The Beatles Remastered Stereo Box Set.

The Beatles Remastered Stereo Box set was released on September 09 2009. The ads for the set contained the reference to 09.09.09. which is interpreted as the phrase from "Revolution No. 9" (a track from "The Beatles (White Album)".  The catalogue number for the box set does not appear on the outer bos. My particular set was bought in Canada which I will use for reference.
This release was quite welcome at the time of it's release. All of the CDs contained replace the 1987 stereo CDs. The remastering was done at Abbey Road Studios by Guy Massey and Allan Rouse. The set contains the following CDs: "Please Please Me", "With the Beatles", "A Hard Day's Night", "Beatles for Sale", "Help!","Rubber Soul", "Revolver", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Magical Mystery Tour", "The Beatles", "Yellow Submarine", "Abbey Road", Let It Be" and "Past Masters". All of the above CDs use the UK tracks with the exception of "Magical Mystery Tour" which was originally on the Capitol label, "Yellow Submarine" uses the 1969 version rather than the "Songtrack" version. "Past Masters" and "The Beatles" contain 2-CD configurations. The set also contains a DVD mini documentary on the "making of" for the various CDs contained within the set.This box is not available on vinyl.
The outer cardboard slipcase of the box is black at the front with a thin white border. "The Beatles" logo and a full Apple are also present. The sides of the slipcase have "The Beatles" logo. The back of the slipcase contains the thin white border along with green and white lettered blurbs indicating what is contained inside and mini photos of the front covers of the CDs. The Apple, Capitol, DVD, Quicktime and advanced CD logos are at the bottom along with the Beatles website address and the copyright information. The inner case has the same front and sides as the outer case. The back of the inner case contain "The Beatles" logo and a sliced Apple.
The "Please Please Me" CD has a tri-fold digipack style cover with a 20 page booklet tucked into the left panel which features the whole Apple logo on a white background. The other two panels have photos from the era. The booklet contains photos from the era as well as liner notes from Kevin Howlett and Mike Heatley. The CD label has the early Parlophone gold style which the original LP contained.The tracklisting is contained on the back cover along with the copyright information and Apple/EMI/Capitol/ etc. logos.
The "With The Beatles" CD also has the tri-fold cover although the Apple is on a black background. A 20 page booklet is also present with photos and liner notes of the area penned with the same authors as above. The CD label contains a simile of the Yellow/Black Parlophone style used on the original LP.
The "A Hard Day's Night" CD has the tri-fold and booklet. Apple is on a white background and the label is Yellow/Black Parlophone.
The "Beatles For Sale" CD has the tri-fold and booklet (lots of nice photos from Abbey Road studios !!). Apple is on a black background and the label is Yellow/Black Parlophone.
The "Help!" CD has the tri-fold and booklet (featuring some colour photos). There are recording notes by George Martin contained in the book. Apple on a white background and the label is Yellow/Black Parlophone. Like the others, tracklisting on back cover.
The "Rubber Soul" CD has the tri-fold and booklet. Apple is on a white background and the label is Yellow/Black Parlophone. The "Revolver" CD also has the tri-fold and booklet. Apple is on a black background and the label is Yellow/Black Parlophone.
The "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is tri-fold and the booklet for this CD has been expanded to 32 pages. There is an intro by Paul McCartney and George Martin. The lyrics are also printed. The Apple logo is on a red background. The label is Yellow/Black Parlophone.
The "Magical Mystery Tour" CD is tri-fold and the booklet has been expanded to 36 pages with the reproduction of the entire LP booklet first released on Capitol, the lyrics and liner notes. The Apple is against a white background and the label is the 60s Capitol "Rainbow" version.
The "The Beatles (White Album)" CD comes in a white slipcase with "The Beatles" embossed at the front. The back of the slipcase contains the tracklisting. The cover itself opens twice to reveal the four photographs of the individual band members taken from the portrait photos originally released with the double LP. The booklet is tucked behind the John photo containing 28 pages and notes as well as the complete lyrics. The first CD is behind the Paul photo with the label being the full Apple. The second CD is behind the George photo with the label being the sliced Apple. A tiny reproduction of the original poster is behing the Ringo photo.
The "Yellow Submarine" CD has the tri-fold and 20 page booklet. The Apple is on a white background and the label is a full Apple.
The "Abbey Road" CD has the tri-fold and 16 page booklet. The Apple is on a white background and the label is the full Apple.
The "Let It Be" CD has the tri-fold and 22 page booklet. The Apple is on a black background and the label is the full Apple.
The "Past Masters" CD contains 2CDs. It is tri-fold and contains a 30 page booklet. The first CD is tucked in the middle pocket and has the Yellow/Black Parlophone label while the second CD is tucked in to the right pocket and has the full Apple label. The Apple on the left is on a black background.
The "Mini Documentaries DVD included in the box set is gatefold. The front cover has "The Beatles" logo on front and the title. The inner sleeve shows a photograph of the Beatles taken at Abbey Road during the "Sgt. Pepper" sessions. The back cover has the chapter listings, credits, the Apple logo and the copyright information.
All of the above are true stereo with the exception of "Love Me Do" (both the Ringo and Andy White versions), "P.S. I Love You", "She Loves You", "I'll Get You", "Only A Northern Song" and "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" which are the original mono mixes; the stereo tapes do not exist for the songs above.

