These are the 2000/2001 masterings, with the <ahem> added bonus of being "SHM".

I recently picked up an original Sunflower US pressing and it's certainly the best I've heard this album, 'Cool Cool Water' truly is an audio achievement.  The only thing bringing it back is your typical vinyl inner groove distortion and sibilance (some of which seems to be in the mix/consistent through all pressings so far) but that's where a better turntable and cartridge comes in handy I have a solid set up.

I'm imagining these High Def downloads that are coming are going to be based off of the 2012 masters which were 'fine' and faithful, but too overdone, especially Sunflower... if they're the upcoming Analogue Productions master then that is very exciting.

The Sunflower & Surf's Up HD versions available now are different to the editions that came out a few years ago, which were hi-res versions of the 2012 CDs, respectively. It's anyone guess if they're going to be the same as the upcoming AP SACDs. But I do believe Holland mentions Kevin Bartley as handling the mastering, so we know that one will not be the same as Kevin Gray's take on the forthcoming Holland SACD. I think these new releases are better than the previous offerings.

If you'd like a Surf's Up first pressing to go along with your Sunflower, make sure you look for THANKS MARILYN in the deadwax.

In the interest of fairness, I should say I respect Mr. Desper's work immensely. It's just the flowery terms used to describe analog playback are a bit much.

Comment:

Please describe analog playback using your own non-flowery terms. What is a "flowery term" anyway? ~swd

I was not attempting to describe analog playback; my point was a statement that analog is more accurate than digital cannot be absolute.

A "flowery term" would be a word, or group of words, to make something more attractive. Which I often hear used when someone attempts to state that analog is always better than digital. A poetic description, if you will. Your comment, "What you experience is a direct -- DIRECT -- connection with the players. What they do with their instruments or voice is what is making the sound in your living room. There is nothing in-between. Talk about being connected !!  Wow!" would be analog playback described in "flowery terms". It sounds great, but is not quantifiable. Such as "direct connection", with "nothing in-between". I'm not trying to be pedantic, but I'm just not a believer in the "no science, use your ears!" stance. Science can, and does, measure audible differences.

And no argument from me on your statement regarding listening to a given medium as it was first intended to be heard on. I like finding, and continue to seek out, a first press of a vinyl record from any era when that medium was going to be the primary listening experience. Including Sunflower and Surf's Up, of which I have both and appreciate your work, and I agree that neither has been properly presented in the digital medium, at least to my taste. The original CD release for each of those titles I never cared for, and Andrew Sandoval, who was part of the team that put together the 2000 Capitol release, has stated they did not have the best tape available for Surf's Up (possibly Sunflower as well, but he stated Surf's Up specifically). The 2012 CD edition has too much upper treble for my liking, and the recent hi-res downloads I haven't truly delved into yet (supposedly they are yet another distinct mastering). In all honesty, I wish you were more pro-digital and would contact the correct people at Capitol or Universal and get involved, so we could have your version appear as a disc or download. I, for one, would be very interested to hear it.

In the interest of fairness, I should say I respect Mr. Desper's work immensely. It's just the flowery terms used to describe analog playback are a bit much.

Good luck Luke. Maybe you should mention those "Good Vibrations" 78s were cut from a hi-res digital file. Not saying you have to, but you could.

The greatest American Existentialist movie ever made. Seriously.

FYI, all the Brother Records albums are now Mastered for iTunes.

Most of the MfiT files sound fine, but there's a huge problem with one track in particular - on the Deluxe Edition of All Summer Long, "Don't Back Down" (Mono) is a mess. The first 00:54 sounds muffled, along with a few crackling noises (almost as if it was a needle drop), then after that the remaining section is fine. Not sure who prepared these files (Mark Linett?), but that's a major gaffe.

According to this post on the Hoffman forums, referring to a Pono Community conversation, the new hi-res releases are the Kevin Gray masters:

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[​IMG]FROM THE VAULTS — Rob Jacobs (PonoMusic)
Aloha! Here are the New Reissues for the week. Light on quantity, but again, some very cool titles.

Sly & The Family Stone - Live at the Fillmore East October 4th & 5th 1968 (OK, this is not a reissue, it's actually a new release from a classic artist. I can't wait to check it out!)
The Beach Boys - Summer Days (And Summer Nights) (Mono)
The Beach Boys - Summer Days (And Summer Nights) (Stereo)
The Beach Boys - Summer Days (And Summer Nights) (Mono & Stereo)
Michael Jackson - Got To Be There (mastered by Kevin Reeves at 4th Floor Studios)
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Alright Again!

The Beach Boys title Summer Days (and Summer Nights), similar To The Beach Boys Today, is another great pre-Pet Sounds album that features both the upbeat gems like 'California Girls' and lesser-known tracks like the gorgeous a-cappella track 'And Your Dream Comes True.' Mmmmm!

Michael Gearhart (Member)
@Rob Jacobs (PonoMusic) Please let me know if the Beach Boys Summer Days album Mono and Stereo are the Kevin Gray mastered editions.
[​IMG][​IMG]
Rob Jacobs (PonoMusic)
Summer Days mono and stereo are in fact Kevin Gray mastered editions.

Michael Gearhart (Member)
Thanks @Rob Jacobs (PonoMusic), I appreciate it. Great news that these are the Kevin Gray masters.
 


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