The Smiley Smile Message Board

Hi there,
Was listening to PET SOUNDS for the first time in a while yesterday and I don't know why I took so long to do this again. Still my all-time favorite album.
I listened to the 2003 DVD-A.
Question: When that DVD came out, word was that this is the real deal, the newest and best-sounding remaster.
I talk Mono.
What are your expert opinions? Which Mono is the best? Will the new Japan remaster be better?
And regarding that DVD, why is it lacking "Hang On To Your Ego" + "Trombone Dixie"? Big complaint here.
"Summer Means New Love" in Stereo is nice, I guess they wanted to present this new stereo present, but musicially, it's not quite as deep as the PET SOUNDS stuff and sounds out of place.
"The Little Girl I Once Knew" would have been nice instead as well.
Anyway, which Mono is the question... (LP's included).

1. 80's Capitol reissue with green label LP

(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1980-Capitol-Re-Issue-Beach-Boys-PET-SOUNDS-Mono-Vinyl-LP-NICE-0-7777-16156-1-/00/s/MTYwMFgxNjAw/$(KGrHqNHJEoE+WIkmzO)BP44L71Z5w~~60_57.JPG)

2. Carl & The Passions/Pet Sounds 2LP set or Pet Sounds with brown cover.

(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Beach-Boys-Pet-Sounds-Brother-Reprise-NM-Mono-rare-/00/s/NzQ5WDE2MDA=/$(KGrHqZ,!ogE-0zBOZHJBP2T4jZFZQ~~60_58.JPG)

Thank you!
Now the big question, how big is the chance that I'll find those pressings at my local record store? I guess zero.
Are they available online somewhere (in good condition)?
Found nothing on ebay today, but will check again from time to time.

The audio fidelity version of Pet Sounds, done in 2009 by Hoffman is my current favorite of the album but that might be a little hard to find for a cheap price. The two fer mentioned above also sounds surprisingly great. I would stay away from the 40th anniversary.

The Steve Hoffman 1993 Gold CD is the best I've heard.  On LP, I prefer the orig. Capitol mono, but the pressings may vary. The 'So Tough' 2-LP is pretty easy to find for fairly cheap but sounds a bit bright to me, and the '80s Capitol green label has the duophonic 'Wouldn't it Be Nice'.

The current Steve Hoffman mastering is the best, no contest.

i find hoffmans 93 vinyl too bass heavy

Oh, I just found out that I have to follow Bubba Ho-Tep's picture-links for ebay offers.
But the prices... a bit too high for me for an album I already own a couple of times.
And of course, people hear different, the story with different tastes, I'm already a bit confused where to start.
I read before that the Hoffmann CD is widely liked, I guess that could be another candidate for the CD collection.
But I guess, since I already own 3 CD versions (I know that's not much compared to other fan-collections), I think I'll go with a LP this time. I'll see...

This is not so.

I prefer the DCC to the AF. I think the DCC has a more analoguey sound whereas AF has a hint of Pentinum III in it. I don't know what that means but it feels right.

$1.99 with 3 hours to go. Get on it:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beach-Boys-Pet-Sounds-Record-LP-Album-MCA-Brother-Records-MS-2197-Warner-Bros-/261052609579?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item3cc7f2b42b

Um, this copy?

(http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/246560_438811159474718_872970162_n.jpg)

I believe there are two versions of the green label - one with the Duophonic WIBN and one without.  I assume the one with the Duophonic version was cut from the master and the other from the copy tape.

I want to believe.

I was not aware of this. Mine is true mono and top quality.

My favorite is also the DCC.  Overall it sounds the most authentic to me, well balanced and with no obvious attempt to "push" it in any particular direction (i.e. increase the bass or the spaciousness, reduce the hiss, etc).

Thank you!
I'm now owner of a 'Pet Sounds' LP!

Mark L., I believe, has gone on record as saying the Hoffman mastering is simply not how the original tapes sound. Basically, Steve boosts the f*** out of the midrange and claims it's the "breath of life."

I agree with this statement, because only his two masterings sound this way. Not to say that it is a bad thing. The only versions that sound close to it are the Warner's releases. I have many different releases of the mono album and the DCC sounds the best to my ears.

Pet Sounds/CATP twofer 4 lyf. It sounds perfect enough to these ears, and is relatively easy/cheap to find!

Japan Greenline 2800 series CD is good too.

Great job!

Strictly speaking of compact discs...

My vote is for the 1999 Capitol twofer, mastered by Andrew Sandoval.  The 2001 twofer, mastered by Mark Linett, is also very good.  Neither release is NR'd, has re-mixed song intro's spliced on (like 1990, 2006) nor are they bass heavy like the DCC.  The DCC isn't bad at all, it is very warm sounding.  It's just too low-end heavy, IMO, that's all.

Mono LP: Capitol N-16156 (green label), cut by Jay Maynard

Mono CD: DCC

Stereo CD: MoFi hybrid SACD

I love the first issue of it on CD in 1990 followed closely of course by the 2001 version.

I have a copy of the 72 CATPST/PET SOUNDS on Brother-Reprise that is unopened. I bought it back in 75 (yes I am that old). I need to find a decent transfer setup. I have one, but not as good as I would like. Back in the '80s, I kept forgetting to bring it to the radio station I worked at to transfer to reel to reel at 7.5 ips. The station had old mono tube mixing boards and amps. They were well maintained. Shoulda woulda coulda.

