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Author Topic: 14 Beach Boys albums coming to vinyl/SACD  (Read 211311 times)
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« Reply #350 on: January 12, 2015, 05:20:46 AM »

OK, I've rechecked. Last time they estimated 6 weeks from shipping to arrival. This time they calculated only 2 weeks. Last time it arrived way earlier, like a week or two, so it took 4 or 5 weeks - they obviously don't know what they're talking about. So my Christmas album will probably arrive... early next year. Roll Eyes

And so it did, last Thursday. Even though I still haven't taken down my christmas tree, I haven't been in the mood to play the LP since I received it. It couldn't be anywhere near the enjoyment it would have been could I have played it first at christmas time. Angry

Save it til next year!  Not as if it's a new release...
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« Reply #351 on: January 12, 2015, 10:49:08 AM »

OK, I've rechecked. Last time they estimated 6 weeks from shipping to arrival. This time they calculated only 2 weeks. Last time it arrived way earlier, like a week or two, so it took 4 or 5 weeks - they obviously don't know what they're talking about. So my Christmas album will probably arrive... early next year. Roll Eyes

And so it did, last Thursday. Even though I still haven't taken down my christmas tree, I haven't been in the mood to play the LP since I received it. It couldn't be anywhere near the enjoyment it would have been could I have played it first at christmas time. Angry

Save it til next year!  Not as if it's a new release...

Not "next" year, THIS year! Smiley
« Last Edit: January 12, 2015, 10:51:53 AM by John Manning » Logged

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« Reply #352 on: January 12, 2015, 01:41:38 PM »

OK, I've rechecked. Last time they estimated 6 weeks from shipping to arrival. This time they calculated only 2 weeks. Last time it arrived way earlier, like a week or two, so it took 4 or 5 weeks - they obviously don't know what they're talking about. So my Christmas album will probably arrive... early next year. Roll Eyes

And so it did, last Thursday. Even though I still haven't taken down my christmas tree, I haven't been in the mood to play the LP since I received it. It couldn't be anywhere near the enjoyment it would have been could I have played it first at christmas time. Angry
Stop being the christmas grinch and just play that baby!
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« Reply #353 on: January 12, 2015, 02:04:42 PM »

It sounds great at any time of the year!

I once had the pleasure of hearing Brian sing "Little Saint Nick" live in June or July.  They had just recorded his Christmas album so he played it.  Only Brian could get away with that!  I also remember thinking during the line "Christmas comes this time each year".  No it doesn't!  Grin

Also in January 2002 when they played Glasgow Brian and the band did "Auld Lang Syne" "in honour of the great Scottish poet, Robert Burns"!
« Last Edit: January 12, 2015, 02:06:31 PM by mikeddonn » Logged
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« Reply #354 on: January 12, 2015, 05:51:20 PM »

Had to read a couple times to see your post in the middle
  Did you get your message in the wrong place mistakenly?  ( I've done that a couple of times, not seeing the whole message, but usually catch it beofore posting)  or is this a site FU?

I did accidentally put my message in the wrong spot. Sorry about that.
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« Reply #355 on: January 13, 2015, 02:38:48 AM »

Stop being the christmas grinch and just play that baby!

I did play the stereo CD last weekend, but I can't get myself to play something as precious as an LP with the original mono mixes at the wrong time! Embarrassed
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« Reply #356 on: January 15, 2015, 01:18:12 PM »

Was trying to find a site in Europe selling some of these release and came across this - http://snvinyl.co.uk/epages/eshop943300.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=21132032&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=beach+boys

Anyone familiar with the site? might be only UK delivery

Seconded - info appreciated.
 
I've chanced my arm and preordered Holland there but delivery's not due for a long while. The payment system - pre-payment system - was somewhat alien to me but I was happy enight to take the punt. Any reassurance gratefully accepted!

