Thoughts on the new Pet Sounds re-masters...

[petsite]

I've watched most of the DVD video. Has anybody else noticed the sort of slightly strange video quality on a couple of the clips, specifically the "Good Vibrations" promo film and the "God Only Knows" photo collage flown in from the "Endless Harmony" DVD? It's a rather subtle effect, but I can't think of any other way to describe it other than sort of "video noise."

Same on mine.  Sort of looks like the interference you used to get when you used an electric razor while someone was watching TV.  It really bugs me when something like this gets past quality control.

Yeah, it's video "noise" or dropout. A time/base corrector should have taken care of that. I have the version played on AMC as part of their "Beach Boys Then & Now" series (transfered from a digital signal onto my DVD recorder). There is no noise or dropout on that version.

I'd also like to make a proposal to Mark or Alan regarding the new BeachBoysCentral website. See if you can get permission to load Pet Sounds for download as a mono flat transfer from either the rediscovered U1630 or the "New York" master (I know Mark hates that term but I don't know any other way to id the tape) at a hi-rez bitrate (256 kps+). I for one would pay to download that!

Bob F.

[Bud Shaver]

I posted this link in Marks thread but I thought some of you might enjoy this discussion from the Steve Hoffman board:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=89675

[Cal]

I've never ever read a posting on the Hoffman board where someone likes a cd other
than a Hoffman remaster! I think they're all a bit prejudiced and one sided over there--
and I can't be swayed 'cause they think Hoffman remasters are the work of  G-d. For
me that board is not fair and balanced.

Regards,
Cal

[Aegir]

Also, here's a new BW interview promoting PS40:
http://www.avclub.com/content/node/52251
The interviewer seems to be quite interested in BW's deaf ear

Haha, instead of Brian saying that he's deaf in one ear, he says "I only have one ear"!

[Dr. Tim]

SEE THE EDIT! SEE THE EDIT!!

Got the vinyl reissue and compared it against the 2000 HDCD issue (for which I have a decoder).   The mono LP fares best, though I hear the little drop-out in Sloop John B everyone else noticed, it's not on the prior LP or the 2000 CD.  The high end appears to have been rolled off just a tiny bit compared to the CD.  That's not Mark's doing, it's the doing of the lacquer cutter.  Not enough to offend but enough to notice if you're doing the critical A-B like I was.

The new stereo LP is supposed to match the 2000 version, right?  Well -- its high end is rolled off a bit too, but here's the kicker - THE SPEED IS OFF - maybe a fraction of a percent SLOWED DOWN.  BUT WAIT - today I checked it again.  This time the LP and CD match up fine speed-wise, both stereo and mono.  Yesterday I heard an audible pitch change, perhaps an eighth tone or so.   But this time, it was OK.  Very strange, since on both occasions I had both the LP and CD playing together as closely as possible, and did an A-B with Grado headphones, checking the strobe on the turntable much more closely  to be sure it wasn't the culprit.  Hmm.  Well, never mind - with these caveats, the vinyl sounds pretty good, it's fair to say mostly all the customers willing to shell out $23 for it will be perfectly happy.  Only mooks like me are likely to bloviate about these things.  And  now you have to deal with it too 'cause I mouthed off here.

Mark Linett hears the roll-off too but says well, that's vinyl.  See his thread (where I already ate my crow, thank you very much).  I think he's selling himself short, since he did such a damn fine job with the BWPS vinyl.  But he didn't cut this LP, so we can't  blame him for it.

Good thing nobody reads what I say here.

[petsite]

While I don't agree with everything said there, it is worth noting that the Steve Hoffman forum has deleted all posts regarding the PS set. No reason has been given. When someone asked why the posts had been deleted, the question itself was also deleted.

Now some have taken it upon themseleves to bash the crap out of Mark on the internet both here and other places (Steve Hoffman's forum, etc.). Mark has done a superior job with the BB catalogue and though we may find fault with the new PS release, this in no way should be meant to impune Mark's rep. Bottom line, s**t happens. As a software developer, I may put out a program that blows up when that was most certainly was not my intention. If it repeatly happens, I am a jerk. Same with Mark. It HAS NOT happened before (yes, we all have our gripes about the 1990 PS CD - Hell so does Mark.).

SO while we maybe upset with the release, it is not (at least on my part) a direct attack on Mark. If you need reassurance of Mark's work, go back and listen to the 1997 PS box and the 1993 GV box. Excellent.

