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Thread started 02/22/14 5:32am

JoeyCococo

Sign o The Times vinyl sound quality????

I just heard the SOTT review by those Peach and Black guys- take some podcasts, great commentary. I feel that despite 25 yeRs of fandom, I never really heard all of Prince's work properly. These guys tKe the analysis deep!!!

Anyhow, during this podcast they say the SOTT vinyl is much better . They he go onto mention various intricacies I have never heard despite his being my fav album of all time that I have played to death on my NAD system.

- interesting keyboard flourishes while he sings 'help me I think I'm falling'
- tones of kick drum on the first 4 tracks which I actually know but never felt due to the terrible missing bottom end on this cd set.
- bass intricacies all through out The Ballad


I want to know if anyone knows of a circulating Cd of the vinyl. I want to re-discover this masterpiece


Toe Jam, I love your musical commentary. It is very interesting to hear and have explained some of Prince's quirks and musical idiosyncrasies

Caption- hilarious. I love Prince's interesting stuff but like you, I think he never fails when he picks up the guitar. However, what is your love for the Morning After about- I can't agree with you on that one
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Reply #1 posted 02/22/14 5:40am

thedance

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hurry up - and buy yourself a record player/ turntable.. wink



[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/ecnirp2004/Prince/1a62c93c-070d-47da-a0dd-db15fb05ad93_zps8a6ea891.jpg[/img:$uid]


^ this is the real way listening to this album, imho.. worship

Prince 4Ever. heart
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Reply #2 posted 02/22/14 5:47am

KlyphIsBackAga
in

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I think it sounds better on vinyl, but don't get all worked about HAVING to hear it on record. The differences aren't something that will make you say "OH MY GOD, I HAVE BEEN MISSING THIS??!!!!!" As a matter of fact, you may in the end decide that you like the sound of the CD better, because it's what you're used to. The main reason I like the vinyl sound of Sign O' The Times better is because that's what I grew up on. It's a nostalgia thing.

And if you listen to that CD version, those flourishes in Dorothy Parker are there. I'm not sure what kind of equipment you listen to your music on, so that may just be the only thing that's keeping you from hearing them.

Have fun listening!

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Reply #3 posted 02/22/14 7:22am

JoeyCococo

But what about MC said about the music box all throughout Slow Love or the strings in Starfish and Coffee?
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Reply #4 posted 02/23/14 3:39am

ReddishBrownOn
e

Have to say that I heard all sorts of little intricacies and details that I had never heard before when I 'upgraded' my CD of SOTT to vinyl.

However - this could have been because my ears were pricked up to listen out for new detail. It may be the case that these 'new' details were in the CD all along. Has anyone here done an A\B comparison?
It's been too long since you've had your ass kicked properly:


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Reply #5 posted 02/23/14 5:06am

JoeyCococo

ReddishBrownOne said:

Have to say that I heard all sorts of little intricacies and details that I had never heard before when I 'upgraded' my CD of SOTT to vinyl. However - this could have been because my ears were pricked up to listen out for new detail. It may be the case that these 'new' details were in the CD all along. Has anyone here done an A\B comparison?

wait... not sure I'm clear...

are you saying you did hear the intricacies on vinyl that had not on the CD?

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Reply #6 posted 02/23/14 9:32am

kewlschool

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Vinyl is the best sound quality.

99.9% of everything I say is strictly for my own entertainment
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Reply #7 posted 02/23/14 11:25am

ReddishBrownOn
e

JoeyCococo said:



ReddishBrownOne said:


Have to say that I heard all sorts of little intricacies and details that I had never heard before when I 'upgraded' my CD of SOTT to vinyl. However - this could have been because my ears were pricked up to listen out for new detail. It may be the case that these 'new' details were in the CD all along. Has anyone here done an A\B comparison?

wait... not sure I'm clear...



are you saying you did hear the intricacies on vinyl that had not on the CD?




Correct.
It's been too long since you've had your ass kicked properly:


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My band - listen and 'like' us, if you please
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Reply #8 posted 02/23/14 11:27pm

vainandy

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The vinyl certainly sounds better than the CD. But even with the "Sign O The Times" album on vinyl, I still have to turn it up louder to match the volume of my other Prince vinyl albums. It doesn't sound like it was recorded onto the vinyl as loud as the other albums.

Andy is a four letter word.
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Reply #9 posted 02/25/14 2:13pm

KlyphIsBackAga
in

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vainandy said:

The vinyl certainly sounds better than the CD. But even with the "Sign O The Times" album on vinyl, I still have to turn it up louder to match the volume of my other Prince vinyl albums. It doesn't sound like it was recorded onto the vinyl as loud as the other albums.



It wasn't. Vinyl in general needs to be turned up louder.
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Reply #10 posted 02/26/14 2:00am

NinaB

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kewlschool said:

Vinyl is the best sound quality.


nod
"We just let people talk & say whatever they want 2 say. 9 times out of 10, trust me, what's out there now, I wouldn't give nary one of these folks the time of day. That's why I don't say anything back, because there's so much that's wrong" - P, Dec '15
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Reply #11 posted 02/26/14 9:52am

SuperSoulFight
er

KlyphIsBackAgain said:

vainandy said:

The vinyl certainly sounds better than the CD. But even with the "Sign O The Times" album on vinyl, I still have to turn it up louder to match the volume of my other Prince vinyl albums. It doesn't sound like it was recorded onto the vinyl as loud as the other albums.



