I am in no way disagreeing with anyone's comments here... just simply stating my own opinion.

As a fan of 36 years I have great memories of buying Purple Rain the day it was released (33 years ago today, I believe). So it's cool to see some hype around Purple Rain again. It may not be my personal Prince favorite, but there is no denying that this is one hell of an amazing album. Rarely can an album be so innovative and yet crossover like Purple Rain did - it deserves every ounce of recognition it gets. Obviously, it gained some attention last year when our boy passed away, but beyond that - I feel like it doesn't get mentioned too much so I'm psyched to see it celebrated. I bought this the day it came out and as someone said earlier, for the first time in a while I listened to the album from front to back in one sitting and was blown away all over again. Personally, I like the updated art work and the new photos as well.

I'm not an audiophile but to my ears the remastered album isn't unlistenable. I notice when albums are "too hot" (The Hold Steady's 'Stay Positve' or REM's 'Accelerate' for example), but this remaster doesn't seem to be like those albums - could there be more dynamic range? Probably. Does it sound good when it's on? To me, yes, it does. I do have friends that are audiophiles and I respect and many times agree with what they have to say. I guess I have a certain tolerance level for what I consider unlistenable and this doesn't make it.

To anyone disappointed with how the remaster came out, I'm sorry. Let's hope Prince's cataloge gets the attention is deserves in the near future (I'm thinking it someday will). But let's also be proud of what this album has done, and enjoy the attention it is getting. When I walked into the wrecka stow Friday night there was this huge Purple Rain display... I had to smile when I saw it. Plus when I bought it the 20-something cashier said "Purple Rain! I never heard this album until they played it earlier today and I have to be honest... I think it's actually really good!". So maybe the hype of this particular released recruited some new true funk soldiers?

We're only 14 months into a post-Prince world, so I'm sure more remasters and boxsets will be coming. Ones that will satisfy some of the people who were disappointed with this release

Peace everyone -

[Edited 6/25/17 7:12am]

PeteSilas said:

Linda1974 said:

I can see it now: Purple Rain, The Bernie Grundman Remaster 2018

Disc 1 is certainly a mixed bag, sound-wise. I should mention that I'm listening to the album on Spotify - I don't have a physical copy yet.

The distortion in Let's Go Crazy shows that the album was mastered too loud, some tracks like The Beautiful Ones and Computer Blue still sound good with this type of mastering, but others fail during the busier parts.

There is one odd thing going on in the intro of When Doves Cry, at least in the Spotify version. Could someone confirm if it's like this in the CD release? It sounds like some kind of keyboard is in the background in the first two seconds! I have this album on the original CD and vinyl and I've never heard this keyboard behind the intro guitar riff before

Here's a thing I've noticed with the end of Let's Go Crazy... maybe it's not so bad!

If you turn the volume up on the end, on the original CD, it's pretty distorted too but it's more hidden... SO... maybe there wasn't much Prince or Josh could do with that end once they'd made everything more clear and crisp!!? Did they decide to live with the original bad recording??

purplehippieonthe1 said:

There is one odd thing going on in the intro of When Doves Cry, at least in the Spotify version. Could someone confirm if it's like this in the CD release? It sounds like some kind of keyboard is in the background in the first two seconds! I have this album on the original CD and vinyl and I've never heard this keyboard behind the intro guitar riff before

Don't hear it at all on harman/kardo speakers at all. On the PR or the singles cd.

.

[Edited 6/25/17 8:11am]

I think The Beautiful Ones really benefited from this remaster. About the only song on the actual album though...

rdhull said:

purplehippieonthe1 said:

There is one odd thing going on in the intro of When Doves Cry, at least in the Spotify version. Could someone confirm if it's like this in the CD release? It sounds like some kind of keyboard is in the background in the first two seconds! I have this album on the original CD and vinyl and I've never heard this keyboard behind the intro guitar riff before

Don't hear it at all on harman/kardo spekers at all. On the PR or the singles cd.

The 7 inch version from the Single versions disc sounds normal on Spotify, it's just the album version ,as it is on Spotify at least, that has the weird keyboard stuff.

radicalrojo said:

I think The Beautiful Ones really benefited from this remaster. About the only song on the actual album though...

