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New masterings of Pet Sounds


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From Acoustic Sounds:

 

The Beach Boys-Pet Sounds-FLAC 192kHz24bit Download|Acoustic Sounds

 

The ultimate pressings of the Beach Boys discography from Analogue Productions!Original mono mix produced by Brian Wilson

Stereo mix produced by Mark Linett under the supervision of Brian Wilson / Mixed by Mark Linett. Pet Soundswas mixed from an assembled digital multi-track master that synced the original 4 track master instrumental with the 4 or 8 track vocal overdub master. The stereo mix was mixed to 15 ips 1/4" analog tape with SR noise reduction.

Audio production — Mark Linett

For Brother Records — Elliott Lott

Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, most from the original master tapes or best sources available

Hybrid Stereo/Mono SACD plays in both CD and SACD players, as well as all SACD-compatible DVD players

"These are the best sounding and best-looking versions of the Beach Boys records that have ever been produced. We want everything about these to be better than the original." — Chad Kassem, owner and CEO, Acoustic Sounds

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I have the 24/192 HDT download, which sounds very good. Just a bit better IMHO is the MFSL SACD.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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When did you get your 192 HDT download? This week or a few months ago?

 

A long while ago (without checking, I'm thinking close to a year ago or even further back than that) when the Mark Linett stereo version was first available.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Redbook MFSL?

 

Hello fritzg,

 

I purchased the MFSL when it was first released: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Ultradisc UHR™ Stereo Hybrid SACD.

 

Best,

Richard

 

New Numbered Limited-Edition and Mini-LP Style Packaging

 

Awash In Oceans of Sound: Production As Legendary as the Incredible Music, Laden with Unorthodox Instrumentation and Layers Upon Layers of Sound

No album comes more vetted than the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. Universally renowned for its groundbreaking songs, majestic arrangements, landmark production, emotional lyrics, and bold creativity the 1966 record forever altered the pop-culture landscape and how everyone experiences music. Hailed not only by the international press, the set also remains prized for its impact on countless artists that changed their approach after beholding its sheer scope and genius. Household-name musicians including Paul McCartney, Elton John, Roger Waters, Elvis Costello, and Bob Dylan cite Pet Sounds as being among their favorite LPs and for influencing their direction. Now, it’s time you heard the best-possible version ever made available.

 

Mastered from original first-generation analog stereo mixes by Brian Wilson and Mark Linett, Pet Sounds has never sounded better. Recognizing the stature and importance of the album—particularly to audiophiles and Beach Boys fanatics—Mobile Fidelity engineers treated this project with utmost reverence, extracting previously buried information and obscured details that add to the elaborate music’s meaning, enjoyment, mood, and breadth.

 

Famous for its use of multiple layers of unorthodox instrumentation, harmony-based choruses, ensemble refrains, blended reverberation, and recurring echo, the record’s sonic pastiches arrive with unrivaled airiness, immediacy, transparency, width, and depth. Even those that swear by the mono version will find their minds (and heads) blown. Enhanced, too, are Brian and Carl Wilson’s spiritually informed high-register vocal performances, now unbound by any connection to artificial ceilings or veiled frequencies. Prepare to swoon.

 

Encompassing psychedelic, pop, baroque, and even prog-rock styles, and distinguished with eminently personal lyrics that delve into themes of love, innocence, hope, and loneliness like few records before or since, Pet Sounds’ brilliance cannot be exaggerated. Neither can its sway.Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson weaves organs, harpsichords, Theremins, dog whistles, bells, exotic strings, and just about every other imaginable sound effect amidst traditional instrumentation in sculpting rich symphonies marked by some of the most innovative, heartbreaking melodies ever composed. Flush with multi-colored soundscapes, the lush arrangements open up to seemingly impossible worlds of sound that still leave listeners agog.

 

It’s easy to go on at length about Pet Sounds’ legacy—the masterwork inspired the Beatles’Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, remains the touchstone for all serious pop music, and stands as a standard-bearer of near-perfect record production—but we’d rather steer you to securing this remastered collectable edition and hearing what’s in store.Mobile Fidelityhas never been prouder to put its stamp on a classic. So go ahead, rediscover the monument that is Pet Sounds.

 

The Beach Boys Pet Sounds Track Listing:

 

1. Wouldn't It Be Nice

2. You Still Believe In Me

3. That's Not Me

4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)

5. I'm Waiting For The Day

6. Let's Go Away For Awhile

7. Sloop John B

8. God Only Knows

9. I Know There's An Answer

10. Here Today

11. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times

12. Pet Sounds

13. Caroline No

 

image.jpg

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Richard, are you listening to the RedBook layer or SACD layer?

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Richard, are you listening to the RedBook layer or SACD layer?

 

Listening to the redbook layer on my system after XLD conversion to AIFF 44.1/16. And the SACD layer through Oppo 95 HDMI to Atlona via coax to W4S Dac2 DSDse.

 

Best,

Richard

 

PS

The HDMI to Atlona allows me to bypass the Oppo Dacs in favor of my W4S Dac2 DSDse, which is my preference.

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What I wanted to know was if you preferred the rebook layer of the MSFL to the hi res downloads.

 

Listening to the redbook layer on my system after XLD conversion to AIFF 44.1/16. And the SACD layer through Oppo 95 HDMI to Atlona via coax to W4S Dac2 DSDse.

 

Best,

Richard

 

PS

The HDMI to Atlona allows me to bypass the Oppo Dacs in favor of my W4S Dac2 DSDse, which is my preference.

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What I wanted to know was if you preferred the rebook layer of the MSFL to the hi res downloads.

