Whichever version I have on CD. Like, sounds a million times better. Still could use a remaster, but what the fuck...why is the sound SO much better?

It isn't better.

masaba said:

Whichever version I have on CD. Like, sounds a million times better. Still could use a remaster, but what the fuck...why is the sound SO much better?

Hi Masaba. Sounds to me like the Super High Material edition of Sign O' The Times. Warner Brothers released a series of CDs in Japan which they claimed were on better quality discs in packaging which imitated the original vinyls. I don't think the discs themselves added anything to the sound in terms of quality, but the Prince albums were certainly given a boost in volume. It wasn't just SOTT. All Prince's albums from For You to Lovesexy do sound better. I've deleted my CD rips of these albums off my computer and replaced them all with the SHM versions. They are my go to versions now.


Edit: I can't English

[Edited 6/10/20 4:12am]

^interesting! I have always been a sucker for the original versions with lower gain but love the album like packaging of the SHM version. Each to his/her own

[Edited 6/10/20 2:42am]

VaultCurator said:

masaba said:

Whichever version I have on CD. Like, sounds a million times better. Still could use a remaster, but what the fuck...why is the sound SO much better?

Hi Masaba. Sounds to me like the Super High Material edition of Sign O' The Times. Warner Brothers released a series of CDs in Japan which they claimed were on better quality discs in packaging which imitated the original vinyls. I don't think the discs themselves added anything to the sound in terms of quality, but the Prince albums were certainly given a boost in volume. It wasn't just SOTT. All Prince's albums from For You to Lovesexy did sound better. I've deleted my CD rips of these albums off my computer and replaced them all with the SHM versions. They are my go to versions now.

Interesting, but that's just a volume thing, no? Personally i'd prefer the streaming versions to be a bit louder, and this would carry over for cd rips, but when it comes to putting on an album on a cd player i can just reach for the volume knob...

jaawwnn said:

VaultCurator said:

Hi Masaba. Sounds to me like the Super High Material edition of Sign O' The Times. Warner Brothers released a series of CDs in Japan which they claimed were on better quality discs in packaging which imitated the original vinyls. I don't think the discs themselves added anything to the sound in terms of quality, but the Prince albums were certainly given a boost in volume. It wasn't just SOTT. All Prince's albums from For You to Lovesexy did sound better. I've deleted my CD rips of these albums off my computer and replaced them all with the SHM versions. They are my go to versions now.

Interesting, but that's just a volume thing, no? Personally i'd prefer the streaming versions to be a bit louder, and this would carry over for cd rips, but when it comes to putting on an album on a cd player i can just reach for the volume knob...

Hi Jaawwnn,

Here is a Wav comparison for Little Red Corvette, The Beautiful Ones, Condition of The Heart, and Hot Thing. Standard CDs on the top channel, and SHM editions underneath. It appears to be just a volume boost. I’ve not noticed any notable change in the EQ curve or compression. As you can see the audio does clip in places, however by ear there is no obvious distortion. It’s not not nearly as bad as Crystal Ball 98 for example.

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[Edited 6/10/20 4:09am]

LOL, good old Crystal Ball, always great when something from that comes up on shuffle

VaultCurator said:

jaawwnn said:

Interesting, but that's just a volume thing, no? Personally i'd prefer the streaming versions to be a bit louder, and this would carry over for cd rips, but when it comes to putting on an album on a cd player i can just reach for the volume knob...

Hi Jaawwnn,

Here is a Wav comparison for Little Red Corvette, The Beautiful Ones, Condition of The Heart, and Hot Thing. Standard CDs on the top channel, and SHM editions underneath. It appears to be just a volume boost. I’ve not noticed any notable change in the EQ curve or compression. As you can see the audio does clip in places, however by ear there is no obvious distortion. It’s not not nearly as bad as Crystal Ball 98 for example.

-

[Edited 6/10/20 4:09am]

That does not appear to be a volume boost, that does appear to be a different EQ or compression. Or did I read your post wrong? If the shape details are the same but just have a higher amplitude (taller), then its a volume increase. If its a different sound, the shape is different in the details. If this is true, I need to collect these CD asap!

I'm working in Pro Tools right now on some sound for work. Here's an example of what volume increase would look like:

It does look like they applied some hard limiting based on that waveform.

WhisperingDandelions said:

It does look like they applied some hard limiting based on that waveform.

Hard llmiting looks like this (I am literally using a hard limiter), AKA brickwalling:

The packaging is wonderful however yeah in terms of actual audio quality it sounds merely turned up a bit. If there is any EQ applied, it is nothing that I hear in terms of improvement and ultimately it would be tinkering with the pre-existing digital transfer I assume

Ultimately if done tastefully like 1999 was, this upcoming remaster should do the trick

Which Japanese CD release are we talking about anyway? It's been reissued there several times.

jaawwnn said:

Which Japanese CD release are we talking about anyway? It's been reissued there several times.

At least for my post I am referencing this one: https://www.discogs.com/%...se/3146217

I just replayed my Jap CD of this. Can't tell any difference, apart for a slight volume gain, but I wouldn't say I have the best ears for this kind of analysis.

I prefer the foefur version to all of the CD releases.

My main problem with my SOTT CD is the volume which I can crank "loud" and it still isn't loud enough. I imagine I would do quite well with a beefed-up Japanese pressing that does not compromise the overall dynamics (that I imagine will happen with 2020's Remaster).