Having now digested the set and as a whole, I'm disappointed.

I don't mean the music, thats top notch. I mean the format. It's been mentioned on various threads and other forums, the CD buyers got a bum deal. No seperate sleeve, and therefore missing artwork.

It could have been very straight forward to have given both the CD and vinyl buyers the same box, the same book, but simply different scale disc sizes. The CD section could have simply lifted out (see below).

The book is ok, but I think the input from Dave Chapell and Daphne Brooks jar, with the later seeming to retrospectively describe the time and set as something that its not. Duane's notes are welcome, but they are not very comprehensive, and seem to be carefully worked to not give too much away.

Jeff Katz general work is fantastic, particularly when he has time to set up his lighting, but there are a lot of dropped and out of focus shots in the set.

At the end of the day, its the lack of care for CD buyers and their collections that ultimately puts me off. Like many, I sold all my vinyl and moved to CD some years ago. If the vinyl buyers had received these in 24" sleeves, I'm sure they would feel the same.

Other artists build matching sets across remasters, with difference size formats for vinyl and CD audience. Bands like Simple Minds for example. The Bowie estate even sold a seperate storage box for CD buyers to transfer them to their collections.

When the secondary market is making a CD box (see below) the estate should have supplied, you know they aren't reading their audience.

Coupled with the fact that the DVDs or are now you tube, then the estate are not offering great value for money with their appoach to price Vs products.

I think I'll switch to pure digital from here.

-

Well.

I believe there is something for everyone in there.

I for one am extremely happy with both the CD box and the Vinyl box.

-

But why on earth did you sell your vinyl collection ?

I never ever sold anything, and gosh I'm so happy to still all have it all.

I also cherrish it very much.

-

I disliked most of the form and artwork of Prince's CD-formats after the vinyl releases stopped in the early 90's.

Uninspired, boring and predictable, even cheap sometimes. (mho)

The Symbol Album was ok as a CD release. Crystal Ball?, naaah.

And these are of course all my humble personal opinions.

But I'm still very happy to have 'm all.

Even those horrible looking bootlegs on CD I cherrish and keep.

-

The fact that the DVD is on Youtube is maybe a calculated move, or an accidental move, or not.

I don't know.

Still, it is there for those who can not afford these boxes. (can it provide more sales ? hits ?)

I think it's kind of a fair deal though.

Those, like me, who would like to have it on a physical DVD now can add it to their collection.

I never liked streamings or downloads.

I barely listen to these downloads, nor streamings.

I'm a just and old fashion vinyl (and CD) collector who is having the time of his life right now!

Peace though.

-

I am still waiting for a good reason to spend my money on this set. Is there really anything on it that we have not heard or seen before that makes a huge difference in people's lives?

Yeah

NO LYRIC SHEETS in the cd version

Vannormal said:

-

Well.

I believe there is something for everyone in there.

I for one am extremely happy with both the CD box and the Vinyl box.

-

But why on earth did you sell your vinyl collection ?

I never ever sold anything, and gosh I'm so happy to still all have it all.

I also cherrish it very much.

-

I disliked most of the form and artwork of Prince's CD-formats after the vinyl releases stopped in the early 90's.

Uninspired, boring and predictable, even cheap sometimes. (mho)

The Symbol Album was ok as a CD release. Crystal Ball?, naaah.

And these are of course all my humble personal opinions.

But I'm still very happy to have 'm all.

Even those horrible looking bootlegs on CD I cherrish and keep.

-

The fact that the DVD is on Youtube is maybe a calculated move, or an accidental move, or not.

I don't know.

Still, it is there for those who can not afford these boxes. (can it provide more sales ? hits ?)

I think it's kind of a fair deal though.

Those, like me, who would like to have it on a physical DVD now can add it to their collection.

I never liked streamings or downloads.

I barely listen to these downloads, nor streamings.

I'm a just and old fashion vinyl (and CD) collector who is having the time of his life right now!

Peace though.

-

Yeah, each to their own. I really am glad for anyone that gets what they want.

