The Smiley Smile Message Board

Now I'm just the messenger, haven't got my copy of MIC yet, but have heard from a customer who's otherwise satisfied with the set that there's a mastering error on Disc 3 - apparently the disc finishes before Surf's Up does, and each track has around 2 seconds of silence before the actual song starts. Anyone else in the UK or elsewhere finding this problem with Disc 3 ?

My Disc 3 ends 2 seconds after the song does. I have an issue with Disc 1, though. I Get Around  has a skipping error when playing, although it rips OK with "minor errors".

Mine's fine all the way through.

EDIT:.....but all the songs do start 2 seconds in. Nothing's missing, though.

I think the issue is that the streaming versions have the snafus on Disc 3 but nowhere else. I haven't bought the box yet (can't afford it yet), so my only reference is the streaming version on Rhapsody.

Anyone also hear the digital glitches on Cotton Fields? These are the same as on the Hawthorne set. I always thought just my copy was messed up until they showed up in the same places on MIC as well.

Mine's fine, no problems.

mine has the 2 second thing !

The glitches aren't digital -- they were there from the beginning. It's just that the stereo mix with the isolated elements in each channel made the glitches much more pronounced.

They seemed to be less noticeable to me on MIC, though....

yup.


Ah!

I own the box and disc three does indeed have two seconds of silence before each track.  Surf's Up kinda of ends early, but the fade is almost over.   The two second gap is actually irratating when ripping for portable listening.

You know, I noticed it with Darlin', but didn't pay attention to the other tracks. Yes, my disc 3 has the 2 seconds pre-append of silence. Though, Surf's Up still fades to silence before ending.

I don't think I would have ever noticed that, but I checked my disc 3 and its like that. But there's no missing 2 seconds on surfs up

My disc 3 also has the two seconds of silence before each track, and Surf's Up ends just a tad early -- it's at the very, very end of the fade, listen with headphones, it doesn't quite fade entirely, just stops about a second or two before it would otherwise fade to complete silence (at least compared with my Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer). Got my box set from ImportCDs if that's at all relevant.

The two-second issue seems to be a mastering issue. It obviously doesn't affect the fidelity of the recordings. It's an extremely minor nuisance at worst. Debatably sloppy mastering perhaps.

My copy (purchased from Amazon) has the 2-second issue on Disc 3 as described. I noticed it mostly because the very beginning of "Do It Again," when I ripped it for iTunes, begins with the very end of the fade of the previous track. Then I noticed that the songs on the disc all seem to start at the 0:01 or 0:02 mark.

Just listened to the very end of "Surf's Up" via headphones. The *very* end of the fade does seem to be just slightly curtailed. Not a gigantic deal, but I'd take a replacement disc were it to be offered... Not going to picket Capitol over it or anything, though.

I imagine this might be more of an issue for things like radio airplay. Doesn't really affect me as a listener.

I have the 2 seconds before each track thing.

My (WIBNT)LA has a few digital pops on it.

When I tried to rip the CDs, the last few songs on Disc One ripped with problems.  I could hear the CD drive making odd noises.  Not a big deal since they were all previously released tracks.

Yep, 2 seconds of silence on disc 3 - not something that remotely bothers me though... Occasionally the CDs do skip which is irritating, although if I skip back to the start of whichever track skipped it then plays absolutely fine. Seemed to be something that happened on first playing CDs but happens less and less on repeat plays, which is odd.

Yes, I have the 2 seconds ting too. Not very impressive.

I'm checking the CDs each time I remove them from the sleeve - noticed that the first picked up some detritus from the packaging which was stubborn to get off: slotted into the player it could have dislodged and caused problems.

I have the 2 s problem on my Disc 3.

My guess with the Cottonfields glitches is that they're from the Jew's Harp. I've found it's hard to play them without making a metallic clink now and then. An audio filter can eliminate them from the recording.

Yep.  Every song starts 0:02 into the track, so the last two seconds of the Surfs Up fade are missing.

I imagined slotting the CD's continuously in and out of the tight sleeves in the MIC booklet will result in them getting increasingly scratched so I keep mine in separate jewel cases. I do the same with TSS CD's - they haven't gone back into the box since the day I bought the box and took 'em out.

Yeah i noticed this instantly. Do It Again begins with the echo from the end of Murray The K. All songs begin at 0:02. And Surf's Up does end abruptly.
Nippy

Noticed this exact same thing with Do It Again on Spotify Netherlands so presumably their source has the same fault. Have to be honest, this problem might potentially put me off ordering the set, unless it's only on some copies in which case I may take a gamble.

My disc 3, 320 kbps from a blog, then burned to disc, also does this 2 second thing.  I rather like it.

You're going to not order a Beach Boys box set featuring Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again, the California Feelin' demo, etc. because one of the six CD's has a two second pause at the start of each track?

HAs anyone raised this with the record company?  They ought to be offering replacements… 

If I get chance today (heavy workload) I'll start a look-into, if no-one else already has.

I have a premium spotify account so I can listen to the music as much as I need (once effin spotify UK actually permits me to), plus I don't currently have a cd player hooked up so the appeal of the cds is minimal at the moment. The attraction for me would be the ability to put the mp3s into my uber BB playlist and now potentially I'd have to edit the start of some such as Do It Again to play properly. It just lessens the appeal of getting the actual cds for me.  If it was a vinyl set it would be a no brainer.

Of course the packaging and book are worthwhile so I'll probably get it, but might wait to see if there are sets without the mastering issue before committing.

Checked my copy of disc 3.  Same as above.  Most disappointing thing to me is the poor intro to "Do It Again," since this is the only place we can get this particular cut.  I had to crank the volume way up to notice the "Surf's Up" ending but I've got that track multiple times over.

I would think that with a price point of $130+ for 6 discs that they might work properly.

I sent a message to the official Beach Boys FB group about it...

Those that are saying they don't have the issue - does Do It Again begin with the faint echo of the previous track? Might be a better way of telling if the fault is on every copy or not as my guess is some may not notice if the tag to SU is clipped a millisecond before the end.

I also have the cut-out on the Fade of Surf's Up. Also on Sound Of Free the song skips at the 1:40 mark. Anyone else have this problem?

Sent a message to UM and received this back:

Hi John,
Thank you for your email regarding 'Made In California'.
I am currently waiting on feedback from our eCommerce team with an update into this issue and the moment I have a response, I will be sure to contact you. I anticipate that this issue will be resolved within 2 working days. However, if you require an update in the meantime, please feel free to contact me and it will be my pleasure to assist you further.
John, thank you and apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Kind regards,

Universal Music Direct Support Team


Will keep you posted…

I have the same problem at the start of "Do It Again".  I also had a problem getting Discs 4 and 5 to load up in my CD player last night.  They loaded up on my PC, but then after I ripped them when I played back some of the songs (e.g., "Only With You" live) they were skipping!  Today I have been able to get them to load up so here's hoping they are ok.  My set only arrived yesterday from Amazon so I was getting ready to send it back.  I've just listened to "Sound of Free" which played fine.

Mike.

I have a hunch this two second thing is on every copy. It's certainly on every rip and stream I've heard so far. Can anyone definitely confirm that their disc 3 does not have two seconds of silence before each track with Do It Again beginning with the echo of the previous Radio spot?

My mp3 downloads from Amazon(US) have the 2 seconds of dead air at the beginning of each track from disc 3.  And yes, Do it Again has that echo from the previous track.

How can you tell if "Surf's Up" is cut off??? I can't tell if I'm missing anything.....

Instead of it fading out completely, it is abruptly cut off at the end. It's noticeable if you listen for it.

