The Beach Boys "Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of (60th Anniv. Expanded Edition)" 3CD set (Capitol) (6/17/2022)

[LennonCobain]

"Fun, Fun, Fun" certainly has an interesting mix. Seems like the front and rear channels were swapped. Vocals and instrumentation much more prominent in rears. I can't imagine this was by design. What's with Mark Linnett? There were apparent channel issues on the Pet Sounds DVD-Audio to which (I don't think) he ever admitted to.

 

[sjcorne]

"Fun, Fun, Fun" certainly has an interesting mix. Seems like the front and rear channels were swapped. Vocals and instrumentation much more prominent in rears. I can't imagine this was by design. What's with Mark Linnett? There were apparent channel issues on the Pet Sounds DVD-Audio to which (I don't think) he ever admitted to.

I think it was by design, they just weren't thinking about how the Atmos mix would translate to different-sized speaker setups.

If you listen on a 7.1.4 (or 7.1.2, 7.1, etc) array, what basically amounts to the original stereo mix (nearly all vocals and instrumentation) is mixed to the 'side surround' speakers that sit directly to either side of the sweet spot. This gives a somewhat 'immersive' feel like you're inside the music, listening on a huge pair of headphones. Unfortunately if your system doesn't have those side speakers, all the content meant for them gets re-directed to the rears rather than a phantom center between FL & RL and FR & RR.

A similar problem occurred with The Pineapple Thief's Nothing But The Truth Atmos mix - Bruce Soord's vocals were mixed almost entirely to the side surrounds (yielding an interesting 'inside your head' effect), but they get sent mostly to the rears in the fold-down to 5.1.4, 5.1.2, 5.1, etc.

 

[perzon57]

I think it was by design, they just weren't thinking about how the Atmos mix would translate to different-sized speaker setups.

If you listen on a 7.1.4 (or 7.1.2, 7.1, etc) array, what basically amounts to the original stereo mix (nearly all vocals and instrumentation) is mixed to the 'side surround' speakers that sit directly to either side of the sweet spot. This gives a somewhat 'immersive' feel like you're inside the music, listening on a huge pair of headphones. Unfortunately if your system doesn't have those side speakers, all the content meant for them gets re-directed to the rears rather than a phantom center between FL & RL and FR & RR.

View attachment 80530

A similar problem occurred with The Pineapple Thief's Nothing But The Truth Atmos mix - Bruce Soord's vocals were mixed almost entirely to the side surrounds (yielding an interesting 'inside your head' effect), but they get sent mostly to the rears in the fold-down to 5.1.4, 5.1.2, 5.1, etc.

I have a 7.2 4 setup, but I have my surrounds farther back because I don't like them beside me, especially when listening to 4.0 and 5.1. I really like this mix as it sounds on my setup.

 

[sjcorne]

I have a 7.2 4 setup, but I have my surrounds farther back because I don't like them beside me, especially when listening to 4.0 and 5.1. I really like this mix as it sounds on my setup.

Yeah, for Dolby Audio 4.0 & 5.1 content I'll usually re-route the rear signal to the surround back pair rather than the sides.

 

[perzon57]

Yeah, for Dolby Audio 4.0 & 5.1 content I'll usually re-route the rear signal to the surround back pair rather than the sides.

I'm to lazy for that, so I have them like that as a compromise.

 

[Quad Linda]

Perhaps this is a bit off topic. This is the same issue as 2ch LP's played on mono equipment or broadcasts. Moby Grape's 1st album had this issue. 1967 pure psychedelia w/lots of panning and phase shifts. Mono LP takes care of much of that, if not all. No sounds cancelling out each other, like the 2ch when played on 2ch gear, as intended. Like out of phase speakers, things can "disappear." This was one of the factors in CBS pressing promo only mono LP's. expressly for radio play. I have several of those.

As a Beach Boys completist, there are mixes, especially alternates that sound odd or even unbalanced. Bluebirds Over the Mountain sounds fine on the original LP. On Beach Boys' Rarities LP, it's the identical take EXCEPT the woodblock and a bit more percussion is mixed in after the fact, likely overdubbed. It overpowers most of the song. Was this version originally intended to be released, or to sound overpowering? I suspect it was not. Even with the levels for that instrument dialed in lower, their intention originally was to try it and see if it works. It didn't. Obviously, crazy collectors like me will still buy these outtakes. More cowbell! LOL!

Beach Boys fans have bought several box sets where much of them is only vocals, backgrounds, overdubs, or instrumentals. Stacks o' Tracks LP over 50 years ago began that tradition of music only, no vocals at all. Original recordings.

