Frank, I worked for WEA here in the United States between 1999 thru 2008 and we made Millions of CD's for the Club"s and we used the same Masters for the Columbia House & BMG Clubs, the only difference was we used different screen print with altered print on the discs (mostly the Catalog Numbers) & the books and inlays sometimes were altered like you stated in your video. Good Topic Frank, enjoy your videos as always Mike from Olyphant, PA

@iLL-iNNeR-GrOoVe

2 жыл бұрын

Unless there was a record company contractual change or region they tend to be same for the market Multiple masterings were done between Toshiba CBS masterings and Sony etc and secret remasters done in later 80s. Really cds are just unorganized in general. Why you cant evem go by the matrix is some cases.

@lovestheclassics69

2 жыл бұрын

@@iLL-iNNeR-GrOoVe not sure how sony did theirs but at warner bros where I worked we did use the same masters for all of the Warner/Elektra/Asylum releases to the cd clubs. We never ran any labels owned by sony so it's possible they did have secret masters, we didn't at warner bros

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Mike! Thanks for the info. Makes total sense. Frank

@Protometal66

2 жыл бұрын

@@Channel33RPM Just wanted to say I worked for Sonopress ( BMG ) for 17 years and our procedure was similar to Mike's. The only difference was the print and part number

@jamesw4895

6 ай бұрын

What happened too all the old unsold cds. Are they in a warehouse somewhere?

BMG and Columbia House cds were identical in quality to retail and pretty much showed us all just how cheap cds are to make and that we were getting ripped off by retailers and in fact may have contributed to the rise of digital file sharing (i.e. napster, limewire) and ultimately streaming. However, we gave up our resell ability on them later on. I was told by multiple stores that they would not buy these from me.

@DorianPaige00

2 жыл бұрын

@Nicholas Michael Jackson's Bad has about 5-6 different versions. Typically after a new single was cut and tweaked, Jackson would make that the album version. That was something Epic did and had little to do with the record clubs which would likely get the current pressing. Most stores today will take your BMG/Columbia house product but BITD retail didn't like those clubs. Specialty titles still sell well on cds but a top 10 boy band would hardly fetch anything.

I remember when I was a member of the Columbia house club in the 70s (vinyl albums), the biggest difference was in the quality of the cardboard/printing of the record jacket. The records that you bought in a record store always had more of a quality feel. As far as the sound quality....back in the 70s I played records on a complete piece of junk system, so I wouldn't have noticed.

Though I am too young (23) for Columbia House to have any significance to me, I was surprised to find out just how many of the used CDs ive collected over the years turned out to be copies from record clubs. And I didn't even really know that the clubs manufactured their own dedicated copies of CDs (as opposed to them being the exact same as retail copies) until I started cataloguing all my shit on Discogs last year.

I love it when I find record club CDs in the used stores, they invariably go for much less and I have yet to have a problem with any of them. In fact, I once heard clipping distortion from one ADD CD and thought "Must be a Music Club pressing." Checked the label and it turned out to be an original EMI.

I joined BMG a few times and still have the majority of the CD’s I got from them. I’ve never ever noticed a difference in sound quality either. I think the idea of Columbia House & BMG Music being of substandard playback quality is right up there with Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster and vampires. But that’s just me.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

I tend to think you are correct.

A bit older than you Frank. It was LPs when I was buying music from these clubs and not having top gear back then, who knows what the differences were. All I remember is that they sounded great to my young ears at the time and I really enjoyed the music and the idea of getting so many albums for cheap! At the end of the day, I think that is all that really matters! I have several club copies of my favorite albums and decent equipment to listen to them on and they still sound great! :)

I bought several vinyl records from these clubs in the past. They are still being played today, Only trouble I had was getting them to go away when you met your contract. Other thing when something was defective, try and get them to stand behind them. I could never get ahold of them. It took 2 years to get them to stop.

This is an urban myth about the 💿. I would buy a used one regardless of it being a club or label issue. 👍 👌

I used both companies regularly & never had a problem with either.