My disc does the same thing.  Simple fix if you use iTunes: chop off the first two seconds and the problem is corrected.  Also, for some inexplicable reason, I had a very difficult time ripping the stereo version of "Country Air" to my computer.  I could not detect any scratches on my disc, but the song would skip or stutter upon reaching my PC.  Finally got a clean rip by using Media Monkey and setting it to its slowest rip speed.  Problem solved.

Yes, it would take a whopping 4 minutes out of your life to correct.  Oh, the humanity.   ::)

It shouldn't be up to the purchaser to "fix" such a major pressing error themselves (that doesn't even fix the actual problem), nor does everyone on planet earth use a half-assed program like iTunes or even own a computer. What kind of attitude is that?

A more positive attitude than yours, clearly.  Rather than whining about it, I found my own fix that suits me just fine.  If you wish to bemoan yourself over this "major" pressing issue, be my guest.  The sky ain't fallin' in my world.

Derp. Above all else, again, it should not be up to the purchaser to "fix" something like this. In reality, you haven't fixed much of anything.

That's not a "bad attitude", that's expecting more in the way of quality control for something someone is paying $130 for while, y'know, actually bothering to consider other peoples' situations than my own (i.e. not everyone has what I have).

No one said "The sky is falling!", hypehat simply said he'd wait until the error was fixed in a very calm, rational manner. The tone of your responses, to me, is much more indicative of a bad attitude than anything he or I have said.

With Runnerz all the way. I've paid good money for a set that hasn't been mastered entirely correctly. If every CD I'd ever bought had the same error that'd be 4x1200 minutes of my life to sort out, assuming I had the skills which I don't. I expect those responsible to take the same attitude to their jobs as I do to mine - to do the job right in the first place or make it good. What's wrong with that expectation?

My PC really didn't want didn't want to rip My Love Lives On. First attempt came up with 'disc error'. Subsequent attempts revealed digital glitches on the audio towards the end of the track. After about the seventh try I finally got a clean copy of it down. And the disc was scratch free. Luckily it plays fine on my CD player.

Congratulations on that 'fix' Einstein, but if you actually listen to the transitions between the songs once you've clipped two seconds off you'll find them pretty abrupt. There's a reason that two seconds of space was put there in the first place. Plus your method doesn't solve the clipping at the end of the Murray The K Radio Spot and Surf's Up. To do it properly takes more time than I'm willing to spend to sort an issue that shouldn't exist in the first place.


 If it's good enough for you that's great - I can accept it's not major and probably won't impact on most people's enjoyment of the music  - but personally I'd rather wait and see if the problem is remedied with future pressings and don't expect to be accused of whining when I express this preference.


Thanks, voice of reason (although you got the wrong hat!).

Okay, let me ask my previous question this way:

Those of you whose "Surf's Up" is cut off (make of that what you will!)...at what point, timewise, does it cut off?

Open up the track from your surfs up two-fer. Cut the last 2 seconds off.

I hope they at least offer a free download of a fixed Disc 3.

This isn't something we should have to fix ourselves....especially after paying $100-$145 for it.

It's on my set too. It doesn't bother me but if they offer a free replacement, I'll take it.

It's on my set as well, and it does bother me. For a product that expensive, you'd think they'd pay attention to stuff like this.

I mean, I *could* fix it with the appropriate software, but it would take me a lot of time to do it right, and it doesn't mean it's a "normal issue". If a manufacturer sold me an expensive car but I had to re-program the transmission computer unit myself so it shifts when it's supposed to, I'd be pissed.

And I am a bit pissed about disc 3.

It is frustrating that, despite how much money they charged and we complied, that they would just push this through without even noticing their was a problem. It's possible to cut off the silence by making the song start at 0:02, but it is also rather abruptly sounding. If they help us out and fix this, I would be happy to download the 'fix,' but, if they can't, I'll probably end up doing it on my own.

Where's the quality control at Capitol?  Don't they listen to this stuff to make sure it's right?  This set has been brewing for over a year.  It's not like they rushed it out or anything!

I played Disc 3 before reading this thread and didn't notice a thing !`
it's definitely there though , i can hear a tiny bit of Murray The K before Do It Agaim. Really not a problem whatsoever for me but i wouldn't criticise anyone who's annoyed , paid a lot for it. It doesn't affect the music in any major way though.

Exactly. It's not like there hasn't been things wrong with prior Beach Boys' releases. The wrong take of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" was used on Made In The U.S.A. The early Reprise CD's had multiple wrong versions used. There was a mastering problem with "Endless Harmony" on the Keepin' The Summer Alive CD. Weren't there some problems with the Good Vibrations boxed set - "Do You Like Worms" problem and the slow speed on "It's Over Now"? The 1988 Brian Wilson album CD reissue had glitches, too. I'm probably missing some. Heck, I'd do the quality control job for free!

Call me anal or obsessive compulsive or whatever, but these problems on MIC drive me nuts, not just because the mistakes got through, not just because it affects my listening pleasure, not just because it shows a lack of respect for The Beach Boys, but because of what the thing cost! This set should be recalled.

The biggest f*** up on here is on disc 5. If you skip to the final track, this awful, awful noise comes out of the speakers. I tried it on multiple stereos, even invaded Steve Hoffman's home at night and played it on his system fur reel analogue warmth and the results were the same. His wife was a beast of hues, I just couldn't look away. Surely this can't be intentional?

I openly admit to being a dick here.  Yes, the 2-second thing is an inconvenience.  However, it is a minor one.  And unless a replacement disc is forthcoming, there is an easy workaround here.  Using iTunes, I trimmed off the first two seconds of each track and went on with my day.  It is hardly a complicated procedure.  You just right-click on the track in question, select Get Info, select the Options tab and change that Start Time to 2 seconds.  But if we're too snobby for iTunes, there are plenty of other ways to pull this off.  Is it that big of a deal that the fade out in "Surf's Up" abruptly cuts off?  I mean, don't we have this song on at least 20 other CD's?  I didn't even bother ripping it; what's the point?  It's the same exact remaster from last year's Surf's Up re-release! 

Just trying to find a workable solution.  Beats complaining about it. 

If "we're" too "snobby" to use iTunes. 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

The truth hurts, doesn't it?   ;D

(Yes, I'm just harassing you.)

What I'll probably do is re-rip the entire disc as one big image file, and then simply manually edit the cue sheet for new track points. I've done this many times on a lesser scale where discs were mis-indexed, lopping off stuff on individual track playback, etc. Obviously, the end of SU still can't be restored this way, but as noted,.....

To be fair, I think the "correct" WIBN master had momentarily gone missing, and they were forced to use this alternate version.

Same take was used on Still Cruisin', and it's what I heard on the radio quite frequently until recently (like, the last two or three years).

 :smokin

I have a theory about "Disc 3s" or the Bermuda Triangle disc -- the cursed disc, in any boxset.  You see, whenever something out of the ordinary occurs in a boxset -- it happens to disc 3.

Two other boxsets I've purchased had strange "un-natural" things occur to their disc 3.  One was missing disc 3 and one came with two disc 3s.  So it's not all bad.

Not only that, but Disc 3 is often the most interesting disc in a boxset.  It usually covers the era of a band's most mature, prime prime-ness... and arcs into the realms of self-indulgence, and demise.

And now this, not surprisingly, with Made In California's disc 3.  What does it all mean?  It's hard to say.  If my assumptions are correct (and they rarely are) it has something to do with the Titanic.  Icarus flying too close to the sun and all the rest.  Either that or Quality Control fades in the middle after peaking in the beginning and reawakens by the time the last disc rolls down the assembly line.

Or maybe it's something else...

Any word on replacements?

I've been told that EMI has found it to be a manufacturing error by the pressing plant and will be offering replacement discs. No idea who you contact tho , or how soon corrected discs will be available.

I-tunes downloads don't have the problem , just the CD.

