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Discontinued CDs - What's Going On Here?

204.152.239.219
Posted on November 5, 2009 at 12:40:46
Audiophile10000
 What's going on here? The moment CDs are discontinued, they increase geometrically in price. Wha?????

Until recently, discontinued CDs were sold as "cutouts" for a fraction of their new price. Now, they're selling for $60, $80 or more! Why? The London Haydn Symphonies box set's going for something like $140 [and I'm not sure it's even actually discontinued yet].

Is it because these CDs are from the digital golden era? Oh, wait - THERE'S NO SUCH THING. Early CDs have been almost universally scorned for their artificial, digital sound. Digital technology improves with time, and is continuing to do so.

Nor are these special remasterings, or special in any way. Just regular, everyday CDs. Some aren't even that good; some are routine, indifferent remasterings.

Most of these CDs were discontinued by the manufacturers because they weren't selling. So, how can these re-sellers be getting these prices, if nobody's even that interested?
Guilini Brahms -- Sells at high price on ebay..., posted on November 6, 2009 at 19:10:27
billeames
Audiophile

Posts: 154
Location: Seattle Area
Joined: October 31, 2002
 Guilini Brahms sometimes available in Japan, high shipping (LAPO and VPO). The LAPO versions were available in early 1980's (DG), and VPO versions early 1990's (all full price). I was looking for Guilini EMI Philharmonia Orchestra cycle. Not available in recent history.

It seems to be high demand, but Universal seems relunctant to reissue except in Japan. Another noteworthy performance: Ozawa Brahms 1, Boston SO not avail except in Japan in 2003 and earlier (Am I the only one who likes this performance, no because MHF in Fanfare Magazine p 119 of May/June 1983 issue, he also likes Levine CSO, incidently avail in Japan now).
Mozart Overtures Haitink LPO/Philips only available in early days of CD.
"Noel, Noel" Leotine Pric,e Dutoit/OSM (London/Decca) never made it to CD (as far as I am aware), fantastic Christmas album

Lots of junk (and good stuff too) keeps getting reissued. Let me tell you, not everything gets reissued. Most things, yes, but not all. Oh well.

Thanks

Bill

RE: I ordered the Levine Brahms with CSO 3 weeks ago from JPOP and it is a backorder...I may or may not, posted on November 6, 2009 at 22:16:35
LongPlay
Audiophile

Posts: 1778
Location: BoSox and Pats Country
Joined: February 15, 2005
 recieve it...

RE: I ordered the Levine Brahms with CSO 3 weeks ago from JPOP and it is a backorder...I may or may not, posted on November 8, 2009 at 23:11:39
jazz1
Audiophile

Posts: 959
Joined: October 30, 2000
 Ordered this one (2 cds) from cdj a few months ago and I did get it, you will enjoy the music and the sound, just marvellous!

MDT? CDJ? JPOP? Who Are They?, posted on November 9, 2009 at 12:00:45
Audiophile10000
 I buy from archiv.com, cduniverse, and sometimes Amazon.

I buy cutouts from Berkshire.

Who are there other guys?

RE: MDT? CDJ? JPOP? Who Are They?, posted on November 13, 2009 at 15:24:17
Daverz
Audiophile

Posts: 846
Location: So. California
Joined: September 24, 2002
 MDT is mdt.co.uk, an online classical specialist. Even with the lousy exchange rate, they often have great deals, and of course tons of stuff you can't get in the US. I like their single disc shipping policy, 75p per disc, so I usually just buy one CD at a time from them, even if I order several in an evening. For box sets, though, crotchet.co.uk may have better shipping. And there's also prestoclassical.co.uk.

CDJ is, I think, cdjapan.co.jp? They have a lousy search engine, but more shipping options than hmv.co.jp, which is where I usually buy Japanese CDs.

Other sites that I use: buywell.com, which sells the Australian Eloquence CDs (though lately these are easier to get from Amazon sellers); and jpc.de, which -- even with the lousy exchange rate and 13 Euro shipping to the US -- has lots of bargains. The downside is their insistence on using flimsy shipping boxes. Tower.com: occaisonally has good deals and free shipping for orders over $25.

RE: MDT? CDJ? JPOP? Who Are They?, posted on November 11, 2009 at 06:54:38
John Greenwood
Audiophile

Posts: 171
Location: NYC
Joined: April 22, 2005
 n/t

London Haydn Symphonies box set, posted on November 6, 2009 at 11:01:11
John Greenwood
Audiophile

Posts: 171
Location: NYC
Joined: April 22, 2005
 If you're referring to the London/Decca label (Dorati) cycle (as opposed to Haydn's London Symphonies 93-104), check MDT. They have it for about $85 plus shipping.

