Pet Sounds 2012 Remaster

[Daniel S.]

Does anyone know if the Pet Sounds 2012 remaster a new mono mix and new stereo mix? Are they using the same mono from the 40th anniversary release?

I didn't have the patience to look through all 85 pages of the other thread.

thanks!

[EgoHanger1966]

Does anyone know if the Pet Sounds 2012 remaster a new mono mix and new stereo mix? Are they using the same mono from the 40th anniversary release?

I didn't have the patience to look through all 85 pages of the other thread.

thanks!

1966 mono mix. Same stereo mix as on the MoFi SACD (which is almost indentical to the other stereo mixes).

[Daniel S.]

is it the same mono mix used for the 40th anniversary release?

[runnersdialzero]

I swear I saw somewhere ages ago that a new mono mix was released, probably in the last 10-15 years. Any truth to that?

[Alan Smith]

Master, not mix

[runnersdialzero]

Master, not mix

Well there've been a good 70 or 80 remasters of the mono Pet Sounds released in the last few years, but there wasn't one with a new mono mix? I swear I remember reading it under the product details and wondering why they'd create a new mono mix.

Guess not, then.

[EgoHanger1966]

Master, not mix

Well there've been a good 70 or 80 remasters of the mono Pet Sounds released in the last few years, but there wasn't one with a new mono mix? I swear I remember reading it under the product details and wondering why they'd create a new mono mix.

Guess not, then.

A couple of the mono issues have remixed intros, but not the full songs.

[sea of tunes]

Quoting myself here:

The "Pet Sounds" remaster is a real disappointment.  As I wrote upon receipt of the Japanese:

I need to go back and re-listen to past Linett masterings of Pet Sounds now to decide how I feel conclusively.  I think (know?) the 2012 Pet Sounds uses the same 1988 tape used for the 1990 cd and the 2006 cd.  Edited song intro's for WIBN, IWFTD, GOK (and maybe others).  Conversely, Linett did not do this on the 1996/97 Pet Sounds Sessions box (disc 4).  There's even a comment about it in the booklet "no remixing was attempted as it would not be true to Brian's vision".  I think (know?) Linett also used the same source for the 2001 two-fer with a few slight EQ changes. 

Going to do some comparison listening today between the 1996, 2012 and maybe the Hoffman DCC (bass heavy....).

The 2012 mono just doesn't sound natural to my ears.  I think the cheapest and best way to get PET SOUNDS will remain the 2001 mono/stereo.  The mono is virtually untouched.

[sea of tunes]

Master, not mix

Well there've been a good 70 or 80 remasters of the mono Pet Sounds released in the last few years, but there wasn't one with a new mono mix? I swear I remember reading it under the product details and wondering why they'd create a new mono mix.

Guess not, then.

A couple of the mono issues have remixed intros, but not the full songs.

The original 1990 CD release suffers from this.  It uses the 1988 tape that Linett did and contains the No-Noise that, in retrospect, obliterates the sonics of the music.

Also, the 2006 (40th Anniversary) uses the same 1988 without no-noise applied.  The same tape has again been used with some additional clean up to songs on the 2012 Remaster.

As you mentioned, there are remixed song intros on at least (but not only, possibly) these songs: "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "God Only Knows" & "I'm Waiting For The Day".  It also sounds like there is some clean up on "Let's Go Away For Awhile".

Basically, what it boils down to (and this is truly unfortunate..but it's reality).  The only non-futzed MONO releases (e.g. no intro's remixed and no noise-reduction used) are the 1997 PSS Disc 4 and the 2001 two-fer.  And I guess the DVD-A from 2003 would be included as well.

So, if you have the 2001 two-fer, you have the best commercial PET SOUNDS.  Unless you have a penchant to try the Steve Hoffman discs and they have their charms..  but I think the cleanest sounding of all of them is the 2001 Linett.

[sea of tunes]

I didn't mean to kill the thread.   

The packaging is great.  And the STEREO sounds great, if you didn't buy the MOFI SACD hybrid from this year (and I didn't).

[SgtTimBob]

Was hoping it would show up on Spotify, but so far it's not there, despite all the other reissued albums being there. I've always tended to listen to the 40th Anniversary Stereo version, as I actually prefer it to the mono (which is odd, as I tend to favour mono versions of the early BB stuff).

[runnersdialzero]

Basically, what it boils down to (and this is truly unfortunate..but it's reality).  The only non-futzed MONO releases (e.g. no intro's remixed and no noise-reduction used) are the 1997 PSS Disc 4 and the 2001 two-fer.  And I guess the DVD-A from 2003 would be included as well.

It's a damn shame.

[Alan Smith]

Master, not mix

Well there've been a good 70 or 80 remasters of the mono Pet Sounds released in the last few years, but there wasn't one with a new mono mix? I swear I remember reading it under the product details and wondering why they'd create a new mono mix.

Guess not, then.

A couple of the mono issues have remixed intros, but not the full songs.

The original 1990 CD release suffers from this.  It uses the 1988 tape that Linett did and contains the No-Noise that, in retrospect, obliterates the sonics of the music.

Also, the 2006 (40th Anniversary) uses the same 1988 without no-noise applied.  The same tape has again been used with some additional clean up to songs on the 2012 Remaster.