I recorded disc three onto a cassette to be able to listen to it in the kitchen while doing the dishes - and the mastering error is gone! :-D

Yes, indeed.  I have that exact issue with my copy of disc three. 

Hi John,
Thank you for your email regarding your recent enquiry.
Unfortunately I have still not received an answer about this matter from our eCommerce team, as they had passed your email on to the label for further information. I have today asked my colleague to chase this up for me, and as soon as I have had an answer from him I will be sure to let you know.
Please allow me to apologise for the delay, and if you have any further questions in the meantime please let me know.
Kind regards,

Universal Music Direct Support Team


Keeping you posted…!

Thanks, John - much appreciated.

EMI need a good reaming for this one ($150 AU worth).  Hoping Capital and BRI twig as well, might go and shake the tree over in those parts.

Their lack of quality would contribute to me holding off on purchasing a Mike Love boxed set.

How the hell do you let something like the marred disc 3 of MIC go out. 2 seconds of dead space before each track? Surf's Up cuts off before the end. Wasn't ANYONE doing any kind of quality control? Or was this simply slammed together and screw the consumer? Mark, Alan and Dennis put in alot of hard work on this, and their crappy mastering ruined it. Some may say oh its just a mistake, but you don't make those kind of mistakes on a high end retail item the you are asking people to pay out the wazoo for. We sure know where we as fans stand as far as the label is concerned.

Bob

I checked 5 different versions of Surf's Up and on each the music fades by 4:09. So, I'm not convinced that it is cut-off on MIC.

2001 Surf's Up
2007 The Warmth Of The Sun
2012 Surf's Up
2012 50 Big Ones
2013 Made In California

With headphones you can hear it abruptly cut off Carl singing "that's why..." instead of fading out further to hear Carl sing "...the child."

I think it snipped off the last 2 seconds of silence and clipped a millisecond of song with it.
______

I'm going to contact Amazon later today - at least they may pass along my complaint to Capitol. Mistakes happen, I just hope they own up to it...especially after what price we paid for this set.

I'll bet that damn Capitol quality controller lied on his resume.

He ticked the box that said "Can you hear"

It's an easy fix that takes only a few minutes  This is what I did per somebody on the Hoffman boards..
1. Rip to image + cue sheet
2. Manually add 2 seconds to the start time of each song on the cue sheet using a text editor
3. Burn to disc using new cue sheet

You can even replace "Surf's Up" if the last few seconds of fade bother you that much.

But that said, yeah I'd like my store-bought discs to be perfect and have been keeping an eye out for a replacement offer.

It's a relatively simple fix for those with Audacity software, but yeah, Capitol should have had better quality control involved.

Exactly. And for $145 retail I shouldn't have to "fix" this problem.

I thought Jack Rieley sang "That's why the child..." Sure don't sound like Carl to me...

Its all come full circle with capitol since the 1960s BBs LPs were such low production quality as well.

Probably is - I'm not aware of who all sung on that coda - sounded like Carl to me at the time.

Yeah I know we can fix it, but as rab2591 said, for the money we paid, there ought to be some control.

For the record I merged this thread with Bob's thread from today since they both deal with the same issue.

I hate to say it, but this isn't the first time. TSS has track indexing issues all throughout. Really wonky indexing. I never understood how something so simple can get through like that. 

Thanks, I didn't see the other one until too late. I posted to Capitol's Facebook page and then I put a review on Amazon saying amazing box set, BUT DON'T buy it until they fix disk 3 (of course I said what the issue was). I will probably hear back from AMAZON before I do from Capitol.

Bob

‍

Here's an mp3 of the section from the 5.1 mix (the rear right channel in this case) if people want to study it a bit more closely:

http://www.lukpac.org/~dave/Surf%27s%20Up%20-%20Rear%20Right.mp3

Thanks for the info. I'll wait until the issue is fixed, or that replacement discs are definitely being issued.

Well, this doesnt bother me too much. I shore will take a replacement disc if Capitol offers it.

(now wheres that reciept?)  ???

Hi John,
Thank you for your patience on this matter.
I have now received an answer from our eCommerce team and also the label. I am pleased to confirm that there is to be a new pressing of 'Made In California' Disc 3, and as soon as this has been produced we will be able to send this on to you…
Kind regards,

Universal Music Direct Support Team

Sooo...I wonder how they are going to give these out knowing that people received them from all kinds of different sources (i.e., Amazon, ImportCDs, etc, etc).

Thanks John! Great news.

That is great news. Thank you!

John who did you email at Universal?

Good work John - thanks for this update.

So I wonder at what point complete sets with a fixed disc 3 start getting issued, or whether those of us who have yet to purchase MIC are better off buying a faulty set and requesting a replacement disc 3. Will be interesting to see how easy these replacement discs are to get hold of.

I used the online enquiry form for UK customer services.

http://store.universal-music.co.uk/restofworld/customer-services/contact-us-question/page/contactusquestion

Replies came from this address: feedback (at) universal-music.co.uk

Thanks, John!

Thanks John.
Where did you get your set from?
Is that relevant to Universal - do you think they will replace discs no matter where they were purchased from/through?

I emailed Universal and this is the reply I got:

"We can only replace this item if it was purchased from Universal Music directly. If you have purchased this from us, can you please confirm your order number and I will be happy to arrange this for you.
 
If this was purchased from another retailer, then you will need to contact them, as they should have their own route back to the supplier who in turn should have access to the new pressing.
 
I hope this helps, and if I can be of any further assistance, then please let me know and I will be happy to help.
 
Kind Regards,
 
Universal Music Direct Support Team"

So a completely different response from the one John got even though I believe we both bought from the same place ie Sainsburys!

Aye, Sainsburys. Note though that no disc has yet been forthcoming… but then neither has a retraction of the statement that one would be sent.  Time will tell…

J

This is not very encouraging.  There have been other disc exchange programs for defective individual discs.  It shouldn't be contingent on where the box was purchased.

Legally, I believe the manufacturer has no option but to accept the return.  I think it's covered under the Consumer Protection Act in the UK.  For example, what would happen if a retailer had gone out of business or couldn't be identified? The consumer is still entitled to some form of redress.  I would imagine in this instance if you contact the retailer (Sainsbury's or Amazon) they'll probably chase it up for you.

Sainsbury's would have to give you redress under the Sale of Goods Act as well.  It's applies when there is a contract between a buyer and seller.  Which isn't the case with the buyer and manufacturer.

For anyone who bought MIC from Importcds.com  here is their reply to my email to them regarding the problem with disc 3:

========
We have forwarded your email to our department manager to see if the label
has notified us of any defect with this item. We will contact you back once
we hear back from him. Thank you.

Sincerely,



ImportCDs Customer Service

ImportCDs.com

So I sent a detailed email to Sainsburys (where I got the set from) outlining the issue, explaining that a new disc 3 was apparently being produced and asking them to send me a replacement disc when available. Their response? To instantly send me a whole new box with, of course, the original faulty disc 3.  :wall

You got an entire box for free and bang your head against the wall because of that?

I understand the frustration entirely.

And I'd now ask them for two corrected disc 3s!

Who said it was free? They expect me to send the original one back

All that dough for a defective product? That really sucks.

Not sure they're entitled to expect you to cover the cost of that. My understanding is that faulty goods sold over the Internet are the vendor's responsibility, right down to the cost of returns.

Same thing happened to me. I sent Amazon DE an email about MiC and the first sentence of the response email was ".. and we are sending a new one to you, free of charge." They also went on to warn me, frequently, that if I didn't send the old one back, they would charge me for the new MiC that was being shipped to me. The return shipping cost alone was about half of what I paid for MiC originally.

They say that they'll compensate me for the shipping charge.. let's see what happens.

Oh. Then I understand the headbanging. Carry on, sir!

