Your post reminds of something interesting I read years ago and that is that some industry professionals heard differences in pressings from different factories of the identical digital recording and they couldn't account for it. I believe this was from an account going back decades -- sorry I can't remember the details. But it does underscore something that should be second nature to everyone here -- listen for yourself, judge for yourself. PS note on topic: The DCC Pet Sounds is still my favorite, whether on CD or vinyl LP. I have many of the others -- AF, Carl and The Passions/Pet Sounds two-fer LP set, 1980 US Capitol green label and I have had in the past a UK Capitol original (mudfest), an '80s or early '90s Japanese vinyl LP reissue (earbleed bright)...for my money and to my ears the DCC is still the one to beat.
It had to do with the start and end times for the songs, nothing to do with sound, that was perfect from the beginning. It was my fault, actually. I wanted a slight pause before audio on each track. The pause times are all that changed in the test cuts!
Over time, I’ve come to prefer the ‘accuracy’ of the AF - as you’ve put it - but I also love the warmth of the DCC. To be honest though, there isn’t a lot in it. When I first compared the two I couldn’t really tell any difference - but I picked out each version’s idiosyncrasies eventually. Pet Sounds is a warm sounding album - and rightly deserves to be presented as such. I just love the dropout at the start of I’m Waiting For The Day, showing the unmasked state of the tapes. But the fuzzy plunge into the bridge in Wouldn’t It Be Nice on the DCC is something else… But you know what? The AF has been my go-to on the iPhone for a while. I’m gonna swap it with the DCC and see if my opinion changes. I’m definitely keeping both versions, though.
This is the important point here. There were a few titles where there are differences - slightly different mastering or different bonus tracks. Otherwise they’re all identical.
And I refer you to this quote by the person who was in charge of this disc. If you’re going to doubt him I really don’t know what else I can say:
A question about Jpn Lp pressings in the past. I know many favour them in terms of sound quality. Not all of course. It is likely to think that most, maybe all of them are cut from jpn dub tapes, not original Us or uk masters?
The great Barry Diament, who unfortunately left the Forum because he thought some of his work was unfairly criticized, said he could not figure out why, but that the CDs that he mastered that were pressed at Specialty ("SRC") sounded better than the ones that were pressed at other plants.
Interesting. I'm in no way qualified to analyze how or why something that is a regular occurrence with analog records would happen with CDs, but I just keep thinking that despite them being digital, the equipment involved in the chain affects, or can affect the sound, just as it does on my home audio system. Just a guess.
It’s a shame that Barry Diament has left - I’m not overly familiar with his work, but I love his early 90’s Bob Marley remastering. Those are the go-to versions, for me. Sorry for the thread digression!
Do that many really favor them? IMO, the Japan pressings to get are those which use original US or UK cuts. Otherwise, generally, their biggest strength is the quiet vinyl.
I'm pretty sure Barry left the forum because he didn’t like his bizarre and unlikely audio theories (such as the different sound from different pressing plants thing) being challenged. Nothing wrong with his masterings though.
Yeah, it was weird coming across those posts, but he did give a lot of good info for other things. I could see certain things happening that would make a plant press an inferior-sounding disc, but that usually would entail a defective CD, not something like a different sound mastering.
Steve, have you heard the AP version(s)? I have their mono and stereo reissues, appreciate them, but would like to get your DCC. The DCC would be quite an investment, currently. I’m just asking you about your thoughts as to what the differences might be.
No, generally new glass masters were created at each plant. The digital masters were (usually) identical, but the glass masters weren't. A couple differences with the digital masters that I'm aware of: Wheels of Fire - US pressings (there were at least two) had 3 unlisted bonus tracks. I don't know if the audio was otherwise different. Highway 61 Revisited - The Japanese and US pressings had slightly different EQ.
I was just about to jump in with a question and/or challenge to this. No need. Late to the game and exit stage left...