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First of all you should figure out if the box you got is official or counterfeit made in China. If the hubs of the CDs on the play side carry imprints like ifpi B404 (or similar) or IFPI 08N5 (or similar) - the box is counterfeit.Quote
Happy Jack
I recently picked the Mono Box set up bc I found it a local music store for a good price. Now I have all of the 2002 remasters but am considering the redundancy in my collection. Is there any need to keep the 2002 remasters if I have the Mono Set? Thanks!
Quote
ironbellyFirst of all you should figure out if the box you got is official or counterfeit made in China. If the hubs of the CDs on the play side carry imprints like ifpi B404 (or similar) or IFPI 08N5 (or similar) - the box is counterfeit.Quote
Happy Jack
I recently picked the Mono Box set up bc I found it a local music store for a good price. Now I have all of the 2002 remasters but am considering the redundancy in my collection. Is there any need to keep the 2002 remasters if I have the Mono Set? Thanks!
Aftermath, Between The Buttons, TSMR, Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed were issued in stereo in 2002. Part of 12X5 too. For mono box Aftermath, BTB and TSMR contain unique dedicated mono. Some tracks are different masters. BB and LIB are fold downs from stereo (apart of one song - Sympathy For The Devil, this one is dedicated mono mix).
Lukpac (the guy who wrote that well known FAQ about 2002 remasters) A/B for some of the tracks from 2002 and box In Mono. This is his post at Steve Hoffman's music forum from 2016
The Rolling Stones
- Route 66 - Different digital transfer from 2002.
- Little By Little - Different digital transfer from 2002, brighter.
- Tell Me - Different digital transfer from 2002, faded in mastering at 3:47.
12 X 5
- Around And Around - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Confessin' The Blues - Different digital transfer from 2002, probably taken from a mono dub since the intro has a noticeable tape drag on the 2002 (yet the tape drag on Around And Around was apparently unnoticed).
- Empty Heart - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Good Times, Bad Times - Same digital transfer as 2002, which was a stereo transfer. Fade not "helped" in mastering like on the 2002.
- It's All Over Now - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- 2120 - Same digital transfer as 2002, full 3:37 version (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- If You Need Me - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Susie Q - Same digital transfer as 2002.
No. 2
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks), dull/rolled off compared to 2002.
- Time Is On My Side - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Hot Rocks) (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
- I Can't Be Satisfied - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks) (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
Now!
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - Same digital transfer as 2002, brighter.
- Heart of Stone - Same digital transfer as 2002. Possibly 2 digital remixes from same 3-track transfer? Vocal is lower in mono than folded stereo. Either that or CSG-esque phase manipulation was used to lower the level of the vocal. Matches 2002 Singles Collection.
- What A Shame - Different digital transfer from 2002.
- Down The Road Apiece - Different digital transfer from 2002, brighter.
- Little Red Rooster - Different digital transfer from 2002.
Out of Our Heads [US]
- Mercy Mercy - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Good Times - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Satisfaction - Same digital transfer as 2002.
Out of Our Heads [UK]
- She Said Yeah - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
- Talkin' About You - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
- Under Assistant - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- I'm Free - Same digital transfer as 2002.
December's Children
- You Better Move On - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Look What You've Done - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
- Get Off Of My Cloud - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Blue Turns To Grey - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
Aftermath [UK]
- Mother's Little Helper - Different digital transfer from 2002 (Singles Collection).
- Stupid Girl - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Nearly identical except slight level shift.
- Lady Jane - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Slight NR in intro (as on 2002). Nearly identical except slight level shift.
- I Am Waiting - Compared to a well known needledrop, slightly more midrange. Fade is 3 1/2 seconds shorter.
- Think - Compared to a well known needledrop, slightly more midrange, slightly less high end. Fade is 6 seconds shorter.
Aftermath [US]
- Paint It Black - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Nearly identical except slight level shift, at least for first half of song. Second half has some odd drift. Faded in mastering at 3:22.
- Under My Thumb - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version.
- I Am Waiting - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version, except the fade is full-length.
- Think - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version, except the fade is almost full-length (it's still a hair longer on the aforementioned needledrop).
Between The Buttons [UK]
- Yesterday's Papers - Generally very similar sounding to a well known needledrop. Oddly, the fade ends abruptly about 1.5 seconds before the needledrop.
