Are we in a Catch-22 scenario with Box Sets?

[Old Quad Guy]

Funny, we've had the same thoughts, you just beat me to it Old Quad Guy.

Since I'm so OVER with all the mega box sets and their representative prices; I've got an acronym for them:

View attachment 40305

Tired Of Mega Box Sets

What I'd really like as a serious aside; would be an eclectic on-line radio station, or maybe as a service through an IOT device with a dedicated station playing only surround music. Someone could even devise a USB stick that is wired or wireless and pull the station right into our AVRs (Involve-Chucky???). I'd be all over that! And if the labels wanted a piece of the action, they could, via a button on the corresponding remote, that takes you to various purchase sites on your TV that signs you in to your account and lets you purchase the title (by track or entire album) with just a couple of clicks. The rights for airing the songs would be the only questionable deterrent; but given that it would be tied to a potential stream of income from sales for the labels, seems like it would be an off setting factor for the airing of the songs. It would also be another avenue for surround sound discover by music lovers that presently have no clue. Hard to believe the major labels haven't already come up with something like this.

I don't agree with the idea of Tomb. But you are expressing how you rather a title gets released.

Let's just think positive here. Life is difficult enough. This is just a hobby I do for fun and to relax. I'm looking forward to a nice "Abbey Road" box set from Santa this year. If it happens. Santa doesn't like it when you confuse Halloween with Christmas.

 

[salsdali]

Perhaps the major music conglomerates should adapt NETFLIX's older business model of 'mailing' us those 5.1 remasters and then when we're finished listening to them .... we'll mail them back. Postage Paid, of course!

Netflix stopped doing that not because it wasn't still a viable business model but because of piracy. People just copied the discs and sent them back. It's much harder with todays encryption to copy something streamed to you.

 

[Marplot]

I doubt piracy is the real cause they moved away from physical media. They got paid from every one of these pirates. I agree with an earlier comment that they used it as a revenue stream until the internet caught up with their desire to monetize subscriptions via streaming.
As far as modern streaming being harder to pirate, that isn't the case at all. A digital signal is pretty easy to intercept without quality loss.

 

[Marplot]

Netflix still makes 200 million annually via physical media.
I freely admit that surprises me.

 

[salsdali]

As far as modern streaming being harder to pirate, that isn't the case at all. A digital signal is pretty easy to intercept without quality loss.

"intercept" is one thing. That just means able to access the stream. I'm talking about physically recording that stream on to a hard drive, try that with a Netflix 4k stream and see what happens.

 

[Marplot]

I chose intercept on purpose because you capture the stream between feed and endpoint, not just access it. Perhaps capture would have been a better word; sorry about that.
I don't have a 4k tv so no stream to test but Netflix 720 and 1080 is super easy to record to a HD which means digital signal end to end. I will not go into detail here though; it is not appropriate.

Back to the original question, yeah I like Big boxes full of music, can 100% pass on crap like posters, tickets, stickers, etc.
Books ... I would rather the option to buy them separately instead of in a box set of music.
But, as we all know, the only real choice I have is to look at a release and decide if I want to purchase it or not; regardless of how they decided to package it.

 

[musicmemorabiliashoppellc]

Funny, we've had the same thoughts, you just beat me to it Old Quad Guy.

Since I'm so OVER with all the mega box sets and their representative prices; I've got an acronym for them:

View attachment 40305

Tired Of Mega Box Sets

What I'd really like as a serious aside; would be an eclectic on-line radio station, or maybe as a service through an IOT device with a dedicated station playing only surround music. Someone could even devise a USB stick that is wired or wireless and pull the station right into our AVRs (Involve-Chucky???). I'd be all over that! And if the labels wanted a piece of the action, they could, via a button on the corresponding remote, that takes you to various purchase sites on your TV that signs you in to your account and lets you purchase the title (by track or entire album) with just a couple of clicks. The rights for airing the songs would be the only questionable deterrent; but given that it would be tied to a potential stream of income from sales for the labels, seems like it would be an off setting factor for the airing of the songs. It would also be another avenue for surround sound discover by music lovers that presently have no clue. Hard to believe the major labels haven't already come up with something like this.

Years ago Sirius XM had a Classical Music Station that played music in Quad

 

[~dave~~wave~]

I read Catch-22 in high school at the height of the Viet Nam war.
It shifted my perspective a bit and made me more aware of how much of life, especially at age 16, is full of Catch-22 situations.
Looming largest was the possibility of being involuntarily conscripted into combat by elderly clueless corrupt politicians.
Today, they're different, but still all around when I pay attention.

Bloated box sets are at the bottom of my list.
On the contrary, I've decided to embrace and appreciate them in all their excess and cheesiness.
2019 has been my best year so far for enhancing the collection.

In October alone , I jumped on a trifecta of super deluxes on my wish list for years for < $200, thanks to the kind sharing of info here on QQ.
Life is good!
Behold the black velvet bags of wondrous exclusive ephemera!

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I read Catch-22 in high school at the height of the Viet Nam war.
It shifted my perspective a bit and made me more aware of how much of life, especially at age 16, is full of Catch-22 situations.
Looming largest was the possibility of being involuntarily conscripted into combat by elderly clueless corrupt politicians.
Today, they're different, but still all around when I pay attention.

