CalhounSq said:

Sounds like you got a janky bootleg. I've never had audio problems with my original CDs. & how dare you turn the bass DOWN

derrick31 said:

My CDs are absolutely fine.

.

Maybe over the years some people just had a damaged batch as most people have never had sound problems.

.

I have four sets and the sound is fine:

.

The 2 disc fat jewel case.

The re-press as 2 disc slim jewel case.

The euro 1 disc v1.

the euro 2 disc v2.

.

I don't know if the japs version was remastered at all.

.

derrick31 said:

My SOTT cd plays just fine. In my puter or in my car.

No big changes on the volume level of songs on SOTT on my CD's, that I remember.

The OP doesn't sound like they are having problems playing anything, just that the volume levels are different on each track.

Which, I dunno, I know a lot of people complain about the volume levels on some of the 80s stuff, but... isn't that just sound dynamics? Like, we're used to everything being loud and one uniform volume now because that's how CDs and audio "evolved" over time with the digital age, it's not necessarily the "right" sound.

My SOTT CD is quieter in volume than the others. In my car I notice I turn it up almost to the max to get it to where I want it to be. Usually my music is on shuffle and I forget, so when the next song comes on that's from a different album it's blasting and scares the sh!t out of me Always thought it was just my copy. Never varied by song though, the volume is pretty low all together.

[Edited 7/9/16 21:20pm]

leslievette said:

My SOTT CD is quiter in volume than the others. In my car I notice I turn it up almost to the max to get it to where I want it to be. Usually my music is on shuffle and I forget, so when the next song comes on that's from a different album it's blasting and scares the sh!t out of me Always thought it was just my copy. Never varied by song though, the volume is pretty low all together.

lol oh yeah, you'll wake the neighbors running a Prince shuffle that doesn't stop at 1993.

anangellooksdown said:

derrick31 said:

That's not a bootleg. That's how the Sign of The Times' cd sounds and why it, along with his other 80's work, needs serious remastering. SOTT is the worst sounding of them all.

Wow. Interesting. Maybe it was literally a sign of the times. Thanks all I'll find Adore on another album. Although it makes me sad anyway since I think it was written for Vanity and they're both gone now. Trying to just enjoy the music! As he wants. [Edited 7/9/16 16:35pm]

Buy the Japenese SOTT CD.

I downloaded the SMH remaster years ago and burned it to CD. the sound is perfect

WhisperingDandelions said:

The OP doesn't sound like they are having problems playing anything, just that the volume levels are different on each track.

Which, I dunno, I know a lot of people complain about the volume levels on some of the 80s stuff, but... isn't that just sound dynamics? Like, we're used to everything being loud and one uniform volume now because that's how CDs and audio "evolved" over time with the digital age, it's not necessarily the "right" sound.

This is EXACTLY it. SOTT was mastered, for analog (vinyl/cass) standards of the 80s. There was still such a thing as dynamics, peaks & valleys, loud songs and quiet songs. All copies on CD so far are from the same master, although the JAP SHM versions are a bit louder (but not remastered).

Eventually it will be remastered. Most likely the dynamics will be lost and all the songs will be loud. Also, there will probably be squashed peaks and frequency loss. But that's okay because it will be louder so most people will think it sounds better.

[Edited 7/9/16 23:01pm]

The vinyl also has louder & quieter songs. For instance Ballad of Dorothy Parker is really low compared to It.
Just sayin'...

[Edited 7/9/16 23:12pm]

derrick31 said:

That's not a bootleg. That's how the Sign of The Times' cd sounds and why it, along with his other 80's work, needs serious remastering. SOTT is the worst sounding of them all.

.

`Remastering` is NOT compressing the hell out of the audio to get rid of any dynamics left.

If you perceive dynamics as a problem the somethign else is wrong.

The sound on SOTT is not so loud but there are some dynamics.

Dynamics serve a purpose.

Read bit more about loudness wars.

.

anangellooksdown said:

derrick31 said:

That's not a bootleg. That's how the Sign of The Times' cd sounds and why it, along with his other 80's work, needs serious remastering. SOTT is the worst sounding of them all.

Wow. Interesting. Maybe it was literally a sign of the times. Thanks all I'll find Adore on another album. Although it makes me sad anyway since I think it was written for Vanity and they're both gone now. Trying to just enjoy the music! As he wants. [Edited 7/9/16 16:35pm]

Try Girl 6, volume is much better there on Adore and The Cross.

Have a look at this page to see how the 'mastering' improved' over time for Prince's records.

Or perhaps this page to see the specific problem album of the topic starter.

If you understand there there is a sort of reference audio level (volume) that an album is listened to in e.g. the studio then you start to understand that the nuances in dynamics serve a purpose.

[Edited 7/10/16 3:19am]

djThunderfunk said:

breakdown2k14 said:

djThunderfunk said:

The vinyl also has louder & quieter songs. For instance Ballad of Dorothy Parker is really low compared to It.
Just sayin'...

[Edited 7/9/16 23:12pm]

There's a sign of the times album coming out on vinyl august 23rd .its suppose to be remastered

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying the vinyl pressings don't sound great. I'm saying that like the CD, some songs on the vinyl are much louder than others. This isn't bad. This was how it was designed.

breakdown2k14 said:

CalhounSq said:

Sounds like you got a janky bootleg. I've never had audio problems with my original CDs. & how dare you turn the bass DOWN

turning down the bass is a crime..when he didnt make it louds enough most of the time

udo said:

KingSausage said:

udo said:

.

`Remastering` is NOT compressing the hell out of the audio to get rid of any dynamics left.

If you perceive dynamics as a problem the somethign else is wrong.

The sound on SOTT is not so loud but there are some dynamics.

Dynamics serve a purpose.

Read bit more about loudness wars.

.

That sucks that there's still a little bit of white space left over in the graph from 1999. I hope we've managed to eliminate that by now and truly achieve maximum loud.

If I didn't know you don't really mean that I'd be ranting right now...

djThunderfunk said:

anangellooksdown said:

Hi all. Bought a Sign O The Times CD last month at a good local chain store. While my HNR PH 2 CD sounds good in my car (loud etc although way too much bass - have to turn that down -4), this SIgn O The Times CD is all over the place with sound; especially volume problems. Bass & Treble is fine but volume is different with each song. "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" is loud, but the song right after that ("Adore") is much softer volumewise even when i turn it up to max volume. I can't really enjoy it like I want to. SOTT CD looks like a "real" CD, not a copy some company three together (pardon my lack of tech terms, I'm still learning). Any idea what the problem could be? I can't see Prince allowing CDs out with these problems.

The SOTT CD sounds like shit. It always has. The volume very low.

It's the only Prince album in dire need of being remastered. The version up on Tidal sounds amazing next to the CD.