- Back Street Girl - Much better than the aforementioned needledrop, which sounds very rolled off and muffled in comparison. A couple of odd dropouts in the fade, but otherwise no issues. It seems that the needledrop is a fold-down of the stereo, while this is a unique mono mix. There are subtle differences in reverb in places, notably on the accordion.
- Cool, Calm & Collected - Generally very similar sounding to the aforementioned needledrop, possibly with a bit more clarity. Possibly from a copy tape? At the end of the fade, there's an abrupt cut, followed by a half second of tape hiss, which then seems to edit to leader. It generally sounds pretty good regardless.
- All Sold Out - A bit less bright than the aforementioned needledrop.
- Please Go Home - Much better than the aforementioned needledrop, which sounds very rolled off and muffled in comparison. HOWEVER, these aren't the same mix. The needledrop matches the stereo mix. On this mono mix, the repeat echo effects are noticeably different. The tone generator (?) throughout the song is also completely different, especially at the end, which seems to indicate it was added live during the mono and stereo mixes. The needledrop is definitely a fold for this song, and it was assumed that no dedicated mono mix existed, so this is something of a surprise. The ABKCO tape listing does reference an "unissued rough mix?" for this and Back Street Girl; perhaps these come from that tape.
- Who's Been Sleeping Here? - Slightly rolled off in comparison to the needledrop, similar to All Sold Out. Interestingly, the tape ends a half second *earlier* on the needledrop.
Flowers
- Ruby Tuesday - Matches the mono mix on the 1989 Singles Collection, and is a significantly better transfer, with more high end. Based on the end of the fade, it looks as if the tape may be a copy, but the sound is definitely superior to whatever was used or done in 1989.
- Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby - Same transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. 2002 fades the fade ever so slightly, not the case here.
- Let's Spend The Night Together - Different transfer from 2002, a bit bassier and rolled off in comparison. End of fade suggests 2002 might be from a copy tape.
- Lady Jane - Matches Aftermath, other than slight level/EQ difference. The tails of the fades are slightly different on all 3, however.
Their Satanic Majesties Request
- In Another Land - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Quite similar to a well known needledrop.
- She's A Rainbow - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Subjectively has a bit more clarity than aforementioned needledrop, and doesn't have a tape problem just before the whistle in the intro that's present on the needledrop.
- The Lantern - Mono mix (3 bells in intro). Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Apparently no NR (2002 Singles Collection definitely has some in intro, and possibly throughout song). A bit more clarity (and tape hiss) than needledrop. Needledrop sounds and looks a bit rolled off in comparison.
- 2000 Light Years From Home - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Apparently no NR (2002 Singles Collection seems to have some in intro). A bit more clarity (and tape hiss) than needledrop.
Beggars Banquet
- Sympathy For The Devil - Dedicated mono mix, unreleased digitally until now. I don't have a needledrop to compare to, but it sounds pretty good to me. No obvious issues.
- No Expectations - Fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer. Fade is slightly longer.
- Jigsaw Puzzle - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
- Stray Cat Blues - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
- Salt of the Earth - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
Let It Bleed
- Gimme Shelter - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync. No NR in intro, or at least less than the 2002.
- Love In Vain - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Midnight Rambler - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- You Can't Always Get What You Want - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
Stray Cats
- I've Been Loving You Too Long - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks) fold-down; (2002 was stereo).
- Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man - Original mix (not 1989 remix), uncensored/unedited, fade matches the original mix. However, it is over 2% slower than other versions (edited 2002/2016, unedited/remixed 1989, random YouTube needledrop of the 45, etc).
- 19th Nervous Breakdown - Different from 2002. No remixed/edited on intro. No static around 0:04 common to many (but not all) older releases. Fade stays louder longer, then fades out more quickly. Light static in first few seconds of intro not present elsewhere. Intermittent hiss present throughout entire song between vocal lines, seemingly due to extreme compression on the vocal track. Audible and noticeable in spectral view. Other differences point to this being a different mix than the original mono mix.
- Con Le Mie Lacrime - Seems a bit muted/rolled off, but this may just be the recording. No obvious issues are noticeable.
- Street Fighting Man - Different from the version on the 2002 Singles Collection. Less midrange and more high end. It seems that the 2002 has some slight NR in places while this doesn't. My guess is this is either a new needledrop of the 45, or a less processed version of the needledrop used in 2002. There's no question they are *different* sounding, but I have a feeling some people may prefer one and some the other.