Yeah absolutely. My Smile deluxe box had a flaw in the vinyl so Amazon sent me a replacement. I did for a moment think I was the proud owner of 2 Smile deluxe sets, but soon realised that I had to send one back : (

I get your frustration. It will be interesting to see how this disc 3 problem is resolved. I have no idea if and when new corrected sets will start to be sold. It's not as if the existing ones are flying off the shelves as far as I can tell. I was in HMV's flag ship London store yesterday and couldn't see it anywhere - not in the Beach Boys section, nor the shelves of assorted boxed sets (Smile box was there though). I want to buy MIC but can't be doing with the hassle of ordering a supplementary disc 3 certainly since it doesn't seem to be a straightforward process yet.

We told Emi about this and they found there was a problem with the manufacturing of disc 3 and are repressing the disc. They will replace the defective discs , and I expect them to announce how to get the replacement soon.

Mark Linett

Thanks for the update Mark!  And may I say I am enjoying the mastering on the MIC box!

Yes, great news... Thanks Mark!

Thanks Mark!

Erm, Bob?

I want to bring this back up to the top.  I have spoken to Amazon America about this in the last few days.  I want to use mine for comps, and disc 3 does need to be changed.  They tell me I am the only one to mention it.  They were quick to offer replacement, but I told them that won't work for this.  Is this even going to get a second run?  Has anyone been able to get a replacement? anybody know more?

I've heard nothing for some time now.  If I get a mo' I'll fire off another email.

Thanks for getting back so quick.  I know you are dealing with the store directly, as well.  I had Amazon put a note on my account.  I'm hoping Mark might read this and get the ball rolling.  Since nobody is posting for two weeks now, maybe we have not waited long enough.  I do hope there are more than just a few of us who care.  I'll post too if I hear anything.

I care, and I'd definitely like a replacement if they are offered.

I apologize in advance for sounding like a crank. I fault Capitol / Universal in the small picture and the degradation of quality manufactured goods in the big picture. Specifically for music, many/all (not many left) of the majors release archives as cash grabs. The product is treated with beefed up volume, compression/limiting, NoNoise, etc. and mass produced by low-bid manufacturers that have little quality control. The result is clipped songs, mastering errors, glitches and whatever other issues that degrade the consumption experience (at least for me). The companies do not care because: fans will still buy products, sound quality is a lax issue (thanks to mp3, portable devices, and the decline of interest in home audio systems). The company will get paid and the retail outlets will be left holding the bag for damaged goods (easy for a giant like Amazon, not so for indie outlets).

I avoided MIC specifically because EMI gave me a chincy booklet that was poorly assembled with my Beatles Mono box (not a pirate copy) and TSS was delivered with glitches on three discs thanks to the case the discs are housed in. My point: anyone pissed about this box should take it up with the company who is releasing it. They need to hear how shabby their products are.

I decided to email Capitol. Their email is writeus@hollywoodandvine.com and telephone number is 323-462-6252 if any one else has complaints that they would like to share. Also, here is there yelp page (with 1 whopping review from 2008) if you simply want to publicly complain: http://www.yelp.com/biz/capitol-records-los-angeles or simply leave low ratings on Amazon or wherever you purchased the item from that allows for public comments.

Maybe we can get Phil to spearhead this noble effort.

They deserve 100+ emails from Phil himself!  >:D

If you thought MIC was a tough buy, that's nothing.  I'm trying to fit the new John Martyn Box into my budget. It retails for over $4oo, and best deal I've found so far is $350.  And you are right, for now The Suits got the juice on collectors.  Soon even the collectors will give up.  Not yet for me though, I'll have that box by Christmas...

Hi,  Wait, what?  The Beatles mono Box was perfect.  I bought two, and it's already worth big bucks (I'm keeping one sealed).  I have a Sgt. Pepper yellow vinyl issue from Holland (the mid-70's IIRC), they put in the insert, but not the swirly inner bag.  The mono box did.  They all had inner bags, of the period.  They are "as released" in the UK -You got the first issue from Japan, right?  My only complaint was no Let It Be, cause then we would have got that booklet.  No, that is perfect, Capitol/EMI has always played favorites with the Beatles.

I got the JM box for about £120/£130 thanks to an email triggered by joining the artist's mailing list.

It's a beautiful piece of work, the music (of course) is outstanding but the packaging does it justice. Wish I'd ordered a fistful as an investment but I rarely view music in that way.

Hi John,  Yeah, I do remember you posting somewhere that he was a favorite of yours.  Good on 'Ya.  I'm on his list, guess they did not offer that in America.  But I'll get it.  All the listings here are from UK dealers.  You were a lucky fan to be in the UK, were he did most of his tours.  I only got to see him twice, both times in the early 90's when he was living in Chicago.  Both of my shows at The Great American Music Hall.  He was easy to meet too, as he hung at the bar between sets.  His sets focused on mostly the 70's material, I guess because he toured here less.  Funny story... I discovered him, not from his flawless early albums, but because the band America put Head and Heart on their 2nd long-player, I think it was.  Says to myself, right I'll have some more of that.  Most of his early records were very hard to find here, even though I was living in San Francisco...ah, memories pre-internet.  After it was just CD releases, it took me two years to find On The Cobbles.  Now there are only two I don't have:  And and And...Live.  I did have a sharp eye back when, seeing that plain blank cover  that just said Live at Leeds, not signed but it's one of those first ten thousand.  I should have taken it to one of the concerts, I did get him to sign things, but was worried it would get damaged.  Those were bars he was playing after all.  You keep up the work with your writing and walking.  All the Best, Will

I have expressly postponed buying the MiC set until that defective disk will have been replaced.

But it's a hard wait.

How will I know that, when I will have MiC in my hands, in the store, it is the new version of the box with a corrected # 3 disk?

It's all gone very quiet on this - maybe Capitol/EMI are just hoping it'll go away

It's a two second pause - big deal. Am I the only one who doesn't give a sh*t??

What exactly is wrong with the fade out of Surf's Up? Is that a major issue?

It's also missing material - the end of Surf's Up. Yes only a tiny bit but if I'd suggested paying a tiny bit less than the asking price I don't think they'd have sent me the box.

It's the principle. Things offered for sale should be right - and an expensive high-end product all the more so

There's a lot of reasons it is inexcusable - the technology of today, the lack of quality control from the record company, the hard-earned money people paid for the set, some people view the finished product (the record/tape/CD) as a piece of tangible art; Brian Wilson used to, and.....it's The Beach Boys, who, AGAIN, are not getting the respect afforded those "other" major artists we like to compare them to. That boxed set should've been recalled immediately and corrected.

I get this mental picture of Robert De Niro (Jimmy Conway) in Goodfellas talking with Ray Liotta and Paul Sorvino, saying, "I can't have it...I can't have it..." Hey, Capitol Records, I can't have it....I can't have it.... >:(

Ok, yeah I appreciate all that, I really do. However, I've bought MIC for a few friends and relatives for Xmas and I can't imagine 2 seconds of silence on CD 3 is going to make that much of a difference to their appreciation or otherwise of the set. However....

The WHY-DID-THEY-DO-THAT?? f**k-up that is You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling; the decision to include Brian' Back over Mike's vastly superior solo work of the time; the decision to exclude All I Wanna Do and Where I Belong; the stupid attempts at pitch correction; the even stupider vocal echo-echo-echo added to certain tracks; including the God-awful single version of Isn't It Time in place of the album version....

Those, I think, are all far more important to the overall artistic worth of the package than a minor mastering error and they all annoy me far more than the slight pause.

So yeah, for all that money we've spent the error shouldn't be there, but there's things about MIC I think are far more worth starting a thread over than this...

If every track started two seconds into the song than yeah, that'd piss me off, but as it is, meh... Not fussed.

