PurpleSullivan said:

LoveGalore said:

I never had the 10 track but I did learn the album via the cassette and am STILL not used to Free being after Automatic, lol.

Duuuuuude, same here. The cassette flow is so much better lol

I agree! Free puts a nice barrier between all that dense funk. I'm exhausted by the time I get to Free on the actual configurations, lol. LPWM - DMSR - Automatic - SITW is a really hard-hitting quartet.

It's a remix

The sound is muffled with add of reverb. This is not the original sound.The previous CD version sound really better.

SHAME

[Edited 11/30/19 0:28am]

FX3 said:

It's a remix

The sound is muffled with add of reverb. This is not the original sound.The previous CD version sound really better.

SHAME

[Edited 11/30/19 0:28am]

This is not a remix, this is 100 percent a remaster. You hearing are differences due to dynamic range compression/limiting, different EQ choices, and in the case of 1999, the left and right audio tracks being swapped in some cases compared to the original CD - unless you are talking about some of the new mixes on the other disks of course which there were new mixes crafted

[Edited 11/30/19 1:18am]

ForceofNature said:

LoveGalore said:

ForceofNature said:

This is not a remix, this is 100 percent a remaster. You hearing are differences due to dynamic range compression/limiting, different EQ choices, and in the case of 1999, the left and right audio tracks being swapped in some cases compared to the original CD - unless you are talking about some of the new mixes on the other disks of course which there were new mixes crafted

[Edited 11/30/19 1:18am]

Can you describe where the audio channels are swapped? People keep making certain statements about differences but don't actuslly list out anything specific.

Specific tracks I noticed are DMSR, 1999, and SITW. Flipped from at least the HDTracks download I got a few years back although it is possible just the HDTracks one is flipped and the remaster is in line with the original CD

[Edited 11/30/19 1:38am]

Wow, I guess REMASTER these days means, increase all the levels, add reverb and echo to the vocals, and grab an early dinner.

[Edited 11/30/19 1:34am]

leadline said:

Wow, I guess REMASTER these days means, increase all the levels, add reverb and echo to the vocals, and grab an early dinner.

[Edited 11/30/19 1:34am]

If you are remastering, you can't add reverb to just the vocals considering it is a stereo mixdown you are mastering here. The differences will be due to compression and EQ choices, I do agree that the original CD breathes a bit more and has more dynamics and clarity overall albiet with a more weak bottom end compared to the new one

LoveGalore said:

djThunderfunk said:

I think it's safe to say no one is talking about the actual "original" CD that was missing D.M.S.R.

Obviously they're talking about the 2nd edition that includes the whole album.

I'm sure anybody that would buy this set, already upgraded from the 10 track version to 11 track, IF they ever had the 10 track to begin with.

I never had the 10 track but I did learn the album via the cassette and am STILL not used to Free being after Automatic, lol.

Yeah... I get it! I first had the cassette too. Took me a decade to get used to the proper order.

This remaster is waaaaay better than Purple Rain.

That said, it's still brickwalled, perfect for listening on phones or computer speakers. The quiet parts of the album sound great, revealing details missed before, but the loud parts are clipped and sound harsh.

I prefer dynamic range, so, I'll stick with the original master. I never had that "not enough bottom" problem because I have good speakers and know how to use my EQ. Just sayin'...

I was all set to do a comparison regarding this flipped channels issue people have mentioned, but, now I don't care because I won't be listening to disc 1 anyway. It is an interesting discussion though.

It's all good. I didn't buy it for the remaster, I bought it for the extras, which with the exception of the obvious omissions, is terrific!

Incredible remaster - it's unreal that an album from 1982 can sound so crystal clear and generally good, considering the quality of the source material. Bernie Grundman does it again. This kind of high quality output is exactly what Prince deserves.

[Edited 11/30/19 18:10pm]

[Edited 11/30/19 18:11pm]

ForceofNature said:

analoguetape said:

Some instruments on D.M.S.R are reversed left/right compared to the old CD/HDtracks versions. Haven't noticed any difference on other tracks yet but haven't listened much yet.

I am glad I was not the only one who noticed this! I was going crazy comparing it to figure out of I got a really bad rip of the HD Tracks version or something lol

The 2019 remaster matches my original 1982 2LP. Assuming that's the correct version, my 1990 11-track CD has the channels switched the wrong way around.

One of the easiest places to spot this is the end of D.M.S.R. "Somebody call the police!" comes from the right channel, followed by "Help! Some.. please, help me! Somebody help me!" from the left channel.

To me it's one of th ebest remasters I've heard. Crystal clear. Not loud. Superb

homesquid said:

My original vinyls are still superbly sounding; don't know why this needed to be redone? As usual, it's worse than the original, after reading teh comments.

Wolfie87 said:

homesquid said:

To me it's one of th ebest remasters I've heard. Crystal clear. Not loud. Superb

I've never read anything positive on Prince whenever I have seen your avatar. Bare in mind I'm quite new on the .Org . But still, six years into my journey and this is a first. That's how good this release has to be then. [Edited 12/1/19 10:51am]

LOL. I've made a good share of positive comments but I suppose overall more negative.

funny how opinions differ concerning the remaster. for me 1999 is easily among the worst top 5 cd releases ever sonically. the remaster isn't a big improvement either. more interesting though is the L/R 'issues' mentioned by some. it's in fact on the 2013 hi-res master by Kevin Gray (to me far superior than grundman in general) but more mysterious is it only concerns some instruments. title track has guitar left instaed of right butt the linn drum parts on the right are still positioned on the right. Meaning Kevin Gray used the multitracks??!