Sorry John reviews online are not good!  However, some people have had good dealings with Scott Nangle.  The thing is according to his address he stays about 10 miles from me.  Maybe I'll take a punt too as I know where he lives!  Keep us posted.
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« Reply #357 on: January 15, 2015, 01:36:29 PM »

Was trying to find a site in Europe selling some of these release and came across this - http://snvinyl.co.uk/epages/eshop943300.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=21132032&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=beach+boys

Anyone familiar with the site? might be only UK delivery

Seconded - info appreciated.
 
I've chanced my arm and preordered Holland there but delivery's not due for a long while. The payment system - pre-payment system - was somewhat alien to me but I was happy enight to take the punt. Any reassurance gratefully accepted!

Sorry John reviews online are not good!  However, some people have had good dealings with Scott Nangle.  The thing is according to his address he stays about 10 miles from me.  Maybe I'll take a punt too as I know where he lives!  Keep us posted.

Eh well… I'll stick with it. Communications from Scott have been good so far and I'm receiving regular newsletters, so prepared to give it that punt. Used visa anyway so the purchase should be guaranteed but hopefully it won't come to that.

SpinCDs are doing the first five hybrid SACDs.
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« Reply #358 on: January 15, 2015, 02:32:14 PM »

I'm sure it will be worth it.  Thanks for the heads up with SpinCds.
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« Reply #359 on: January 16, 2015, 12:22:46 AM »

Was trying to find a site in Europe selling some of these release and came across this - http://snvinyl.co.uk/epages/eshop943300.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=21132032&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=beach+boys

Anyone familiar with the site? might be only UK delivery

Seconded - info appreciated.
 
I've chanced my arm and preordered Holland there but delivery's not due for a long while. The payment system - pre-payment system - was somewhat alien to me but I was happy enight to take the punt. Any reassurance gratefully accepted!

Sorry John reviews online are not good!  However, some people have had good dealings with Scott Nangle.  The thing is according to his address he stays about 10 miles from me.  Maybe I'll take a punt too as I know where he lives!  Keep us posted.

Woah....just googled him, so many bad reviews, definitely not ordering there now..
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« Reply #360 on: January 16, 2015, 03:31:40 AM »

Was trying to find a site in Europe selling some of these release and came across this - http://snvinyl.co.uk/epages/eshop943300.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=21132032&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=beach+boys

Anyone familiar with the site? might be only UK delivery

Seconded - info appreciated.
 
I've chanced my arm and preordered Holland there but delivery's not due for a long while. The payment system - pre-payment system - was somewhat alien to me but I was happy enight to take the punt. Any reassurance gratefully accepted!

Sorry John reviews online are not good!  However, some people have had good dealings with Scott Nangle.  The thing is according to his address he stays about 10 miles from me.  Maybe I'll take a punt too as I know where he lives!  Keep us posted.

Woah....just googled him, so many bad reviews, definitely not ordering there now..

Fear not… I'll take one for the board LOL and report back – if it's good I'll say so; if it's not, I'll say so!
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« Reply #361 on: January 16, 2015, 11:26:12 AM »

Was trying to find a site in Europe selling some of these release and came across this - http://snvinyl.co.uk/epages/eshop943300.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=21132032&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=beach+boys

Anyone familiar with the site? might be only UK delivery

Seconded - info appreciated.
 
I've chanced my arm and preordered Holland there but delivery's not due for a long while. The payment system - pre-payment system - was somewhat alien to me but I was happy enight to take the punt. Any reassurance gratefully accepted!

Sorry John reviews online are not good!  However, some people have had good dealings with Scott Nangle.  The thing is according to his address he stays about 10 miles from me.  Maybe I'll take a punt too as I know where he lives!  Keep us posted.

Woah....just googled him, so many bad reviews, definitely not ordering there now..

Fear not… I'll take one for the board LOL and report back – if it's good I'll say so; if it's not, I'll say so!

