New Venus Box! Elvis Presley - THE MONO MASTERS 1960 - 1975

[Juan Luis]

So far in my listening... "Edge Of Reality", "Puppet On A String", "Blue River" are standouts!

[elvis65]

which are the numbered sets of the 3

[Juan Luis]

I could tell right away the unique mono mix of "The Wonder Of You" when the solo James Burton playing was coming up. "Play it James" on the single version is hardly audible and discernible, compared to upfront stereo version where one can hear Elvis say it clearly. Makes sense for a single to be tidier. I like it!

[elvis71]

So far in my listening... "Edge Of Reality", "Puppet On A String", "Blue River" are standouts!

Same here !

[elvis71]

I'm not asking you to agree with me, but there are various comments around where people would have been happy with the CDs and a smaller book. Some like it and others either do not or have passed on it.
There is no real connection with the CDs and the book apart from the single sleeves, which I am sure serious collectors will have seen, and may even own them, a little bit about the recording dates, which once again can be found in the session books and the lyrics. Apart from that, the book is just a collection of photos - some are great and others just average and mostly seen in other books. The CDs do not need to be supported by such a huge book, so it is over-bloated. I am not saying the overall presentation is not good looking, but by reducing everything down size wise, the price could have been more favourable. Had Sony put out such a release 5 CDs with a book this size and with a price tag of over £150, fans would have been complaining. Some were complaining about a 60 CD Box with a 300 page book for around £180.

I respect your opinion

[Joern]

I really do like - next to many others from this set - especially the mono versions of "Seperate Ways", "Always on my mind" and "Burning Love".

[The Pirate]

I really do like - next to many others from this set - especially the mono versions of "Seperate Ways", "Always on my mind" and "Burning Love".

I'm almost finished playing the CDs, and I've enjoyed listening to everything. It's still hugely bloated and overpriced, and the book is pointless, but regardless, I've enjoyed the music. But then, why wouldn't I? I know it all, I own it all, and I've been listening to it for 40 odd years. But really, it's no different to what we already have apart from it not being stereo. So what is so different about, for instance, Separate Ways, on this box? Because to me, it all sounds the same, but less so, if you know what I mean.

It's a nice box, but I'm still not convinced that there is any point to it.

[emjel]

I agree with those thoughts although there are a few tracks which do have slightly different mixes. But listening takes you through a journey of how great the singles were in the early sixties to how they started to go downhill starting with One Broken Heart For Sale (just soooo short) and then recovering at the end of the decade. A few good tracks scattered in between, but when I look at the timings, so many just nudging 2 minutes and a few under. He just didn't seem to connect with the changes in the music scene from 65 onwards. So many people failing Elvis, but of course Elvis himself must take some blame for taking what appears to be quite a casual or laid back attitude.

[Joern]

I really do like - next to many others from this set - especially the mono versions of "Seperate Ways", "Always on my mind" and "Burning Love".

I'm almost finished playing the CDs, and I've enjoyed listening to everything. It's still hugely bloated and overpriced, and the book is pointless, but regardless, I've enjoyed the music. But then, why wouldn't I? I know it all, I own it all, and I've been listening to it for 40 odd years. But really, it's no different to what we already have apart from it not being stereo. So what is so different about, for instance, Separate Ways, on this box? Because to me, it all sounds the same, but less so, if you know what I mean.

It's a nice box, but I'm still not convinced that there is any point to it.

I get your point. To me it's more like a comparison from vinyl to CD... both sound very good to me, but sometimes way different. For sure I wouldn't say that 'mono' is the thing to go to after listening to the box for more than a week now, but to me a lot of the songs sounded to me as I've heard them before as a child and - to me - more in a way they were probably intended to sound alike. Sureley 'mono' sounds sort of outdated nowadays, but the biggest majority of people hadn't the opportunity to listen to the songs in 'stereo' as they couldn't afford the technique when songs got released at the time. Venus offers the songs in mostly excellent true mono sound (no fold-downs or something like that) and that meant a lot of fun for me. For most of the time Elvis music is running as background music at my home and often I really don't care about the music, 'cause I've heard it a million times before. Listening to the mono versions changed that somehow, as I've really got to admit that I sat down and listened carefully to the songs and I enjoyed that very much. Songs for example like "Are you lonesome tonight", "Rock A Hula-Baby" ( a song I normally don't like that much) or "Wild in the country" sound in mono more like a "complete" song, than "puzzled" cause of the odd stereo technique they used at the time.