For me, i'm fortunate enough to be able to afford this set ten times over, but I won't if I don't view it as good value for money. In that aspect, the 1999 SDE was much better.

I sold nearly all of my vinyl when Prince died. I had rooms full of memorabilia. I didn't need it. I kept a few special items, but the ones with memories, not value. Felt great to letitgo.

I was just going to keep every note recorded on CD, simple to store and access. But I think I'll drop to pure digital if they aren't going to properly cater for the CD collectors.

SquirrelMeat said:

How the hell???

I'm going to have to purchase this when my finances are better.

nayroo2002 said:

SquirrelMeat said:

How the hell???

Yep!

Would have been really easy for the WB/Estate to put a CD box like this along side the book in the 12" wide box and everyone would get the same in their preferred format!

I would have loved this and be able to purchase the photograph book along with it or seperate.
I don't think it's worth $150. The 1999 set was only $50+

I like the compact feel

SquirrelMeat said:

Having now digested the set and as a whole, I'm disappointed.

I don't mean the music, thats top notch. I mean the format. It's been mentioned on various threads and other forums, the CD buyers got a bum deal. No seperate sleeve, and therefore missing artwork.

It could have been very straight forward to have given both the CD and vinyl buyers the same box, the same book, but simply different scale disc sizes. The CD section could have simply lifted out (see below).

The book is ok, but I think the input from Dave Chapell and Daphne Brooks jar, with the later seeming to retrospectively describe the time and set as something that its not. Duane's notes are welcome, but they are not very comprehensive, and seem to be carefully worked to not give too much away.

Jeff Katz general work is fantastic, particularly when he has time to set up his lighting, but there are a lot of dropped and out of focus shots in the set.

At the end of the day, its the lack of care for CD buyers and their collections that ultimately puts me off. Like many, I sold all my vinyl and moved to CD some years ago. If the vinyl buyers had received these in 24" sleeves, I'm sure they would feel the same.

Other artists build matching sets across remasters, with difference size formats for vinyl and CD audience. Bands like Simple Minds for example. The Bowie estate even sold a seperate storage box for CD buyers to transfer them to their collections.

When the secondary market is making a CD box (see below) the estate should have supplied, you know they aren't reading their audience.

Coupled with the fact that the DVDs or are now you tube, then the estate are not offering great value for money with their appoach to price Vs products.

I think I'll switch to pure digital from here.

yeahronimo said:

I love the whole set, it's beautiful, but I could 've done without the Lenny & Dave Chapelle bits. More importantly they could have included full lyrics (printed), as well as Duane Tudahl's notes for ALL tracks. (Although I do understand Duane needs to make a buck from his own book )

Even more important, for a next release: yes I want a big book like this, but also some type of jewel cases or at least some protection for the discs.

Yeah I haven't even read the piece by those people except for Susan Rogers. Only really interested in those involved during the time period

3rdeyedude said:

I am still waiting for a good reason to spend my money on this set. Is there really anything on it that we have not heard or seen before that makes a huge difference in people's lives?

All I can say is having SOTT in such remastered fidelity, as well as all these Vault tracks be it ones you already heard before or not, makes it well worth it and a no-brainer for me


Huge difference in people's lives? I dunno I mean this is music not a COVID vaccine lol. But I am certainly happy I bought it

I burned my digital files to CD, made covers for them, and put them in jewel cases.

Between Spotify and YouTube, I'm aware that I've effectively spent $162 on a book, here. I've spun each disc once to ensure they work, and may never spin them again (with the exception of the dvd, that is). But dammit, it's a beautiful set that I'm happy to look at. And more than that, I want the Estate to one day get it completely right. Each of these SDEs has been exponentially better than the last... and if I drop out of the running and just settle for streaming, I fear I'll be doing my part to tell the estate not to bother.

purplethunder3121 said:

I burned my digital files to CD, made covers for them, and put them in jewel cases.

How much do you want for that service???

I think the package is beautiful, i don't care for the cd holding book because i stream or listen on my pc most of the time, but if i want to listen to my cds i will open the book and end of the problem, it's not like i will be playing these discs everyday, maybe once in my life.