I actually really like Take Me With You and Purple Rain... the start of both now sound AMAZING

You could always look up the segment of the Oprah show when she interviewed Mayte and Prince and find the part where he plays the opening intro to Purple Rain on the piano for Oprah.

PeteSilas said:

airth said:

After normalizing the tracks, I'm not really hearing much - if any - difference. There's nothing to make me think I need to delete my existing tracks. In fact, the slightly harsher sounding end to Let's Go Crazy makes me think I should delete the "remaster".

Actually, I've never really thought Purple Rain needed to be remastered, but I'll spend a bit more time comparing the two.

i downloaded them both side by side, the remaster is definitely louder and fuller, the toms are definitely more defined. I probably wouldn't have noticed had i not listened to them side by side, the songs are the same after all. It wasn't really that disk i wanted, i'm loving the extras. still haven't made my way through, i wished prince had a version of the purple rain piano part in the movie as he does fathers song. I wonder if he composed and changed fathers song substantially.

Here's a little quick chart I made.

so my question is this...if Prince oversaw the remastering of this and delivered it to WB...how didn't anyone know this?

macaylasdad said:

so my question is this...if Prince oversaw the remastering of this and delivered it to WB...how didn't anyone know this?

Know what? That he delivered it? We did.... Prince tweeted about it, saying it was in their hands.

I'm glad that i don't understand almost i not anything at all about the discussion,

Most journo critics think Kanye West's my beautiful dark twisted fantasy is a great album. But for me the album is ruined by its heavy 'loudness wars' production. Those critics must have cloth ears. Maybe Joshua Welton agrees with them though.

214 said:

I'm glad that i don't understand almost i not anything at all about the discussion,

Just read this! the-loudness-wars-why-sounds-worse

and then play this https://www.youtube.com/w...Gmex_4hreQ

I wasn't too impressed by the loudness of the remastered CD, However I thought the remastered vinyl sounded great. I definitely don't have the greatest turntable in the world, but it sounded top notch to me!

[Edited 6/25/17 19:01pm]

I have to say, for the purposes of shitty earbuds listening which is 90% of my listening this sounds better.

When it actually comes to sitting down with a proper system I still have the CD and original vinyl so i'm happy enough.

Genuine question, does anyone on here actually think the original album was in need of remastering? Sign o the Times is the only one I can think of that is in serious need. Parade seems split down the middle between those who thinks it's already a dry and perfect sound and those who think it needs more "punchiness".

jaawwnn said:

I have to say, for the purposes of shitty earbuds listening which is 90% of my listening this sounds better.

When it actually comes to sitting down with a proper system I still have the CD and original vinyl so i'm happy enough.

Genuine question, does anyone on here actually think the original album was in need of remastering? Sign o the Times is the only one I can think of that is in serious need. Parade seems split down the middle between those who thinks it's already a dry and perfect sound and those who think it needs more "punchiness".

I thought PR was fine as is. Parade too for some reason as well. 1999 though I would like 'remastered' and not just set to louder as the improvement. I was listening to IWBYL from Prince self titled and that release needs it to imho.

While I've been enjoying the recent stereo remix and remaster of Sgt. Peppers, I can't say the same for 2017 Purple Rain. I started listening to 2017 PR by going back and forth between the original CD master (on Spotify) and the new remaster (on CD). Compensating for volume, I kept finding myself going back to the original master. It's warmer, more dimensional and more pleasing to my ears. For me, the new version sounds brittle, actually harsh to my ears. It also sounds squashed dynamically which really takes from the deep vibe and atmosphere of this music. (Thanks for the pix of the Wav forms so we can see exactly what's going on!) Right now I'm spinning the extended version of Erotic City (which I haven't heard in YEARS). It sounds so warm and pleasing to me in comparison.

I was curious to come to the .org to see the reactions as I know there are a number of folks with ears and audio knowledge on this site. From my own listen, I'm not surprised to see the reaction (and counter-reaction too). Hey--Everybody should listen to the one they like best but the discussion is interesting. If the same person that remastered disc's 2, etc will remaster the rest of the cataloge, that at least gives me some hope. And while we wait for Purple Rain's eventual re-remaster, I'm grateful for the original CD.

