Posted this in the Amused To Death thread, but this is really surprising to me. Chad and Analogue Productions have had an Amused to Death 4x45 rpm on pre order for a couple of years now. It was supposed to be pressed by AP, and part of the their 4x45 rpm line (like Holly Cole, Hugh Maskela, The Nutcracker, etc). It finally gets pressed, and it’s actually now an RTI release with AP co-branding on the spine. They removed the gold surrounds of the other box that they use in the 4x45 series, and in fact, it’sa different sized box altogether. Not that it matters, but essentially they are shipping an entirely different product than they advertised. Kind of surprised given the issues MOFI has had of late. Oh, and there is digital in the chain (unavoidable on this release). And it’s not like these things are cheap. This is what it was supposed to be:
Bait and Switch is a fraudulent practice that involves advertising certain products (dissuading a purchaser from buying from others) with the intention to later substitute inferior products. Is this what they did?
AP had introduced an ultra premium line of 4x45 boxes with a specific box, pressed at QRP, 100% analog, etc. The fact it was to be pressed at QRP was paramount to this set. Obviously something changed in the deal that was struck, because there is no “Analogue Productions” across the box, no gold accents, etc. There is a standard RTI hype sticker, and AP appears only on the spine. They had published the photo of the box as I included in my post above - it’s still that way on Elusive Disc. Was any of this intentional? I’m sure the deal changing has good reasons - contracts to press records can be tricky and competitive. But they absolutely changed the box and pressed it at RTI without telling anyone. If that isn’t deceptive, what is? First world problem - it’s probably fine.
I had absolutely no idea that QRP or a certain colour box was 'paramount' to the set when I placed my pre-order a few months back, I just knew it was the 2015 remix cut at 45RPM across four discs Hasn't arrived yet so I can't comment on how it turned out, but for me the impulse to buy it had nothing to do with how it was packaged
Acoustic Sounds has it updated on their page. Roger Waters-Amused To Death-Vinyl Box Sets|Acoustic Sounds
Sometimes things unavoidably change as time passes, so I don’t see this as a bait and switch situation. It may have been a supply chain issue, or a backlog of orders, but not an intentional failure to deliver the product as promised. At least that’s my take for what it’s worth. The bottom line is that it is the title at 45rpm that was originally published, just a different pressing plant and cover. RTI do an incredible job by the way.
The point is that it was billed as part of Series. That series is differentiated by certain elements. The final product is made by a different manufacturer.
I see. I suspect the changes were out of their control. You should have been provided with the new information and the ability to cancel.
I thought Chad was completely beyond capacity for pressing. So if this was an Analogue Productions release, that was probably easier to switch over to a different plant (RTI ain't too shabby)* than some third party label deal which QRP had agreed to press. I had read somewhere (perhaps here at SH) that Chad's overflow work was going to RTI. If it was something you pre-ordered based on the original description, you should be able to return it, assuming no damage, all things there, etc. I know some folks think that QRP is the ultimate, but I've gotten nice pressings out of RTI and Pallas, among others. I don't buy much new stuff, mostly older records, so my experience is limited. Was this release supposed to use their fancy vinyl compound? And if so, did RTI use theirs? *My impression is that a lot of what people encounter with defective pressings is stuff that should have never gotten past the QC folks.
So they removed the picture also? So now the box is just black with the title printed on it in some fancy font? Totally ugly. I wasn't buying it anyway. I have the surround SACD.
this is disappointing. that box with the gold trim and the cover art was beautiful. i guess what matters is the records. i would have prefered a QRP press but i suppose RTI could be as good and maybe better ..i guess
FWIW, It sounds incredible. My Vandersteens have a great soundstage, but this album literally sounds like 7.1 from a two channel set-up, and that is not hyperbole. I have voices coming from 9:00 from my listening chair, where the left speaker is around 11:50-11;55. I've never heard anything like it. Way to go, RTI!
Didn't we have a worldwide pandemic two years ago? I might be confuse Didn't we have supply chain issues do to it, and still do, many things are not available that where two years ago. A year ago Chad did a video about all these supply chain issues, and demand stipping out production and how he planed on teaming up with RTI again because QRP just can't do all the records anymore. So if your box is not identical from a title from 4 years ago it should be understandable that maybe they can't get them made anymore. Also, some labels are tying his hands on outward design of the packaging lately, the Marley UHQR doesn't have Analog Production anywhere on the box or cover, just a small ID on the label IIRC. I've never seen that before on an AP record, but clearly the rights holder didn't want AP plastered all over the packaging. Pretty sure out of some of the videos over the year that Chad said Amused to Death was going to RTI to be pressed.
So I was at Wax Records in Vero Beach, Florida this past weekend (great store, BTW…fair prices, great selection of UD1S and UHQR at the manufacturers price, great owner…), and I picked up a copy of Nils Lofgren’s Acoustic Live from this same AP 4x45 series. I had thought this was long out of print. My copy was pressed - you guessed it - at RTI. A quick check of Discogs shows that the first run of these was pressed at QRP, and the second batch is RTI. I have the regular 2 disc version from QRP, too. So how does it look/sound? Well, it’s dead quiet vinyl for sure. Dead quiet. And it’s a good thing because it is recorded at a low level. QRP version is much noisier. That’s not to say it’s noisy compared with the norm, it’s just that the RTI version is completely silent, and with a lot of gain dialed in on my amp. It’s honestly digital-like silence. Musically, it breaks no new ground. The 33 version sounds great, and this version sounds pretty much the same. I wouldn’t buy this one again. The packaging and covers are a mess, though. The outer cover is back to the gold square like the earlier releases. The first two LPs are in the familiar gatefold for this album, contained within the hard outer box. Discs three and four have just a black outer sleeve, though with a big hole for the label. All of the covers inside have some kind of a coating or wear pattern resembling dirt or mold. I’m sure it isn’t mold - I just think the inserts were treated poorly during the assembly process. Not a big deal to me, but I could see some collectors losing their minds. The most important part, though - the music and record quality - is great.