The exciment when i received the cardboard box with the Logo printed and opened the book and read and look at the pictures was a COMPLETE experience along to the great music included.

It was a great deal for me, better than a new cellphone, shoes or whatever people like to spend money on.

TKO said:

I think the package is beautiful, i don't care for the cd holding book because i stream or listen on my pc most of the time, but if i want to listen to my cds i will open the book and end of the problem, it's not like i will be playing these discs everyday, maybe once in my life.

The exciment when i received the cardboard box with the Logo printed and opened the book and read and look at the pictures was a COMPLETE experience along to the great music included.

It was a great deal for me, better than a new cellphone, shoes or whatever people like to spend money on.

But it wasn't COMPLETE. All the disc artwork is mising from the CD version.

FunkyStrange said:

ufoclub said:

So anyone caught the printing flaw in some editions of this book? Not all of them.

"page 76 and 77 In the middle of the pages you can see in white PAGE 1 backwards, with PAGE 2 under it, similar thing on the following page."

i've seen many on twitter, pages printed backwards, upside down etc..then so many with scratched discs, missing discs, double discs.. what a joke for such a damn expensive set, the quality control is so pathetic

Yep, my box looked PRISTINE....until I removed the book from it's sleeve. The black corners of the book look like they were dropped on the floor and 3 CDs were dislodged from their sleeves....hence resulting scratches and defective audio. I'm waiting for my replacement from Amazon. Hopefully I'll get a perfect box this time.

SquirrelMeat said:

Having now digested the set and as a whole, I'm disappointed.

I don't mean the music, thats top notch. I mean the format. It's been mentioned on various threads and other forums, the CD buyers got a bum deal. No seperate sleeve, and therefore missing artwork.

It could have been very straight forward to have given both the CD and vinyl buyers the same box, the same book, but simply different scale disc sizes. The CD section could have simply lifted out (see below).

The book is ok, but I think the input from Dave Chapell and Daphne Brooks jar, with the later seeming to retrospectively describe the time and set as something that its not. Duane's notes are welcome, but they are not very comprehensive, and seem to be carefully worked to not give too much away.

Jeff Katz general work is fantastic, particularly when he has time to set up his lighting, but there are a lot of dropped and out of focus shots in the set.

At the end of the day, its the lack of care for CD buyers and their collections that ultimately puts me off. Like many, I sold all my vinyl and moved to CD some years ago. If the vinyl buyers had received these in 24" sleeves, I'm sure they would feel the same.

Other artists build matching sets across remasters, with difference size formats for vinyl and CD audience. Bands like Simple Minds for example. The Bowie estate even sold a seperate storage box for CD buyers to transfer them to their collections.

When the secondary market is making a CD box (see below) the estate should have supplied, you know they aren't reading their audience.

Coupled with the fact that the DVDs or are now you tube, then the estate are not offering great value for money with their appoach to price Vs products.

I think I'll switch to pure digital from here.

Amazing looking box. My CDs arrived dislodged and scratched. I had to return the box set to Amazon. If my new box has perfect discs, I'll transfer them to protective jewel cases ASAP

purplethunder3121 said:

I burned my digital files to CD, made covers for them, and put them in jewel cases.

Awesome

Dream Factory, Camille and Crystal Ball are mentioned a lot in the book. Now, WE all know the track listings for those but not everyone might, so really... would it have hurt anyone to includet those?

These are all photos Jeff released prior, that are in the book

The book is a great piece of work but I rather dislike the packaging overall. Too big. I wish they had followed the same design as 1999 SD or the Bowie "five" years box sets. I'm talking about the CD version. I'm assungin it's the same book that's in the LP version based on the size?

