New Beach Boys 2012 Remasters!

[Zach95]

Haven't received mine from cdbanq yet, I'm beginning to worry. I can't seem to find a tracking number either, so who knows where my shipment could be.

[PhilCohen]

Haven't received mine from cdbanq yet, I'm beginning to worry. I can't seem to find a tracking number either, so who knows where my shipment could be.

My discs also have yet to arrive from CD Banq. Today, it will be two weeks since they were shipped.

[Jim V.]

Haven't received mine from cdbanq yet, I'm beginning to worry. I can't seem to find a tracking number either, so who knows where my shipment could be.

My discs also have yet to arrive from CD Banq. Today, it will be two weeks since they were shipped.

I heard CD Banq was actually recently taken over by Capitol/EMI and that they were told to discontinue all orders, especially those marked as being shipped to one Phil Cohen.

[drbeachboy]

Haven't received mine from cdbanq yet, I'm beginning to worry. I can't seem to find a tracking number either, so who knows where my shipment could be.

My discs also have yet to arrive from CD Banq. Today, it will be two weeks since they were shipped.

Mine showed up today, but no one was home to sign for them. Have to wait until tomorrow and pick them up at the post office.

[PhilCohen]

The 3 CD's that I ordered just arrived from CD Banq, but, ultimately, the decision to release the 12 CD's in Japan two months before other countries was a decision that burned everyone, even consumers in Japan. When the American CD's appear in Japan as imports, they will sell for 40% less than the Japanese editions.

[LostArt]

The 3 CD's that I ordered just arrived from CD Banq, but, ultimately, the decision to release the 12 CD's in Japan two months before other countries was a decision that burned everyone, even consumers in Japan. When the American CD's appear in Japan as imports, they will sell for 40% less than the Japanese editions.

Didn't burn me.  I had the patience to wait.

[Shady]

The 3 CD's that I ordered just arrived from CD Banq, but, ultimately, the decision to release the 12 CD's in Japan two months before other countries was a decision that burned everyone, even consumers in Japan. When the American CD's appear in Japan as imports, they will sell for 40% less than the Japanese editions.

 

[Zach95]

Haven't received mine from cdbanq yet, I'm beginning to worry. I can't seem to find a tracking number either, so who knows where my shipment could be.

My discs also have yet to arrive from CD Banq. Today, it will be two weeks since they were shipped.

Mine showed up today, but no one was home to sign for them. Have to wait until tomorrow and pick them up at the post office.

What the heck! You're in the northeast, right?

[drbeachboy]

Haven't received mine from cdbanq yet, I'm beginning to worry. I can't seem to find a tracking number either, so who knows where my shipment could be.

My discs also have yet to arrive from CD Banq. Today, it will be two weeks since they were shipped.

Mine showed up today, but no one was home to sign for them. Have to wait until tomorrow and pick them up at the post office.

What the heck! You're in the northeast, right?

Yeppers, in south New Jersey. They shipped out on 8/2. My shipment email provided a 13 digit tracking number beginning with RR.

[runnersdialzero]

The 3 CD's that I ordered just arrived from CD Banq, but, ultimately, the decision to release the 12 CD's in Japan two months before other countries was a decision that burned everyone, even consumers in Japan. When the American CD's appear in Japan as imports, they will sell for 40% less than the Japanese editions.

Didn't burn me.  I had the patience to wait.

YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE.

[Zach95]

Haven't received mine from cdbanq yet, I'm beginning to worry. I can't seem to find a tracking number either, so who knows where my shipment could be.

My discs also have yet to arrive from CD Banq. Today, it will be two weeks since they were shipped.

Mine showed up today, but no one was home to sign for them. Have to wait until tomorrow and pick them up at the post office.

What the heck! You're in the northeast, right?

Yeppers, in south New Jersey. They shipped out on 8/2. My shipment email provided a 13 digit tracking number beginning with RR.

I'm in upstate New York. My shipment email, also saying my order shipped out on 8/2, had a blank space after "tracking number:" 

[tansen]

The 3 CD's that I ordered just arrived from CD Banq, but, ultimately, the decision to release the 12 CD's in Japan two months before other countries was a decision that burned everyone, even consumers in Japan. When the American CD's appear in Japan as imports, they will sell for 40% less than the Japanese editions.

Didn't burn me.  I had the patience to wait.

+1
..a decision that burned everyone.. is a huge exaggeration.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

The 3 CD's that I ordered just arrived from CD Banq, but, ultimately, the decision to release the 12 CD's in Japan two months before other countries was a decision that burned everyone, even consumers in Japan. When the American CD's appear in Japan as imports, they will sell for 40% less than the Japanese editions.

