Buy a brand new car and take delivery and you notice the paint is scratched. It may drive fine, but you didn't buy a used car. Thats a lot of money for a scratched disc. YMMV. "Can I have my money back?" Gerry Rafferty
You don't how close to home you hit with this. Not scratched (although I managed to inflict some of those myself) but defective in its assembly. Too off topic to enumerate but just a royal PITA.
I think of big pile of the discs with some movement against each other. I'm not going to return mine either - replacement could come in much worse condition. Did anybody tested inner sleeve with another disc?
I didn't. I read the OP specifically mentioned that it wasn't the plastic inner sleeve causing the scratches, I thought for sure it was the culprit. That inner sleeve is like a thick plastic used to protect CD jewel cases or LP jackets. It's unlike any inner CD sleeve I've ever seen, be it cloth style, paper or Japanese rice paper (if that's the proper term for that). And if it's not the plastic inner sleeve, then there really is a quality control problem and with and there is no excuse for that. Offering scratch-free replacement discs is the right thing to do and would go a long way with me.
I suggest you look for the Japan SHM-CD, great sound and proper disc protection. I went the wrong route.
I'll let you know when mine arrives, but based on the reports here, I don't have much confidence that I will.
Pulled the trigger on the Ella Fitzgerald. It's my understanding that disc 2 is redbook only, as the entire album is contained on the SACD layer for disc 1.
I received the The Stealers Wheel SACD and I have to say that this is worse packaging I have ever seen. The disc is all scratched up and the only way to get the disc out of the inner sleeve was to cut the inner sleeve open. I can use a jewel case to house the disc but man is this a terrible way to package an SACD. And the outer cardboard sleeve is so cheap and tight that it just seems like it was a terrible idea from the beginning. If Intervention does not improve their packaging I will never buy another disc from them.
Odd seeing a flip flop compared to lp's (pressing wise) . My Erasure is flawless Universal pressed and manufactured these SACD's correct? 'Special Markets' is the budget line I thought...
It's right, but please do not confuse: Ella Fitzgerald Cole Porter Songbook Mini LP(3LP on 1 SACD + 1 Red Book CD) belong to another new label Analog Spark and all info and review is there: Analog Spark Hybrid SACDs - New Releases Analog Spark Hybrid SACDs - New Releases » Review of their Meat Loaf SACD will be posted there too. (I'm waiting for my copy third week already - probably, first print was gone before release date).
Stand corrected. Looks like my Amazon order went in for the Analog Sparks version. Mea culpa, but it should still sound nice. Was unaware of the competition. As for the Meatloaf, going to reserve judgment. Those tunes are too familiar, but maybe it would be good to have this in SACD. Will wait it out.
Agree with you about inner sleeve, but not about outer sleeves: Print quality is good and disc in the Japanese fabric inner sleeve (I put) going in and out very easy. Very important thing: The cover (done by Stoughton Printing Company) is film laminated for a long life of using - it's not a cheap stuff.
Because Intervention is first and foremost Vinyl Records company and its founder, Shane Buettner, not sure, whether he will produce SACD at all. (I will explain later more). But for now he doesn't have right supplier of the inner sleeves.
I got the Stealer's Wheel SACD from Shane. It sounds very good to my ears. I've listened to many of the LPs and I like them as well. The new Erasure Wonderland is superb. My favorite so far though is Look Sharp by Joe Jackson which gets the bass perfect, far better than the original pressings I have.
As an aside, Joe Jackson's "Big World" would be a great Intervention candidate, SACD or vinyl. Long overdue for a quality reissue.
LeeS, please check if are there some surface marks or light scratches on the SACD (under the strait electric light)?
Let's see how Intervention/Shane plan to address the issue with the Stealers Wheel scratched disc fiasco before I add anything to a wish list.
I just received a reply from Shane. Of course he is aware of the problem and Shane blames the packaging, not the manufacturing. Either way, I am not sure yet what Shane plans to do to correct this situation.
Interesting. I contacted Shane a couple of months ago about scratched Stealers Wheel SACDs, and despite my suspicions, he did not feel at that time that the plastic sleeve was the issue.
I guess there has been enough feedback to sway his opinion. He indicated that the next SACD will be housed in a Super Jewel Case.