It wasn't. Vinyl in general needs to be turned up louder.

No, Andy's right. I just listened to the Controversy LP and the bass was PUMPIN'! But when I listen to Sign... I almost have to look for the bass. That's why I don't agree with everybody calling Sign his best album ever. Some fantastic songs on it, but the whole sound is...kinda...flat...
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Reply #12 posted 02/26/14 11:29am

NoVideo

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I listen to vinyl at home about 80% of the time, and the sound quality is just much much better. SOTT sounds great.

* * *

Prince's Classic Finally Expanded
The Deluxe 'Purple Rain' Reissue

http://www.popmatters.com...n-reissue/
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Reply #13 posted 03/02/14 12:13pm

NinaB

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.
"We just let people talk & say whatever they want 2 say. 9 times out of 10, trust me, what's out there now, I wouldn't give nary one of these folks the time of day. That's why I don't say anything back, because there's so much that's wrong" - P, Dec '15
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Reply #14 posted 03/03/14 3:38pm

DecaturStone

The CD has NO bottom end. It got lost in the digital transfer somehow

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Reply #15 posted 03/03/14 4:27pm

Gunsnhalen

Sign O The Times is recorded so low. For being seen as the best Prince album by many (Including me) it's very low in it's mixing. Even the vinyl doesn't sound loud as Andy pointed out... Prince really needs to remaster this.

I took some tracks from SOTT, 1999, Controversy. And, mixed them myself. Just for fun... turned up the bass and some other things. Sounds much better that way imo cool

Pistols sounded like "Fuck off," wheras The Clash sounded like "Fuck Off, but here's why.."- Thedigitialgardener

All music is shit music and no music is real- gunsnhalen

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Reply #16 posted 03/03/14 8:30pm

nursev

thedance said:

hurry up - and buy yourself a record player/ turntable.. wink






^ this is the real way listening to this album, imho.. worship



bow lovely
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Reply #17 posted 03/04/14 1:41am

unkleg

Vinyl is definitiely better, and tape gives a really nice detailed warm sound too.

I did invest in a really good CD player a few years back, and you do suddenly start hearing that hidden detail, but still love vinyl...need to get back into it smile

SOTT is perfect for an analogue playback though, it so parred down it's amazing what he does with so little. Adore is my favourite for hidden complexities, simply a masterpiece of production music

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Reply #18 posted 03/04/14 5:52am

BartVanHemelen

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Gunsnhalen said:

Sign O The Times is recorded so low.

No, it's the mastering. Compare to the SOTT tracks on The Hits, or on the Girl 6 soundtrack: they sound just as good/loud as the rest.

© Bart Van Hemelen
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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Reply #19 posted 03/04/14 10:28am

Gunsnhalen

BartVanHemelen said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Sign O The Times is recorded so low.

No, it's the mastering. Compare to the SOTT tracks on The Hits, or on the Girl 6 soundtrack: they sound just as good/loud as the rest.

The mastering is poo poo razz

Pistols sounded like "Fuck off," wheras The Clash sounded like "Fuck Off, but here's why.."- Thedigitialgardener

All music is shit music and no music is real- gunsnhalen

Datdonkeydick- Asherfierce

Gary Hunts Album Isn't That Good- Soulalive
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Reply #20 posted 03/04/14 11:31am

asideorderofha
m

For me, Sign O the Times is the only album where the difference between CD and vinyl is like night and day. The CD must be one of the worst masterings I've ever heard.

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Reply #21 posted 03/04/14 11:58am

Gunsnhalen

asideorderofham said:

For me, Sign O the Times is the only album where the difference between CD and vinyl is like night and day. The CD must be one of the worst masterings I've ever heard.

Exactly... which shocks me. It's seen as Prince at the top of his game. And, i agree that it is too. But the sound has always killed it for me...

For example if i'm at the gym working out too the album. Even when turned up all the way... it barely drowns out anything in the background.

Pistols sounded like "Fuck off," wheras The Clash sounded like "Fuck Off, but here's why.."- Thedigitialgardener

All music is shit music and no music is real- gunsnhalen

Datdonkeydick- Asherfierce

Gary Hunts Album Isn't That Good- Soulalive
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Reply #22 posted 03/05/14 2:38am

SoulAlive

asideorderofham said:

For me, Sign O the Times is the only album where the difference between CD and vinyl is like night and day. The CD must be one of the worst masterings I've ever heard.

nod it's a shame that such an amazing,important album like SOTT hasn't been remastered by now.

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Reply #23 posted 03/05/14 4:32pm

silverchild

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The 2009 SHM-CD is the current best digital version I've heard of this album. I'm sticking closely to that and the vinyl.

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Reply #24 posted 03/05/14 4:58pm

G3000

I guess he figured, if you must have it, you will find the best way to listen to it and appreciate it even more. Screw the masses!! We only want to have some fun! biggrin

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