EDIT.. on 2nd thought i probably fooled myself. It's a one on one L/R R/L swap. Probably too tired when concluding what i did yesterday. Now all that remains is the choice to do so, on purpose or by mistake?

[Edited 12/2/19 7:58am]

boozoo2 said:

funny how opinions differ concerning the remaster. for me 1999 is easily among the worst top 5 cd releases ever sonically. the remaster isn't a big improvement either. more interesting though is the L/R 'issues' mentioned by some. it's in fact on the 2013 hi-res master by Kevin Gray (to me far superior than grundman in general) but more mysterious is it only concerns some instruments. title track has guitar left instaed of right butt the linn drum parts on the right are still positioned on the right. Meaning Kevin Gray used the multitracks??!

Do many people here know these versions and comparisons? I heard it earlier from a friend of mine.

Somebody here mentioned the Automatic fade out and strange mix decisions.

funny how opinions differ concerning the remaster. for me 1999 is easily among the worst top 5 cd releases ever sonically. the remaster isn't a big improvement either. more interesting though is the L/R 'issues' mentioned by some. it's in fact on the 2013 hi-res master by Kevin Gray (to me far superior than grundman in general) but more mysterious is it only concerns some instruments. title track has guitar left instaed of right butt the linn drum parts on the right are still positioned on the right. Meaning Kevin Gray used the multitracks??!

dualboot said:

boozoo2 said:

funny how opinions differ concerning the remaster. for me 1999 is easily among the worst top 5 cd releases ever sonically. the remaster isn't a big improvement either. more interesting though is the L/R 'issues' mentioned by some. it's in fact on the 2013 hi-res master by Kevin Gray (to me far superior than grundman in general) but more mysterious is it only concerns some instruments. title track has guitar left instaed of right butt the linn drum parts on the right are still positioned on the right. Meaning Kevin Gray used the multitracks??!

Do many people here know these versions and comparisons? I heard it earlier from a friend of mine.

Somebody here mentioned the Automatic fade out and strange mix decisions.

I REALLY think we need separate threads to investigate the differences in the remaster. For ex- a thread comparing the audio channel swaps, a thread testing the brickwalling people claim, etc.

There have been a lot of random call outs of issues with very very very little actual presentation around them. The remaster sounds incredible to me, but if you read the comments it is a very mixed bag. I want the receipts.

djThunderfunk said:

This remaster is waaaaay better than Purple Rain.

.

Exactly!

But you still find brickwalling? Hmm. I'd have to look into that.

On PR one could hear the things going on.

Over on 1999 Deluxe it feels more `transparent`.

love2thenines2003 said:

boozoo2 said:

funny how opinions differ concerning the remaster. for me 1999 is easily among the worst top 5 cd releases ever sonically. the remaster isn't a big improvement either. more interesting though is the L/R 'issues' mentioned by some. it's in fact on the 2013 hi-res master by Kevin Gray (to me far superior than grundman in general) but more mysterious is it only concerns some instruments. title track has guitar left instaed of right butt the linn drum parts on the right are still positioned on the right. Meaning Kevin Gray used the multitracks??!

My advice...u better change ur ears ...maybe it's already too late?

..maybe so. Although the worst in my top 5 is since release and i still hear differences between tracks so could be worse i guess. Back to KD Lang's Ingenue for now..

udo said:

djThunderfunk said:

This remaster is waaaaay better than Purple Rain.

.

Exactly!

But you still find brickwalling? Hmm. I'd have to look into that.

On PR one could hear the things going on.

Over on 1999 Deluxe it feels more `transparent`.

Not as bad as PRdeluxe or something like Crystal Ball, but yes. The loudest parts of the album sound harsh and clipped to my ears.

I forgot how friggin' great Lets Pretend We're Married is.

emesem said:

I forgot how friggin' great Lets Pretend We're Married is.

That's the one I'm redescovering too. Always loved it, but haven't given it some love for years. Possibly the best production on the whole of the original album.

emesem said:

I forgot how friggin' great Lets Pretend We're Married is.

It's probably my favorite on the original album. That beat is so cold

I have noticed myself going back more frequently to songs I never really thought too much of in the previously over the past couple days. Like, I can't get enough of International Lover, and (don't @ me) Automatic has never sounded better - or weirder.

Part 3 of "Prince: The Story of 1999": https://www.thecurrent.or...r-swensson

Has there been any discussion on the beginning of track two? On CD, download and streaming it begins with a 1999-style explosion (basically the end of 1999) before the LRC beat fades in.

This seems like a new ending to the album version of 1999, a new beginning to LRC and a strange point to split the tracks. Or is this just me?

djfine said:

Has there been any discussion on the beginning of track two? On CD, download and streaming it begins with a 1999-style explosion (basically the end of 1999) before the LRC beat fades in.

This seems like a new ending to the album version of 1999, a new beginning to LRC and a strange point to split the tracks. Or is this just me?

That's how those songs were originally intended to be heard on the album. Streaming-era copies of the album destroyed this segue for playlist optimization.

[Edited 12/3/19 20:05pm]