 

I already posted that assessment. But looking at this thread, it must have been asked and answered at another thread. Therefore to answer your question, I prefer the redbook layer of the MFSL Hybrid SACD to the Hi-Res downloads. I played them one after the other the day after watching the Love And Mercy film on Apple TV. I was disappointed with the Mono/Stereo download, 192/24, AIFF. Then played the MFSL last, and that redbook layer sounded best.

 

Best,

Richard

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Thanks. I always find it interesting when folks prefer lower res versions. Makes me wonder if they'd prefer a lossy mastering they liked to a decent high res.

 

And I'm curious, what setting on the sound from Love and Mercy and the AppleTV? PCM or 5.1 sound? ;-)

 

I already posted that assessment. But looking at this thread, it must have been asked and answered at another thread. Therefore to answer your question, I prefer the redbook layer of the MFSL Hybrid SACD to the Hi-Res downloads. I played them one after the other the day after watching the Love And Mercy film on Apple TV. I was disappointed with the Mono/Stereo download, 192/24, AIFF. Then played the MFSL last, and that redbook layer sounded best.

 

Best,

Richard

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Thanks. I always find it interesting when folks prefer lower res versions. Makes me wonder if they'd prefer a lossy mastering they liked to a decent high res.

 

And I'm curious, what setting on the sound from Love and Mercy and the AppleTV? PCM or 5.1 sound? ;-)

 

I am not following you. If you are referring to me, I find some redbook CDs to be excellent and better than some Hi-Res. I have a 6000+ album collection which include SHM-SACD, Blu-ray, DVD-A, DSD, DXD, etc. Some are high quality production and some disappoint. But that's on an individual basis.

 

My home theatre system is 11.2. For ATV, 1080X1920, and 5.1 is the co-dec provided. And well done as there are some scenes when Brian Wilson is hearing voices from several different locations that enveloped us into his world of imagined voices and sounds. It is also a moving film about a musical genius mistreated (brutalized) by his father and a critical Mike Love who scorned Pet Sounds as going to ruin them. The film is directed with skill. Worth a rental or even a purchase in Blu-ray.

 

Enjoy the music,

Richard

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From Acoustic Sounds:

 

The Beach Boys-Pet Sounds-FLAC 192kHz24bit Download|Acoustic Sounds

 

The ultimate pressings of the Beach Boys discography from Analogue Productions!Original mono mix produced by Brian Wilson

Stereo mix produced by Mark Linett under the supervision of Brian Wilson / Mixed by Mark Linett. Pet Soundswas mixed from an assembled digital multi-track master that synced the original 4 track master instrumental with the 4 or 8 track vocal overdub master. The stereo mix was mixed to 15 ips 1/4" analog tape with SR noise reduction.

Audio production — Mark Linett

For Brother Records — Elliott Lott

Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, most from the original master tapes or best sources available

Hybrid Stereo/Mono SACD plays in both CD and SACD players, as well as all SACD-compatible DVD players

"These are the best sounding and best-looking versions of the Beach Boys records that have ever been produced. We want everything about these to be better than the original." — Chad Kassem, owner and CEO, Acoustic Sounds

 

It looks like that text is no longer part of the FLAC download information. But it is part of the new remastered SACD text.

The Beach Boys-Pet Sounds-FLAC 192kHz24bit Download|Acoustic Sounds

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Hi, could someone please explain why there is such a big difference in the dynamic range between the mono and stereo versions of Pet Sounds?

 

Album details - Dynamic Range Database

 

Because Universal just threw together whatever they had lying around. The SACD has Kevin Gray's mastering and they are similar in dynamic range. The stereo on the Universal digital release may be Kevin's mastering, but the mono definitely isn't.

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Because Universal just threw together whatever they had lying around. The SACD has Kevin Gray's mastering and they are similar in dynamic range. The stereo on the Universal digital release may be Kevin's mastering, but the mono definitely isn't.

 

Having purchased the Mono/Stereo offering of Pet Sounds from Pro Studio Masters in AIFF 192/24 for a lot less than what HDtracks.com was offering it at, I first played the Mono tracks, I was very displeased. The stereo tracks edition (on the same download) was better. I have no knowledge of who did what and when, but the Mono was a big disappointment to me. Perhaps, the reasons offered below may account for this or not. I have no information other to add or share other than my listening experience. Hence, my preference for the MFSL edition which I favor. Others may disagree, but my assessment is subjective at best and mine. In any case, we all can appreciate what Brian Wilson despite Mike Love's own assessment accomplished. It's a work of art whether Mike Love recognized it or not.

 

Best,

Richard

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If you view the 20+ versions on this page in date order Album list - Dynamic Range Database, it's easy to see that the stereo HDTracks and MFSL versions from 2012 have among the nicest dynamic range numbers. As I mentioned previously in the thread, that HDTracks version is very good, but I like the MFSL just a little better.

 

My mono version is the 1993 DCC Gold. It also has good DR numbers and very good sound, and mono is the way Brian Wilson originally recorded it, but in spite of that I like the stereo versions a little more.

 

The DR numbers for the Acoustic Sounds versions apparently haven't been submitted to the DR Database. However, DR numbers are available from Steve Hoffman's forums, see Beach Boys Hybrid SACD (Acoustic Sounds) | Page 25 | Steve Hoffman Music Forums, and it appears the mono version is indeed squashed, looking like the DR numbers from the 2001 24/96 mono DVD-A. Also, from the information on that page the mono versions currently at Acoustic Sounds and HDTracks appear to be identical. The DR numbers for the stereo version appear to be excellent, on par with the 2012 HDTracks and MFSL.

 

The best DR numbers for a mono version in DR Database appear to be from the 2009 Audio Fidelity (successor to DCC, I believe) gold CD: https://audiofidelity.net/product/beach-boys-pet-sounds-24k

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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