Ha, fair play, he does seem to come through eventually for most people (after numerous phone calls, emails etc). Just hate dealing with sellers like that.
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« Reply #362 on: January 21, 2015, 09:32:14 AM »

Placed my first wave of orders...May 1 is a long time to wait:


1 CAPP 059 SA The Beach Boys/ Surfin' USA Hybrid Stereo SACD $ 30.00
1 CAPP 067 SA The Beach Boys/ Pet Sounds Hybrid SACD $ 30.00
1 CAPP 070 SA The Beach Boys/ Surf's Up Hybrid Stereo SACD $ 30.00
1 CAPP 071 SA The Beach Boys/ Holland Hybrid Stereo SACD $ 30.00
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« Reply #363 on: January 24, 2015, 10:01:41 PM »

Okay, my 5 mono vinyl editions  FINALLY arrived today  Pirate.  I'll try to get some reviewish notes up later tonight or tomorrow (public holiday); depending if I get to give them a thorough spin.

Quick comments re the album reproductions - and I haven't got the microscope out yet - nearly all seem really, really well done. While The colours are definitely darker than original pressings, this saturation level reveals more detail (ie, more ripples on waves where there may have been only reflection, the woody on the cover of Surfin' Safari looks rather dirty/rusty) and in all but one case are crisp with a capital wow.

The exception, imo, is Surfin' Safari - while I've noted the colour is darker and a little more detailed, the back cover photos are soft and fuzzy - I don't have a vintage US pressing to compare to - however, my 1978 (I think) twofer vinyl copy, is definitely clearer; how about you guys with a original, what do you think.

Anyways, details to follow - A
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« Reply #364 on: January 25, 2015, 03:37:50 PM »

Looking forward to the reviews Alan!

I have an original UK and several reissues of Surfin' Safari.  The original back cover is the darkest (difficult to make out features like eyes).  The other copies are brighter/lighter and probably better.  The Toshiba/EMI Japanese issue (70s) has a soft look to it, almost what some airbrushed photos might look like.

Cheers,

Mike.
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« Reply #365 on: January 25, 2015, 09:46:09 PM »


COMMENT:  Good Move. When you get your LP, look within the lead-out grooves and see if the Artisan logo is visible. It's a circle with an "A" combined. If you see that logo, then you have an original pressing from the original mastering house. If you don't see the Artisan logo, then you have a pressing made sometime after the original offering, or a re-issued or second pressing, or third pressing. Should be the same as the original, just a generation down. 

Good Listening, ~Stephen W. Desper

This is a fascinating discussion and I have enjoyed reading Stephen Desper's comments, insights, and opinions.

Perhaps I'm obsessive in regard to Sunflower, since I own 14 vinyl copies of the album (as well as a number of CDs).  Eight of those copies are on the US Brother/Reprise label, including the original i bought on August 21, 1970.  Five of my US copies were purchased new during the years 1970 - 1980, and three were purchased used in the eighties and nineties - a Capitol Record Club pressing and two Reprise Records Radio Station Service copies. 

In the past, having looked the matrix numbers in the lead out grooves, I'd seen the Artisan logo that Stephen describes, but never knew what it represented, so it's really cool to now have that knowledge.  Since there are discernible EQ differences found between many of my vinyl copies of Sunflower (and the CD copies as well), a few years ago I made notes detailing those differences. 

What is interesting, in checking my notes and comparing my listening conclusions to the Artisan mastered LPs, is that the LPs I had found to sound identical to my original 1970 album purchase were all mastered by Artisan, and with one exception those that sounded different do not have the Artisan logo.  To be specific, I have US copies of Sunflower purchased new in 1970, 74, and 78, as well as the two Reprise Radio Station promo copies from 1970 that were all mastered by Artisan and sound identical.  The Capitol Records Club version, which would have been pressed early on, in 1970 or 71, lacks the Artisan logo, but also sounds essentially similar to the original.  But two US copies I purchased new in 1978 and 1980 do not have the Artisan logo and sound significantly worse than the others, with noticeably less bass and overly boosted treble.  (My foreign copies of Sunflower, as well as the US 2009 Capitol LP, also have EQ differences compared to the original.  The US 2009 Capitol LP is unique in this respect in that not only is the overall EQ different from the original US release, but the EQ also varies between various songs in ways not found on the original release.)