100% agree DB

I admit, I've gotten used to it - I went into iTunes and changed the start time of all the songs (following the recommendation from some people here). Frankly, I don't really care about the problem anymore. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't care. It's a pretty glaring problem once you take everything into account (the price of the boxset, the hard work Boyd, Linett, etc put into the set).

31 tracks have this problem...that's quite the snafu, imo.

So we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for Capitol to make amends for their little boo boo....

I haven't heard/seen the errors... but on the whole I agree with this post. MiC is meant to be something definitive, a summation of a brilliant career. Even if one of the million available BBs compilations contained comparable errors, there would be reason for the trusting buyer to be dissatisfied.

That goes doubly (um, many more times, given the necessary investment) for MiC.

I will wait, in the hope that the problem will be eliminated.

I didn't hear that advice - brilliant!  Thanks, I'm doing that now.  Bye bye 2 second gap. :-D

Only problem with that is you're still missing a few seconds off the end of SUrf's Up.  You could just substitute Surf's Up from the latest remaster - but is the mastering the same?  I would think so but haven't compared the two.

Probably more like a 1/4 second, if actually any, due to the 2 second gap issue.

I generally don't listen to my music so blaringly loud that I can hear the final second of a song's fade, so again it's not really an issue for me...

Any news on this?

I am waiting with my purchase, but nobody can wait forever...

Hi Don,

I've just emailed the customer services lady who I'd been communicating ages ago.  I'll post here if I get a response this coming week.  She's been very helpful so far…

Hope we're not being given the bum's rush over this.

Don, John and to those of us that do care,   I worked on it some this past week.  Amazon US came up with a new twist.  Then insisted to move through, I had to accept replacement.  So I did; got it Friday.  Had the bad disc - so Don, hold on a bit longer.  Amazon has offered to remove/freeze orders, once they hear back from me. -Seems extreme, but Capitol/EMI/Universal will jump quick if they do.  Very quick, if they take it off around the world.

linky llink to reviews

http://www.amazon.com/Made-California-Beach-Boys/product-reviews/B008XZKSRY/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_img?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 (http://www.amazon.com/Made-California-Beach-Boys/product-reviews/B008XZKSRY/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_img?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1)

Thanks leggo,  I've really got to learn some of that tech-y stuff.

Thanks for the info feelsflow.

Yup, good stuff indeed. Resolution looks near!

Rip, edit cue sheet, replace Surf's Up (I used the one from the Brother Years), burn.  A five minute fix at most.  To not buy it over this is beyond silly. 

To all who provided info: many thanks!

Not that extreme.  Something happened with the new Bob Dylan Complete Album Collection Vol. 1 set.  Amazon wasn't offering it for a week and now it's back with a Product Alert:  http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Album-Collection-V-1/dp/B00F6Y3FKW/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1385522728&sr=1-1&keywords=bob+dylan+complete+albums

Hear, hear, well said Buddhahat. If bought a steak and kidney pie at the Supermarket, I wouldn't expect to open the packaging to find a side of beef, a bag of flour, some lamb's kidneys and a copy of Delia. No-one bought a DIY project, they bought a superior packaged Beach Boys box set.

So HOW will restitution be made?

If they are shipping a replacement disk #3 to everyone that complains, I'm in.
but not RETURNING anything. Period.

If you like your MIC. You can keep your MIC.  :p

Hey Everybody,  I have got through to Universal.  And now have a free number:  1-800-288-5942     This takes you right to customer service in Indiana.  They have the disc # 3 replacement.  John, this is the USA #, but if you key in their service:  FisherCustSvc@umusic.com I saw a UK #, but they could not verify it was right, great 'eh?  Anyway, because of the Thanksgiving holiday, they will be closed Thursday and Friday.  They said I should have mine "in hand" by the end of next week.

leggo,  They are not asking us to send back the "bad" disc.  They even waved me sending them a proof of purchase e-mail.  Now, don't get any ideas folks... ah, a way to get one of the discs... ;D

I not even through all 18 discs yet – to be honest I've had them on in the background as I've been working quite intensively for the last few weeks so haven't had the aural magnifying glass on them (so to speak). I might have to wait for the kids to leave university to have any proper listening time these days (and Sierra, the eldest, is only 4…).

That said, the music is transporting…

The set came very high in Uncut Magazine's Archive Releases of the Year booklet which arrived today – number 2 or 3 from memory - tho' MIC wasn't placed.

Hey Buddahat, why are you screaming?  It's a simple cue error not a mastering error.  I keep re-posting because people like you don't seem to "get it"
Because not everybody shares your opinion.

To paraphrase Mick and Keith: They just post because there's nothing else to do

Buddhahate must be in another bad mood. Did everybody hear him OK?

For what it's worth, I agree with buddhahat. I know, it's a quick and simple fix. That's not the point. When I go to a store and buy something, I expect to not have to "fix" anything. *ducking from the flying stones*

Exactly.

We understand we can fix this problem - that's not the point.

The point is that we spent a good deal of money of on this and we should expect that amount of money to count for something, like quality. The customer shouldn't be expected to fix a problem that the manufacturer made. That makes no sense.

I agree. For the most part the music on the set is wonderful. However, the lack of quality control ( the aforementioned issue along with some questionable sonics) is highly disappointing.

Good thing you guys weren't around when the wrong mixes were used on a couple of the original CBS/Sony/Caribou CD's. Or the Endless Harmony comp, where they had to retract it. Or the Brian Wilson '88 solo CD on Rhino, when the wrong mix(s) were used. You guys would be crying in your beer over it.

And I know I'm miss-remembering another one with a defect - somebody please fill in the blank. Wasn't it in the Pet Sounds or Good Vibrations box? This MIC error is nothing.

To be honest I'm more irritated with the piss poor mastering and remixing. I can (and have done...) a better job myself

Well, if we're being honest here, I'm more irritated with the excessive use of reverb!

Yeah, big time. Especially on the live wild honey, which to me sounded VERY amateurish.

Yeah, but those c*ck-ups were during the preparation stage and ironically now have some collectible value - rare versions, what!

This MIC error is a tech glitch at the manufacturing end, like buying a pre-scratched record - big or small, a bit annoying.

Re Brian Wilson '88, I recall the Legendary AGD posting that no real or definitive master was ever submitted, just a tape reel/s or something - hence some differences in the orig versus the reissue (I could be wrong)

Speaking of glitches and mistakes, was there ever a reissued version of the 1993 box set with a speed corrected version of Do you Like Worms?

Nope.

Next question.  :)

No, entirely correct - the original 1988 release was never assembled into an album master (why not ? No idea) so when the 2000 reissue came round, the compilers had to sift through a pile of individual song masters. Still don't understand why someone didn't take an hour  or so out to A/B those tapes with an original CD.

Several months in it should be clear by now that people aren't buying the set not because they think it's unfixable (and your solution doesn't actually fix anything, btw) - they're waiting because they expect better quality control on expensive boxed sets. Do you really think we don't get it?


... or yours:





on form Mikie


?

Look, it is quite simple, if it bugs someone that much, then you don't buy it. If you believe it is not a big deal in the total scheme of things, then you do buy it. The fix looks like it is about to happen, so all will be right in the end. I'll admit that UMe is slow about it, but at least it finally is gonna happen. Nothing to fight and argue with each other about.

I received my corrected disc from Universal Music today. I'll be playing it tonight. The defect in the first pressing didn't bother me that much, but if a corrected pressing is available(and it is available), YES, I do want to have it.

If you are in The U.S.A. call Universal Music at (310) 865 5000

Thanks, Phil! Did they want any proof of purchase during the call? I'll call from work on Monday, so I wanna make sure to take paperwork, if needed.

No proof of purchase required. Just give them your name and address. They were very cooperative.

