble wrap those came in!😅
Wow how beautiful!! Glad you showed how the cake reels work. Well this made my holidays a lot nicer! Congratulations for acquiring the tapes!
And I wish you a very merry Christmas and a Cool Yule new year Andrew!
Thanks Brian. Wishing you a Christmas too and a happy and healthy New Year!
I'll double that offer!!😁😉👍
@@louiebee6745 thank you!
Congrats on this acquisition! I've just seen the next episode at Abbey Road with Miles Showell, where you transfer it; fantastic!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the videos.
You're a left-hander Andrew! The most detailed unboxing of an item I have ever seen. I'm surprised you didn't show the guy delivering it! Best wishes Andrew for Xmas and 2024 from Oz.
Here's a bit more about the technical specs on the tape. "AES" would refer to the AES standard playback curve, which would be the equilization curve necessary for proper playback. That function would be selectable on the machine. They also included a set of test tones (1k, 5k, 10k and 100Hz) and a reference level of -4 dB plus another note that 0 VU on the meter references +2 dB. The "reference fluxivity" or "hotness" of the tape is also given: 320 nano Webers/meter. All for ensuring the playback machine is calibrated for maximum gain in the preamp section without distortion. It's also curious to see the outside leader pasted back onto the spool of tape instead of somewhere on the reel.
Its not often that we mere mortals get to see a first generation production master dubbed directly from the official studio master tape. This is as close to the "true" sound of the album as any listener is going to get, save for Abbey Road engineers. Thanks!
Great information. Thank you!
Great to see this treasure in safe hands Andrew. Can only imagine how incredible it’ll sound when you get to play it. Delighted for you 🎉
Hi Andrew. Just the biggest jaw-dropping video you've ever put up. I sat there open-mouthed. Can't wait for the spectrograph video of this stunning tape.
I’m continually impressed and also jealous of what you’re able to find and afford!
How fascinating that despite the tape being BASF (and you're absolutely right that depending on the particular formation there should be few issues with sticky shed) EMI clearly still had a stock of EMITAPE pancakes lying about to use up even in the 80s!
I bet that is going to sound amazing at 30ips...
Scotch/3M are my absolute choice, and so does Audiotape. Audiotape was made by Audio Devices Inc. which was a division of Capitol Records where they did the Beatles albums in the US including “Sgt. Pepper”. In the 1970’s, Capitol Records made blank tapes which includes reel-to-reel, 8-track and cassette of all choices and it has that cool psychedelic graphics on the cover. Those were great times.
Most exciting 15 minutes I have had in a long time - WOW Andrew and as an Aussie it's nice to see this copy coming your way ! I have so many questions... 😉
Glad you enjoyed it, Mark!
My Maxell reel to reel tapes are 48 years old. They are due for a play. Last time out of the box was 2 years ago.
Thanks for the show. I am really speechless.
Now that's the ultimate in memorabilia, and as always a fascinating video. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you and your family Andrew.
Cheers Terry. Wishing you and yours the same!
And that’s why this is my only ‘must watch’ channel on UA-cam. A very Happy Christmas to you Andrew,.
Amazing! Mouth watering! Congratulations, Andrew. Big hugs from Uruguay.
Thank you very much, Gabriel!
Andrew, beautiful mate! A very precious artifact. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Cheers Richard! Wishing you and yours the same.
Absolutely an amazing find Andrew. I know from Geoff Emerick's book that the tape of Jet shredded during recording of the song and he had to add treble to it, hence the odd sound of it. But glad you said it was tails out. Once again you have outdone yourself Andrew.
Thanks Michael. Glad you enjoyed it!
Not really shredded, but apparently it was affected with the dreaded SSS, sticky shed syndrome, and it didn't help that they were overdubbing a lot!
MY GOD! Pure gold.
What a great privilege and responsibility, not only viewing something like this but to actually own a set of these tapes in unimaginable to me. Thank you for the video!
Andrew what a Christmas Day treat for you to drop this episode on us. Thank you. What a grail these tapes are. My hands would be shaking too. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Cheers, Steve
Cheers Steve. The same to you and yours!
Whoa, neat. I'm extremely curious about that 1973 Quad remix attempt...presumably they tried and gave up, perhaps because it was too difficult in the analog era to remix it for surround with such a packed 4-track master? I bet that's an entire story worth digging into... 🤔
Yes I’d be interested in that Quad remix attempt. If it didn’t work it’s interesting that they kept it on the master tape.
@@allanblack1645 I'm more curious as to why they wouldn't have used the 4-track masters for that.