- Honky Tonk Women - Different from the 2002, not from that (stereo) transfer. It seems that the mono mix is dedicated, and not a fold-down. Some of the lead guitar licks are distorted (and aren't in stereo), and in some places the relative levels are a bit different.
- You Can't Always Get What You Want - Different from the 2002, not from that transfer. The 2002 seems to have NR in many places, this doesn't.
Actually, there are only 38 unique mono masters out of 186 tracks presented in the box. The rest are about the same.
Regarding 2002 remasters. If you have SACD-hybrid discs in digipaks - keep them all. If yours are later single layer re-issues in jewel cases - keep only 12x5, Aftermath, BTB, TSMR, BB, LIB, live albums and compilations.
Thank you for the info: first thing I did after I bought them was to check the imprint, they’re legit.Quote
ironbellyFirst of all you should figure out if the box you got is official or counterfeit made in China. If the hubs of the CDs on the play side carry imprints like ifpi B404 (or similar) or IFPI 08N5 (or similar) - the box is counterfeit.Quote
Happy Jack
I recently picked the Mono Box set up bc I found it a local music store for a good price. Now I have all of the 2002 remasters but am considering the redundancy in my collection. Is there any need to keep the 2002 remasters if I have the Mono Set? Thanks!
Aftermath, Between The Buttons, TSMR, Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed were issued in stereo in 2002. Part of 12X5 too. For mono box Aftermath, BTB and TSMR contain unique dedicated mono. Some tracks are different masters. BB and LIB are fold downs from stereo (apart of one song - Sympathy For The Devil, this one is dedicated mono mix).
Lukpac (the guy who wrote that well known FAQ about 2002 remasters) A/B for some of the tracks from 2002 and box In Mono. This is his post at Steve Hoffman's music forum from 2016
The Rolling Stones
- Route 66 - Different digital transfer from 2002.
- Little By Little - Different digital transfer from 2002, brighter.
- Tell Me - Different digital transfer from 2002, faded in mastering at 3:47.
12 X 5
- Around And Around - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Confessin' The Blues - Different digital transfer from 2002, probably taken from a mono dub since the intro has a noticeable tape drag on the 2002 (yet the tape drag on Around And Around was apparently unnoticed).
- Empty Heart - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Good Times, Bad Times - Same digital transfer as 2002, which was a stereo transfer. Fade not "helped" in mastering like on the 2002.
- It's All Over Now - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- 2120 - Same digital transfer as 2002, full 3:37 version (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- If You Need Me - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Susie Q - Same digital transfer as 2002.
No. 2
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks), dull/rolled off compared to 2002.
- Time Is On My Side - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Hot Rocks) (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
- I Can't Be Satisfied - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks) (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
Now!
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - Same digital transfer as 2002, brighter.
- Heart of Stone - Same digital transfer as 2002. Possibly 2 digital remixes from same 3-track transfer? Vocal is lower in mono than folded stereo. Either that or CSG-esque phase manipulation was used to lower the level of the vocal. Matches 2002 Singles Collection.
- What A Shame - Different digital transfer from 2002.
- Down The Road Apiece - Different digital transfer from 2002, brighter.
- Little Red Rooster - Different digital transfer from 2002.
Out of Our Heads [US]
- Mercy Mercy - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Good Times - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Satisfaction - Same digital transfer as 2002.
Out of Our Heads [UK]
- She Said Yeah - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
- Talkin' About You - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
- Under Assistant - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- I'm Free - Same digital transfer as 2002.
December's Children
- You Better Move On - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Look What You've Done - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
- Get Off Of My Cloud - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Blue Turns To Grey - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
Aftermath [UK]
- Mother's Little Helper - Different digital transfer from 2002 (Singles Collection).
- Stupid Girl - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Nearly identical except slight level shift.
- Lady Jane - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Slight NR in intro (as on 2002). Nearly identical except slight level shift.
- I Am Waiting - Compared to a well known needledrop, slightly more midrange. Fade is 3 1/2 seconds shorter.
- Think - Compared to a well known needledrop, slightly more midrange, slightly less high end. Fade is 6 seconds shorter.
Aftermath [US]
- Paint It Black - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Nearly identical except slight level shift, at least for first half of song. Second half has some odd drift. Faded in mastering at 3:22.
- Under My Thumb - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version.
- I Am Waiting - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version, except the fade is full-length.
