Sony lowers prices of SACDs (discs). (?)

I just got the latest weekly e-mail newsletter from Music Direct, which claims that Sony has (finally) lowered the prices of its SACDs. Music Direct is now selling single-disc titles for $16.99 and double-disc titles for $22.49. The newsletter states that Heart Alive in Seattle and the forthcoming Bob Dylan hybrids are not part of the price drop.

Does anyone know if the price drop is being adopted by all retailers and e-tailers? Can we expect to see a drop at Best Buy, for example? It seems to me that mail-order dealers like Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds, and Elusive Disc tend were a bit pricey on SACDs to begin with, so I am thinking that Best Buy will be cheaper if they adopt the price decrease.

 

Dropping prices is all well and good, but what happened to the Byrds and Stevie Ray Vaughan 5.1 titles? I've had them on pre-order since February, and I'm still waiting. Guess Dylan is getting the priority push....which is fine, just wish they'd done more of them in 5.1.


ED

 

Ed, I keep hoping that Sony has been slow to release new titles on SACD while it works to get its hybrid pressing facility in Terre Haute running at full capacity. I keep telling myself that.

 

Correct.

Sony Music officials confirmed this morning that all Single Layer SACD album prices have been cut to bring them in line with the pricing on new front line CD Audio and Hybrid SACD releases. See the story on High Fidelity Review at http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/news.asp?newsnumber=18704078

 

About friggin' time!
I will now definitely buy a *lot* more of Sony's early SACD releases. I just hope things loosen up a bit with the Dylans out of the way and the pressing plants picking up speed.

 

Interesting, that ALL the music companies are not making money on their "regular Cd's", so SONY lowers the price on certain SACD's in their catalog.

Say, "it's sounds crooked to me", click your heels together, three times, and you're back in Kansas, Toto.

 

Brian, thanks for the link. This is great news. It will be interesting to see how quickly Best Buy adopts the new prices. They were rather slow to drop prices on Warner DVD-Audio discs some months ago. In any event, I am pleased to see single-layer two-disc sets retailing for $24.98. Best Buy currently sells such sets (e.g., Miles Davis Live -- Evil) for $32.99.

 

Rather than start a new thread, can someone recommend some of the better Sony early releases? I only have Miles' Kind of Blue, which I love.

 

Dave, since we are talking SACD, I will give you a rundown of my favorite early Sony SACDs in terms of sound quality and music. Some of them are great musically, but a bit lacking in terms of sound. An example there is Boston Boston. By "early", I will refer to single-layer discs. Here is my list of favorites:

* Bangles Greatest Hits
* The Byrds Greatest Hits
* Any and all Miles Davis
* Michael Jackson Thriller
* Cyndi Lauper She's So Unusual
* Charles Mingus Mingus Ah Um
* Santana Abraxas
* The Sopranos Pepper & Eggs: Music From The HBO Original Series
* Weather Report Heavy Weather
* Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble Couldn't Stand the Weather

Some of the early single-layer titles have been reissued as multi-channel discs (still with stereo SACD tracks). Among the better ones here are:

* Carole King Tapestry
* The Dave Brubeck Quartet Time Out
* Toto Toto IV
* Herbie Hancock Head Hunters

I have both versions of Toto IV, and I feel the stereo track on the multi-channel disc is better than the original disc. Also, I've read that the stereo track on the multi-channel version of Billie Holiday Lady in Satin is much better than on the original disc.

 

I would also recommend the Sony SACDs of:

Earth, Wind & Fire - "Gratitude"
Jeff Beck - "Blow By Blow"
Billy Joel - "The Stranger"


By the way, I think that the Boston SACD is the best sounding version of that title that I have ever heard. You have to remember that the original recording of the first Boston LP was done mainly by Tom Scholz in his basement with him doing lots of overdubs. I think that the sound on the SACD is about as good as it will ever be.





Ed Hurdle
HeavyDistortion

 

Ed, I agree with you in regards to Boston. However, the Boston SACD just doesn't stun me sonically like others do. It could be that the masters tapes are the limiting factor.

 

Thanks guys!

 

No problem, Dave.

 

So the Byrds Greatest Hits is still a must-have early Sony SACD, even with all the newer Sundazed vinyl out there?

 

The Best of John Denver (Live Concert) produced by Bob Irwin, is superb. I read it has been issued on 5.1 but have not seen it for sale yet.

Richard.

 

Last I heard, the 5.1 SACD of the Denver Live album had been cancelled. But the Single Layer Stereo SACD is still available and very good.

 

YESYESYES!!!!

 

While I'm not familar w/ the Sundazed vinyl, I like this sacd a lot. It is very good. If you're on the fence about it, grab it while you can.

 

I guess that means the Canadian list price will go from $32 to $31 for a single SACD

 

I have Earth Wind and Fire, and I think its great! I also have Blood, Sweat, and Tears- which sounds phenominal- and also gets good press here.

I also have Roger Waters "In the Flesh-Live"- that I love. It is not among those that get good reviews though- sound perfectly fine to me.


Chris

 

My local BB has 2-channel Sonys for 16.99 and 2- and multichannel discs for 17.99 apiece. This price has been in effect for quite some time. I hope the Sony announcement brings the price down even further.

 

Red Trumpet Offers Further Deal on Sony Single Layer SACDs

FYI, Red Trumpet is celebrating the new lower prices on the Sony Single Layer SACDs by offering additional savings on their new lower prices as follows:

"SONY SACDs PRICE DROP!!!! PLUS SALE!!!
Sony Music is pleased to announce a price reduction on its entire line of stereo and 5.1 multi-channel SACDs, bringing their pricing to the same level as standard frontline compact discs. The price change is effective August 11, 2003!!!

PLUS, to celebrate this exceptional news - take the following EXTRA discounts:

Buy 1-2 = take $1 off
Buy 3-4 = take $2 off of each!
Buy 5 or more = take $3 off of each!

NOW through the end of August!!!

You can take the discount off any of the listed Sony SACDs! This includes items that are already marked at sale prices!

To take advantage of this sale, just shop as usual on our Web site and when you check out, type "SONY SACD" in the Comments section of your order (not the Coupon section -- it won't work).

We will apply the appropriate discount while processing your order, so it won't appear on your online invoice but will be deducted when we process and ship your items.

Please remember that the discount applies only to items listed on our Sony SACD Sales page.

Choose from titles by Aaron Copland, Aerosmith, Bach, Beethoven, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Billie Holiday, Billy Joel, Blood Sweat & Tears, Blue Oyster Cult, Boston, Bruce Springsteen, Carole King, Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, David Bowie, Duke Ellington/Count Basie, Dvorak, Earth Wind & Fire, Gershwin, Herbie Hancock, James Taylor, Jeff Beck, Johnny Cash, Johnny Winter, Jorma Kaukonen, Journey, Keb Mo', Louis Armstrong, Marvin Gaye, Meat Loaf, Miles Davis, Mozart, Oasis, Peter Tosh, Prokofiev, Ravel, Roger Waters, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tchaikovsky, The Byrds, The Isley Brothers, The O'Jays, Thelonious Monk, Tony Bennett, Toto, Vivaldi, Weather Report, Willie Nelson and Yo-Yo Ma among many others… "