Quad L.P. replay needed a separate decoder unit, to separate the 2 encoded tracks to 4, on the Quad L.P. record. I’d say in their tests, the very high frequency inaudible decoding signal wouldn’t record then replay from their 2 track master tape. @@mbvideoselection
@@allanblack1645 I think my comment has been misunderstood. What's listed on the tape box under those dates are the times and purposes for which that tape was used, not what is ON the tape. Therefore it is saying that two track tape was withdrawn from the library for the purposes of making a Quad Remix. So my point is valid... It seems strange that a quad remix would be attempted using a two track mixed master as its source rather than the 4-track multis.
Wow! And that is why this is the best channel on you tube! Thanks Andrew.
Cheers Mick!
As someone who has just gotten into reelto reel music, I thoroughly enjoy this video. Thank you so much.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Merry Christmas 2023! The best channel ever! :)
Wow, thanks! Merry Christmas to you too!
Nice find Andrew, you now have the best sounding SPLHCB with the exception of the flat master that resides in Abbey Road’s Archive. As you and I both know, the “Powers That Be” will never release to the general public a copy from the original Flat Master on vinyl or digital. It’s not in their DNA to do such a thing.
Do we really need a flat transfer of the Master Tape(s)? You seem to think that Abbey Road is presenting us (on purpose) with Beatles material inferior to what the Original Master Tape(s) sound like. I am sceptical about that. Why would they do that(?), I see no reason for it.The Original Master Tapes are work parts and they need work (mastering) to sound the way they should. I am pretty sure people like Sean Magee will agree with my assumption. And they know how the Original Master Tapes sound. I have listened to lots and lots of editions of "Sgt. Peppers" (LP - MC - CD etc.). There are differences, sure, but they are not huge. So I guess, one can find a very good transfer of the Original Master Tapes that sounds as good (or better) than the tape(s).
Congratulations, Andrew, on acquiring the tapes. This video is like watching the young ones open their Christmas presents. So excited and full of joy! Thanks for sharing. Wishing you the best this holiday season and into 2024.
Thanks David. All the best to you too!
This is so exciting to see! Thank you for sharing such an amazing moment.
I'm glad to see some of those invaluable tapes are resting in good hands!
Merry Christmas Andrew!! 🎄⭐🎵🎵🎵🎵
Merry Christmas, Juan Carlos!
Thank you for showing us this, Andrew! I wish you a Happy Christmas!
I wish I could be there to hear it played. It must sound magnificent. Thank you for sharing, Andrew!
Glad you enjoyed it, Stephen!
Happy UnBoxing Day, Andrew! Thank you for another year of wonderful videos, and all the best in 2024!
Thank you, John. Same to you!
Another piece of history in your hands, thank you for this exciting year. Best wishes for the new one and I’ll be there too.
wow amazing.... a really piece of art you have there,thanks for share
You’ve added a piece to the Beatle’s music history with this acquisition Andrew, how very exciting! Thanks for sharing it with us. I can see these tapes made for a very Merry Christmas indeed. Happy New Year, looking forward to seeing what you have for us in 2024!
It's like watching somebody open the most amazing Christmas present! Thanks for sharing the joy!
Amazing! Amazing!! Amazing!!! Congratulations and well deserved! Christmas Greetings from Salzburg!
Thank you very much! Same to you!
Andrew, thought I would share that the 2nd cutting was done by Otto Ruiter, he along with Don Bartley and Allan Parsons (no relation to the more famous one) were the three main mastering engineers working for EMI Australia at or around that time. The signature on the tape box next to 25-10-82 is his.
Thanks for the info, Phillip!
Yes I worked at Natec Sound in Sydney and had dealings with the late Don Bartley at EMIs 301 Castlereagh St studios, a very meticulous guy.
Thank you Allan and I hope you're well. Don Bartley.
Wow! Thats an incredible artifact. Thanks Andrew for all your great videos this year. You do it best. Happy holidays and all the best in 2024
Thanks Rob! Same to you!
I would kill to have these tapes in my possession. Congratulations, Andrew, for your new holy grail!
This is a treasure, Andrew...enjoy it! Thank you for sharing this with us. Merry Christmas.
I have a digital transfer which has floated around online that is flat, but two generations down, with the second copy being done at only 7 1/2 ips. It still sounds great, but a little soft. The raw sound of the mix is just beautiful though, so these 30ips one gen down tapes you have should be amazing to hear. I won't say which album, but I have a digital transfer from another Beatles album from a flat 15ips copy made by EMI when the album was new to send to another country, and its outstanding.
Wow ! What a treasure you have here !! A rare relic of a glorious past... Very moving.
wow - what a great acquisition. Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful treasure! Very interesting to see it and hear about its history. Thanks!