Didn't burn me.  I had the patience to wait.

+1
..a decision that burned everyone.. is a huge exaggeration.

More of an outright falsehood.

[PhilCohen]

I've listened to the new stereo mix of "Summer Days...and Summer Nights" through high quality headphones(Sennheiser HD-650), and I have this to report:

1.There are no static crackles. Yes, there are occasional distortions(on "Amusement Parks U.S.A." & "California Girls"), but remember, these are 1965 recordings.

2.The "extraction mix" of "Girl Don't Tell Me" is passable and inoffensive. On the other hand, the "extraction mix" of "Help Me Rhonda" has an unsteady stereo image. I would not advise listening to it through headphones.

3. I would not trust the information in the booklet, which suggests that the only new stereo mixes are for those songs which didn't have a previous Mark Linett stereo mix. The stereo mix of "You're So Good to Me" is new, with wider stereo separation than the mix on the compilation CD "The Warmth of The Sun". One of the risks inherent in repeatedly playing a now 45 year old multitrack, is that bits of oxide(the tape's coating) will fall off. The tape drop-out at 0:58(slightly audible in the previous mix) has grown more audible, and a new, more serious drop-out occurs at 0:59.....a drop out that wasn't present in Mark Linett's previous stereo mix.

I'll report later on "Today" & "Smiley Smile".

[The Shift]

The 3 CD's that I ordered just arrived from CD Banq, but, ultimately, the decision to release the 12 CD's in Japan two months before other countries was a decision that burned everyone, even consumers in Japan. When the American CD's appear in Japan as imports, they will sell for 40% less than the Japanese editions.

We haven't a clue about what went on. Might be that the decision to release these worldwide was only taken when someone noticed how the Japan-only release was selling well to the export market. In other words, by buying three CDs on import, you've helped trigger a wider release which has ultimately saved you, us and many Japanese fans a good sum.

I bought two of the discs on import and don't regret it at all. It was my decision to buy, mainly out of curiosity. No-one had a gun to my head.

Appreciating your take on the actual listening experience and look forward to further installments, if you can control your claims about how you and the rest of the world was "burned", cos we weren't.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I've listened to the new stereo mix of "Summer Days...and Summer Nights" through high quality headphones(Sennheiser HD-650), and I have this to report:

1.There are no static crackles. Yes, there are occasional distortions(on "Amusement Parks U.S.A." & "California Girls"), but remember, these are 1965 recordings.

2.The "extraction mix" of "Girl Don't Tell Me" is passable and inoffensive. On the other hand, the "extraction mix" of "Help Me Rhonda" has an unsteady stereo image. I would not advise listening to it through headphones.

3. I would not trust the information in the booklet, which suggests that the only new stereo mixes are for those songs which didn't have a previous Mark Linett stereo mix. The stereo mix of "You're So Good to Me" is new, with wider stereo separation than the mix on the compilation CD "The Warmth of The Sun". One of the risks inherent in repeatedly playing a now 45 year old multitrack, is that bits of oxide(the tape's coating) will fall off. The tape drop-out at 0:58(slightly audible in the previous mix) has grown more audible, and a new, more serious drop-out occurs at 0:59.....a drop out that wasn't present in Mark Linett's previous stereo mix.

I'll report later on "Today" & "Smiley Smile".

I would be surprised if Mark went back to the tape for YSGTM.  Typically, from what I understand, he transfers the tape to digital and then would work off that going forward.  I think, as you allude to, that these tapes are often only really playable once, anyway.  If the dropout has gotten worse, I can't believe it would be from re-digitizing from the multitrack.  Of course, it's a little strange that he would do a new mix anyway, unless he really didn't like the first one.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

And I do wish they weren't going with these extractions.  They seem unnecessary to me.

[EgoHanger1966]

I've listened to the new stereo mix of "Summer Days...and Summer Nights" through high quality headphones(Sennheiser HD-650), and I have this to report:

1.There are no static crackles. Yes, there are occasional distortions(on "Amusement Parks U.S.A." & "California Girls"), but remember, these are 1965 recordings.

2.The "extraction mix" of "Girl Don't Tell Me" is passable and inoffensive. On the other hand, the "extraction mix" of "Help Me Rhonda" has an unsteady stereo image. I would not advise listening to it through headphones.

3. I would not trust the information in the booklet, which suggests that the only new stereo mixes are for those songs which didn't have a previous Mark Linett stereo mix. The stereo mix of "You're So Good to Me" is new, with wider stereo separation than the mix on the compilation CD "The Warmth of The Sun". One of the risks inherent in repeatedly playing a now 45 year old multitrack, is that bits of oxide(the tape's coating) will fall off. The tape drop-out at 0:58(slightly audible in the previous mix) has grown more audible, and a new, more serious drop-out occurs at 0:59.....a drop out that wasn't present in Mark Linett's previous stereo mix.

