The Smiths - Complete box set coming from Rhino in October (part2)

roebeet,

I am glad that your order got fulfilled. I know you were sweating this one out a bit.

I received my box yesterday and it is a thing of beauty (and notwithstanding sloppy packaging from Amazon.ca arrived pretty much immaculate). My wife was amazed by the quality of the set and thought it was well worth the money I paid. (I reminded here that it was really a $350-500 set.)

Unfortunately I do not have a turntable but I enjoy having the physical albums with the art and lyrics. (That said, the CDs also look great and would be well worth buying at the Amazon price of approximately $55 for the 8-disc set.) I started ripping the CDs last night and started downloading the singles from the Rhino site with the download code. A number of the singles tracks from the downloads refer to Sound of the Smiths so I don't know whether or not they are the same mastering as on the vinyl themselves. It will take a while to get all the singles with the correct artwork downloaded into Itunes and onto my Iphone, but it should be a fun project.

 

I didn't expect one at all. Someone asked and I responded to confirm.

Did anyone buy the vinyl-only set? For reasons you outlined above, I think that SHOULD have a download card (the separate LPs they issued before had them, right?)

 

Will do. I've told them it came from Amazon Canada but I am relying on them, the manufacturer / record company, to sort it out.

 

I have played The Smiths and Hatful of Hollow CDs on my discman today.

The debut sounds better than it ever did.
A richer "more intricate" sound.

Hatful of Hollow seems louder - This Charming Man booms its way in. I've never heard either album on headphones before so it's a brand new experience.

Great punch on Reel Around The Fountain (Peel).

So far, so good.

 

I can't find a download card either in my box. I wouldn't use it anyway. They give you all the CDs. If I wanted to create digital files I would just do so from the CDs. If the download had the vinyl singles as well, and some of those are different versions, it might make a slight difference to have those as digital files also. Not really a big deal to me anyway.

 

2 quick questions:

1) are the download cards inserted into boxes at random?
2) where do you find the number of your particular box set?

Thanks

Mike

 

It does include all of the singles, so the downloads are the only way to get the unique-to-the-singles tracks without resorting to a needle drop (well the only legal way).

 

Louder Than Bombs LP

Back To The Old House

bonjo
- I hear the distortion too.

 

Set number is on the back of the 12 inch booklet. The download card, for me in the uk, was on top if the cd's, on a 5 inch card.

 

Thank you

 

So did ANYONE who bought this set from a North American outlet (US or Canada) get the download card?

 

I got mine from Amazon.ca, and it did come with a download card.

(It is beautiful, by the way...still taking it all in.)

 

Yes.

AND the downloads for the singles are (apparently) not the remasters in some (all?) cases - e.g. the mp3s do not give you the Tate RATF or the "new" mix of "I Keep Mine Hidden".

 

If the mp3 'Reel Around' is not the Tate version, then what exactly is it?
It's not the Peel session, and it sounds like the descriptions I've read of the Tate version.


Also, bought mine in the US, got the download card.

 

Thanks, all.

So it sounds like some of you just got jobbed by Rhino on the card for no good reason. Either that or it is hidden deep in the bowels of your box somewhere...

 

My download card was right on top of the CD's. Just a red, square card with a little picture of the box set and the download code.

It makes no sense that they wouldn't be in each and every box.

 

If it's got 3 or 4 "ghostly" guitar notes before kicking in then it's the Tate version. What I've read on dedicated Moz/Smiths boards is that the mp3 says Tate and is Peel, while the 45 says BBC and plays Tate. The 45 certainly sounds like the Tate mix to me.

I can't be arsed to download the mp3 since I've, like, got a record player and stuff.

 

I agree that it makes no sense, but it sure seems to be the case based on some of the earlier posts...

 

The 45 doesn't say BBC, unless I'm mistaken, but it sure sounds like the Peel session version of the song to me.

 

Yes it does. On the right side "1984 BBC Enterprises Ltd."

Play the HOH version, then play the 45. How are you not hearing the guitar fade-in intro on the 45? The version on HOH (the PEEL version) starts cold with the drums. The tempos are also slightly different. They are different recordings.

 

I'm sure you're right. Not different enough for me to care that much one way or the other.

 

Ok, finally played the 45 and it's the Tate version too. So the MP3 and the single are both the Tate version.

I really like this version, it's got extra Marr.

 

I agree. I went and downloaded the MP3 and, yep, it's the Tate version, despite what I've read on other boards. So two nice bonuses on the mega-box.

 

Sorry if this has already been discussed, but how is the sound on the box compared to the early Rough Trade CDs?

 

Received my "Canadian Special" deluxe box - #2512 - and it did not come with a download card.

Also a bit disappointed that the DVD is missing material that was on the original "The Complete Picture" ("The Queen Is Dead" short film).

Other than that...WOW, quite the package!

So...anyone have Rhino UK's email address to contact them about the missing download card?