Wow. That was a Christmas present for me and all of your viewers Andrew! Many thanks and Happy Christmas to you and yours. Again Wow.
Thanks Bruce. Same to you!
Very cool to see this what an item! Thank you for the great uploads this year Andrew I wish you and your family a great Christmas and a fab 2024. Cheers Tim
Cheers, Tim. Wishing you and yours the same!
Don Bartley is a amazing mastering engineer :)
Thank you for your kind words David!
Again great video, I really enjoyed it. It would be nice to hear some of it. Good luck on your search for a tape machine to play it on. Again thanks for the video.
Merry Christmas, Andrew! Thank you for showing me a master tape of my fave Beatle album!! Looking forward to more of your superbly done videos in a Happy New Year of 2024!
Alan Crowder worked at Paul's office in Greek St, Soho, MPL Communications. He was the office manager way back in 1977 when I went there to pickup a couple of tickets for a Wings concert Linda McCartney arranged for me at the Empire Pool, Wembley. I went straight from Paul and Linda's house in St Johns Wood and went directly to Pauls office. Whilst I was waiting for Alan to hand me the tickets I waited in the boardroom and was mesmerised by looking at all the gold and silver discs hanging all around the boardroom walls, amazing ! ps. Linda McCartney was an angel, a wonderful lady.
Great story! Thanks for sharing it.
@@Parlogram no problem, and my story is 100% authentic, I have no reason whatsoever in lying about it. It’s a shame Linda is not with us anymore as she would confirm every word I said. That tape you have is a real gem, your a very lucky man to have such a rare tape in your possession. Great channel by the way.
Manythnx and Happy holidays Andrew ✌️
Thanks! Happy holidays to you too ✌️
You lucky bugger! Congratulations! Couldn't have found a better home. Well, besides mine (l kid, l kid, sortsla). But seriously. I'm a safety master collector myself and drooled own my keyboard while viewing the unboxing. Thanks so much for sharing this fab' treasure with us all. Parlogram is without question my favourite Beatles related UA-cam channel.
Cheers,
Rodney
London Ontario,
Canada
Cheers Rodney!
There are so many clowns on you tube who tell us exclusive news we already know and in box records we already have and who dress up on the obligatory Beatle T shirt.
And then there is Andrew who gives us videos like this. Different class Andrew
Happy holidays Andrew
And thanks for the Beatles education
Not only do you have a copy of the Master, you possess the BEST one! The knife scenes were scary, but we all know that it was the camera angle, and that you were very careful.
Now you have to round up a PRO reel-to-reel 30ips stereo 2-track. Can't wait for that video. Thank you so much, Andrew.
Very interesting, a real museum piece. Merry Xmas, Andrew, and a Happy New Year.
Thanks Riccardo. Same to you!
This is absolutely stunning, congratulations on your amazing find! Interestingly enough I was listening to my dad’s (unfortunately) junked US mono first press probably around the time this video was posted. I can’t wait to see follow up videos about this tape
Wow! Incredible acquisition! Maybe the only way to top this would be with some particularly iconic direct relic, such as Paul's Hofner bass, or John's eyeglasses, things which probably belong more properly with the families or in the custody of a major museum. Thank you, Andrew, for a fantastic year for this channel. Merry Christmas everybody!
Holy Crap Andrew! Santa is on his game this year!
Merry Crimble to all
Totally awesome Andrew, and I couldn't imagine this type of Beatles holy grail now being in better hands than yourself. As an Aussie and someone who has been to 301 Studios in Sydney in the early 90's, it was truly a world class studio.
Ooh! Blimey! Now this is a vid worth saving for Christmas Eve!
Absolutely fantastic to add something like this to your collection. But it's also fantastic that you share this with us. Thank you! Have a wonderfull christmas and a great 2024!
Thank you, Jos! Wishing you the same too!
A beautiful piece of history from the last century, not only musically, but also culturally and you have it in your hands. Totally blessed that you managed to access these tapes and I hope that one day some masters can be legally cut to re-release SPLHCB with this unique mix and equalization. Congratulations Andrew!!! Greetings from Argentina :)
Happy Holidays to you! Love your vids. Love seeing the original tapes like that, man, very cool.
Thanks Jimmy! Same to you.
Very fascinating video. I wonder about print-through. Assuming these are reeled heads-out to minimize what will naturally happen over time. I wonder if it's even a factor, though. I really appreciate you covering every minute detail. Clearly you know how to present with an eye for what we very much want to hear. What a delight to see the well-engineered packaging--which has stood the test so well until today. The Grail! I have seen it!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow Andrew, thank you. It's kind of like a Christmas gift to all of us. I found myself holding my breath as you were opening it up. Thank you and have a Merry Christmas
Thanks Mike. You too!