 I'm curious as to the later copies;  do the ones that sound bad have 31,007/8 or 31,007/8 RE1 as the master # ?
and purely from the collector's view, are any of them on the Steamboat label? ( if so, are they RE1? or first run)

and I don't think 14 copies is even close to being obsessive from a collector's POV

No, the US LP copies I have of Sunflower with numbers close to or the same as you mention, specifically RS-6382 31007-A-1A & 31008-B-1A (8-70 promo copy), RS-6382 31007-A-1B & 31008-B-1A (8-70 promo copy), RS-6382 31007-A-1B, 31008-B-1B (purchased 8-21-70), and RS-6382A 31007-Re1 (purchased 8-74 & 8-78) all have the Artisan logo and sound great (and identical to each other).

The Brother/Reprise US copies that I have that don't sound as good as the Artisan pressings are RW-6382 LW1 (purchased 6-78 & 8-80).  These pressings do not sound as good as the originals, having less bass and more treble.  Also, unlike the others, the label is not glossy.  All non-promo copies of the albums were purchased new and feature the yellow Brother/Reprise label. 

Bgas, since you're a heavy duty collector, perhaps you could provide some explanation as to what the various matrix numbers may indicate, for example "31007-A-1A" as opposed to "31007-A-!B" (both side one), "Re-1", and the change from "RS-6382" to "RS-6382-A" to "RW-6382", "LW-1", etc.

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« Reply #366 on: January 25, 2015, 09:55:08 PM »


 
COMMENT:  Good Move. When you get your LP, look within the lead-out grooves and see if the Artisan logo is visible. It's a circle with an "A" combined. If you see that logo, then you have an original pressing from the original mastering house. If you don't see the Artisan logo, then you have a pressing made sometime after the original offering, or a re-issued or second pressing, or third pressing. Should be the same as the original, just a generation down.  

Good Listening, ~Stephen W. Desper

This is a fascinating discussion and I have enjoyed reading Stephen Desper's comments, insights, and opinions.

Perhaps I'm obsessive in regard to Sunflower, since I own 14 vinyl copies of the album (as well as a number of CDs).  Eight of those copies are on the US Brother/Reprise label, including the original i bought on August 21, 1970.  Five of my US copies were purchased new during the years 1970 - 1980, and three were purchased used in the eighties and nineties - a Capitol Record Club pressing and two Reprise Records Radio Station Service copies.  

In the past, having looked the matrix numbers in the lead out grooves, I'd seen the Artisan logo that Stephen describes, but never knew what it represented, so it's really cool to now have that knowledge.  Since there are discernible EQ differences found between many of my vinyl copies of Sunflower (and the CD copies as well), a few years ago I made notes detailing those differences.  

What is interesting, in checking my notes and comparing my listening conclusions to the Artisan mastered LPs, is that the LPs I had found to sound identical to my original 1970 album purchase were all mastered by Artisan, and with one exception those that sounded different do not have the Artisan logo.  To be specific, I have US copies of Sunflower purchased new in 1970, 74, and 78, as well as the two Reprise Radio Station promo copies from 1970 that were all mastered by Artisan and sound identical.  The Capitol Records Club version, which would have been pressed early on, in 1970 or 71, lacks the Artisan logo, but also sounds essentially similar to the original.  But two US copies I purchased new in 1978 and 1980 do not have the Artisan logo and sound significantly worse than the others, with noticeably less bass and overly boosted treble.  (My foreign copies of Sunflower, as well as the US 2009 Capitol LP, also have EQ differences compared to the original.  The US 2009 Capitol LP is unique in this respect in that not only is the overall EQ different from the original US release, but the EQ also varies between various songs in ways not found on the original release.)