As you mentioned, there are remixed song intros on at least (but not only, possibly) these songs: "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "God Only Knows" & "I'm Waiting For The Day".  It also sounds like there is some clean up on "Let's Go Away For Awhile".

Hey Guys - what is your source for the info about the remixed intro's on some mono mixes?

My understanding was the mono master hadn't been dinked with in terms of the mix (as opposed to master or master clean-ups); so I'm genuinely interested to bridge any knowledge gaps I may have - ie, I'm not setting out to start a fight or be a penis about it - cheers - A

[Eric Aniversario]

Not sure if anything is officially newly mixed, but I can vouch that it sounds great!  Both the mono and stereo versions.

[I. Spaceman]

The mono remaster is on Spotify.

[KokoNO]

The mono remaster is on Spotify.

Indeed it is. Not sure why the stereo version isn't on there. Maybe they just figured there was too much duplication between that and other recent stereo mixes?

[pobbard]

I had heard that "You Still Believe In Me" was a new stereo remix that tried to use "audio extraction" to restore the missing doubled lead vocal... any truth to this?

FWIW, unlike (say) the missing bridge in "WIBN" in the original 1996 stereo remix, I never really minded the absence of the 2nd vocal in "You Still Believe In Me"; Brian's single track vocal sounds fantastic.

[37!ws]

Well, basically....help me out here...So far in the Pet Sounds collection, the Mrs. and I have:

- a mono and two "duophonic" copies of the original 1966 vinyl pressing. (Why two duos? No idea.)
- the 1986 vinyl reissue
- Carl and the Passions - "So Tough" / Pet Sounds twofer on vinyl
- the 1990 Capitol CD
- the 1993 DCC gold disc CD
- the 2001 mono/stereo twofer
- the 2006 "fuzzy case" 40th-anniversary reissue
- the DVD-A (which I admit is a bit obsessive considering we don't have a 5.1 setup)
- the vinyl reissue that came out a few years ago that has both the mono and the stereo mixes (and the mono mixes sound like s**t, at least on my copy)
- two copies of The Pet Sounds Sessions (when we got married, neither of us wanted to give up a copy, although I'm really considering it just to clear out some clutter)
- the promo CD that came out in 1996 promoting The Pet Sounds Sessions, which contains the entire album in stereo

Why should I buy the 2012 rererererererererererereissue, and what would I be disappointed to miss if I didn't?

[EgoHanger1966]

I had heard that "You Still Believe In Me" was a new stereo remix that tried to use "audio extraction" to restore the missing doubled lead vocal... any truth to this?

FWIW, unlike (say) the missing bridge in "WIBN" in the original 1996 stereo remix, I never really minded the absence of the 2nd vocal in "You Still Believe In Me"; Brian's single track vocal sounds fantastic.

Not really a new mix persay - but yeah, they used trickery to make it sound like the vocal is doubled. That tape is still missing, so it's not *the* doubled vocal as heard in the mono mix.

[sockittome]

I had heard that "You Still Believe In Me" was a new stereo remix that tried to use "audio extraction" to restore the missing doubled lead vocal... any truth to this?

FWIW, unlike (say) the missing bridge in "WIBN" in the original 1996 stereo remix, I never really minded the absence of the 2nd vocal in "You Still Believe In Me"; Brian's single track vocal sounds fantastic.

I'm just the opposite.  The Brian bridge never bothered me, and I kinda prefer it.  The missing doubled lead in YSBIM really ruins the song for me.  The single vocal sounds weak and quite flat in places, whereas the doubling gives it a fuller sound and hides some of the wandering pitches.   

[SgtTimBob]

I don't know. Compared to the double tracked mono, I kinda prefer the single tracked vocal on the stereo version. Even if it's not completely pitch perfect, it does highlight more of the detail in Brian's delivery. He had such a nice tone at that time that frankly it doesn't matter too much if he's not bang on the money on every note.

[pobbard]

Not really a new mix persay - but yeah, they used trickery to make it sound like the vocal is doubled. That tape is still missing, so it's not *the* doubled vocal as heard in the mono mix.

Thank you! I think I can resist replacing my 2001 PS twofer for now, but I suppose it is only a matter of time...

[SgtTimBob]

Something that really bugs me about Pet Sounds is that I've never heard a mono version that is anything like as enjoyable as the stereo, which is surprising given that all the other BB's albums of that era sound much better in mono (in my opinion). I love a good mono record, I love the punchy-ness off mono, but for whatever reason I can't find a satisfactory mono release of PS.

The monos I've heard always seem somehow... diluted. As if all the instruments just got blended a little too much. Maybe I'm just spoiled by having first heard PS in it's 40th anniversary stereo mix, which reveals a lot of the deatil in the arrangements. It's just a bit annoying, because I am a big fan of the mono sound, to the point where friends think I am some kind of freak for preferring it over stereo, lol.

[buddhahat]

What's the definitive stereo Pet Sounds then?

I've heard a lot of good things about the MFSL SACD released a few years ago but I don't have an SACD player.

Played through a standard cd player, does it still trump all other stereo versions? Anyone compared it to this new one?

[Johnston65]

In my opinion the MoFi Stereo release is the one I listen to the most, and sounds the best. I really don't listen to the mono mix anymore because I can't find a release/mix that sounds as good as it. I barely listen to my 180g vinyl reissue because I think the sound is a little shoddy.