I'll report later on "Today" & "Smiley Smile".

I have the exact same model and make of headphones as you do, coincidentally enough. (Senn 650). Everyone has a different set of ears, so I guess there's no wrong or right, but since you're giving out reviews, I strongly disagree with some of the stuff you wrote.

-There are no static crackles, but there are static pops and clicks on Let Him Run Wild and You're So Good To Me. They aren't overpowering, but they are noticeable because they aren't on any of the other tracks.

-As for "occasional distortions", on Amusement Parks USA, I'd have figured with your pessimistic take on, well, everything, you'd have ripped it a new one! The whole thing is kinda distorted and grungy, and it's damn near mono. Did you notice there was hardly any separation? Compare it to Salt Lake City, it's like night and day. California Girls sounds like one of the out-of-sync versions found on the Endless Harmony comp.

-You're right in saying Girl Don't Tell Me fares better than Rhonda, but it's just the lesser of two evils. Girl Don't Tell Me still sounds wonky.

Today! fares a bit better, and Smiley is a whole lot better....

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I've listened to the new stereo mix of "Summer Days...and Summer Nights" through high quality headphones(Sennheiser HD-650), and I have this to report:

1.There are no static crackles. Yes, there are occasional distortions(on "Amusement Parks U.S.A." & "California Girls"), but remember, these are 1965 recordings.

2.The "extraction mix" of "Girl Don't Tell Me" is passable and inoffensive. On the other hand, the "extraction mix" of "Help Me Rhonda" has an unsteady stereo image. I would not advise listening to it through headphones.

3. I would not trust the information in the booklet, which suggests that the only new stereo mixes are for those songs which didn't have a previous Mark Linett stereo mix. The stereo mix of "You're So Good to Me" is new, with wider stereo separation than the mix on the compilation CD "The Warmth of The Sun". One of the risks inherent in repeatedly playing a now 45 year old multitrack, is that bits of oxide(the tape's coating) will fall off. The tape drop-out at 0:58(slightly audible in the previous mix) has grown more audible, and a new, more serious drop-out occurs at 0:59.....a drop out that wasn't present in Mark Linett's previous stereo mix.

I'll report later on "Today" & "Smiley Smile".

I have the exact same model and make of headphones as you do, coincidentally enough. (Senn 650). Everyone has a different set of ears, so I guess there's no wrong or right, but since you're giving out reviews, I strongly disagree with some of the stuff you wrote.

-There are no static crackles, but there are static pops and clicks on Let Him Run Wild and You're So Good To Me. They aren't overpowering, but they are noticeable because they aren't on any of the other tracks.

-As for "occasional distortions", on Amusement Parks USA, I'd have figured with your pessimistic take on, well, everything, you'd have ripped it a new one! The whole thing is kinda distorted and grungy, and it's damn near mono. Did you notice there was hardly any separation? Compare it to Salt Lake City, it's like night and day. California Girls sounds like one of the out-of-sync versions found on the Endless Harmony comp.

-You're right in saying Girl Don't Tell Me fares better than Rhonda, but it's just the lesser of two evils. Girl Don't Tell Me still sounds wonky.

Today! fares a bit better, and Smiley is a whole lot better....

I think Amusement Parks somehow had the track recorded straight to mono or something, or the three-track is missing.  In any case--not much you can do there.  Are the vocals pretty squared, too? 

Again, I don't understand why they would prefer extraction mixes to just pure remixes off the tape.  Missing elements are OK--these are remixes, a new way to hear the tracks, not replicas of the mono.  At least that was the philosophy in the Pet Sounds box liner notes.  I wish they'd offer non-extraction based remixes too.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Of course, my original idea for these, long before we knew these would be coming out, was to do the mono/stereo thing, only leave the stereo remixes missing the straight-to-mono stuff, but then as bonus tracks, have the Beach Boys or better yet, still living Wrecking Crew come in and overdub new stuff.  Have some Beach Boys kid come in and do the Rhonda guitar solo, or have Glen Campbell do it.

Better than dealing with phase issues, I think.