You talking about amazon sellers or ?, posted on November 5, 2009 at 14:38:33
M. Lucky
Audiophile

Posts: 1402
Joined: November 14, 2002
 Not sure whose prices you're talking about, but I know that virtually every CD that's OOP has some amazon seller trying to get an outrageous price for it. I assume they're just hoping that somebody out there will just to have to have the disc and will pay $60 or whatever on an impulse buy. But whether or not anyone will actually pay that price is another question.

Personally, I can never understand paying collector's prices for CDs. Once something's been digitized, you can pretty much take it for granted that it's going to be issued and reissued and re-reissued. (Not to mention you can probably download it for free somewhere.)

RE: You talking about amazon sellers or ?, posted on November 5, 2009 at 14:46:39
Kas
Audiophile

Posts: 218
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
Joined: December 5, 2006
Actually, some people do pay exorbitant sums for certain OOP CD's, both on Amazon and on eBay. I know, because I've sold a few of them myself. It helps me pay for new CD's...

Right - Amazon, Ebay, etc., posted on November 5, 2009 at 14:45:13
Audiophile10000
 I was looking for an EMI reissue of the Boult Holst 1966 Planets. Midpriced CD; new, it'd be about 9.95. EMI's discontinued it; the only place to find it is Amazon, which has sellers asking some $50 for it.

Same thing for the Haitink and Chailly Bruckner, etc. It's awful.

RE: Right - Amazon, Ebay, etc., posted on November 6, 2009 at 10:48:52
Sibelius
Audiophile

Posts: 109
Location: S.F. Bay Area
Joined: April 4, 2000
 I was looking for the Szell Sibelius Symphony No. 2 on Amazon a few months ago. The copy I bought was $9.00 or so, the next price was $50 and they went up to $100 or there abouts. I couldn't believe it.

I'm now faced with becoming a Mozart opera lover, and some of the performances I'm interested in are OOP. Some are available on Itunes, but if I want the complete package it's going to cost.

ArkivMusic seems to be ramping way up on their reissue program, but I've not bought any of their offerings. The Gardiner Cosi is now OOP and they have it available so I might give it a go.
Ever check CoCoA?, posted on November 5, 2009 at 20:34:44
Mxyzptlk
Audiophile

Posts: 12
Joined: August 29, 2009
 If you don't mind MP3's, this site has a ton of classical music available for free download. The downside is you don't always know exactly which performance it is. There is a performance of The Planets there, but user comments indicate it is a 1945 performance by Boult and the BBC Symphony.

Another strategy..., posted on November 5, 2009 at 14:57:03
Kas
Audiophile

Posts: 218
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
Joined: December 5, 2006
 Look at other Amazon sites - Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, etc. Sometimes rarity is a regional phenomenon, and it's worth paying the extra shipping fees.

Bill

RE: Right - Amazon, Ebay, etc., posted on November 5, 2009 at 14:53:54
Kas
Audiophile

Posts: 218
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
Joined: December 5, 2006
My buying strategy is to put these items on my Amazon Wishlist, and check periodically. Eventually, a reasonably priced copy usually shows up. If not, I have to ask myself how much I want the CD in question.

Also, look for duplicate listings on Amazon - they sometimes happen. For example, there are at least two listings for Chailly's Bruckner set; I'm attaching the cheaper one.

Gracias, posted on November 6, 2009 at 07:35:54
Audiophile10000
 Thanks for the good advice, guys.

BTW - that Cluytens/Beethoven box in the Amazon link looks very tempting [altho I need another Beethoven Nine like...].

Cluytens, posted on November 6, 2009 at 07:43:55
Kas
Audiophile

Posts: 218
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
Joined: December 5, 2006
 That set has gotten mixed reviews among my friends who listen to a lot of Beethoven symphonies. Regardless, bear in mind that this same symphony set is included in this 50 CD Beethoven set, which is a fabulous bargain; I've seen it in local stores for $70.

Yep, patience..., posted on November 5, 2009 at 15:32:48
M. Lucky
Audiophile

Posts: 1402
Joined: November 14, 2002
 ... is pretty much all it will take.

A couple years ago, copies of the CDs in Blomstedt's Sibelius cycle were selling for like $125 each in ebay auctions. Now the whole cycle's been reissued as a budget set that you can get for about $16, and if you must have the original issue, you can find those for $10 each or so. I'll bet the people who paid $125 feel pretty silly about now.
RE: Yep, patience..., posted on November 5, 2009 at 16:01:16
manor999
Audiophile

Posts: 87
Joined: September 24, 2001
 people that are rolling in dough,don't think that way.they got what they wanted when they wanted it.only people like you and i want that hollywood ending,that they are sorry.snap back to the real world.
jim buck
RE: What are you talking about?, posted on November 5, 2009 at 13:59:57
Travis
Audiophile

Posts: 3266
Location: La Grange, Texas
Joined: November 25, 2001
Contributor
  Since: May 13, 2008
 What CDs and who's selling them?

And, why aren't you registered here?


"If people don't want to come, nothing will stop them" - Sol Hurok

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