Hi guys,

for those of you who have the Japanese SACD and the new HQ 180 gr vinyls - what sounds better???

Any info appreciated (I am considering buying the new vinyls, but really, it would then be the 4th version of this, original vinyl, CD, SACD Japan, 180 gr vinyl...

Krid - do you notice any improvement from normal CD to SACD? If so, why are these SACDs only available in Japan?! Can they be played on normal CD players?

There is a "1999" SACD???

link?

TheFreakerFantastic said:

Krid - do you notice any improvement from normal CD to SACD? If so, why are these SACDs only available in Japan?! Can they be played on normal CD players?

Yes they can.

I'm seeing no sign of a "1999" SACD release on the web.

?

The OP is probably referring to the SHM Reissues that came out a couple years ago. I think there was a thread on it in the past.

Found it:

http://prince.org/msg/7/329564

[Edited 5/27/11 10:26am]

runphilrun said:

The OP is probably referring to the SHM Reissues that came out a couple years ago. I think there was a thread on it in the past.

Found it:

http://prince.org/msg/7/329564

[Edited 5/27/11 10:26am]

And also http://www.stevehoffman.t...89605.html

The SHMs have proven to be all hype and no improvement in blind tests. Some sound even worse than the regular CDs.

I didn't buy the SHMs, so I can't tell you whether they sound better than the vinyl. I can tell you that the new vinyl sounds really good. Do you have Dirty Mind or Controversy on SHM? If so, maybe you could buy the vinyl reissue of one of those and do a comparison, since they're cheaper than the 1999 vinyl reissue.

I bought a few SMH cds and can't tell a big difference. The only real difference I could tell was that they seemed to have "pumped up the volume". Other than that, the mastering sounds about the same.

I just bought the reissue of Controversy and will be picking up Dirty Mind and 1999 in the next few weeks. I haven't listened to them yet, but might this weekend.

Does anyone know if the Purple Rain 180 reissue was remastered for vinyl?

daPrettyman said:

I bought a few SMH cds and can't tell a big difference. The only real difference I could tell was that they seemed to have "pumped up the volume". Other than that, the mastering sounds about the same.

I just bought the reissue of Controversy and will be picking up Dirty Mind and 1999 in the next few weeks. I haven't listened to them yet, but might this weekend.

Does anyone know if the Purple Rain 180 reissue was remastered for vinyl?

Yes, it was remastered, but by Kevin Gray not Bernie Grundman:

http://prince.org/msg/7/278327

It didn't come with a poster, and it's on black vinyl rather than purple vinyl, if either of those things matters to you.

My original vinyl copies still sound sweet.

TheFreakerFantastic said:

Krid - do you notice any improvement from normal CD to SACD? If so, why are these SACDs only available in Japan?! Can they be played on normal CD players?

Hi, sorry for the late reply - what I indeed meant was the SHM-reissues. No, I did not hear much sound difference, it really is only the volume that is higher. But the packaging is real cool - exactly as my original double LP ;=)

Thanks for all your answers... I will probably buy the Dirty Mind remastered vinyl once it comes out here in Germany...

daPrettyman said:

I bought a few SMH cds and can't tell a big difference. The only real difference I could tell was that they seemed to have "pumped up the volume". Other than that, the mastering sounds about the same.

I just bought the reissue of Controversy and will be picking up Dirty Mind and 1999 in the next few weeks. I haven't listened to them yet, but might this weekend.

Does anyone know if the Purple Rain 180 reissue was remastered for vinyl?

Usually that means the sound quality is over compressed and weak. Most new recordings has really bad quality because of bad mastering, yet pumped up volume.