Looking at the American Capitol LPs versus the British EMI issues, the latter usually gets the edge for sound quality -- on vinyl. On reel, the situation is reversed as 16 of the 17 Capitol LPs were issued at 7.5 IPS, instead of the more common (for non-classical) speed of 3.75. (For some reason, Capitol's "Something New" never made it to 7.5 IPS).
Anyhow, if one wants to amass the best-sounding, most complete Beatles reel catalog, you'd need to buy the American 7.5 IPS reels (plus the aforementioned "Something New"). That would still leave 12 orphaned songs... some of which are still on non-Capitol reels:
*Love Me Do (original single version)
*Misery [on the British "Please Please Me" reel]
*There's a Place [on the British "Please Please Me" reel]
*From Me To You [on the British "A Collection of Beatles Oldies" reel... or see below]
*Sie Liebt Dich (She Loves You, in German)
*A Hard Day's Night [on the British "A Hard Day's Night" or "A Collection of Beatles Oldies" reels, or the American AHDN reel from United Artists reel -- at 7.5 IPS... or see below]
*I'm Down
*The Inner Light
*Get Back (original single version) [see below]
*Across the Universe (original version)
*Let It Be (original single version) [see below]
*You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)
Incidentally, buying just the British reels not only gives you inferior sound, but you miss out on the 11 songs from "Magical Mystery Tour" (not a UK album at the time, so not issued on reel), and 25 of the 33 songs on "Past Masters."
Regardless of which route you choose, one way to fill in the gaps -- in amazing sound quality -- is to track down the red (1962-66) and blue (1967-70) albums, released on reel in Japan-only well after the heyday of reels in other countries. (There are a some uniquely packaged reels in Canada and Australia, but nothing special; and the rest of the world got nothing).
These pop up for sale occasionally and usually sell in the low four figures... or about five times what other Beatle reels go for.
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