Stephen, would it be correct to assume that for some reason the mastering engineer for the poorer sounding Brother/Reprise copies I purchased in 1978 and 1980 was working from an LP master tape which was a copy of the mastering you and Carl did, but for some reason that engineer reduced the bass and boosted the treble when cutting a new LP lacquer?  Or could he have received a tape copy where someone had made those EQ changes?

COMMENT:  What a fascinating bouquet of Sunflower's you have in your collection. The sonic differences you hear may be do to over-active engineers, but is probably due to the use of different lathe manufactures. I liked Neumann. I thought they were more "Hi-Fi" sounding. Scully Lathes are brighter with less bottom. Ortofon lathes peak in the mids. Neumann seemed more balanced to me. If the record you play has the Artison logo within the leadout grooves, you can be assured that Carl and myself were involved in the mastering. The way it worked back then was that after the final album reel was assembled, it would be mastered. Carl and I had some last minute tweaks made at the time of mastering -- around fifty changes or so. A master disc was cut while at the same time an LP Master (or Mastering Master) tape was made. The final LP Master was mastered to sound correct if the master disc was cut on a Neumann Lathe using an SX-68 or SX-74 cutter head. From the master disk a mother was made, and so forth. Pressings from this first-pressing were approved by Carl and myself. Later pressings were approved by me until there were so many you could not keep track. However, I will assure you that any disc with the Artisan Logo was mastered by Carl and myself and is part of the batch pressed from the Neumann cut master.  Thanks again for the tour of your many Sunflower versions. I never know how many versions there were out there, but I can see how some would sound different from others. ~swd  


Stephen, thanks so much for the explanation of the sonic differences of various mastering lathes and cutting heads.  I have a Stateside European release of Sunflower, made in Germany, with slightly accentuated midrange compared to the Artisan originals, so I'm thinking perhaps it was mastered on an Ortofon lathe.

When you say, "Carl and I had some last minute tweaks made at the time of mastering -- around fifty changes or so," what types of changes did you make?  Mostly EQ?  Some changes in level?  Compression?  Were these changes applied to the entire album, or on the fly so that they were different depending on the track?  (That last question assumes it's possible to make changes to an individual album track when mastering, you can let me know if that's possible or not.)

EDIT:  Stephen, please also see my question for you at the end of the next post.
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« Reply #367 on: January 25, 2015, 10:39:22 PM »

"Please Let Me Wonder" sounds like a complete mono remix, to my ears.  When compared to other releases.

I wouldn't believe that when I read what you wrote, but now I finally found the time to check - and it definitely is as you say. On the original there is a mixing flub in the instrumental break they eliminated from the new version. I'm glad the 2009 LP still contains the original mix, from whatever tape they've sourced that from.

Thank you to Mr. Desper and Custom Machine for all that info regarding mastering in general and Sunflower versions! I have the 2009 LP, which to me better than the CD version as I said, but obviously I have no clue how it is supposed to sound! Custom Machine, what is your opinion on the job done with the 2009 print?

Micha, I think the 2009 Sunflower LP sounds great, with the exception of Got to Know the Woman.  Overall, the 2009 remaster has significantly more bass than the 1970 original, which is in keeping with current recording practice, in that music released today, including remasters of older material, often has significantly more bass than was common when Sunflower was first released.  Personally, I like that change, but whether or not that's a good thing is your call based on personal preference.  If you're listening on a device with a bass control or EQ settings you can tweak things to your liking, but many devices today do not have tone controls, and accentuated bass has become so popular these days that many powered speakers and headphones are voiced to pump up the bass.  

Getting back to the 2009 LP release of Sunflower, while I said that overall the new LP has more bass than the original, that's not the case on Deirdre and Tears in the morning, which have about the same amount of bass as the original, or Slip on Through, which has less bass than the original release.  Got to Know the Woman has less treble than the original, unfortunately imparting a somewhat muffled sound, and in my opinion that track sounds significantly worse than the 1970 original.  But, as far as the whole 2009 LP is concerned, in some cases the vocals come across as slightly smoother and less strident, which is an improvement.  