I've listend to the stereo versions of the Beatles records and found them very enjoyable, but the mono mixes really got me. That happened in a similiar way with Elvis music - not on all accounts, as more than a few of the stereo versions win hand-down over the mono-mixes (that goes for more than a few of the 70s songs on the box), but nonetheless the mono-mixes mean fun to me as they sound different and truely they do.

[drjohncarpenter]

I'm almost finished playing the CDs, and I've enjoyed listening to everything. It's still hugely bloated and overpriced, and the book is pointless, but regardless, I've enjoyed the music. But then, why wouldn't I? I know it all, I own it all, and I've been listening to it for 40 odd years. But really, it's no different to what we already have apart from it not being stereo. So what is so different about, for instance, Separate Ways, on this box? Because to me, it all sounds the same, but less so, if you know what I mean.

It's a nice box, but I'm still not convinced that there is any point to it.

Providing joy?

[emjel]

I'm almost finished playing the CDs, and I've enjoyed listening to everything. It's still hugely bloated and overpriced, and the book is pointless, but regardless, I've enjoyed the music. But then, why wouldn't I? I know it all, I own it all, and I've been listening to it for 40 odd years. But really, it's no different to what we already have apart from it not being stereo. So what is so different about, for instance, Separate Ways, on this box? Because to me, it all sounds the same, but less so, if you know what I mean.

It's a nice box, but I'm still not convinced that there is any point to it.

Providing joy?

Maybe he meant in its current guise i.e with no book or book with less pages. Is there a real need for a 12" size box with a 400 page photo book as an example. I would have been happier with a 7" box and a book of around 100 pages especially for storage purposes.

[The Pirate]

I'm almost finished playing the CDs, and I've enjoyed listening to everything. It's still hugely bloated and overpriced, and the book is pointless, but regardless, I've enjoyed the music. But then, why wouldn't I? I know it all, I own it all, and I've been listening to it for 40 odd years. But really, it's no different to what we already have apart from it not being stereo. So what is so different about, for instance, Separate Ways, on this box? Because to me, it all sounds the same, but less so, if you know what I mean.

It's a nice box, but I'm still not convinced that there is any point to it.

Providing joy?

I did say I enjoyed listening to it. But that's the music, and I could have compiled my own playlist from the CDs I already own to get the same enjoyment. So far, not one person (as far as I can remember) has shown one single instance where the mono track is actually different to the stereo, other than to make general, "It sounds different..." type comments. It's not as if anyone is saying there's a vocal dropped in from another take, or a different guitar solo, or a change in speed, nothing other than "it sounds different."

It's a bit of a slender hook to hang almost two hundred pounds worth of box set on, don't you think?

[drjohncarpenter]

Providing joy?

I did say I enjoyed listening to it. But that's the music, and I could have compiled my own playlist from the CDs I already own to get the same enjoyment. So far, not one person (as far as I can remember) has shown one single instance where the mono track is actually different to the stereo, other than to make general, "It sounds different..." type comments. It's not as if anyone is saying there's a vocal dropped in from another take, or a different guitar solo, or a change in speed, nothing other than "it sounds different."

It's a bit of a slender hook to hang almost two hundred pounds worth of box set on, don't you think?

There's a specific comment above, from Juan Luis. An Elvis ad-lib is lower in the single MONO mix of "The Wonder of You."

So, love me slender, love me true, MONO I love you.

[elvisalisellers]

I'm almost finished playing the CDs, and I've enjoyed listening to everything. It's still hugely bloated and overpriced, and the book is pointless, but regardless, I've enjoyed the music. But then, why wouldn't I? I know it all, I own it all, and I've been listening to it for 40 odd years. But really, it's no different to what we already have apart from it not being stereo. So what is so different about, for instance, Separate Ways, on this box? Because to me, it all sounds the same, but less so, if you know what I mean.