The Beatles 09.09.09 Sampler

In the middle of the summer 2009, it was announced by Apple that the Beatles catalogue would finally be released in remastered stereo. This announcement was a God-send to all Beatles fans who had waited since 1987 to have the music sounding as good as possible with the modern technology available. The entire UK canon plus "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Past Masters" would finally be released on compact disc complete with bonus DVD and either as individual discs or as a box set. But more on that later....

A 2-CD sampler was issued to radio stations around the world in early September 2009 (exact date unknown). The title of the sampler is: "The Beatles 09.09.09 Sampler" in reference to the fact that both a stereo and mono box set of the remasters was to be released on September 09 2009 and the date chosen in reference to the "number 9...number 9...number 9" quote from the "Revolution No. 9" track on the Beatles double "White Album". The catalogue number for the sampler is Apple 5 0999 6 84414 25.

The two compact discs are housed in a gatefold CD cover. The background is black and the front cover has the Beatles logo in white along with the sampler title. The spine print also includes the title of the sampler. Very plain, very simple. The back cover consists of the tracklisting for disc one and disc two. 16 songs on each CD for a total of 32 songs.

The inner sleeve, if you will, reveals text on the left panel explaining that the catalogue is to be released in remastered stereo along with instructions to "listen". The "all rights" claim is below the text. On the right side panel, all of the front cover art work to the collection is reproduced in miniature form along with the producer's credit and technical information. The Apple logo is underneath the information along with the Beatles website address.

CD 1 has the reproduction Parlophone label similar to the original vinyl. The background is black and the Parlophone lettering is yellow. The trademark symbol (in yellow), the record speed (33 1/3) and stereo lettering are silver. Underneath the center hole is the sampler title and "disc 1" followed by the artist name and "made in UK" underneath. The catalogue number is to right. CD 2 has the reproduction of the full Apple label from the side 1 vinyl records. The background is black filled out by the huge full Granny Smith Apple. The sampler title is above the center hole and the catalogue number is to the left. The artist name is once again below.

The tracklisting is as follows: CD 1 "I Saw Her Standing There", "I Wanna Be Your Man", "This Boy", "Things We Said Today", "Eight Days A Week", "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away", "If I Needed Someone", "Rain", "Here, There and Everywhere", "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!", "The Fool On The Hill", Glass Onion", "Mother Nature's Son", "Hey Bulldog", "Something", "Two of Us". CD 2 "Please Please Me", "All My Loving", "If I fell", "Honey Don't", "I'm Down", "I Need You", "Day Tripper", "Drive My Car", "And Your Bird Can Sing", "She's Leaving Home", "I Am The Walrus", "Back In The USSR", "Long, Long, Long", "All Together Now", "Come Together", "I've Got a Feeling".