 

[LennonCobain]

I think it was by design, they just weren't thinking about how the Atmos mix would translate to different-sized speaker setups.

If you listen on a 7.1.4 (or 7.1.2, 7.1, etc) array, what basically amounts to the original stereo mix (nearly all vocals and instrumentation) is mixed to the 'side surround' speakers that sit directly to either side of the sweet spot. This gives a somewhat 'immersive' feel like you're inside the music, listening on a huge pair of headphones. Unfortunately if your system doesn't have those side speakers, all the content meant for them gets re-directed to the rears rather than a phantom center between FL & RL and FR & RR.

View attachment 80530

A similar problem occurred with The Pineapple Thief's Nothing But The Truth Atmos mix - Bruce Soord's vocals were mixed almost entirely to the side surrounds (yielding an interesting 'inside your head' effect), but they get sent mostly to the rears in the fold-down to 5.1.4, 5.1.2, 5.1, etc.

Great points. However, the mixing of “Fun, Fun, Fun” appears to be an outlier when compared to the approach used on the other Atmos mixes. Which is why I assumed that there was a channel assignment issue.

 

[AYanguas]

I'm to lazy for that, so I have them like that as a compromise.

I have a different DENON Config for Quad, redirecting the Surrounds (side for me) to the Surrounds Back.

BUT I'm also lazy for changing the config, specially when listening to different things, not complete albums in a long session.

Then I just have to lower the surrounds channels level about 3dB (via OPTIONS on the remote) and find the Quad more balanced. But for usual 5.1 mixes or Atmos I increase the surrounds level again.

 

[Rstaylor]

Perhaps this is a bit off topic. This is the same issue as 2ch LP's played on mono equipment or broadcasts. Moby Grape's 1st album had this issue. 1967 pure psychedelia w/lots of panning and phase shifts. Mono LP takes care of much of that, if not all. No sounds cancelling out each other, like the 2ch when played on 2ch gear, as intended. Like out of phase speakers, things can "disappear." This was one of the factors in CBS pressing promo only mono LP's. expressly for radio play. I have several of those.

As a Beach Boys completist, there are mixes, especially alternates that sound odd or even unbalanced. Bluebirds Over the Mountain sounds fine on the original LP. On Beach Boys' Rarities LP, it's the identical take EXCEPT the woodblock and a bit more percussion is mixed in after the fact, likely overdubbed. It overpowers most of the song. Was this version originally intended to be released, or to sound overpowering? I suspect it was not. Even with the levels for that instrument dialed in lower, their intention originally was to try it and see if it works. It didn't. Obviously, crazy collectors like me will still buy these outtakes. More cowbell! LOL!

Beach Boys fans have bought several box sets where much of them is only vocals, backgrounds, overdubs, or instrumentals. Stacks o' Tracks LP over 50 years ago began that tradition of music only, no vocals at all. Original recordings.

From what I remember, the version of Bluebirds Over The Mountain that you mentioned was released by mistake overseas. The rarities version was mixed with the song on one channel and percussion in the other. By using the balance control, you could listen to either channel and by pressing the mono button on your receiver, you could hear the version as it was released with the overdubs at the same level as the rest of the song.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

From what I remember, the version of Bluebirds Over The Mountain that you mentioned was released by mistake overseas. The rarities version was mixed with the song on one channel and percussion in the other. By using the balance control, you could listen to either channel and by pressing the mono button on your receiver, you could hear the version as it was released with the overdubs at the same level as the rest of the song.

Quality first post, welcome!

I've made it most of the way through all the tracks, including the 50 stereo versions, through airpods on summer morning bicycle rides. Got a new appreciation for some of the old chestnuts that I only ever heard in cars or transistor radio.

Bought the Sloop John B mono Capitol single in 66 with my age-12 lawn-mowing money & blasted it on the living room Magnavox console to the delight of both my younger siblings and parents

Grateful for all the surround versions, which are of course somewhat uneven in quality considering their age.
They did remind me that Brian Wilson besides writing and producing was the Fender bass guitarist of the band, which full-fidelity listening reveals to great advantage.

In parallel, I recorded the new documentary about him, but so far have only made it part way through.
Can only take watching ten minutes a day.
I find it very tough going to see how damaged and fragile he is in the contemporary footage, but happy to see the vintage clips and tributes from the likes of Elton & Bruuuce.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Wilson:_Long_Promised_Road
Appended the soundtrack from it to my Apple playlist for later stereo listening:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-original-motion-picture/1595677383

 

[Bob Smith]

Grateful for all the surround versions, which are of course somewhat uneven in quality considering their age.
They did remind me that Brian Wilson besides writing and producing was the Fender bass guitarist of the band, which full-fidelity listening reveals to great advantage.

