Vinyl TSS

[Mahalo]

...mind was duly blown to bits last night listening to TSS on vinyl for the first time. To be honest I haven't been listening to hardly any BB's lately. I just hooked up my old yamaha yp-b4 agin and put on the vinyl and was floored.

THIS MUSIC WAS MADE FOR VINYL!!! There is no comparison, really.

Even though the belt turns just a little fast, the music sounded perfect. Brian's production genius, the sound he heard in his head, came through like I've never really heard before. Therein lies a warmth, and a punch that the vinyl delivers that is just not the same with digital.

BWPS and TSS must be heard on vinyl....after that you just might not listen to them again digitally!!   

[Lowbacca]

BWPS and TSS must be heard on vinyl....after that you just might not listen to them again digitally!!   

AMEN.  BWPS and TSS on a turntable are among the most beautiful experiences I had with music (so far, in my short life).

[Mahalo]

If there is anybody on the fence about purchasing the vinyl, by all means do it! It is worth every penny!

[The Shift]

If there is anybody on the fence about purchasing the vinyl, by all means do it! It is worth every penny!

Have done, and have just shelled out £400 on a deck just so I can listen to it… and now Capitol expects me to buy Sounds of Summer with its free dishcloth?

Edit: this just in from Amazon UK:
Important Message
Please note that the price of Sounds of Summer Merch Kit Lg has increased from £16.97 to £18.85 …

[sidewinder572]

Absolutely. Like BWPS the vinyl absolutely blows the CD out of the water and then some. Not taking anything away from the CDs. But I'll probably never listen to them again. This has nothing to do with the sound quality, but this day in age the CD format is nearly dead. I just listen on my iPhone. I also just realized my belt was turning fast so I just replaced it. 

[DonnyL]

I agree but I think it's mostly the ritual and artifacts of the vinyl that make the experience better.  I'd bet the same master was used for both.  And many (dare I suggest most) vinyl reissues are actually mastered from 16-bit CD files.

Vinyl commands more active and interactive listening.

[sidewinder572]

Just did a back to back of "Our Prayer" 1st digital and then vinyl. Night and day.

[Alex]

I just use a $60 Sony turntable and it sounds fine to me. The high-end 70s turntable with expensive stylus/cartridge is just a little ways beyond my budget.

[Alan Smith]

...I'd bet the same master was used for both.  And many (dare I suggest most) vinyl reissues are actually mastered from 16-bit CD files.

...I think it's mostly the ritual and artifacts of the vinyl that make the experience better. 

That's probably correct, although the TSS master is at 88.2khz - so the vinyl is probably a more accurate reproduction of the master as opposed to standard CD (at 44khz/16 bit), but maybe on par or less than HDCD (24 bit/88.2).  A few other variables can influence the vinyl, like the chops of the vinyl mastering engineer, but if there is one thing the BB's usually do well, it's getting the best sound they can out there - and probably more so for this gear.

I like to think that if the original recordings were all analog, it's gonna sound fat on a turntable.

Love your comment about ritual - the music is awesome, the enjoyment of which is enhanced watching the disc go round and round and round....

[runnersdialzero]

This music was made more for ears and less for vinyl, imo.

[CosmicDancer]

Vinyl commands more active and interactive listening.

This is what I love about having re-discovered the vinyl experience.  It takes a bit more effort to put a record on and flip it once the side finishes.  I find that even for me, someone who is very dedicated to the music that I love, it's easy to let music fade into the background at times when I can just throw in a cd or click the mouse on the computer.  I find that I pay closer attention and enjoy my listening experience more when I listen on vinyl.

My turntable is not super high quality, but my receiver and speakers are pretty good.  I don't know if I'm getting the full experience, but regardless, I love vinyl.

[absinthe_boy]

I agree but I think it's mostly the ritual and artifacts of the vinyl that make the experience better.  I'd bet the same master was used for both.  And many (dare I suggest most) vinyl reissues are actually mastered from 16-bit CD files.

Vinyl commands more active and interactive listening.

In the case of BWPS a special mater was prepared for the vinyl, even going as far as to master via analogue magnetic tape. It is a wholly different experience compared to the CD - which in itself is one of the better CD's I own (in that it is actually listenable).

For TSS I'm not sure - purely because I haven't ready anything online or elsewhere about the mastering process. I appreciate an appropriately equalised vinyl master would have been produced, but whether this was generated from the same source as the CD master I don't know.

Either way....TSS on vinyl blows the CD out of the water and I cannot imagine ever listening to the CD. And it is not just 'artifacts' or the experience/ritual of putting a record on. I can hear things that just simply are not there on the CD.

[DonnyL]

I agree but I think it's mostly the ritual and artifacts of the vinyl that make the experience better.  I'd bet the same master was used for both.  And many (dare I suggest most) vinyl reissues are actually mastered from 16-bit CD files.

Vinyl commands more active and interactive listening.

In the case of BWPS a special mater was prepared for the vinyl, even going as far as to master via analogue magnetic tape. It is a wholly different experience compared to the CD - which in itself is one of the better CD's I own (in that it is actually listenable).

For TSS I'm not sure - purely because I haven't ready anything online or elsewhere about the mastering process. I appreciate an appropriately equalised vinyl master would have been produced, but whether this was generated from the same source as the CD master I don't know.

Either way....TSS on vinyl blows the CD out of the water and I cannot imagine ever listening to the CD. And it is not just 'artifacts' or the experience/ritual of putting a record on. I can hear things that just simply are not there on the CD.

vinyl is a living, breathing thing ... you will hear things differently and it feels more 'real' ... my basic point is this will happen even with the exact same source.  i.e., you could take a CD and press the vinyl from it, and it'll still have this effect.  although it's even better with an all-analog singal chain from microphone all the way to vinyl ...