Both of these clubs were owned by existing major record labels, and their discs were sonically identical to what you would buy in a store. Those different catalog numbers, updated UPC codes and 'manufactued for...' labels were largely there to keep people from getting 12 CD's for a 'penny', then trying to take them to a record store and exchange them for something cooler than you could get from the clubs. Columbia House was originally owned by CBS Records, later as a joint venture between Sony and Warner Bros. BMG was originally named and owned by RCA Records, who was later purchased by BMG. In the early '00's both Sony and BMG merged, and the iPod and mp3's killed off both clubs. The 1970's even had a Capitol Record Club.

Before CD's were around both my sister and I had vinyl memberships during the 60's and 70's, She was with Columbia, while I was with RCA Victor. They were run about the same. Some of Columbia's discs read "Manufactured for Columbia Record Club". The catch was to send the enclosed order card back to the club before the stated date -- otherwise an unwanted album of the month would arrive. After Sister was married, they joined Capitol Record Club; I was in the Air Force overseas and belonged to Record Club of America -- pretty much the same story as Columbia and Victor. In the 90's a good friend reccommended me for membership with Musical Heritage Society, who initially offered vinyl albums and cassettes, but eventually everything came as CD's. You bought the initial one item at catalog price and got a second CD for free. Like the other clubs MHS had those dated cards to return. The nice feature of MHS is their inventory was their own pressings of out of date classical or jazz recordings from major labels. However, about 10 years ago MHS went belly-up.

Makes sense to me that they sound the same, Frank. It's a digital format. There is no room for variation in 1s and 0s.

@DorianPaige00

2 жыл бұрын

Tell that to stereofile. They're playing lacquers over there.

I actually bought Reel to Reel tapes from Columbia / still have them & they still sound great all these many, many years later... :)

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Those are so hard to find now. Nice!

The used CD bins at stores in the Twin Cities have loads of CDs with the BMG notice. Whether I'll buy one or not depends on how much I want that album that day. CD mastering quality in general can be a toss of the dice, so I haven't noticed any quality differences that can be pinned solely to record club versions.

Love this kind of content. Thanks Frank, you always giving interesting information.

I was in BMG for a very long time for CDs. I'd never buy the expensive featured disc but I'd go for the $4.99 section and they were generally older ones that I never bought but at that price I'd go for them. Quality was never an issue and I still have dozens and dozens of them now. It was fun getting that box of discs in the mail.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

I LOVED getting the box of CDs in the mail

Audiophiles make a lot of silly and unsubstantiated claims, this is just another to add to the pile.

@davidward9487

2 жыл бұрын

Seriously....... I love telling them I stack my records on a crosley stack o matic😂🤣 and they survive

Frank, always appreciate your videos! Seems like covid, inflation and social issues are making people act poorly toward each other. Your videos send out great vibes and help me with my day. Thank you.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!!!

Another thing that was different for club CDs was many times they'd skip special packaging. So if an album was on a digipak at retail, it would usually be in a jewel case from the clubs.

@danieldaniels7571

2 жыл бұрын

Yep. The same thing goes for jewel boxes with unusual colored trays. The club release would have a standard black one.

@zerorez4960

2 жыл бұрын

. so i guess those NIN textured cloth like digipaks were an exception .

Heck, I remember in 1984 seeing CD's retailing for $35 to $45 originally in music outlets in malls and CD player decks started at around $500 and upwards until the format really took off.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Crazy!!! I seem to recall being a kid and seeing CDs for crazy prices like that too, when they first came out. The CDs section, if I recall, was also super small. It was one little rack with like 20 titles. Obviously, to grew from there. Even in the late 80s and into the 90s, I remember HMV selling CDs for $20.

@potatofry1237

2 жыл бұрын

Remember the first CD car radio would skip like a record. And what. Was up with those giant CD cases when you bought them in a store. Just a small version of a record. Metal rules

i can't speak for cds, but when i joined both clubs back in the 60's, i got the vinyl albums and they seemed fine...like you said, a different record plant can make all the difference in the sound...but i loved the clubs...it was great getting the magazine every month with all the choices (take note amazon)....and while i was crate diving throughout new york, i would also know that the mail would be bringing me music as well (something we take for granted now)...keep the peace my friend...rocky

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

I miss those clubs. I didn't join until 1989, when I was 16, but it was a good way to build up a music collection, fast.