Actually, starting with The Beach Boys Today in 1965 you're probably listening to the amazing Carole Kaye on Fender bass... the only woman in The Wrecking Crew, she was responsible for an astonishing number of hit record and memorable bass parts.

In parallel, I recorded the new documentary about him, but so far have only made it part way through.
Can only take watching ten minutes a day.
I find it very tough going to see how damaged and fragile he is in the contemporary footage, but happy to see the vintage clips and tributes from the likes of Elton & Bruuuce.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Wilson:_Long_Promised_Road
I really enjoyed that documentary, and yes, I know exactly what you're saying: it's hard to watch in one go.

 

[ar surround]

I find it very tough going to see how damaged and fragile he [Brian Wilson] is in the contemporary footage, but happy to see the vintage clips and tributes from the likes of Elton & Bruuuce.

We saw Brian Wilson last night along with Chicago. Brian, who is now 80, didn't sing much at all and did not appear to be playing his piano all the time. He left the stage using a walker. It was sad to see him leaving like this, but he did get a well deserved standing ovation for his body of work.

I plan to get this new 3CD set as I'm extremely curious how these new mixes will convert to 4.0 with the Surround Master and to quasi-spacial audio using Auro 3D.

 

[ar surround]

I generally don't care for the sound quality of this 3CD set compared to the other Beach Boys recordings in my collection.

The songs from the album Surfer Girl are much cleaner sounding on the Capitol CD reissue (mono and stereo tracks) released some years ago. The mixes on the Sounds of Summer set have more bass, but not as clean. Besides, the anemic bass on the Capitol reissue is easily corrected with the bass control.

Same thing comparing the songs from Pet Sounds. The stereo layer on the DVD-A is superior to the Sounds of Summer. (Note: It surprised me that Sloop John B on the stereo layer of the DVD-A is in mono.) Again, most songs on the stereo DVD-A benefit from a bass boost.

Lastly, the Eric Records mixes of the Beach Boys songs are way superior to those in this Sounds of Summer set.

However, I'm still glad that I bought the set as I really don't want to spend the cash on a pile of Beach Boys albums.

 

[bookofsaturdays]

I generally don't care for the sound quality of this 3CD set compared to the other Beach Boys recordings in my collection.

The songs from the album Surfer Girl are much cleaner sounding on the Capitol CD reissue (mono and stereo tracks) released some years ago. The mixes on the Sounds of Summer set have more bass, but not as clean. Besides, the anemic bass on the Capitol reissue is easily corrected with the bass control.

Same thing comparing the songs from Pet Sounds. The stereo layer on the DVD-A is superior to the Sounds of Summer. (Note: It surprised me that Sloop John B on the stereo layer of the DVD-A is in mono.) Again, most songs on the stereo DVD-A benefit from a bass boost.

Lastly, the Eric Records mixes of the Beach Boys songs are way superior to those in this Sounds of Summer set.

However, I'm still glad that I bought the set as I really don't want to spend the cash on a pile of Beach Boys albums.

The only Beach Boys CD’s I have is an early 2000’s remaster of Pet Sounds with mono and stereo programs and a two-fer of Smiley Smile and Wild Honey, the latter sounds pretty muffled and unpleasant. Any suggestions of what to pick up, are all of those 2012 issues good sounding?

 

[LennonCobain]

The only Beach Boys CD’s I have is an early 2000’s remaster of Pet Sounds with mono and stereo programs and a two-fer of Smiley Smile and Wild Honey, the latter sounds pretty muffled and unpleasant. Any suggestions of what to pick up, are all of those 2012 issues good sounding?

You can't go wrong with the Analogue Productions Hybrid SACDs.
https://store.acousticsounds.com/index.cfm?get=results&artistid=2776&labelid=507&CategoryID=4

 

[GOS]

You can't go wrong with the Analogue Productions Hybrid SACDs.
https://store.acousticsounds.com/index.cfm?get=results&artistid=2776&labelid=507&CategoryID=4

Agree, they are just outstanding! I own them all...

 

[ar surround]

You can't go wrong with the Analogue Productions Hybrid SACDs.
https://store.acousticsounds.com/index.cfm?get=results&artistid=2776&labelid=507&CategoryID=4

Agree, they are just outstanding! I own them all...

I can see that this is going to be costing me a lot of money in a very short period of time.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I can see that this is going to be costing me a lot of money in a very short period of time.

I was fortunate enough to get quite a few Beach Boy Stereo SACD titles a few years ago when Acoustic Sounds was 'blowing them out' for 1/2 price {$15 each]....during one of their Black Friday/Christmas sales!