Have to agree there. I called and it was a case of their getting your info and that's it. I even said I might be purchasing another copy( thinking the Amazon Black Friday sale, which I didn't do) and they said if I got another with a bad disc to call again and they'd replace that one also. But I used the 800 number posted earlier in this thread: 
>> <<

what do us 'foreigners' outside the US do?

is there an email or snail mail address?

Rb

Thanks to all who are posting…

Just Googled Feelflows' advice and got the following from an Amazon review relating to problems with Rush box sets (yes, plural!):

For US & Canadian fans, please contact Universal customer services team on:
e-mail: FishersCustSvc@umusic.com
Phone: 1-800-288-5942

For fans in the UK & Ireland please contact:
UK e-mail: mk.customerservices@umusic.com
UK Phone: +44 (0) 845 250 0965


Having had no joy with the email sent earlier in the week, I'll call that UK number soon-as.

Yes, thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread!

So i just called Universal and they did ask for proof of purchase, which i don't have because that was over three months ago...

I just called the 1-800 number given earlier in this thread (1-800-288-5942), and I was simply asked for my name and address. Call took less than a minute, and I was told the replacement is on its way.

Thanks, again, to those who provided the info!

I was asked for proof of purchase but thankfully I have my original receipt and credit card statement.  I am happy they are doing this and thanks people of Smiley board for letting the us know!

I had exactly the same experience. I called at noon, EST.

Me three. Name and address only. Though, I called last Wednesday morning, right when they opened. Haven't received it yet as of today (Mon.), but I'd reckon the holiday might have something to do with that. FWIW, I'm in Ohio.

You're close to the tin soldiers, then?

My alma mater.

I just called and was told I had to e-mail proof of purchase.  She told me I could just copy and paste my Amazon invoice.  Strange some people are just being asked for mailing info while others need to provide some sort of proof.  Oh well, hope it works.

Yeah, it is weird.  I called today and they just took my name and address.  I offered to e-mail my receipt, and the guy said that wouldn't be necessary.

Any joy John?

Okay, just had a nice chat with Sue at Universal Music who's asked me to send through the previous emails – seems there are two customer services depts, and Sue's in that assisting stores while I'd been emailing a lady in the other, which assists members of the public.

However, Sue said the best thing was to send the details to her dept. and they'd try to help.

They're only just starting to get enquiries about this in the UK office, and from what she's saying I'd guess the issue of replacements hasn't really cropped up there yet.

Brits, you need to make that call or send that email if this bothers you!

It seemed far too easy. Just gave my name and address. Was told it will be shipped out later today or tomorrow. Thanks to John for posting the contact info.

Just curious, but...

Anybody here in the US that may have called last week for a replacement, say, Tuesday or Wednesday, that's gotten their disc yet? As noted, I called last Wednesday but still nothing yet. My feeling is that, even with the holiday, it should've gone out this Monday at the latest, so by tomorrow I would hope it would be here.

Not getting antsy. I'm just leery of anything where they simply take down my name and address, with no confirmation number or e-mail verification. I've had too many things of that nature get "accidentally forgotten" or "accidentally deleted from the CSR's screen" over the years...lol.

Whoa, so i called on Monday, the day before yesterday, and they told me i needed proof of purchase, i told them i had already deleted my emails from ImportCDs and that i had heard that others who had already called weren't asked for proof of purchase, so they took my name and address down anyway and said they'd "look into it." An hour later i realized that i could just log in to ImportCDs and take a screenshot of my invoice, which i did, and then i called back and they gave me an email address to send the proof of purchase to (fisherscustsvc@umusic.com), and i just got the disc in the mail today, two days later. Incredible. The package came from Indianapolis, by the way, not LA (and i'm in the northeast). And the disc plays correct now, every track starts at 0:00 and the Surf's Up fade is intact. Good job, Universal.  

They asked for proof of purchase, I forwarded my amazon receipt, all looking good so far.  Thanks to all who stayed on top of this and rounded up the info.

e-mail sent [UK] - I shall await the reply! [I already threw in my amazon order receipt and address to be safe]

Edit: That was quick!

Well, that was easy!

I emailed the UK address above at 10am and got a reply at 10.30am saying that they will arrange for a disc to be sent
I explained that MiC was a gift so do not have the invoice but gave them my address and that seemed fine

Many thanks John for the details-I'll post when it arrives

From the same Lisa Dorrington I got an email which simply said

"Thank you for your email.
We will look into this and advise accordingly.

Kind Regards"

 :-\

My replacement came in the mail today; it looks exactly like the one which came in the set! 
How will I tell them apart without listening?

EDIT: My story is pretty much exactly the same as monicker's.  Called monday, had to e-mail a proof of purchase (copy and pasted my Amazon invoice) and the replacement disc just came today.  I didn't receive any reply or confirmation or anything after e-mailing them, so I'm glad they're getting them out quickly; hope everybody else is having luck getting their discs too.

don't look at them

Do you need to? Surely listening isn't a difficult task?

What day did you originally call, Bgas? Mine still hasn't arrived as of today, and I'd be interested in what their rough time frame of shipment is.

I'm guessing it was last Wednesday, after I saw the post with the toll-free number. Seems I remember them saying something about not shipping until Friday on account of the holiday. And I didn't really expect them to get to it that quickly either. But it's here now!

Just called today and they asked me to send an email to fisherscustsvc@umusic.com with a copy of the receipt.

Thanks!

If mine doesn't arrive by tomorrow, I'll probably just call them again to make sure that it was indeed shipped out.

E-mail sent (UK)

Thanks to everyone for the help on this thread. Great to hear that folk have been successful in getting a replacement disc.
DM

Heh, same for mee! And I attached a picture of my amazon order.

I received my disc in the mail today. That was quick! Also, Surf's Up ends at 4:10 just like on the bad disc. I'll have to check the 2012 Surf's Up CD to see if it ends at the same spot.

Bump.  So are the replacement discs okay?

More importantly for the rest of us--and this is directed at anyone who might know--when will they begin to actually make corrected sets available?  I've held out because of this disc problem, and would rather not have to go through the whole disc replacement hassle.  My apologies if this has already been covered and I missed it.

Okay, my work on this is done.  This thread started two months ago, and shows that persistence can pay off.  I called Wednesday 27 November, and got my disc from Indianapolis yesterday.

My disc arrived today. Life is good.

Also, just as an FYI, I talked with someone in Uni's customer service yesterday (actually one of the people doing the disc-sending), and he noted that it's simply a couple of folks taking down names and addresses, and then sending them out as fast as they can (with, according to him, no computer records). Thus, I'd reckon that most folks should start seeing them soon if they haven't already. They were also closed for the holiday until this past Monday.

But...if you do slip through the cracks after some time has elapsed. Don't hesitate to call back (as he duly suggested). :)

Got my copy today ... Thanks, again, for the info. And this is an excellent excuse to play this music once again...

Eh?? Of course it's going to look the same.

Just listen to it, problem solved.

Disc #3 is so perfect now.  Much better for making comps.  Someone was saying that all their copies of Surf's Up end at 4:10 - This one now ends at 4:11 on my player.

Stated time is 4:12, but the sound ends at 4:10. The disc with the error had a stated time of 4:10 and sound ended at 4:10. There is no difference between the two discs as to where the music actually ends. Some tried to say here earlier that the 2 second error cut off the music, but it did not.

Take A Black Sharpie, make Big X  across face of defective disc.

 :lol

I was going to suggest bgas get a piece of masking tape, stick it on the corrected CD and write "This is the good one - property of B.Gas" on it

Edit: I misread post. Carry on.  :)

Understood, but my point is that the 2 seconds was silence and did not affect the music as some have stated previously.