Nuff Said

Bob F.

PS-Don't forget the multi-platinum SOS and the GV 40th CD which is fantastic!

[Cal]

Even though Brian intented only mono, which is well known 'cause of
his bad ear-- he couldn't hear in stereo--but, does that mean the mono's better when he never had the ability to discern a stereo mix vs a mono mix due to his hearing limitations?

The 1997 stereo mix isn't much of a radical mix as say early Beatles tracks in stereo with many having vocals on one channel and most of the instrumental work
on the other. The stereo mix here is very faithful and is not like remixes today
that add or elimiate either instruments or vocals or makes some louder and
some quieter. I love the stereo mix and find it's very faithful to the essence
and sound of the mono. The new mono remaster (from a newly found closer
source to the mono album master)sounds better than the last mono version
available on cd. I found the stereo mix had more punch and life and breath, (naturally as it's stereo and newly done with modern mixing and mastering equipment.) But...the new mono finally equals that, having it be more open
and not feeling compressed with no hiss that's discernable as the Hoffman gold
disc is in comparison. I really think the Hoffman disc for it's time was the best.
Not any more. This mono mix mastering kicks ass and is comparable to the recent
Beatles Capitol Albums Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 mono masters in quality!

Regards,
Cal

[Bicyclerider]

I wonder if I was responsible for getting the PS thread deleted over at SH forums?  I mentioned the dreaded "New York tape" and the administrators get very fidgety when anyone other than Steve Hoffman discusses the state of the master tapes, which generation was used, etc.  It's ridiculous because Steve himself has written about what tapes he used for the DCC Pet Sounds, and the damaged Wouldn't It Be Nice being replaced on the master with the second generation NY tape version, but if anyone else mentions it the post (and now the entire thread) gets deleted!

I"m still waiting for someone to compare the new DVD-A mono mix soundwise (I'm not talking about the "new" intros, just the overall sound of the album) with the previous DVD-A mix, and the new redbook mono mix with the old (PS box set and subsequent mono/stereo release).  I'm getting the thing regardless, but I'd like to know if people think the sound improvement is minor, major, or undetectable.

[Bicyclerider]

Hmm, perhaps I wasn't responsible after all.  Steve posted a note about the deleted threads:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=89838

Apparently he's trying to license Pet Sounds for an LP release and doesn't want Linnett bashing to endanger that project!

[Bicyclerider]

That's Linett, of course!

[Rocker]

Hm... excuse my ignorance, but who is Steve Hoffman ? Seriously.

[JRauch]

How does the high-resolution-stereo-version on the DVD-A compare to the HDCD-stereo version on the 2001-release? I'm asking this because I recently bought a player that is able to play DVD-A's and HDCD's.

Or in other words: which release contains the best stereo-version?

[Andreas]

Hm... excuse my ignorance, but who is Steve Hoffman ? Seriously.

A mastering engineer and the host of a music forum that emphasizes the technical aspects of recording, mixing and mastering.
His Beach Boys resume is:
Lost & Found 1961-1962 (CD and LP)
Pet Sounds (DCC Gold CD and LP)
Endless Summer (DCC Gold CD)
Spirit Of America (DCC Gold CD)
Greatest Hits (Razor & Tie, 2 CD set)
His mastering style is to stay faithful to the master tape and he refuses to use a digital audio workstation.

[Roger Ryan]

I"m still waiting for someone to compare the new DVD-A mono mix soundwise (I'm not talking about the "new" intros, just the overall sound of the album) with the previous DVD-A mix.

Actually, there is no DVD-A mono mix on the second disc of the new set, just a high resolution stereo mix and a standard resolution 5.1 surround mix.

[Rocker]

Thanks Andreas

[Yankee8156]

I've had the chance to listen to the new mono remaster a couple times, and I have to say that I'm quite impressed with the sound. To me, it's a significant upgrade over the 2001 Mono/Stereo two-fer. While the DCC version is also fantastic, I think this latest one is as good as that....and I got it for a hell of a lot cheaper. I don't have one of the earlier mono CD issues to compare it to, but I'm trying to acquire the Japanese Pastmasters Pet Sounds, and further compare it to other issues. For now, I'm quite satisfied with the latest remaster.

I'm also looking forward to getting the colored double vinyl, but that will have to wait for the weekend.