I did a little experiment with Audacity. I ripped WAVs from track one of "Master of Reality." Sources were the original Warner CD and a BMG Music club version. On the BMG version, there is .18569 seconds of silence before the first "wiggle" on the wave file corresponding to Ozzy's cough. On the original Warner, this occurs at .21057. So the beginning of the tracks do no align perfectly. I zoomed all the way in to the waveform so I could see the individual samples that occur 44,100 times per second and chopped out the beginning silence of each track so they would start at the exact same sample. Comparing the zoomed in data points at several places in the song, they looked identical. To verify that they were identical, I reversed the polarity on the BMG version and mixed down the Warner & phase reversed BMG tracks to a stereo pair. The combination of the tracks yielded silence, and this held true for the duration of the song. Any differences in the WAV files would have be audible on this combined track. So at least for Sweet Leaf, there is no significant difference between Warner and BMG.

@melovemusic69

2 жыл бұрын

Wow quite the effort.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Good info (and good research - wow!). Thanks for the info.

@ThriftyAV

2 жыл бұрын

@@Channel33RPM Link might get auto-moderated, but I made a video based on the procedurer above that will go public around Christmas. It was actually the BMG that had more silence at the beginning. I threw a shout out to you in my vid for inspiring me! kzread.info/dash/bejne/oGh6mtJsfK6yaM4.html

@jeffthrow6892

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting.... by the way, it was Tony Iommi coughing on "Sweet Leaf", not Ozzy.....

@ThriftyAV

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffthrow6892 Thanks. Interesting bit of trivia!

I still have my Columbia house cds. The cds still work as new 25 plus years later.

I bought from BMG many, many times to build my CD collection back in the late 90's, early 2000's. Still have them all and they work great!! 12 CD's for the price of 1, was an awesome deal!! Too bad they stopped doing it.

Here in the UK we had the Britannia Music Club which was a carbon copy of its US counterparts. I don't remember the quality of product ever being questioned at anytime. The rumour probably started by folks questioning how they could "give away" discs so cheaply- "they must be sub standard". Of course we all know that you ended up paying a LOT more in the long run! Buyers were tied in a contract where they had to buy at least 1 disc a month from the catalogue they published. The prices were jacked and the choice was limited. We all had to buy at least one album we didn't want to fulfil our side of the deal. It cost more and restricted choice in the long run. The upfront "free" stuff was a big con really. We know American's LOVE a good conspiracy theory...

Nice vid Frank, Very interesting !! You do plenty of research with these type of topics -thank you.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

I want that shirt! My dad let me join Columbia House in 76. I was in 2nd grade. I stayed a member (multiple names) into the 90's. Good times.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

>>>> channel33rpm.bigcartel.com

Frank, have you done a video about online record clubs? I belong to one. I wonder what other ones are out there and what your opinion is on them in general.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Here and there I have mentioned them, but nothing in depth. This is not a bad idea. I will definitely consider it. Thanks!

Another great video!

I used BMG and Columbia House beginning in early 1998 (I got my first CD player as a Christmas present in 1997), so as a teenager with little money, it was a great way to build a CD collection. In early 2005 when I signed up for an Amazon shopping account, I dropped the music clubs, especially since they were going out anyway. 😉

@madmanmike1980

2 жыл бұрын

I still have my Columbia House and BMG CDs, and I've never noticed any difference.

I have been in both CD clubs. But with the BMG CD club I believe I got my best purchase. I ordered the David Bowie 24K Gold Collection Box Set. It was a Limited Edition Box set. Mine is number 291. Not sure how many were released. I had heard once only a 1000 copies were produced and released. I purchased it the week it came out and paid $400.00 for it. Today on eBay it is going between $1,200.00 and $1,400.00. I have never seen it on Amazon. I guess because it is out of print. I have two Tascam CD recorders and made digital copies so I don't have to play the original box set copies.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Score! Good buy.

