The White Album is definitely an example of something being better than the sum of its parts.
Reading the songs divided between John & Paul doesn't stir me, and yet mixed up, and spliced with the 4 George songs, and the record is, in my opinion, virtually faultless.
Indeed, given my love for 'Wonderwall Music' and 'McCartney', I think it would have make an even better triple LP.
On the other hand, the original opinions (and not the revised history) on 'Exile On Main Street' were right.....'Exile', again in my opinion, would have made a much better single LP.