Bloated box sets are at the bottom of my list.
On the contrary, I've decided to embrace and appreciate them in all their excess and cheesiness.
2019 has been my best year so far for enhancing the collection.

In October alone , I jumped on a trifecta of super deluxes on my wish list for years for < $200, thanks to the kind sharing of info here on QQ.
Life is good!
Behold the black velvet bags of wondrous exclusive ephemera!



View attachment 43854

Hey, if it makes you happy, I can't dispute that.
I believe a potential way to make more folks satisfied here (whichever side they lean on) is to offer the bloated box sets, but also a stand alone multi-channel alternative; even if it costs a bit more than the typical one off title would cost.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Hey, if it makes you happy, I can't dispute that.
I believe a potential way to make more folks satisfied here (whichever side they lean on) is to offer the bloated box sets, but also a stand alone multi-channel alternative; even if it costs a bit more than the typical one off title would cost.

But the REAL CATCH 22, JP, is we don't know if there will be a stand alone surround disc in the future. Only Alan Parsons did state that the AP box sets would offer a stand alone down the pike. I took a chance and ordered the single RBCD version of Gene Clark's No Other [under $8] versus the uber expensive vinyl laden box set because Neil Wilkes himself stated he thought a stand alone BD~A would make perfect sense and that set is being manufacturered in a very limited supply.

 

[DuncanS]

Behold the black velvet bags of wondrous exclusive ephemera!



View attachment 43854

I lost my 'marbles' years ago, that's why I'm a compulsive Box Set purchaser! well at least until I retire in a few years time

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I lost my 'marbles' years ago, that's why I'm a compulsive Box Set purchaser! well at least until I retire in a few years time

oh trust me... that wont stop you

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Hey, if it makes you happy, I can't dispute that.
I believe a potential way to make more folks satisfied here (whichever side they lean on) is to offer the bloated box sets, but also a stand alone multi-channel alternative; even if it costs a bit more than the typical one off title would cost.

At one time I was a pretty spontaneous buyer. Whatever it cosr who cares that's what charge cards are for! But 11 months into retirement the key is controlling credit & maintaining cash flow. I just have to be a much more critical buyer now.

But if I could purchase just the surround stand alone that would put this back into affordable territory. Out of curiosity I went sailing in the bay & noticed hundreds of seeder/leechers sharing Abbey Road. I did not DL because this is wrong in so many ways. It's my opinion that this shows how in demand this release is & if it was affordable people would prefer to have top quality authentic merchandise.

 

[esimms86]

I lost my 'marbles' years ago, that's why I'm a compulsive Box Set purchaser! well at least until I retire in a few years time

I also lost my marbles, however, I’m happy to report that I found them in my copy of the DSOTM immersion box.

In truth, I’ve found it difficult, even in my retired state, to bypass boxes like Sgt. Pepper, TWA, Abbey Road and Imagine. They are examples of releases from the golden years, as it were, that come with new surround mixes that have uniformly blown me away. The accompanying books have also been very enjoyable and informative reads. Further, they’ve contained no chotzke and NO VINYL!

 

[Eggplant]

I’m okay with box sets, high prices ... whatever it takes.
At this point I accept that new surround mixes are expensive and have to be paid for.

This even though a 45 RPM vinyl LP is the last fucking thing on earth I need.

 

[Beefalo]

First thing I do with these box sets:
Carefully cut the edge of the wrap just enough to get the goodie out.
Put the disc I want in a clear CD case.
Store the remains in the original wrap.
Who knows...It may go into a time capsule some day.

 

[mandrix]

Well I confess I didn't read "Catch 22" until I was out of the Army but can certainly relate to the vagaries of wartime military service.
I just don't give a rat's ass about box sets. There, I said it. If you do, I think that's great and I can only wish you the best for having a pile of goodies you treasure.
Having a choice of buying only a box set or forgoing the music altogether, I will do without if necessary. I don't care at all to hear the same music recorded with 40 takes, or stereo versions,
or even Steven Wilson remixed stereo. (love his surround work though, and buy it!) In fact, I don't have TIME to listen to stereo anymore; too much good surround sitting in my racks.
It was mentioned that popular titles are often seen in the torrent world. Well, YEAH! Just as there has always been an underground for software, there will be for audio.
I'm not advocating for anything, illegal or otherwise, but maybe, just maybe make the audio prices a little better and more will be sold.
This old dude can't afford, nor does he want, no stinkin' box sets. But please, bring on the affordable whether in DVDA, SACD, BD, or even DVD & I will continue to buy what I can afford.
Now; when is that Doobies Quadio coming out??????? lol. Catch 22.

 

[ar surround]

The Tull box sets were reasonably priced and had good content. So why can’t others go with the same formula?

 

[PmikeK]

The Tull box sets were reasonably priced and had good content. So why can’t others go with the same formula?

I would prefer Tull's 2 5.1 dvds on 1 Blu ray. That would be great. Each set has 2 surround discs which would easily fit on 1 blu.