Beach Boys Today! Stereo vs. Mono

I searched for a thread with the same subject, but I couldn't seem to find one. Though I thought the Pet Sounds, Smiley Smile, and Wild Honey stereo mixes were great, and the Summer Days remix wasn't bad, I am disappointed in the Today! remix. One of the differences between mono and stereo that I've noticed is what was done with "She Knows Me Too Well," which may be my favorite track on the album. In the mono mix, the guitar very prominently strums in the vocal introduction. The solo continues until the lead vocal comes back in, and from there it plays a nice rhythm part. In the stereo, the opening strums are very quiet (I missed them at first), much of the solo after the backing vocals come back in is missing, and the rhythm guitar part is hard to hear. What else was changed or removed in the stereo? Was anything new added? Which mix do you prefer?

 

Really looked forward to the stereo mix of Today after enjoying the MFSL stereo disc of Pet Sounds. Today is very unnatural and disappointing. I'll go with the mono.

 

The "Today" and "Summer Days" remixes mostly stink IMO. I don't know what Linnet was thinking. Most of his other remixes range from very good to excellent.

 

What's the best sounding digital mono version of "Today"?
I only have the 1990 two-fer that suffers from NoNoise.

 

I believe that the additional guitar part that is difficult to hear on the stereo was an overdub done directly to the mono mixdown. The guitar was probably added to render the solo more "audible". There are some backing vocals that are missing on the stereo as well. Perhaps those were overdubbed live to the mono mixdown also.

 

The best mono I've heard is the HD tracks version. A little heavy on bass, but it sounds the best of all the digital versions.

 

they remastered that one...

 

Thanks! I have an account with HDTracks!

 

I don't think there is a true stereo version is there? You've got the Duophonic versions.

 

There was never a period stereo mix, but it was remixed into stereo in 2012.

 

They were remixed for stereo a long time ago and have been reissued 3 times already.

 

Yeah, the stereo remix is a big disappointment. It doesn't do what a stereo remix ought to do, which is reveal more sound. If anything, things you can hear on the mono mix are now buried.

 

Also, there are differences in the Japan 2012 stereo remix compared to the US 2012 one.
"When I Grow Up" is completely different.. and quite horrible on the Japanese disc.

 

That's odd... can you elaborate?

 

Steve, I'm not sure if you're addressing me with this post, but that's not what I meant to sound like, and if I did, I apologize for misrepresenting myself. I love the mono mix for this record and the others I mentioned, but I was just disappointed that Linnett seemed to do very good to at least passable remixes for the other mono-only records, but this one seems so butchered.

 

I don't think anyone has suggested that here---yet

 

This isn't an audiophile forum anymore, Steve. Lord help us if we dare ask such questions.

 

I'm confused by this comment. I never said that I favored the stereo mix. In fact, I agree with Steve that it's not very good. I was just asking for other opinions, because this is a... forum, right? Where people share opinions? Am I a monster because I like stereo?

 

No, no, no. I wasn't responding to you. We all dig what you're saying, I think.

I personally love the Pet Sounds, Smiley Smile & Wild Honey remixes.

 

Ok, I'm sorry I got mad at you. I should have asked you to clarify what you meant before I went off, so that's my fault.

 

No problem!

 

A lot of folk here favour stereo over mono plain and simple.

 

I haven't heard the stereo version of Today but this article convinced me to go with the Analogue Productions mono version and it is fantastic!

The Beach Boys: The Final Nine Analogue Productions Reissues

 

I like the remix of Pet Sounds not because it's a "replacement" for the mono mix, but because it sounds gorgeous in its own right. (Well, the AP SACD does, anyway.)