Anyone compare the Lovesexy-and-earlier vinyl records to their CD counterparts? As I was listening to "Thriller 25" this week I was astounded at just how well it was mastered. Unfortunately it doesn't look like we're going to get any "remastered" pre-Batman CDs anytime soon.

So, just wondering: For people with top-notch systems. Which sound better? The original vinyl or his CDs?

Prince is more interested in deleting his back catalog of Analog Recordings than remastering them. He will delete them once he gets them back.
[Edited 2/23/08 13:52pm]

sro100 said:

VINYL.

VINYL.

duggalolly said:

All the records made before CD mastering was actually "mastered", get vinyl copies. You. Will. Be. Amazed.

I'm a CD audio freak, so I want great sounding digital LPs, but WB and Prince can't see eye to eye on re-released remasters. Hell, I'm sure that it's mostly Prince's convictions that are ruining the remaster scenario.

early stuff? Vinyl is better. Noticeably better. Still not fantastic, but better.

Recent (relatively) stuff you don't really have a choice.

Ever since I got a "good" system, I have realized that most Prince stuff is not engineered really well. I like the old vinyl though, so go for it and have fun. Plus the older vinyl is cool - I like the liner photos and such. I have a Dirty Mind LP and there is a P.O. Box address for fan mail - very cool!

3 must-have's on vinyl:

Purple Rain
Around The World In A Day
The Family

There are sounds on the vinyl that you can not ever pick up on the existing CDs. The CDs have a flattened quality, where the vinyl disks provide an airy space between instruments/vox/noises. ATWIAD is the post pronounced in this regard.

Vinyl.

kthxbai

I know this, The Black Album, sounds terrible on CD. To me, it just sounds too clean. Remember it was a bootleg, so to release this "officially" on CD was just silly...
[Edited 4/9/08 3:03am]
[Edited 4/9/08 3:05am]

squirrelgrease said:

I remember just transferring Life Can Be So Nice from my Ion turntable because my file got erased. It sounds much better than all the songs from the cd. I felt like I was inside the song..as if they were playing around me live

I say vinyl, for the simple fact that the medium itself makes Prince's music sound more authentic, and I mean this as a compliment. Simply because CD technology has only been around for 25 years, people have not had as much time as they did with vinyl.

Apparently, Prince likes the vinyl, too. He's been putting a "vinyl scratch" on a lot of his album tracks recently. (Like on Somewhere Here On Earth...)

Hi, guys!

VINYL definitely.

I don't know, I have vinyls but I've got nothing to play them on.

I so need to get a record player.

Vinyl!!!

Sounds better, more solid and grittier!

Also for me, buying a vinyl album with it's big glossy cover, placing it on the deck and lifting the arm over for the first time and that BMP sound when the needle hits the record waiting for the intro to kick in, and then reading through the lyric sheet through your first listen!


It felt so much more satisfying than any clinical cd release I've had!


There's just something about a record that satisfies, in a way that no cd is capable of!

Sorry. i love vinyl, but it costs too much and is just too fragile....but if I was making a record, I'd opt for releasing it on vinyl

soulyacolia said:

[quote] i prefer the vinyl 4 my collection, sum of which is un-opened & un-played, "emancipation" 4 instance, so tend 2 listen only 2 cd,s & keep vinyl as mint as poss.

I love the sound of vinyl...and miss my turntable...but I love the cd's, cuz that's my only choice, other than cassettes in the car.

bazboy2 said:[quote]

soulyacolia said:

U have 'Emancipation' on vinyl?!?! Does it even exist?

mentalist said:

You hear things that You really never heard b4 on a good system with good headphones

I love the sound of vinyl. Its rich and lovely. I particularly enjoy "Around The World In A Day" and "Sign O' The Times" oh and "1999".

I have an old turntable, need to upgrade it so I can burn these beauties to disk but the sound is just right.

I love vinyl.

I bought a new needle for my turntable last year and am rediscovering my collection (old one was broken for YEARS). SOTTs, as has been mentioned many times, sounds MUCH better on vinyl. All of his 80s albums sound better but for some reason SOTTs the one that is most noticable to me.

Vinyl by far.

I wonder if anything NEW will be dropping on vinyl soon?

I like the old stuff (lp's) that's remastered, the vinyls sound bad to me now.