Vannormal said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Truuuuuue I'm sure many ppl who were Chappelle fans saw he was writing a piece for this release, and immediately thought, fuck, a mere £150 for an essay by Dave?! Count me in! Seriously though, I just hate coffee table books! They are very cumbersome. It's just too fucking bulky. All I'm.going to do is put the discs plastic sleeves so they dont have ti ve in that huge book all the time. And then I basically have no use fir the box anymore other than to sit on the shelf. So hopefully they only make it this size for this release. Am I the only one who wishes the new sde cover was the normal sott cover but without prince on it, i.e just the great background? It's one of my fave all time album covers. Such a great backdrop. [Edited 9/27/20 15:59pm] [Edited 9/27/20 16:00pm] [Edited 9/27/20 16:00pm] [Edited 9/27/20 16:09pm]

- too fucking bulky... Really ? -

Yeah put me down for "too fucking bulky" as well. CDs should be in custom sleeves NOT SLOTS

homesquid said:

Vannormal said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said: - too fucking bulky... Really ? -

Yeah put me down for "too fucking bulky" as well. CDs should be in custom sleeves NOT SLOTS

Not as bulky as the MJ Opus book! Imagine if Prince had followed through on his planned massive Opus tome...

homesquid said:

I love the book and size but I wouldn't want every album re-relese to be this size. SOTT is special though, it deserves the most lavish and cool thing you can think of and this is a great package

RODSERLING said:

120 pages and there is not even the original cover of the album in it !
There is a text about how great was the shooting of the cover, and it s not even in it !
.
The book brags several times about how great and revolutionnary the lyrics of the eponym tracks are ( as it was a 60's song of Bob Dylan ad not a song from the late 80 ) but these are ot even presented in this book.
.
In fact there are no lyrics at all. Handwritten lyrics was a great idea, but there is like 35 songs presented in this set without lyrics printed.
.
No text at all About :
- how was promoted and marketed the album,
- the single choices,
-the shooting of the music videos,
- the impact on the charts worldwide,
-the reviews at the time of its release
- the release of the movie...
.
In fact it tells more about Parade and the Révolution than of SOTT itself.
Frankly, this is not a labour of love at all, but a pure thievery.
.
Now, let s hope that the Parade SDE will talk About SOTT.
[Edited 10/10/20 7:44am]

RODSERLING said:

120 pages and there is not even the original cover of the album in it !
There is a text about how great was the shooting of the cover, and it s not even in it !
.
The book brags several times about how great and revolutionnary the lyrics of the eponym tracks are ( as it was a 60's song of Bob Dylan ad not a song from the late 80 ) but these are ot even presented in this book.
.
In fact there are no lyrics at all. Handwritten lyrics was a great idea, but there is like 35 songs presented in this set without lyrics printed.
.
No text at all About :
- how was promoted and marketed the album,
- the single choices,
-the shooting of the music videos,
- the impact on the charts worldwide,
-the reviews at the time of its release
- the release of the movie...
.
In fact it tells more about Parade and the Révolution than of SOTT itself.
Frankly, this is not a labour of love at all, but a pure thievery.
.
Now, let s hope that the Parade SDE will talk About SOTT.
[Edited 10/10/20 7:44am]

ForceofNature said:

RODSERLING said:

120 pages and there is not even the original cover of the album in it !
There is a text about how great was the shooting of the cover, and it s not even in it !
.
The book brags several times about how great and revolutionnary the lyrics of the eponym tracks are ( as it was a 60's song of Bob Dylan ad not a song from the late 80 ) but these are ot even presented in this book.
.
In fact there are no lyrics at all. Handwritten lyrics was a great idea, but there is like 35 songs presented in this set without lyrics printed.
.
No text at all About :
- how was promoted and marketed the album,
- the single choices,
-the shooting of the music videos,
- the impact on the charts worldwide,
-the reviews at the time of its release
- the release of the movie...
.
In fact it tells more about Parade and the Révolution than of SOTT itself.
Frankly, this is not a labour of love at all, but a pure thievery.
.
Now, let s hope that the Parade SDE will talk About SOTT.
[Edited 10/10/20 7:44am]

To be fair if anyone loves this album enough to buy a deluxe box set of it they will already know the original artwork and the lyrics very well - so I don't have too much of an issue with how that was handled just personally
[Edited 10/10/20 15:29pm]