- Think - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version, except the fade is almost full-length (it's still a hair longer on the aforementioned needledrop).
Between The Buttons [UK]
- Yesterday's Papers - Generally very similar sounding to a well known needledrop. Oddly, the fade ends abruptly about 1.5 seconds before the needledrop.
- Back Street Girl - Much better than the aforementioned needledrop, which sounds very rolled off and muffled in comparison. A couple of odd dropouts in the fade, but otherwise no issues. It seems that the needledrop is a fold-down of the stereo, while this is a unique mono mix. There are subtle differences in reverb in places, notably on the accordion.
- Cool, Calm & Collected - Generally very similar sounding to the aforementioned needledrop, possibly with a bit more clarity. Possibly from a copy tape? At the end of the fade, there's an abrupt cut, followed by a half second of tape hiss, which then seems to edit to leader. It generally sounds pretty good regardless.
- All Sold Out - A bit less bright than the aforementioned needledrop.
- Please Go Home - Much better than the aforementioned needledrop, which sounds very rolled off and muffled in comparison. HOWEVER, these aren't the same mix. The needledrop matches the stereo mix. On this mono mix, the repeat echo effects are noticeably different. The tone generator (?) throughout the song is also completely different, especially at the end, which seems to indicate it was added live during the mono and stereo mixes. The needledrop is definitely a fold for this song, and it was assumed that no dedicated mono mix existed, so this is something of a surprise. The ABKCO tape listing does reference an "unissued rough mix?" for this and Back Street Girl; perhaps these come from that tape.
- Who's Been Sleeping Here? - Slightly rolled off in comparison to the needledrop, similar to All Sold Out. Interestingly, the tape ends a half second *earlier* on the needledrop.
Flowers
- Ruby Tuesday - Matches the mono mix on the 1989 Singles Collection, and is a significantly better transfer, with more high end. Based on the end of the fade, it looks as if the tape may be a copy, but the sound is definitely superior to whatever was used or done in 1989.
- Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby - Same transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. 2002 fades the fade ever so slightly, not the case here.
- Let's Spend The Night Together - Different transfer from 2002, a bit bassier and rolled off in comparison. End of fade suggests 2002 might be from a copy tape.
- Lady Jane - Matches Aftermath, other than slight level/EQ difference. The tails of the fades are slightly different on all 3, however.
Their Satanic Majesties Request
- In Another Land - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Quite similar to a well known needledrop.
- She's A Rainbow - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Subjectively has a bit more clarity than aforementioned needledrop, and doesn't have a tape problem just before the whistle in the intro that's present on the needledrop.
- The Lantern - Mono mix (3 bells in intro). Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Apparently no NR (2002 Singles Collection definitely has some in intro, and possibly throughout song). A bit more clarity (and tape hiss) than needledrop. Needledrop sounds and looks a bit rolled off in comparison.
- 2000 Light Years From Home - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Apparently no NR (2002 Singles Collection seems to have some in intro). A bit more clarity (and tape hiss) than needledrop.
Beggars Banquet
- Sympathy For The Devil - Dedicated mono mix, unreleased digitally until now. I don't have a needledrop to compare to, but it sounds pretty good to me. No obvious issues.
- No Expectations - Fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer. Fade is slightly longer.
- Jigsaw Puzzle - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
- Stray Cat Blues - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
- Salt of the Earth - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
Let It Bleed
- Gimme Shelter - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync. No NR in intro, or at least less than the 2002.
- Love In Vain - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Midnight Rambler - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- You Can't Always Get What You Want - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
Stray Cats
- I've Been Loving You Too Long - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks) fold-down; (2002 was stereo).
- Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man - Original mix (not 1989 remix), uncensored/unedited, fade matches the original mix. However, it is over 2% slower than other versions (edited 2002/2016, unedited/remixed 1989, random YouTube needledrop of the 45, etc).
- 19th Nervous Breakdown - Different from 2002. No remixed/edited on intro. No static around 0:04 common to many (but not all) older releases. Fade stays louder longer, then fades out more quickly. Light static in first few seconds of intro not present elsewhere. Intermittent hiss present throughout entire song between vocal lines, seemingly due to extreme compression on the vocal track. Audible and noticeable in spectral view. Other differences point to this being a different mix than the original mono mix.
- Con Le Mie Lacrime - Seems a bit muted/rolled off, but this may just be the recording. No obvious issues are noticeable.