[rab2591]

My first vinyl experience: Herb Alpert's Going Places.

That record makes it sound like the musicians are in the room playing right in from of me. I mean, it's utterly unreal how amazing it sounds on vinyl.

I've yet to really listen to SMiLE on vinyl. I just haven't been in the mood lately I guess. I really can't wait though!

[SMiLE Brian]

My first vinyl experience: Herb Alpert's Going Places.

That record makes it sound like the musicians are in the room playing right in from of me. I mean, it's utterly unreal how amazing it sounds on vinyl.

I've yet to really listen to SMiLE on vinyl. I just haven't been in the mood lately I guess. I really can't wait though!

Its a trip with my basement surround sound playing mono pet sounds or SMiLE. Playing phil spector records on vinyl are amazing as well.

[rab2591]

My first vinyl experience: Herb Alpert's Going Places.

That record makes it sound like the musicians are in the room playing right in from of me. I mean, it's utterly unreal how amazing it sounds on vinyl.

I've yet to really listen to SMiLE on vinyl. I just haven't been in the mood lately I guess. I really can't wait though!

Its a trip with my basement surround sound playing mono pet sounds or SMiLE. Playing phil spector records on vinyl are amazing as well.

I listened to the new Pet Sounds pressing a month ago (been listening to side 2 on repeat for the last few days) - WIBN was kind of a letdown - but the rest of that album....it was like another speaker was hooked up and I could hear things more clearly/distinctly.

I really thought it was hype beforehand...but damn vinyls rule. Can't wait to get a copy of All Summer Long!

[SMiLE Brian]

My first vinyl experience: Herb Alpert's Going Places.

That record makes it sound like the musicians are in the room playing right in from of me. I mean, it's utterly unreal how amazing it sounds on vinyl.

I've yet to really listen to SMiLE on vinyl. I just haven't been in the mood lately I guess. I really can't wait though!

Its a trip with my basement surround sound playing mono pet sounds or SMiLE. Playing phil spector records on vinyl are amazing as well.

I listened to the new Pet Sounds pressing a month ago (been listening to side 2 on repeat for the last few days) - WIBN was kind of a letdown - but the rest of that album....it was like another speaker was hooked up and I could hear things more clearly/distinctly.

I really thought it was hype beforehand...but damn vinyls rule. Can't wait to get a copy of All Summer Long!

All summer long is awesome as well, Side Two of Today in Mono was almost a religious experience.

[rab2591]

Will be on the lookout for those! When work picks up again I'm definitely adding quite a few more BB albums to my collection.

I got a vintage Friends pressing last month as well - sounds pretty damn good, I think I'll spin that one tonight.

[absinthe_boy]

vinyl is a living, breathing thing ... you will hear things differently and it feels more 'real' ... my basic point is this will happen even with the exact same source.  i.e., you could take a CD and press the vinyl from it, and it'll still have this effect.  although it's even better with an all-analog singal chain from microphone all the way to vinyl ...

While what you say is true, there is more to it than that. A well mastered and pressed LP will allow you to hear things you simply cannot hear on the CD. Things that are there on the master tape.

[runnersdialzero]

Vinyl commands more active and interactive listening.

No, it doesn't.

[rab2591]

Vinyl commands more active and interactive listening.

No, it doesn't.

It depends on the person. When I listen to an MP3 album on my computer it's usually just for background noise (even if it's Pet Sounds)....

But with vinyl I sit in a chair and close my eyes and really soak in the music. With the knowledge that vinyls wear out over time, I cherish mostly every listen.

[drbeachboy]

If you do the same thing with a CD or other digital media that you do with an LP, then you will hear most, if not all of the same things. The fact that you have different routines for different types of media doesn't mean that the sounds are not there. Before the CD age, I  just as often put on an LP for background music as I would to sit down and really listen to it through.

[rab2591]

Regardless of how I listen to CDs or Mp3s (sometimes I do sit and just listen to an MP3 or CD album) - I find that vinyl has a much deeper and cleaner sound.

[drbeachboy]

Regardless of how I listen to CDs or Mp3s (sometimes I do sit and just listen to an MP3 or CD album) - I find that vinyl has a much deeper and cleaner sound.

That's cool. I was just responding to your post (#20). You kind of said the opposite of what you are saying in this post with no mention of why you prefer vinyl over mp3 (digital). I agree that vinyl has a different sound, whether I would call it a "cleaner" sound, not so sure, there. Definitely a different listening experience, for sure. I am happy to see vinyl making a bit of a comeback.

[rab2591]

Regardless of how I listen to CDs or Mp3s (sometimes I do sit and just listen to an MP3 or CD album) - I find that vinyl has a much deeper and cleaner sound.

That's cool. I was just responding to your post (#20). You kind of said the opposite of what you are saying in this post with no mention of why you prefer vinyl over mp3 (digital). I agree that vinyl has a different sound, whether I would call it a "cleaner" sound, not so sure, there. Definitely a different listening experience, for sure. I am happy to see vinyl making a bit of a comeback.

In post 20 I was just agreeing with a poster that said vinyls make for a more interactive listening experience (getting the record from the sleeve, placing the needle, having to get up and change sides). I wasn't really referring to the quality of sound in that post. Looking back my post really doesn't make sense though haha.

But regardless, indeed it is different! I'm glad they're making a comeback too!