Analogue Productions just moved the release date back for the 45 RPM pressings of Pet Sounds and Surfer Girl to August 4th. November here we come!
Time to eat my words. The new LPs were in fact issued today. I should receive my copies soon. I'm expecting Surfer Girl to sound like excellent!
I listened to Surfer Girl this evening. Perfect pressing. Flat, perfectly centered and silent. The sound quality met my expectations. The vocals sound wonderful, especially on In My Room. The only flaw is Little Deuce Coupe, which doesn't sound like it's sourced from the master. I could be wrong. It sounds that way on the 33RPM pressing too. Anyway, the new pressing sounds excellent.
Can anybody comment on differences between Pet Sounds 45rpm version, vs the 33rpm mono AP released in 2015? I bought the 33rpm last week and found out about the 45rpm version the day it arrived. Wondering if I made a mistake or not.
I'm going to spin my copy sometime today. I'll post some brief thoughts. I don't think the 45RPM pressing will be overwhelmingly better sounding.
Listened to the mono 45RPM version of Pet Sounds. It has a big sound, with nice dynamics and also has that smoothness, airiness that 45RPM audiophile pressings are known for. Two thumbs up. Definitely worth purchasing, though I don't think it's significantly better than its 33RPM counterpart. My copy isn't as quiet as Surfer Girl. Several ticks on Let's Go Away For A While and other tracks. I may ask for a replacement. I'll get to the stereo version later this week.
Finished listening to the stereo 45RPM pressing of Pet Sounds. It's fantastic! Worth every penny that I spent on it. Kevin Gray knocked it out the park.
Ok - well, just wondering what the benefit of doing the 45 version was over the 33 version they already did, which is very good I think. Thanks for the reply.
Already own AP's stereo and mono 33 version. Should I really spring for the 45 version? Is the upgrade that good? What does the gatefold look like as I am assuming this release is 2 discs
The Pet Sounds gatefold was a real treat to be honest. There is a message from Brian Wilson (which I am sure most Beach Boys fans will be familiar with, as only a casual fan it was new to me). Also has various photos and individual song credits. I didn't buy the 33 stereo when it came out, so this is the first I have heard the AP version. Unfortunately I can't provide the comparison. However I will say that the 45 stereo just might be the best sounding record I have ever heard. Yes, really. I have the 33 mono, so I am on the fence whether I should buy the 45 mono now too. Knowing me I probably will.
