Which is the best sounding MONO Pet Sounds?

[Jaspy]

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).

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

1. 80's Capitol reissue with green label LP



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

[Jaspy]

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.

[Biggus Dikkus]

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.

[DonnyL]

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'.

[Amazing Larry]

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

[Runaways]

i find hoffmans 93 vinyl too bass heavy

[Jaspy]

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...

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

the '80s Capitol green label has the duophonic 'Wouldn't it Be Nice'.

This is not so.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

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

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.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

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.

$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

[petsite]

Um, this copy?

[?]

the '80s Capitol green label has the duophonic 'Wouldn't it Be Nice'.

This is not so.

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.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Um, this copy?

I want to believe.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

the '80s Capitol green label has the duophonic 'Wouldn't it Be Nice'.

This is not so.

I believe there's 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 was not aware of this. Mine is true mono and top quality.

[jeffcdo]

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).

[Jaspy]

$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

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

[Wirestone]

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."

[drbeachboy]

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.

[hypehat]

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

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Japan Greenline 2800 series CD is good too.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

$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

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

Great job!

[sea of tunes]

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.

[GroovinGarrett]

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

Mono CD: DCC

Stereo CD: MoFi hybrid SACD

[SG7]

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