It's a nice box, but I'm still not convinced that there is any point to it.

Providing joy?

I did say I enjoyed listening to it. But that's the music, and I could have compiled my own playlist from the CDs I already own to get the same enjoyment. So far, not one person (as far as I can remember) has shown one single instance where the mono track is actually different to the stereo, other than to make general, "It sounds different..." type comments. It's not as if anyone is saying there's a vocal dropped in from another take, or a different guitar solo, or a change in speed, nothing other than "it sounds different."

There's some kick-ass xylo/vibra-phone on "Heart of Rome" hardly evident on either of the stereo mixes.

All together now, "I'll take a pi** in every fountain..."

[The Pirate]

Providing joy?

I did say I enjoyed listening to it. But that's the music, and I could have compiled my own playlist from the CDs I already own to get the same enjoyment. So far, not one person (as far as I can remember) has shown one single instance where the mono track is actually different to the stereo, other than to make general, "It sounds different..." type comments. It's not as if anyone is saying there's a vocal dropped in from another take, or a different guitar solo, or a change in speed, nothing other than "it sounds different."

It's a bit of a slender hook to hang almost two hundred pounds worth of box set on, don't you think?

There's a specific comment above, from Juan Luis. An Elvis ad-lib is lower in the single MONO mix of "The Wonder of You."

So, love me slender, love me true, MONO I love you.

Well then, there's your two hundred quid right there!

[Johnny2523]

Don't regret getting the set for a minute. It's lovely, with stunning quality book, lyrics, sleeve scans, and a whole lotta unreleased pics (to me).
not to forget the lovely sound quality! i'm never dissapointed with a venus release and that's not a bias, just my own opinion

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

My Elvis-The Mono Masters 1960-1978 copy, sits nicely next to "The Complete Elvis Presley Masters" boxset! . Bye for now .

SAM_1844.JPG

[barry]

I also feel that it is a great package.
Thanks Venus.

[Juan Luis]

Just listened to "I Really Don't Want To Know". Hands down better (for me) than stereo counterpart. Really, really good.

[barry]

DSCN8324.JPG

Here mine sits, with other great Venus Product.

[Squire Smart]

Hi there!! .

My Elvis-The Mono Masters 1960-1978 copy, sits nicely next to "The Complete Elvis Presley Masters" boxset! . Bye for now .

SAM_1844.JPG

Hi Mike, looks like it's still wrapped in cellophane. Are you going to keep it that way or are you going to break into it?

[drjohncarpenter]

My Elvis-The Mono Masters 1960-1978 copy, sits nicely next to "The Complete Elvis Presley Masters" boxset!

Hi Mike, looks like it's still wrapped in cellophane. Are you going to keep it that way or are you going to break into it?

It loses its value if you open it, silly. You must not be a "collector," but someone who listens to music.

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

My Elvis-The Mono Masters 1960-1978 copy, sits nicely next to "The Complete Elvis Presley Masters" boxset!

Hi Mike, looks like it's still wrapped in cellophane. Are you going to keep it that way or are you going to break into it?

It loses its value if you open it, silly. You must not be a "collector," but someone who listens to music.

.

It's not sealed, I just kept the cellophane on the front side & opened it backside to protect the beautiful cover!!!!! .

Right now I'm listening to cd 2, song: Do The Clam, it sounds awesome! . So yes, I'm a collector and I listen to music . Bye for now .

[Juan Luis]

The thing is about large or small differences with these recordings is that we are actually listening to the masters. The way they were sold originally. And that is not the best part. The best part (for me) is enjoying the records in a fresh way again. For example, I've been listening for two days straight "Blue River", and enjoying the dickens out of it!

[The Pirate]

For example, I've ben listening for two days straight "Blue River", and enjoying the hell out of it. I cannot put a price tag on that.

I can. It was a hundred and seventy eight Euros, and fifty cents.