Duly noted. And already edited. My apologies. :)

Not true. A/B them. Listen loudly with headphones if you need to. The new disc has a very, very slight bit more to the fade. It's totally negligible, but i feel the need to point it out for the sake of accuracy.

Here's a zoomed visual of the "good" waveform. That full two seconds at the end does seem to be bona-fide silence, but then again, I'm not sure if what is there musically might not just be so low in level that it doesn't really show up above the waveform's noise floor in a visual (i.e. the "fade"). Though, there might be more sophistcated ways to look at this for those who want to take the time to do it. It sure does just look like two seconds of silence though. (i.e. the length of the actual indexing error). This is zoomed in quite a bit.

http://www.lukpac.org/~dave/goodvisual.jpg

Unfortunately, using just listening, my nearly 50-year-old ears have sustained too much damage over the years to be able to hear much of anything in terms low-level stuff.....no matter how much I crank it up. Mostly just ringing and hissing from tinnitus. So, others will have to "duke" it out as to whether or not any actual music material was clipped off. :)

Anyone from the UK had any joy yet? I've heard nothing since Universal said they'd "look into this" 5 days ago....

Or did anybody find out what the non-US and non-UK residents should do? I mailed to FishersCustSvc@umusic.com a request what I should do, no replyeeayay.

Nothing here (UK) yet… unless Steph's hidden it as a Christmas pressie…

Here's my experience as a US customer:  I sent an email two weeks ago with no proof of purchase and received no reply.  I sent an email last week with proof of purchase and received no reply.  I just called and they asked me to send an email with proof of purchase.  I did so again.  So, now I'll wait and see.

Anyway, it seems like an unsolicited email may not produce results.  A call may be required.  That, or I'm just not having much luck.

I understand that there's a principle involved here in chasing the record company, and they are mierda-heads for not making more of an effort to resolve the issue to their customers' satisfaction. I know they're relying on the fact that most people who are going to buy this have bought it, and they've already got the money from them. And also on the fact that many of those people don't have time to chase them, trying to make them remaster and swap out the faulty disc. With a business to run and an inquisitive two-year-old to look after, I know I certainly don't.

Fortunately, the audio editing required to fix the problem is the work of a few late-night minutes once my son is asleep, so I've done that for the files my iTunes version of MiC, and given that when I play the disc in a CD player, I let the whole thing play though anyway, my use of that is effectively unaffected by the error. The only slightly hard problem to fix is the loss of two seconds on the extreme end of the fade out on Surf's Up. So I went with that problem, and crossfaded it into my boot version of the accapella mix of the fade, making a version a bit like the mix of Time To Get Alone or Sail On Sailor on Hawthorne, California, where the last few seconds feature just the Beach Boys voices. I find it a great way to end the side!

Problem solved, and in a way that I had time to do, as it only needed *me* to do some things I know how to do quickly and easily, instead of trying to spend time during the day that I don't have in the first place, trying to get someone to do something that they aren't interested in doing...!

But props to you guys for sticking with it. They SHOULD fix this problem, the gets.

I called last week, sent an email as requested, and the replacement disc showed up on Tuesday this week.  I didn't get any reply or acknowledgement after sending the email, but otherwise no fuss no muss.

Hey Micha - I sent an cheery "love your work can you help me out" email to "mk.customerservices@umusic.com" and the US email address. (Me in Australia).

Haven't heard jack from the gringo helpdesk.  BUT I got a lovely response from a lovely Linda on 9/12/2013 - She's looking into "it" for me.  Made me feel happy and loved.

Haven't heard a lot since then; I'll be following up in a day or so.  But give the British email a try in the meantime, you never know- A

Any Brits gained satisfaction yet?

In relation to the MIC CD, or since the establishment of the Empire?

The Empire was long since reigned back.

Okay I came on this morning to post here but got held up in the Survivor threads, took a peep at Mike Loves whackiest photos, and dropped a comment or two in BB Trading Cards.

So now that I am here, Just got my replacement for D3 - I just emailed them with a "paste" of the Amazon invoice email
and it was sent out in a nice Tyvek sleeve with only one oily fingerprint (I got it off)

Happy Camper!  ;)

MEL, Youre unlucky - I sent an email / invoice out of the blue and have replacement in hand now.

I might add I also made the purchase from AMAZON UK and that didnt matter to them that I live in the States.

We just live on some small island that used to be important once - we can wait at the back of the queue  :-\

As it should always be.

Who speaks English, maybe they all speak English

I got told mine was going to be shipped out, but being that I'm not at home means I don't know if it's arrived yet

It took 11 days, but it finally arrived today. So to those who called or emailed and got a positive response but are still waiting, be patient. USPS  is usually bogged down this time of year.

just got this email from Universal "We will arrange for a replacement disc to be sent as requested"  8)

Thanks for this  - please keep us posted. I took the plunge and asked for MIC for crimbo so am hoping these UK relacemtn discs actually arrive without too much hassle.

Has anyone actually checked to hear if the replacement disc plays ok now i.e. no 2 second lead in on each track? Or no tail end of Murray the K at the start of Do It Again - probably the quickest way to check.

Yes, I've played mine (and ripped it to my Mac, put into iTunes, etc.) and the problem is indeed corrected.

That's great to hear. Thanks, Vega-Table Man!

Same email to me too. Delighted that this seems to be nearing a resolution

I just got a "result" from the British Helpdesk - bless their wolly socks.

So O/S enquirers, I'd suggest that's yer best bet - A

Result as in a disc? Or the promise of a disc?

John, that's a great question - I'm glad you asked.

After a "lull" in progress, Lisa from the Brit HD, unprompted, emailed me the following - today 19/12:

"Please can you advise you address details and we will arrange for a replacement disc to be sent to you."

I realise this is the "drum" you and other posters on the continent have gotten so far; but in lieu of any response from the US desk, I'm going to roll with the UK desk and see what transpires; and thought I'd let any other non-Brit overseas posters know.  

I'm actually away from my letter box until the 9th of Jan, so am in a position to let it go, then bitch if I've not received anything when I get back  :lol (assuming air mail; in reality, it's more likely via sea, arriving in July).

I will of course, let y'all know the outcome or any other email updates I get (where not redundant) - your humble servant  - A M Smith

Thanks again to everyone for the detailed info, including of course Feelsflow, who addressed me directly.

I am in mainland Europe, Holland to be precise. And I haven't bought MiC yet, for this reason, phrased as a question:

when, if ever, will a new MiC box set edition appear, including the correct disk #3?

Y'know, I bet the answer might be "never"… unless the first pressing sells out and a budget jewel case version is released as has just happened with the Buffalo Springfield box.

And how come my iPhone auto-predicts "Buffalo Springfield"?

I see, thanks John, this makes sense from a company's POV (although I still think Capitol better had issued a corrected box set.

I will contact my retailer then to see if he's willing to investigate - I bet he's got more clout than me in these matters.

I still haven't recieved my 'issued' CD 3

Heads-up… Disc 3 has landed in Yorkshire. No note, but very protectively packaged. 

It's a US pressing, not EU – slightly different logos/lettering therefore – assume it's one replacement pressing that will find its way around the world.

That is GREAT NEWS !!  And if the discs had to travel from America, could have been the cause for the two week hold up.  Guess nobody told them about air-mail....Now where's the rest? :police:   :lol

Mine took 11 days and I live in California, so take heart! If they promised you a disc, it should arrive eventually!

If you only emailed them, did you get a response, or did you just get the CD one day?

Eric, I got mine on 5 December.  The Joy bit was for those overseas who have been waiting and waiting.  I'm in upstate New York.  

Hey Matt,  You didn't say where you are.  In America, first I called the 1-800-288-5942 number.  They did e-mail me back that is was to ship.  I got it in less than a week.  