[PhilCohen]

I've now listened to the stereo mix of "Smiley Smile". What had previously been a cloudy, muddy, low-fidelity listening experience has been transformed into a high fidelity experience. Would "Smiley Smile" have been better received in 1967 if a high quality mix had been released? I don't know, but it certainly wouldn't have hurt. Here are some observations:

1. This mix of "Heroes & Villains" is an improvement over the "Hawthorne,Ca" mix. This stereo mix is true to the musical content of the original mono mix, including the low organ bass notes at 1:24-1:27(which weren't included on any of Mark Linett's previous stereo mixes)

2. The "stereo extraction mix" of "Good Vibratiions", while not as good as some attempts heard on YouTube,  is the best of the 3 extraction mixes that I've heard(in the discs I've purchased so far)

3.In the stereo "Gettin' Hungry", the muddiness is gone, and new details of the guitars are revealed.

4.The new stereo mix of "Vegetables" has been edited to conform to the edit heard in the original 1967 mono mix(the off-key whistling section heard on the "Hawthorne,Ca" mix is omitted)

[drbeachboy]

And I do wish they weren't going with these extractions.  They seem unnecessary to me.

If they are advertising mono/stereo, the average record buyer will expect a stereo track. There are plenty of mono mixes to fall back on if you/we don't like it, even on the new disc itself.

[EgoHanger1966]

I've listened to the new stereo mix of "Summer Days...and Summer Nights" through high quality headphones(Sennheiser HD-650), and I have this to report:

1.There are no static crackles. Yes, there are occasional distortions(on "Amusement Parks U.S.A." & "California Girls"), but remember, these are 1965 recordings.

2.The "extraction mix" of "Girl Don't Tell Me" is passable and inoffensive. On the other hand, the "extraction mix" of "Help Me Rhonda" has an unsteady stereo image. I would not advise listening to it through headphones.

3. I would not trust the information in the booklet, which suggests that the only new stereo mixes are for those songs which didn't have a previous Mark Linett stereo mix. The stereo mix of "You're So Good to Me" is new, with wider stereo separation than the mix on the compilation CD "The Warmth of The Sun". One of the risks inherent in repeatedly playing a now 45 year old multitrack, is that bits of oxide(the tape's coating) will fall off. The tape drop-out at 0:58(slightly audible in the previous mix) has grown more audible, and a new, more serious drop-out occurs at 0:59.....a drop out that wasn't present in Mark Linett's previous stereo mix.

I'll report later on "Today" & "Smiley Smile".

I have the exact same model and make of headphones as you do, coincidentally enough. (Senn 650). Everyone has a different set of ears, so I guess there's no wrong or right, but since you're giving out reviews, I strongly disagree with some of the stuff you wrote.

-There are no static crackles, but there are static pops and clicks on Let Him Run Wild and You're So Good To Me. They aren't overpowering, but they are noticeable because they aren't on any of the other tracks.

-As for "occasional distortions", on Amusement Parks USA, I'd have figured with your pessimistic take on, well, everything, you'd have ripped it a new one! The whole thing is kinda distorted and grungy, and it's damn near mono. Did you notice there was hardly any separation? Compare it to Salt Lake City, it's like night and day. California Girls sounds like one of the out-of-sync versions found on the Endless Harmony comp.

-You're right in saying Girl Don't Tell Me fares better than Rhonda, but it's just the lesser of two evils. Girl Don't Tell Me still sounds wonky.

Today! fares a bit better, and Smiley is a whole lot better....

I think Amusement Parks somehow had the track recorded straight to mono or something, or the three-track is missing.  In any case--not much you can do there.  Are the vocals pretty squared, too? 

Again, I don't understand why they would prefer extraction mixes to just pure remixes off the tape.  Missing elements are OK--these are remixes, a new way to hear the tracks, not replicas of the mono.  At least that was the philosophy in the Pet Sounds box liner notes.  I wish they'd offer non-extraction based remixes too.

The lead vocals aren't spot-on center, but they aren't very wide at all, it's almost near mono. The spoken bits in the interlude by Hal Blaine, Brian etc, those are panned wide stereo.

I understand there are limitations - but in this case I don't get why it needs to be that way - Girl From NYC has a pretty much centered backing track with wide stereo vocals.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

And I do wish they weren't going with these extractions.  They seem unnecessary to me.

If they are advertising mono/stereo, the average record buyer will expect a stereo track. There are plenty of mono mixes to fall back on if you/we don't like it, even on the new disc itself.

Right--but you do a stereo mix without adding extractions from the mono.

[PhilCohen]

"Amusement Parks U.S.A." had two multitrack "Stages", and the unofficial mix released by "Sea of Tunes" was mixed from only the first multitrack stage. After transfer to a 2nd multitrack tape, the vocals were re-recorded and some of the lyrics were changed. It is those re-recorded vocals that are heard in the original 1965 mono mix.

As for the nasty drop-out at 0:59 in the new stereo mix of "You're So Good to Me", at least we've got Mark Linett's previous stereo mix(on "The Warmth of The Sun") which was mixed before the tape damage occurred.