Ultimate has not been remastered ... it's a common mistake. It's been remixed louder, but not remastered.

^OK, seems like we're just arguing over the definition of 'remaster'.

Still sounds lightyears better than the originals though!

Ultimate has been 'remastered' from an already 'mastered' recording,

A true 'remaster' usually implies going back to the original tracks and remastering/relevelling/re-EQing every single instrument used in the recording.

Ultimate has not been remastered ... it's a common mistake. It's been remixed louder, but not remastered.

Still sounds lightyears better than the originals though!

^OK, seems like we're just arguing over the definition of 'remaster'.

The sound on Ultimate has definately been improved, no doubt. But my point is that it hasn't gone through the entire remastering process that other classic albums have gone through - eg. Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life, Miles Davis's Kind Of Blue and many others. Ultimate has been 'remastered' from an already 'mastered' recording, whereas traditionally 'remastering' implies that you go back to the original analog tapes and master it from scratch using the most up-to-date technology. They never did this with Ultimate as (presumably), Prince didn't want to give it to them knowing his history with WB.
[Edited 11/10/07 20:09pm]

toejam said:

What you have described above is "remixing".

When you're mixing, you're dealing with the multi tracks ie. all the instruments in the recording can be processed individually (if they were recorded on seperate tracks).

When mastering, you're working with the "2 track" or "stereo" mixdown (created by "mixing").

Recording > Mixing > Mastering

Mastering is the sprinkles on the icing. If the mix is great, then the mastering job is almost insignificant.



The term "remix" can be confusing because people assume it means a completely different version of the song with different instruments and rhythms, but, the original meaning of remix was readjusting levels of instruments etc.

A remix can sound almost indistinguishable from an original mix, as can a remaster.

_
[Edited 11/11/07 1:10am]

Ultimate was remastered:

Sign 'o' The Times needs to get remastered!!!!!

Cleaning up the sound using seperate tracks has got nothing to do with remixing.

It becomes a remix as soon as you add or remove some instruments or rhythm tracks, or moving about with the volumes on each track not intended in the first place by the recording artist.

Remastering can be done by using the final 2 track master tape, but for instance removing his can only be done on all instruments at the same time.

By using the seperate tracks you can for instance remove hiss from the bassguitar part only. Same goes for EQ-ing etc.

No need to say last option makes a far better and more accurate remaster.

Just by listening to 'ultimate' i'd say they used the final master tape. I'm positive it can be done much better when someone would use the seperate tracks, especially on the 1999/dirty mind/controversy era; still not convinced on those tracks as released on 'ultimate.

They did a pretty good job on the 'sign 'o' the times' era tracks though, almost makes me wonder if they did use seperate tracks there, although probably not...

Saying Stevie's remasters are sh*t is definitely a matter of taste, although i agree on the 'songs in the key of life' part (they obviously forgot to use the deesser on the vocal parts). The rest i think are much better remastered.
[Edited 11/11/07 16:11pm]

Cleaning up the sound using seperate tracks has got nothing to do with remixing.

It becomes a remix as soon as you add or remove some instruments or rhythm tracks, or moving about with the volumes on each track not intended in the first place by the recording artist.

Remastering can be done by using the final 2 track master tape, but for instance removing his can only be done on all instruments at the same time.

By using the seperate tracks you can for instance remove hiss from the bassguitar part only. Same goes for EQ-ing etc.

No need to say last option makes a far better and more accurate remaster.

Just by listening to 'ultimate' i'd say they used the final master tape. I'm positive it can be done much better when someone would use the seperate tracks, especially on the 1999/dirty mind/controversy era; still not convinced on those tracks as released on 'ultimate.

They did a pretty good job on the 'sign 'o' the times' era tracks though, almost makes me wonder if they did use seperate tracks there, although probably not...

Saying Stevie's remasters are sh*t is definitely a matter of taste, although i agree on the 'songs in the key of life' part (they obviously forgot to use the deesser on the vocal parts). The rest i think are much better remastered.
[Edited 11/11/07 16:11pm]