Originally Posted by SEAWOLF97
And I'll say it again, I apologize.
I learned a long time ago not to allow other folks' reviews of how a record sounds influence my decision to buy it, or not.
It's out of print now, but I own a NM copy of the Murray Hill set of Furtwangler conducting the near complete "Ring" at LaScala, 1950. I have NEVER read a positive review by anyone regarding it's sound quality. In fact, it is most often trashed, big time.
In reality (to my ears as well as my son's) it is perfectly fine for a live orchestral recording made in 1950, the pressings are decent enough to play well and is no worse than many others out there. Negative stigma attached to Murray Hill releases perhaps? It is a wonderful record (performance) and I am glad we have a good copy. And for now it's the only legitimate way to have this material that I am aware.
On the other hand, just to cite one example of many, I own the disc "Jacaras!" on Harmonia Mundi. It received almost orgasmically positive and glowing reviews from everyone in the "mainstream" classical "press" (rags like Stereophile). They hailed it as a break through in sound quality! I took the bait. Not particularly crazy for 18th century Spanish Baroque, but the fact that the disc and recording sounds like hammered shit doesn't help matters either! AND, it was expensive back in the day, around $30 bucks.
My point and how it relates to the topic? I reiterate; NEVER again will I allow anyone's review of how a record or CD sounds influence my decision to buy it and try it, ever.
It's a losing game and can cost you in the long run, especially if the title goes quickly out of print.
Nice thing about Beatles stuff? If it IS really bad, like the vinyl release of "The Beatles 1" I can always easily sell it off and recoup most of my monies if the need be. All of it and then some for sealed copies from my inventory.
So I'm not reading reviews, just ordering as many sets as my wife will allow! These things always seem to get released right when I'm having financial difficulties!
With a box set of anything Beatles you can just sit on it. Yes, I do speculate on records. Generally I try to stockpile a minimum of (5) copies of everything released with their name on it (vinyl only). Better return than many investment vehicles or even some stocksBeatles have long been a "blue chip" of mine. I make no apologies!
Back to this guy and records; I feel the same way; he's a wind bag but he's right with his points on record collecting for sound quality. I do both:
http://www.high-endaudio.com/supreme.html
This may seem as if I'm continuing to knock your topic off course, not the case. If I can get all of this tied together to get to my point it's the fact that almost 1/2 the INITIAL ink being spilled and hype over this current money maker is regarding the PACKAGING and the damn BOOK which don't mean jack in my final analysis.
That stuff is very nice and fun, but I'd be happy if the pressings were top tier and in order to do that had to be delivered in generic white jackets.
All of this "box set" hoopla is growing tiresome and is so the opposite of how things used to be.
I am EXTREMELY happy to see that unlike the MONO CD box set, with the vinyl they've figured it out and are selling individual titles as they did with the STEREO. But that's obviously a financial decision as well in order to amortize costs more effectively and provide a hedge.
Will be interesting to see how long those remain available. This is all so deliberate, the inferred collectability and catch phrases like "limited edition". It's as if the Beatles met the Beanie Babies and had a child.
Every time they do this I have very mixed emotions. Even though I do participate in it to a degree further down the road, I still find all of the commercialism surrounding these events mildly troubling.
I don't enjoy the skepticism it elicits in my mind and the only way I can dispel that is to buy hold and actually HEAR a copy of whatever it is myself.
Reply With Quote