Bob

I rarely listen to it in mono (the stereo is the way to go with Pet Sounds, I don't care what people say, Brian's ear etc).....but I picked up the Pet Sounds/CATP 2LP thing recently and it does sound pretty fresh there.

I think the 1990/2001 issues sounds grungy.

I don't care.

The 1990 was the first time I ever heard it and I loved it for a number of years.  Until realizing some of the things that had been done to it (heavy use of No-Noise, re-mixing of intro's for WIBN and GOK tacked on).  Once you hear "Pet Sounds" without all of that it sounds much more natural on other releases (1996, 1999, 2001 & DCC/AF).

And what makes your opinion have any worth? Go home.

For me, the besteses is the vinyl Pet Sounds that came in the 2LP set with Carl & The Passions, and Pet Sounds '74 with the brown cover (This recording is pressed in monophonic sound, the way Brian cut it).  Also like the 1989 T-2458 Japanese Pet Sounds CD and the Japanese PastMasters version ain't bad either - nice and raw. The 1990 U.S. released version is also tough to beat.

BUT. My favorite by a country mile? The stereo version of Pet Sounds. Either from the Sessions box or 40th Anniversary set.

Have not,  nor will I ever again listen to the mahnoe version.  P/S came to life when it was released in stereo. Should never have been released in either mahnoe or dewohfonik.

I know more about The Beach Boys, and music in general, than you ever will, you stupid, little creep coc*roach of a person. You are a fool, a latecomer, and if God has any mercy, lightning will strike you and anyone who has had the misfortune to know you. If there was any justice, it would happen immediately. Back to f*cking mono.

I'm not sure if that was directed at me (I'm not the one who said your opinion had no worth), but I'm sorry I even posted that original thing in the first place. Too much negativity in general - if you like the mono, power to you.

No, not at all. Actually, I originally was just making a "definitive" subjective joke regarding your definitive subjective statement. No real harm meant, just a casual joust, honestly. Aegir is bad seed that should have been spilled into a sock, not his mother.

Cool. I should have added an 'in my opinion', of course. To add to my original statement, it's not that I think the stereo is definitive, but rather that the mono mix of Pet Sounds sounds very muddy and rough to me in pretty much every version I've heard it. I AM a big fan of mono mixes in general. I wonder what a 'new' mono mix would sound like. Of course, it would in no way be authentic and people on other forums would go bizerk (guess which one?), but I bet it would sound the best of any mono mix out there.

nothing can touch that original mono mix. personally, i enjoy the sessions material but i feel that the stereo mix maybe should not have been done at all. the problem with these new mixes is that they end up becoming 'definitive', which is sort of like attempting to re-write history in a sense. I understand the 'it's just another way to listen to it', but most of the greatest hits comps in the last decade have used remixes instead of originals, and you hear these more often on the radio these days too. the 'god only knows' tag on the stereo version sounds so wrong !

Burrrrrrrrrrrrn!!


Scorch!!

 

The 2001 remaster though I prefer listening to it in stereo.

Honestly the stereo is so dull and devoid of life when it comes to the mono. The 2012 MFSL fixes some of the issues, but it is still lacking power and it feels rather empty. Nothing on a four track should ever be put to stereo.

I could agree if you said two-track, but there are some truly audiophile records made on four tracks (or less). Ever heard Roy Orbison's Monument recordings?

Nice username, though!

The stereo version of Pet Sounds isn't mixed from four tracks. After syncing the track and vocal overdub tapes, it's more like 11 tracks (I think that's what AGD's book states, but I don't have it around to check). The Pet Sounds Sessions book explains that it was only when digital syncing came around that they were able to make a stereo mix in a really faithful way.

I can appreciate the mono mix, although I find it funny when people defend it because of Brian's preferences. His widely-recounted opinions on stereo were based on the technology of now forty years ago. I thought it was very telling when Mark Linett stated (a number of years ago) that recent compilations use stereo remixes because Brian requested them.

Wow...really?! That was completely uncalled for. I had the same reaction as Aegir initially as well, because honestly it looked like you were being rude to Ego. You've clarified that since, but that was absolutely no reason to fly off the handle at Aegir like that.

One thing is for sure - the worst sounding Mono version is the UK original -  a lovely Duophonic Fold Down!

(Although it is a fun listen :) )

I made a replica of it if you're interested. I quite like it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDW67To9iv0&feature=youtu.be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDW67To9iv0&feature=youtu.be)

GAH!!! Why are so many of my vids Blocked in the U.S? They can't even see my Vocals only Help Me Rhonda!

I reckon Mr Spaceman could do some great stand-up  :3d

I agree the best mono version is the CATP/PS Reprise LP issue.  I was one of the nimrods who bought the 40th ann. stereo/mono LP reissue.   Can't tell you why, I just did.   It's fun hearing the stereo version on vinyl, and the mono recut is OK, though for close analysis of the stereo I will play the HDCD version.

I respect the mono version A LOT but my problem after all these years is I can hear all the goshdarn tape splices. 

Ah, the joys of First World problems!