Beach Boys SACDs from Japan

Has anyone picked up those Beach Boys SACDS from Japan. They were released today. Hopefully someone will buy a few and tell us about the sound.

Neil

 

I have a few coming ....

 

I found this review on internet:

"Working my way through the recent SHM SACDs. So far, I am impressed with both Pet Sounds and Shutdown.
I have to wonder why it has taken so long for a catalog like this to finally be treated to a well mastered run of high resolution titles though."


"I have finished with the group. These are much different that the overly eq'd product, which I have come to expect from Beach Boy remasters.
All are very low in volume. Here is a brief review of each.

1. Pet Sounds: As compared with the AF Gold disc, the SACD is narrower, less forward, and smoother with less energy up top. Some strange fades though.

2. Today: Very solid mono with no treble boost. Probably a touch smoother than the remastered vinyl copy I have from a few years back.

3. Smiley Smile: Bass heavy and a little boxy, but again, no top end boost.

4. Shutdown: A bit inconsistent throughout. A little raw, but likely very faithful to the tapes used.

5. All Summer Long: Same as with Shutdown. Both of these are still a charming listen.

In short, no gloss, sheen, or tipped up top end to be found in the bunch. I don't think these were modernized or mastered very much. The group reminds me of the Who Shm Sacd series"

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f15-music-general/hi-resolution-beach-boys-japan-22567

 

So far Smiley Smile (mono) is ear-bendingly great.

 

@oxenholme purchased a few. Perhaps he would share his thoughts.

 

I'll have Summer Days and Today here this evening. Will run through and compare with the PastMasters issues CD issues.

 

20/20?

 

Had a run through both of these and to me they are handy upgrades on the PastMasters disks. I will have to run them up against the tracks on the DCC's which I would imagine would be an interesting comparison.

 

I was playing Little Honda on the All Summer Long disc. There was something magic about the gloriously undistorted sound. I would say that it's an improvement on the Pastmaster. And then the equally beautiful sound of Carl's Big Chance and Do You Remember... The best that I've heard them.

Shut Down Volume 2 is equally superb. Fun, Fun, Fun is pure magic. Easily my favourite track by The Beach Boys. On here it has a clarity that beggars belief.

I'm very pleased indeed with both discs. I think Analogue Productions will be very hard pressed to better them.

 

How many threads?

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...itles-to-be-released-on-sacd-in-japan.386309/

 

The Past Masters (besides Pet Sounds) are all flat transfers...not sure why these are being compared to them unless they are flat as well? Otherwise it's apples and oranges and serve two different purposes (ie. Flat = what Brian heard in the studio).

 

These are flat too.

 

He should have learned after nearly 5 years….

 

Are people resisting reviewing Pet Sounds?

I will have mine in 4-5 days.

 

Waiting for mine too, got the mfsl sacd which is my actual reference. Really happy and curious to hear it in mono

 

Pet Sounds SHM-SACD is already back ordered at CD Japan (2-4 weeks)

I will have mine tomorrow or Friday. Will compare it to my DCC Gold mono disc.

 

Got pet sounds and summer days ( and summer nights !)

Pet sounds in mono is great, very natural , totally different from my stereo version, was my first time. I think i prefer the mono version, a lot of details in music i never heard in mono. Stereo is spectacular, mono is full of life.
Summer days is great, very very solid mono, i love it ! Was my very first listening. Yeah !

Just ordered shutdown and smiley smile...and the empty box too !

 

So if this Pet Sounds SACD is a 'flat transfer' it's the first time thats been available for us common-folk to hear it as it was the only Past Master not to be flat. As Steve mastered it for DCC and AF he's heard the flat tapes...I wonder what his thoughts are on this title with no mastering added? @Steve Hoffman

 

How many threads must a man read through..........

 

re Pet Sounds - on cd I have Audio Fidelity and MFSL to compare, now I only have the SHM CD but this is the best digital version I have heard by far. The level of detail and depth (even though its mono) is astounding - and oh the bass! It is far warmer and deeper than any other version I have heard.

Moreover in my comparison the Audio Fidelity sounded louder if that is important to you (its not particularly important to me).

 

Here is my Pet Sounds SHM-SACD vs DCC Gold CD comparison:

Both are good, but the DCC Gold CD is the winner!
I think this one of the best CDs from the DCC period, mastered by our Host. Very good mastering work, good tape sources and HQ pressing plant in Japan are reasons for this, I think.

The SHM-SACD sounds very "flat" to me, for good and bad. It has that DSD warmth in sound, sounds analogue and has some really serious things going on in the lower frequencies.
Some instuments sounds more accurate on the SACD, like the xylophone on "Let`s go away for awhile", cause DSD resolution. But it sounds a bit....flat.

The Gold CD sounds very good and "analogue". The sound is a bit more "foreward" than the SACD. Has Steve used some single ended tube things in the mastering to "help" the sound and music to sound more engaging? Well, it is to my ears. I wonder cause Steve said is was mastered flat.
And the very deep frequencies on some of the tracks on the SACD sounded a bit disturbing to me, .

Other SHM-SACDs titles of the Beach Boys (stereo/better recorded and mixed) could turn the opposite way, that I prefer the SACD vs CD.

 

Espen, have you ever heard Steve's Audio Fidelity gold CD? It sounds slightly more detailed than the DCC gold CD. Each had different mastering chains from Steve, so each version has slightly different characteristics.

 

I have the Audio Fidelity - I do not like the mid range boost. Detail on Japanese CD is comparable but that CD sounds warmer IMO (and it does not sound "flat" on my system).

 

My copy will arrive on Monday.

 

Just curious.
Why are people buying these instead of waiting for the Analogue Productions versions?
Is it the waiting or will you be buying those as well.