Steppenwolf: "Gold - Their Gold Hits", Coming from Analogue Productions - September 22, 2017

I have the vinyl issue (bought in Sept 2017) and recently purchased the SACD version as well when first issued back in June 2018. I rarely listen to the redbook layer of an SACD, but still would like a perfect product. So I called Acoustic Sounds this morning.

Suffice to say, the issue to them was so new, yet they were made aware by someone - maybe someone posting in this thread (George P?) - that they were not yet sure how they were going to handle the problem.

The person I talked to on the phone was not sure what to do, and he kept putting me on hold to talk to someone "in charge". He told me that they were technically "out of stock" - yet I mentioned it still said "in stock" on their website. He assumed they were going to remove the in stock indication some time soon.

I mentioned that a few people that were going to order the disc, are probably holding off now due to the fact that the "defect" has been reported on an "audiophile chat site" (here - although I didn't mention this site by name).

If you already purchased the disc, I would request that you call Acoustic Sounds to ensure they take the issue seriously and re-press the disc (even if you don't listen to the redbook layer and consider the issue to be minor).

I was sort of taken off guard by the initial statement by the person I talked to on the phone in that he said he could offer me a refund on the disc. I said I wasn't looking for a refund, since I didn't want to return the disc since most of my listening was done with the SACD layer, but I would expect to receive a "perfect" disc (SACD layer and redbook layer). What threw me off guard, was that he seemed to offer a refund and I wouldn't have to return the disc. I know that sounds like great customer service, but really doesn't respond to the issue of the defective redbook layer on the disc. I told him, as much as I would appreciate a refund, I wasn't looking for one, and would alternatively hope that Acoustic Sounds would be re-pressing the disc and merely send out corrected copied to those who purchased them from Acoustic Sounds (as I did). I told the salesperson, if they really wanted to offer a refund, go ahead, but I didn't want to return the disc for the issue until I knew they would have a replacement available.

I know some people here would have just taken a refund and said "thanks" (and effectively end up with a "free" disc), but that doesn't fix the problem (and maybe I am honest to a fault in that I didn't want a refund and still keep the "defective disc", but really expect a corrected disc). I impressed upon the person I was talking to that it would seem to be in Acoustic Sounds best interest to re-press a corrected disc and merely send those out to people that already purchased the disc.

In the end, they confirmed my email and phone number so they would contact me back with the actual decision on what they would do with regard to refund/replacement. I reiterated that I wasn't going to send the disc back, so they should take that into consideration when making their decision.

 

He was likely very confused by the time he hung up.

 

One of the first records I ever bought back in 1970 I believe.

I only have CD playing capability now though...and have all of the core catalog stuff...but not in as great of sounding quality as this new release will be....

 

I was ready to order the SACD today using the discount code. Not now, I can wait for corrected copies.

 

I called Acoustic Sounds this morning and they were aware of the problem with the redbook layer of this release. When I asked them if they would be repressing new discs without defects I was told that they had no idea if they would be doing that.

 

Wow! Analogue Productions boasts top quality and charges some of the highest prices around. This response is disappointing. This reminds me of the Audio Fidelity Blood Sweat and Tears fiasco, where the SACD layer was unbalanced left and right and never was fixed. I guess the label doesn't want to go through the expense of having the mastering engineers go back and fix the issue. The engineers should be held responsible for these amateurish failures.

 

How can they have an answer on day of discovering the problem? I’m sure they have other releases in the pressing line first. They will either repress or offer refunds or discounts.

 

Sure, but they can't just keep selling them with a flaw, as if there is nothing wrong. I'm just tiring of paying top dollar and getting shoddy product. The mastering engineer needs to bother and listen professionally to their product before passing it off on the consumers.

 

i assume they will pull them now?

 

Kevin made a mistake, he's human.

 

Yeah, yeah yeah...These types of mistakes are easy to fix and easy to detect by LISTENING. That's their job. We should fork out $30.00 and feel, it's ok this disc is ****** up it' just human.

 

And it's one second. What if he coughed during that second ?

 

They are listed as backordered on the site: Steppenwolf-Gold Their Great Hits-Hybrid Stereo SACD|Acoustic Sounds

 

Double check. Stop the shoddy work. This is supposed to be an audiophile premium price label. It's not like he's knocking out masterings for a major label like Barry Diament did back in the day. Come to think of it, no one has pointed out mistakes Barry made on all of those masterings.

 

John was born in Tilst, East Prussia, an area of Germany that was isolated from the rest of Germany (West Prussia) in order to give the newly recreated country of Poland access to the Baltic Sea thru the Free City of Danzig (now Gadańsk) after World War I. During World War II the Russians pushed an offensive into East Prussia on their way to Berlin ("the Baltic Coast was full of amber and the land was green before the tanks came" and that area is noted for it's abundant amber Amber Coast - Wikipedia ). John's father was a German soldier and was killed a month before he was born. As the Russians advanced, John and his mother evacuated East Prussia Evacuation of East Prussia - Wikipedia and got stuck in Arnstadt in what became East Germany and occupied by the Russians. Five years later they managed to get across the border to Hanover in West Germany where they lived until 1958 when they emigrated to Canada. In the meantime, what was left of East Prussia was carved up to become parts of what is now Poland and Kaliningrad Oblast which is a part of Russia which is isolated from the rest of Russia by Lithuania and Poland and what was once Tilset is now Sovetsk.

 

I was confused as well. I really couldn't believe they would offer a refund and not want a return. It just seemed so out of character, that I kept questioning the fact they really didn't want a return, but would offer a refund. Yeah I probably caused the guys head to explode.

 

Well why refund you AND pay another shipping cost for something they can't resell?

 

Just got an email blast that went out to anyone who purchased the Steppenwolf Gold SACD disc from acoustic sounds. They are repressing corrected versions and sending out to owners when they are ready.

 

Yep, got this email from Chad:

Dear Acoustic Sounds Customer:

We're writing because you've purchased from Acoustic Sounds our Analogue Productions SACD reissue of Steppenwolf - Gold: Their Greatest Hits. Unfortunately, we've learned that there is a manufacturing defect with that disc. While the issue only affects the CD layer of this hybrid disc, we want to be sure that all of our customers have a defect-free product.

We are working to re-manufacture the disc and will send to you - free of a charge - a replacement as soon as it is available. While we don't yet have a specific timeline for the replacement availability, we will be in contact with further information as soon as possible. We very much appreciate your patience. Please feel free to keep your current disc. As soon as we have a replacement, we will mail it to the same address to which we shipped the original.

Thank you for your business and your patience.

Sincerely,

Chad Kassem
Acoustic Sounds, Inc.

 

Good on him for doing this right.

 

That's great. I'll go ahead and order, at least knowing I'll be able to get a corrected disc. Well done Acoustic Sounds!

 

If anyone wants to sell their defective disc PM me. I'll only be listening to the SACD layer anyway.

 

Do we know if a new repress will be in circulation or is Chad simply doing a Marshall at AF and having a few new corrected ones pressed for those who bought the defective disc?

 

It might not have been the mastering (engineer) of the audio - but rather the disc authoring to SACD where they lost a second there. Plenty of places where it can go wrong.

 

I thought that Sly Hits got fixed (eventually) at retail as well as the buyers were sent new discs?