So in the absence of finding a pristine original copy of Sunflower, the 2009 LP is well worth buying.  The packaging is top quality, with a copy of the original "Add Some Music" cover used for the heavy duty inner sleeve.  One more thing - the three copies I've heard of the 2009 LP all suffered from one, two, or three instances of one to two seconds of irritating vinyl non-fill distortion in one channel, caused when the vinyl cools before completely filling the stamper.  This is more of an issue with today's heavier (180 gram in the case of Sunflower) vinyl LPs compared to around 120 grams used in 1970.  The forthcoming Analog Productions reissue of Sunflower will be 200 grams, but they own their own pressing plant and do a superb manufacturing job, so I'm not expecting any non-fill distortion issues with their Sunflower reissue; their albums are usually super quiet, but also expensive at $30.

Stephen, if you're reading this, I'm curious what you think of Mark Linett and Alan Boyd's statement back around 2009 that they had found the presumably misplaced original master copy of the Sunflower tape.  I'm not sure if they were talking about the master used before making the LP master, or the LP master you and Carl made, but since the song-to-song sonic balance of the 2009 LP often doesn't match that of the original 1970 LP, what exactly do you think they found, and presumably used for the 2009 LP?
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« Reply #368 on: January 25, 2015, 11:04:02 PM »

Thanks for the detailed answer, Custom Machine! The LP has more bass than even the CD has.

EQing is really a drag sometimes. The treble is so emphasized on on TSS and MIC that I actually turn my treble knob down to the lowest notch, and the bass is so strong I leave the bass knob in neutral. On earlier releases I used to turn up the bass and leave the treble in neutral.

I've been thinking that as the treble gets stronger with each release, maybe Linett's ears don't hear treble as loud anymore as they used to... angel

Also, the GV from the last two releases make my speakers boom/drone (not sure which is the right English word) whenever a F# is played by the bass, which the 1993 box set doesn't do, even when I turn up the bass knob to full! Shocked
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« Reply #369 on: January 25, 2015, 11:50:13 PM »

Thanks for the detailed answer, Custom Machine! The LP has more bass than even the CD has.

EQing is really a drag sometimes. The treble is so emphasized on on TSS and MIC that I actually turn my treble knob down to the lowest notch, and the bass is so strong I leave the bass knob in neutral. On earlier releases I used to turn up the bass and leave the treble in neutral.

I've been thinking that as the treble gets stronger with each release, maybe Linett's ears don't hear treble as loud anymore as they used to... angel

Also, the GV from the last two releases make my speakers boom/drone (not sure which is the right English word) whenever a F# is played by the bass, which the 1993 box set doesn't do, even when I turn up the bass knob to full! Shocked

Yeah, the compression that gets applied to a lot of CD's these days  Brow - it's getting depressingly obvious on a lot of 16 bit digital stuff, less so on High Res and rarely on good old vinyl (unless from a balls source) - I pump most stuff through a DAC these days in order to clean up the signal, but also to avoid hurting my ears.

Most audio heads would tell you to leave your treble and bass at 0 (flat) - I'm a bit of a bass pig, and set mine at 3/4's (where 0 is half way).

And Custom, I was playing a copy of the Caribou Sunflower CD today - Slip On Through starts off sounding great with a really wide soundscape and nice balance, but a soon as the chorus hits, things get murky and confused. Interesting stuff.  While you are waiting for Stephen to respond, have a poke around in his thread - I remember him addressed the rediscovered flat master specifically over there (I think), or as a response in the Alan Boyd thread.
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« Reply #370 on: January 26, 2015, 12:13:34 AM »

The booming F# has to do with compression?
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« Reply #371 on: January 26, 2015, 12:35:12 AM »

The booming F# has to do with compression?
There should be no booming if mastered well.

Unless your amp is unwell - can of worms warning.