- Street Fighting Man - Different from the version on the 2002 Singles Collection. Less midrange and more high end. It seems that the 2002 has some slight NR in places while this doesn't. My guess is this is either a new needledrop of the 45, or a less processed version of the needledrop used in 2002. There's no question they are *different* sounding, but I have a feeling some people may prefer one and some the other.
- Honky Tonk Women - Different from the 2002, not from that (stereo) transfer. It seems that the mono mix is dedicated, and not a fold-down. Some of the lead guitar licks are distorted (and aren't in stereo), and in some places the relative levels are a bit different.
- You Can't Always Get What You Want - Different from the 2002, not from that transfer. The 2002 seems to have NR in many places, this doesn't.
Actually, there are only 38 unique mono masters out of 186 tracks presented in the box. The rest are about the same.
Regarding 2002 remasters. If you have SACD-hybrid discs in digipaks - keep them all. If yours are later single layer re-issues in jewel cases - keep only 12x5, Aftermath, BTB, TSMR, BB, LIB, live albums and compilations.
Quote
Happy Jack
I recently picked the Mono Box set up bc I found it a local music store for a good price. Now I have all of the 2002 remasters but am considering the redundancy in my collection. Is there any need to keep the 2002 remasters if I have the Mono Set? Thanks!
Quote
timbernardis
And, does anyone have a complete list of the 2002 SACDs, British and American, the digipacks versus the jewel case editions, whatever else?
Quote
timbernardis
how do the 2002 SACDs compare to the Japanese SHM releases? Are either of them brickwalled? Is there anywhere else where SHMs are made other than Japan?
Nice catch. That is typo. Probably, Luke just copy-pasted from previous line or something. Good times, bad times is mono everywhere on CD.Quote
Ragnbert
Was there ever a stereo mix of Good times, bad times? Never heard that before
SACD is Super Audio CD, different, high definition, coding of audio signal. SHM (Super High Material) is material, that is used to make CD. There is a need to separate flies from cockroachesQuote
timbernardis
I may have asked this before, but how do the 2002 SACDs compare to the Japanese SHM releases? Are either of them brickwalled? Is there anywhere else where SHMs are made other than Japan?
Well, the situation with SACD-hybrid 2002 discs is a bit messy. For North America they used 9xxxx catalog number. For the ROW (but Japan) 882 xxx-2. For Japan UIGY-7xxx.Quote
timbernardis
And, does anyone have a complete list of the 2002 SACDs, British and American, the digipacks versus the jewel case editions, whatever else?
That is a great review with a lot of technical details.
Depends on the font and ifpi Mould Sid code.Quote
DEmerson
The play side of my Mono box CDs show DIDX-1081497 (or other number).
Real - or counterfeit you think?
If you got it from stripped down box or purchase the box from ebay or Knight Shop (or similar half price internet retailer) the answer is - yes. There were tons of counterfeit boxes on internet priced between 30 and 50 Euros some time ago. Knight Shop even made very aggressive advertising campaign on Facebook.Quote
DEmerson
Thanks! I ‘think’ mine may be counterfeit.
Quote
DEmerson
thanks again Ironbelly. I did finally see (w. a magnifying glass) a tiny ifpi B404. And almost looks like a Chinese symbol next to it. So yeah - looks like mine is counterfeit. But - from what you just wrote - anyone who has the real thing and a 'fake' able to tell the difference sound wise?
Quote
Happy JackThank you for the info: first thing I did after I bought them was to check the imprint, they’re legit.Quote
ironbellyFirst of all you should figure out if the box you got is official or counterfeit made in China. If the hubs of the CDs on the play side carry imprints like ifpi B404 (or similar) or IFPI 08N5 (or similar) - the box is counterfeit.Quote
Happy Jack
I recently picked the Mono Box set up bc I found it a local music store for a good price. Now I have all of the 2002 remasters but am considering the redundancy in my collection. Is there any need to keep the 2002 remasters if I have the Mono Set? Thanks!
Aftermath, Between The Buttons, TSMR, Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed were issued in stereo in 2002. Part of 12X5 too. For mono box Aftermath, BTB and TSMR contain unique dedicated mono. Some tracks are different masters. BB and LIB are fold downs from stereo (apart of one song - Sympathy For The Devil, this one is dedicated mono mix).