Fascinating how much amazing stuff your able to get your hands on; not to mention when they all link together!
Incredible, Andrew! I am happy for you, and green with envy!😊 Happy Holidays, friend🎄
Thanks so much! Same to you 😊
Magnificent !!! Thank you for the share , Merry Christmas and a very New Year !!
Thanks! Same to you too!
wow great video. what a find you have there!
Fantastic. Wish I could hear it! Merry Christmas and thanks for the great videos.
Thanks Stephen, you too!
Now that is Christmas present Flex! Grats! I hope you get to listen to it soon. :)
What did you get for Christmas? A Tie, and what did you get for Christmas? Oh, nothing much, just side one and side two of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Master Tapes.
Lol...worth more than a Ferrari in my opinion.
now that's what one calls a Merry Christmas) no doubt you're having a great one, Andrew! many thanks for your labour of love that you share so competently and elegantly. looking forward to every video! all the best with finding a/the perfect condition 2-track machine for that treasure.
Well, that certainly beats my polythene dust jacket from NEMS and Percy Phillips acetate (no, not THAT one) into a cocked hat. Thanks for the videos and have a great Christmas fella....
Cheers! You too!
Congratulations on your latest amazing purchase, Andrew! And once again, a fascinating subject. Well done as always. And I agree with one of the other viewers: I hope Apple reaches out to you on the next Beatles remix releases. Thank you for a wonderful job all year and Merry Christmas. 🎁
What an amazing find! Now finding a calibrated 30ips machine to play it back on may be nearly as challenging as finding this tape was. Merry Christmas Andrew!
Amazing find, and a little bit of history.
Definitely fascinating! Thank you, Andrew! And again, a very Merry Christmas to you and your family. - Roger
Thaks Roger. Same to you!
Another great Andrew! Amazing find. Good luck trying to find a deck that plays 30ips. I'm certain it will blow away my US Capital 7 1/2 ips copy that sounds pretty great.
Wow, just wow. Only just seen this cos of the Christmas break. What a fab Christmas pressie for you Andrew. Cant wait to hear what it sounds like. What an amazingly precious thing to own. Look forward to seeing a video of how this piece of history got to be in your possession as well Andrew. Congratulations. Happy New Year
Thanks! Happy New Year to you too!
Andrew, WOW!! What a fascinating master tape!! I feel proud to be an Aussie. Mastered by Don Bartley, this may well be THE best sounding version of SPLHCB in existence. Truly incredible that you've got hold of it. Merry Christmas!!
Thanks Tiger. Same to you!
Wow. Great video. Merry Christmas Handsome.
Thanks, as always! You sounded like you had a bit of a cold, hope for a speedy recovery and wish you a Merry Xmas!
Thanks, do undeed have a cold! Wishing you a very Merry Xmas to you too!
Very nice. The title of the video may have fooled me into thinking that you somehow got your hands on THE master tape, but this is certainly impressive, too.
Very cool acquisition Andrew! Thanks for sharing this on your channel. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Thank you, Bill. Wishing you and yours the same!
Absolutely correct concerning Ampex baking. BASF and 3M were not as prone to shedding, which is why most forward-looking studios spec’d those brands instead of Ampex. An ounce of prevention…
WOW what a find!! that is SO cool!
At 8:58, the capital letters of SGT. PEPPERS... that mark the label are in a very recognizable hand. That was Don Bartley who you recognized. Fascinating video.
Thanks for sharing this video Andrew & Happy Christmas and New Year to you and your family.
Thanks Dmitry. Same to you!
Omg you actually got it!? 😱
Fascinating video, Andrew, about the unboxing of these tapes! Wishing you and your family a very happy -and restful!- Christmas.
Thanks, Nick. Wishing the same to you and yours!
Great! Andrew, i noticed how you were emotionally driven !! Me too, watching The video! Really interesting! Happy Xmas to Andrew and everyone out there! Ciao
Wow, what a Xmas gift for you Andrew! Congratulations for this iconic piece of Beatles history. It would be really interesting how you got your hands on it and how much it cost... But I fully understand that this will not be disclosed. Great item. Thanks a lot for sharing and I am looking forward to the next Beatles video! Best wishes for 2024!
Thank you for watching! All the best for 2024.
Merry Christmas Andrew keep your Beatles stuff coming Bob from aus 🎉😊
Cheers Bob! Will do! 👍