Spoke with Universal Customer Service tonight (12/19)

Said they are waiting for a new batch of replacement discs ..  first batch is gone.

They wanted the proof of purchase emailed to them as well..   
 

Yay, John! Glad to hear it's come through for you - enjoy and thanks for sticking it out, and sharing the info (and cheers to all the other great dudes who've chipped in).

Gaaargh! Different pressings! The collector lust is aroused!

Same as Mr. manning, my CD landed in Gravesend today as US disc. Came with a free CDS jewel case too :D

Same here-mine was on the doormat when I got back from work.

Thanks to those for persuing this and finding contact details

Mine here. Thanks for the heads up from the O.P.

I am in Ohio.  I called the number and they told me to email.  I sent the email and never heard back.

Landed in Edinburgh.
Many thanks to all who contributed to this thread.
RESULT

No reply for me, just the CD.

Cool, thanks for the info.

Ditto North London.

And have swapped out the error disc for the correct one in my box sleeve pouches.

If my (relatively unremarkable) Beach Boys collection is discovered many years from now, I wonder what the AGDs, guitarfools, Craig-Cs etc of the distant future will think when they discover an anomalous US edition disc 3 amongst an otherwise EU edition set.  When everyone receives their replacement we must destroy all evidence of this thread to make their lives very difficult indeed  >:D

Wishing all SS.net-ers a great festive period,
Sam

I'm in the U.S. (CA)...call and email on Dec 5, no sign of disc.  I suppose it's time to call back and start nagging.

Got an email 3 days ago saying a new disc will be sent, no idea if it's been delivered yet as it will go to my parents house.

Now, who the hell do we email to complain that us Brits and Europeans can't get The Big Beat?

David BEard

Having listened to the replacement disc which arrived today I agree with Moniker - the fade is no longer cut short on the new pressing. Whether the difference is "totally negligible" is a matter of opinion  :)

Totally stupid question, perhaps. What should I, a Dutchman, do to achieve the same success as my fellow fans in the UK?   :-[

Emigrate!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I dunno. Assume Universal has a European office you could call or email, or even a Netherlands office? Does Google have the answer?

OK, cheers. So you addressed Universal's UK office then, I presume? I will go googling now. I'd lost the plot somewhere and it's a bit of a drowsy Saturday morning anyway, hence my initial question.

Ha, found Universalmusic's Dutch mail, phone, and snailmail addresses. Done!

Aye, they seem to have two UK offices… took one call and a few emails but a result eventually.

If you do decide to move here, I still have an unopened bottle of Ardbeg on the shelf   :D

Good! And burglary-wise: please fix some heavy-voltage barbed wire around it, will you?

Thanks very much to everyone who helped crack this one.  Greatly appreciated.

Those missing two seconds from "Surf's Up" in full:

(http://www.spoonfeeding.org/images/missingtwoseconds.png)

Sent an email on Thursday 19th (evening).  Received an email the next day (Friday 20th) saying a replacement would be sent.  They mailed the same day and I received it today (from the England to Scotland) the 23rd.  Now that's what I call great customer service. Well done Universal! Thank you to those who chased this up and put the contact details on this board! :-D

But it's not just about the shortened Surf's Up fade! I found it more irritating that Do It Again begins with the clipped echo of Murray The K from the previous track. It surprised me that those struggling to hear the problem dwelled so much on SU when all one has to do is play Do It Again with headphones on and listen to the start. Or was this just a problem with the spotify rip? Either way, great to hear that people are starting to receive fixed discs. I've asked for MIC for xmas on this basis. I have a feeling, given my girlfriend's antipathy towards the BBs, that Santa may not deliver though ...

And I suppose that having Santa throw in a corrected disc three with that set would be a 'Christmas miracle'!   ;D

Not just Santa, Every one on store shelves all over the world should have a corrected disc #3 attached to the box.  Easy way to continue selling the first pressing, without all the problems for the customer.

… and now the quest for Disc Six can begin…

Might be time for a new girlfriend under the tree (or mistletoe) : )

I got the MIC set for Christmas this year. It was the original pressing. I wonder if those will be a collectible?

Hope so. I'm keeping my original set as is, faulty disc 3 and all. Two second gap or no two second gap - not bothered. It's Mark and Alan's tinkering - You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling, Wild Honey (Live), etc - that has me tearing my hair out.

So, on the day after Christmas, I finally received my replacement disc 3 after 2 emails, one phone call and a final email over a one month period.  If you are having trouble getting it, be persistent.

.......I'm on the quest for disc #7...the Bonus disc Mark and Alan put together - ready to go.

What's wrong with Wild Honey now

The echo echo echo echo echo echo echo echo on Blondie's voice. Why the 'now'?

Everybody want a good laugh? I got my replacement CD in the mail from Universal. I ripped open the package and BAMM......the envelope was empty! That sucked!

Nice!

+ The theremin track seemingly being muted completely. The theremin was like, half of what made these versions awesome, to me. wat's teh deal with that, man?

You don't have to surrender your original disc to get a new one.

Great present! How did they know to buy you that?

I doubt the original pressing will be collectible, as the "error" is a factory root-up, rather than an unintended gift from the compilers or record company (eg, where they accidentially use the previously unreleased rough mix of take 54 of X).

Well, because I didn't buy it for myself when it came out a few months ago.  ;D They didn't know I was waiting to see if there would be a corrected version released, though.

Many thanks for this info John. Having received MIC for xmas (whoop!) I emailed the UK address and received my corrected disc 3 in about 3 or 4 days.

Just to let you know that the good people at Universal felt so bad about my issue with Disc 3, they sent me two replacement discs

So....if you want to trade your original SOT boxsets for a 30sec clip...haven't got around to replacing it, drop me a PM and I'll pop one in the post!

EDIT: This disc has been taken but if Universal feel really really generous and I receive another one, I'll let you guys know

Got home from (Australian summer) holidays to find replacement disc 3 airmailed from Universal Music Holdings Ltd, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (no less) amongst mail collected by good neighbour.

Result!

Very happy and satisfied, and recommend any non US or UK Smiley Smilers still seeking replacement disc contact the UK help desk. l8r - A

Did so 2 days ago, they answered very fast promising they'd send me a replacement. Waiting....

My replacement cd took two weeks to arrive (I live in Calgary, Canada) but it was near the Christmas rush.  I was very happy to have the replacement cd and feel the record company did the right thing for their customers here.  Big thanks!  Loving the box!

It's here!!! 3 days after my email via airmail! Great!!!

To the Heartical Don: I don't think we'll ever see a MIC reprint with the corrected disc 3. My advice for you is: Buy it as it is, then email to mk.customerservices@umusic.com - I forwarded my Amazon order confirmation mail to them.

Hi Micha, cheers, and check your PM please.

I wasn't too fussed to be honest but after reading further on this thread i sent an email to the UK address and had a replacement in 2 days , superb. Thanks to everyone on here who  gave good advice.

The second batch of corrected US MIC Disc 3's are in.  Mine arrived today.

 :woot

I received my corrected disc 3 today, after sending some emails and after waiting some months. Thank you all for the info!!

Hi All,

Sorry for bumping an old thread but I need some help. I finally got around to purchasing this for myself from Amazon ($80.99 USD, currently). Unfortunately, my set came with the uncorrected Disc 3. Kind of makes me wonder if they ever corrected them in the production run.

Anyway, I decided to email the two email addresses listed by Mark Linett in the Amazon review section. They got back to me and said that they "no longer have replacement discs" so they are "unable to replace this" for me.

I generally rip all of my CDs in AIFF format using dBPowerAmp (which supports AccurateRip). I wonder though, does anyone have this ripped in a lossless format (preferably FLAC) and would be willing to share?

I certainly would be grateful.

Thanks,
Jason

Thank you for your help (I'll respectfully keep your name private)!