Lukpac (the guy who wrote that well known FAQ about 2002 remasters) A/B for some of the tracks from 2002 and box In Mono. This is his post at Steve Hoffman's music forum from 2016
The Rolling Stones
- Route 66 - Different digital transfer from 2002.
- Little By Little - Different digital transfer from 2002, brighter.
- Tell Me - Different digital transfer from 2002, faded in mastering at 3:47.
12 X 5
- Around And Around - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Confessin' The Blues - Different digital transfer from 2002, probably taken from a mono dub since the intro has a noticeable tape drag on the 2002 (yet the tape drag on Around And Around was apparently unnoticed).
- Empty Heart - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Good Times, Bad Times - Same digital transfer as 2002, which was a stereo transfer. Fade not "helped" in mastering like on the 2002.
- It's All Over Now - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- 2120 - Same digital transfer as 2002, full 3:37 version (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- If You Need Me - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Susie Q - Same digital transfer as 2002.
No. 2
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks), dull/rolled off compared to 2002.
- Time Is On My Side - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Hot Rocks) (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
- I Can't Be Satisfied - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks) (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
Now!
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - Same digital transfer as 2002, brighter.
- Heart of Stone - Same digital transfer as 2002. Possibly 2 digital remixes from same 3-track transfer? Vocal is lower in mono than folded stereo. Either that or CSG-esque phase manipulation was used to lower the level of the vocal. Matches 2002 Singles Collection.
- What A Shame - Different digital transfer from 2002.
- Down The Road Apiece - Different digital transfer from 2002, brighter.
- Little Red Rooster - Different digital transfer from 2002.
Out of Our Heads [US]
- Mercy Mercy - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Good Times - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Satisfaction - Same digital transfer as 2002.
Out of Our Heads [UK]
- She Said Yeah - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
- Talkin' About You - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
- Under Assistant - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- I'm Free - Same digital transfer as 2002.
December's Children
- You Better Move On - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Look What You've Done - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo).
- Get Off Of My Cloud - Same digital transfer as 2002.
- Blue Turns To Grey - Same digital transfer as 2002, same chewed up intro.
Aftermath [UK]
- Mother's Little Helper - Different digital transfer from 2002 (Singles Collection).
- Stupid Girl - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Nearly identical except slight level shift.
- Lady Jane - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Slight NR in intro (as on 2002). Nearly identical except slight level shift.
- I Am Waiting - Compared to a well known needledrop, slightly more midrange. Fade is 3 1/2 seconds shorter.
- Think - Compared to a well known needledrop, slightly more midrange, slightly less high end. Fade is 6 seconds shorter.
Aftermath [US]
- Paint It Black - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection). Nearly identical except slight level shift, at least for first half of song. Second half has some odd drift. Faded in mastering at 3:22.
- Under My Thumb - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version.
- I Am Waiting - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version, except the fade is full-length.
- Think - Nearly identical to the corresponding UK version, except the fade is almost full-length (it's still a hair longer on the aforementioned needledrop).
Between The Buttons [UK]
- Yesterday's Papers - Generally very similar sounding to a well known needledrop. Oddly, the fade ends abruptly about 1.5 seconds before the needledrop.
- Back Street Girl - Much better than the aforementioned needledrop, which sounds very rolled off and muffled in comparison. A couple of odd dropouts in the fade, but otherwise no issues. It seems that the needledrop is a fold-down of the stereo, while this is a unique mono mix. There are subtle differences in reverb in places, notably on the accordion.
- Cool, Calm & Collected - Generally very similar sounding to the aforementioned needledrop, possibly with a bit more clarity. Possibly from a copy tape? At the end of the fade, there's an abrupt cut, followed by a half second of tape hiss, which then seems to edit to leader. It generally sounds pretty good regardless.
- All Sold Out - A bit less bright than the aforementioned needledrop.
- Please Go Home - Much better than the aforementioned needledrop, which sounds very rolled off and muffled in comparison. HOWEVER, these aren't the same mix. The needledrop matches the stereo mix. On this mono mix, the repeat echo effects are noticeably different. The tone generator (?) throughout the song is also completely different, especially at the end, which seems to indicate it was added live during the mono and stereo mixes. The needledrop is definitely a fold for this song, and it was assumed that no dedicated mono mix existed, so this is something of a surprise. The ABKCO tape listing does reference an "unissued rough mix?" for this and Back Street Girl; perhaps these come from that tape.