Played that Christmas record yet - you really should.  Every single day is Christmas Day  Wink
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« Reply #372 on: January 26, 2015, 01:16:13 AM »

Played that Christmas record yet - you really should.  Every single day is Christmas Day  Wink

Only in heaven Wink 2 Maybe I will when there's finally some snow, haven't had any in my town all winter. A little bit last Saturday, but it was all gone the next day.
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Alan Smith
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« Reply #373 on: January 26, 2015, 03:28:19 AM »

OK!

Let's go Surfin' NOW!

Here's the new cover artwork for the Analogue Productions audiophile re-issue of Surfin' Safari:


Tee hee.  Okay, seriously-ish now.  My 5 mono re-issues finally arrived - as  mentioned above, I'm pretty happy although I will note the exchange rate has let me down somewhat with the Au $ clocking in at around 78 US cents, meaning each of these babes has cost me about $39 US, or 26 quid and 30 pee a pop.  Hence, I am posting this while my wife is not in the house.

Anyway, I've decided to compare the new to my late '70s twofer vinyl of Surfin' Safari/Surfin USA.  While not apples to apples (as I don't have an original US apple), the twofer vinyl represents the edition I'm most used to.

Artwork

Front covers (new left, old right):  I'm going to give it to the '78ish reissue on the basis of sharpness.  The colours are better on the new, but sharper on the older.  Could be a stylistic decision and as per my earlier post, would love some comments from those with an original (I don't have an original because the only ones that have come my way were too beat too sh*t for the $ asked, imo)


I note as well, the 1978 reissue is more "intricate" re the album title font and colours - nitpicky stuff.

Back covers:
Again, for me the 1978 twofer wins in terms of sharpness of image, although the A/P reissue colour balance is nicer (and new, therefore not age yellowed)



New: Twofer:

Between the covers:

Each album contains a gate fold flyer - it's the same flyer for each record (that I've received), and the cover has an alternate version of the Surfin' Safari album - you'll notice Dave is pointing a little higher and the rest of the guys are in slightly different positions. Also, the two little kids in the background behind Dennis have toddled off:



Page 2 has photos of the tape boxes for Surfer Girl, Sufin' Safari and side 1 of Sunflower:



Interesting here is the notation that these tapes (and lets assume the rest of the catalogue) have been transferred to 32 bit/192khz - which bodes well for a high def future.

Alan Boyd is listed as Research Consultant, and Mark Linett as Audio Consultant - it doesn't mention that Mark portrayed Chuck Britz in the upcoming Brian Wilson biopic, and also acted as technical advisor in said film.

The pressing
A/P claim to have only pressed 1,000 albums per stamper, so it's likely the disc in your hands is technically out of print.  The inner sleeve packing is generous: and I imagine the label is a good approximation of the original while replete with updated song writing credits, copyright and ownership details:

The sound


Sounds fuckin' great on my rig as pictured.  No major revelations, but the bass is definitely up and balanced against the rest of the tracks. You can get a real mental image of Dennis ticking away at that high hat.

Now, on my old twofer, just after this fella walks up to Mike Love and taps him on the shoulder and says I can win your girl a prize and flexes all his muscles and knocks the bell up in the sky on County Fair, the sound kind of drops out of lowers in fidelity - this seems to have been corrected on this reissue, I'm not sure if this phenomenon is local to the twofer vinyl or appeared on the original pressings.

Surfin' Safari is potentially (IMO) going to be the most problematic album in terms of an audiophile release - there's no real studio wizardry hidden behind poor mixing or mastering, nor are there any previously unheard dazzingly amazing performances. However, the charm and innocence of this beloved album are maintained and presented beautifully on a clean and nicely executed set.



« Last Edit: January 26, 2015, 04:18:35 AM by Alan Smith » Logged

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« Reply #374 on: January 26, 2015, 10:41:33 PM »

Thank you for the detailed description, Al!

Now this offensive Euro/Dollar exchange rate at the moment... Angry
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