[petsite]

I've had the chance to listen to the new mono remaster a couple times, and I have to say that I'm quite impressed with the sound. To me, it's a significant upgrade over the 2001 Mono/Stereo two-fer. While the DCC version is also fantastic, I think this latest one is as good as that....and I got it for a hell of a lot cheaper. I don't have one of the earlier mono CD issues to compare it to, but I'm trying to acquire the Japanese Pastmasters Pet Sounds, and further compare it to other issues. For now, I'm quite satisfied with the latest remaster.

I'm also looking forward to getting the colored double vinyl, but that will have to wait for the weekend.

The PastMasters Series version of PS is the same as the American CD release in 1990. I have both and they are the same. Japan issued the one with the bonus tracks before they were suppose to. They recalled that issue and released the mix sans the extras in their PastMasters series.

I want to make a point about something in one of my earlier posts. After all that has been said about the new PS release (the drop out in Sloop, the edited WIBN) it still is a great sounding release! Every bit as good as the DCC version. And because I put forward the dropout in Sloop as a possible mastering problem, last night I pulled every freaking CD I have with Sloop on it, from MADE IN USA until the latest version. There is a very bad dropout in Sloop at the point of the 2nd chorus begining. On those releases that used two playback heads instead of a mono playback, the dropout appears only in the "right" channel. The only three versions that you really don't hear the dropout are the DCC version, the 1993 GV box and the 1995 version of 20 Good Vibrations. The worst sounding versions are on Made In USA, Absolute Best Vol.2 and the 1999 PS remaster. So Mark tried his best. It is a tape problem. You can only do so much with what you've got!

Bob F.

[Yankee8156]

The PastMasters Series version of PS is the same as the American CD release in 1990. I have both and they are the same. Japan issued the one with the bonus tracks before they were suppose to. They recalled that issue and released the mix sans the extras in their PastMasters series.

Bob F.

Thanks to some of the info you posted on the SH Forum (before censorship reigned supreme), I figured I'd pick it up rather than a 1990 CD, seeing as how they both can be had for pretty cheap, and since I've heard good things about the Pastmasters series (except for Pet Sounds), I figured I'd pick up all available titles on that line rather than have all of the Pastmasters CDs, except for PS.  I'm even confused about what I was trying to say. 

[JRauch]

I guess my question was missed, so I ask it again:

"HDCD stereo" vs. "DVD-A stereo"?

[XY]

Is the new PS CD Windows XP compatible? XPCD?

[Andreas]

I guess my question was missed, so I ask it again:

"HDCD stereo" vs. "DVD-A stereo"?

I don't know how the DVD-A sounds since I have not bought that particular version, but as a general observation, DVD-A offers an increased resolution and sampling rate which gives the opportunity to present a recording in more detail and accuracy than on a plain CD.

By the way, HDCD is just a variant or modification of CD, not an extension. HDCD is still based on 16 bits and 44.1 KHz.

[L Ransford]

Sales wise here at the store I work at, since they came in Tuesday, nobody has purchased a single copy of the double vinyl or the new CD's. (Same with "The Flame" CD)

[JRauch]

Thanks for the answer, Andreas! I decided to buy the DVD-A and give it a try. It's also a great opportunity to make my first experience with full resolution-5.1 (of course I already watch DVD's in DD-5.1)

[Awesoman]

All I can say at this point is the set is worth it just for the cover; I love the feel of that thing! It's comforting, like having a pet which is what I assume the designers were going for.

The liner notes are a conglomeration of everything Brian, David Leaf and Mark Linett have written about the album over the last 16 years, so nothing new there. I look forward to hearing the new improved mono mastering and seeing how the "Making Of Pet Sounds" and "Pet Stories" differs from the previously released versions.

The live tracks are "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "God Only Knows" and "Sloop John B." I would have to think they are the Beach Boys versions- possible from the '73 live album? UPDATE: According to Man@Work below, the tracks are from "Live In London" (I wouldn't know because my computer won't access the site for some reason).

Although this has probably already been answered (I haven't read entirely through the thread), the but the three live tracks are definately from Live In London.  Kind of a disappointment actually.  The wishful thinking in me had hoped these were unreleased live versions.  I would love for a live version of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" with Carl singing lead to be released.

[Awesoman]

As far as this new release is concerned, I can't say I really notice much difference in the sound compared to the 2003 release, at least with the stereo mix.  The mono mix sounds pretty good from what I listened to.  It would be nice if they gave some of the other Beach Boys albums this kind of treatment; some of those late 90's re-releases of the Brother Records stuff could probably afford a new coat of remastering.