[Edited 6/25/17 20:31pm]

speakeasy said:

While I've been enjoying the recent stereo remix and remaster of Sgt. Peppers, I can't say the same for 2017 Purple Rain. I started listening to 2017 PR by going back and forth between the original CD master (on Spotify) and the new remaster (on CD). Compensating for volume, I kept finding myself going back to the original master. It's warmer, more dimensional and more pleasing to my ears. For me, the new version sounds brittle, actually harsh to my ears. It also sounds squashed dynamically which really takes from the deep vibe and atmosphere of this music. (Thanks for the pix of the Wav forms so we can see exactly what's going on!) Right now I'm spinning the extended version of Erotic City (which I haven't heard in YEARS). It sounds so warm and pleasing to me in comparison.

I was curious to come to the .org to see the reactions as I know there are a number of folks with ears and audio knowledge on this site. From my own listen, I'm not surprised to see the reaction (and counter-reaction too). Hey--Everybody should listen to the one they like best but the discussion is interesting. If the same person that remastered disc's 2, etc will remaster the rest of the cataloge, that at least gives me some hope. And while we wait for Purple Rain's eventual re-remaster, I'm grateful for the original CD.

[Edited 6/25/17 20:31pm]

Someone mentioned the ending to let's Go Crzy as a muddled mess. Today I let it play and its thunderous but all muddled at that coda but clears up JUST as he says take me away. Like they turned up the soeakers where Im just playing it normally. Ah buddy....(c) Bill-ay Sparks

speakeasy said:

While I've been enjoying the recent stereo remix and remaster of Sgt. Peppers, I can't say the same for 2017 Purple Rain. I started listening to 2017 PR by going back and forth between the original CD master (on Spotify) and the new remaster (on CD). Compensating for volume, I kept finding myself going back to the original master. It's warmer, more dimensional and more pleasing to my ears. For me, the new version sounds brittle, actually harsh to my ears. It also sounds squashed dynamically which really takes from the deep vibe and atmosphere of this music. (Thanks for the pix of the Wav forms so we can see exactly what's going on!) Right now I'm spinning the extended version of Erotic City (which I haven't heard in YEARS). It sounds so warm and pleasing to me in comparison.

I was curious to come to the .org to see the reactions as I know there are a number of folks with ears and audio knowledge on this site. From my own listen, I'm not surprised to see the reaction (and counter-reaction too). Hey--Everybody should listen to the one they like best but the discussion is interesting. If the same person that remastered disc's 2, etc will remaster the rest of the cataloge, that at least gives me some hope. And while we wait for Purple Rain's eventual re-remaster, I'm grateful for the original CD.

[Edited 6/25/17 20:31pm]

it's always kind of amused me how people are impressed,irritated over sound quality. I guess because I usually haven't been that hyped up on it. I still remember some years ago when prince said everything he did was shoddily mixed and I didn't even know what he meant, all I know is that his music spoke to me like few others. I haven't heard the sgt.peppers remixes but i still remember when they first came out on cd and they interviewed paul mccartney about it. I also remember when some reviewers said you could "hear the grain" in elvis' voice in the cd versions of the sun sessions, personally, those things rarely mattered to me personally. I had to admit a year ago though that the version of parade i bought offline was way more bassy than the vinyl/cassette that i was used to hearing.

PurpleMouse88 said:

I wasn't too impressed by the loudness of the remastered CD, However I thought the remastered vinyl sounded great. I definitely don't have the greatest turntable in the world, but it sounded top notch to me!

[Edited 6/25/17 19:01pm]

Interesting. While complaints of the original master CD are understandable, I have never heard complaints of the original master vinyl. In fact, most agree that it is pretty great, I would say it is the best format/master released of the album thus far. So, this new remaster vinyl... I don't see the point in it.

djThunderfunk said:

KingSausage said:

I'd love to read some comparisons between the original pressing, the Kevin Gray cut from several years ago, and this new remaster on vinyl. I have the KG reissue and really enjoy it.

Do you like it better than the original?

djThunderfunk said:

KingSausage said:

djThunderfunk said:

Do you like it better than the original?

I've never heard an original vinyl pressing. But it smokes the original CD.

I have heard both, but never done an A/B test. I do think the vinyl from a few years ago is waaay better than the new CD, though.

jaawwnn said:

we've become a pitiful lot haven't we? I just thought about how we'd have ripped to shreds the cassette version of 1999 because it was sped up for some reason, probably to make it fit on a certain size tape.