- Who's Been Sleeping Here? - Slightly rolled off in comparison to the needledrop, similar to All Sold Out. Interestingly, the tape ends a half second *earlier* on the needledrop.
Flowers
- Ruby Tuesday - Matches the mono mix on the 1989 Singles Collection, and is a significantly better transfer, with more high end. Based on the end of the fade, it looks as if the tape may be a copy, but the sound is definitely superior to whatever was used or done in 1989.
- Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby - Same transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. 2002 fades the fade ever so slightly, not the case here.
- Let's Spend The Night Together - Different transfer from 2002, a bit bassier and rolled off in comparison. End of fade suggests 2002 might be from a copy tape.
- Lady Jane - Matches Aftermath, other than slight level/EQ difference. The tails of the fades are slightly different on all 3, however.
Their Satanic Majesties Request
- In Another Land - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Quite similar to a well known needledrop.
- She's A Rainbow - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Subjectively has a bit more clarity than aforementioned needledrop, and doesn't have a tape problem just before the whistle in the intro that's present on the needledrop.
- The Lantern - Mono mix (3 bells in intro). Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Apparently no NR (2002 Singles Collection definitely has some in intro, and possibly throughout song). A bit more clarity (and tape hiss) than needledrop. Needledrop sounds and looks a bit rolled off in comparison.
- 2000 Light Years From Home - Same digital transfer as 2002 (Singles Collection), slight level/EQ difference. Apparently no NR (2002 Singles Collection seems to have some in intro). A bit more clarity (and tape hiss) than needledrop.
Beggars Banquet
- Sympathy For The Devil - Dedicated mono mix, unreleased digitally until now. I don't have a needledrop to compare to, but it sounds pretty good to me. No obvious issues.
- No Expectations - Fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer. Fade is slightly longer.
- Jigsaw Puzzle - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
- Stray Cat Blues - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
- Salt of the Earth - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync.
Let It Bleed
- Gimme Shelter - Seems to be a fold down of the 2002 stereo transfer, but the two don't quite stay in sync. No NR in intro, or at least less than the 2002.
- Love In Vain - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- Midnight Rambler - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
- You Can't Always Get What You Want - Same digital transfer as 2002 (fold-down; 2002 was stereo), slight level/EQ difference.
Stray Cats
- I've Been Loving You Too Long - Same digital transfer as 2002 (More Hot Rocks) fold-down; (2002 was stereo).
- Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man - Original mix (not 1989 remix), uncensored/unedited, fade matches the original mix. However, it is over 2% slower than other versions (edited 2002/2016, unedited/remixed 1989, random YouTube needledrop of the 45, etc).
- 19th Nervous Breakdown - Different from 2002. No remixed/edited on intro. No static around 0:04 common to many (but not all) older releases. Fade stays louder longer, then fades out more quickly. Light static in first few seconds of intro not present elsewhere. Intermittent hiss present throughout entire song between vocal lines, seemingly due to extreme compression on the vocal track. Audible and noticeable in spectral view. Other differences point to this being a different mix than the original mono mix.
- Con Le Mie Lacrime - Seems a bit muted/rolled off, but this may just be the recording. No obvious issues are noticeable.
- Street Fighting Man - Different from the version on the 2002 Singles Collection. Less midrange and more high end. It seems that the 2002 has some slight NR in places while this doesn't. My guess is this is either a new needledrop of the 45, or a less processed version of the needledrop used in 2002. There's no question they are *different* sounding, but I have a feeling some people may prefer one and some the other.
- Honky Tonk Women - Different from the 2002, not from that (stereo) transfer. It seems that the mono mix is dedicated, and not a fold-down. Some of the lead guitar licks are distorted (and aren't in stereo), and in some places the relative levels are a bit different.
- You Can't Always Get What You Want - Different from the 2002, not from that transfer. The 2002 seems to have NR in many places, this doesn't.
Actually, there are only 38 unique mono masters out of 186 tracks presented in the box. The rest are about the same.
Regarding 2002 remasters. If you have SACD-hybrid discs in digipaks - keep them all. If yours are later single layer re-issues in jewel cases - keep only 12x5, Aftermath, BTB, TSMR, BB, LIB, live albums and compilations.
I do have the 2002 remasters in the digipacks, so I will hang on to both.
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Four Stone Walls
What is 'Stray Cats'?;
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Four Stone Walls
Sounds like it's worth having. But not available alone.
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Four Stone Walls
Was this series a Stones' release or Universal?