@mickschnabel

2 жыл бұрын

Factor in inflation however, but still "increased in value" by maybe 400-500 bucks, which ain't bad!

@zerorez4960

2 жыл бұрын

. nice

loving the 2 buck cd era right now and no shortage off big names at my local thrift department store ..

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely - CDs offer great bang for your buck, nowadays.

I had two brand new copies of the original versions of NO ALTERNATIVE, and they both skipped on the same song. Then I got the BMG version, and it played perfectly. I also played both CDs and they sounded exactly the same, but I am, admittedly, not an audiophile.

Back in the day, a lot of chain record stores would not take CDs that had the BMG notice instead of a UPC.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

I remember that here as well. Or they would take then, but pay you substantially less for those discs.

Back in the 1990's there was a price difference for CD's within Canada. Here in British Columbia the average cost for CD's were $12.99 - $13.99. I remember people visiting from Ontario & even the U.K. being shocked b/c they said CD's in Ontario & the U.K. were $15.99 - $16.99.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

It also depended on the store. I remember HMV was the most expensive. Music World, A&A, Discus and others were cheaper.

@scagooch

2 жыл бұрын

Sam the record man had some for 28.

@Linescrew1Canada

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, the cheapest CDs tended to be at places like A&B sound in Vancouver. There was a brief time that British Columbia (early 90s) had the cheapest overall prices for CDs in Canada (if not North America).

"I Still Owe Money To COLUMBIA HOUSE" LOL! I should probably get that as a poster for my walls... right next to my CD collection. :-P

I bought many BMG Direct CD titles used, and have never noticed a big difference. It all comes down to how the original masters were - well - mastered. The only CD I ever had trouble with was back in 1995, when I found a Japanese pressed (so we're talking early in the life of Cds when this was issued) copy of Bad Company's 1986 album "Fame And Fortune". All three copies of the cd i bought from the $3.99 bin at Target were defective in the same way: Track one played perfectly. But from track 2 on, no go. The manager then thought that I was making it up....then realized I was getting the same exact title. The second time, he tried it...immeaditely refunded my money and pulled the last copy off the floor.

between Columbia house, and later BMG, I would say that I spent about 15 years plus building mine city library up for both outfits. I don’t at any time remember hearing any appreciable difference in the audio quality in any of the club CDs versus the regular retail items. I use headphones often to compare them, and in just about every case don’t remember any major difference. I would say however, I did notice a slight difference in the quality of the packaging and the disks themselves and noticed that the CDs along with the packaging seem to be more susceptible to damage which could hurt the performance of the disks of course. But by large it was never enough to keep me from enjoying collecting from them. Excellent video.

Finally got some time to watch some KZread been getting it handed to me down here in Florida, glad to see your channel going strong hope you and the family are doing well, I’ll be reloading on some 33 shirts soon, worn my to the threads, keep on spinning and hope you guys stay well up there Canada.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks David! Happy holidays to you and yours.

OMG, that shirt made me bust out laughing. Thanks. I needed that. Great video by the way.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you dug the video (and the shirt).

Never had that problem with CH or BMG...or maybe I didn't care enough to notice

Only differences I have ever notices is in the Edited and Non-Edited versions, and some difference in the inserts. The Guns & Roses Lies Cd from BMG had two different cover photos. One version was the Lies, Lies, Lies cover and the other was the World Wide Suicided Live cover.

@DorianPaige00

2 жыл бұрын

That was probably done on the retail stock copy as well.

My problem was never sound quality, it was songs being swapped out for alternate mixes. One case in particular, was the Sir Mix-a-Lot CD "SWASS". The track "Rippin'" on the club disc was altered with a "cheaper" melody line. One time the song swap worked out well for me, that was with the Enya CD "Shepherd Moons". Enya recorded the song "Book of Days" in both Gaelic and English, I already had the Gaelic version, and the club version was English.

@DorianPaige00

2 жыл бұрын

That's not a club issue but the label changing the album at that point in time. If you bought the retail stock copy when you got the club version, you would have probably received the same version. Labels were doing that alot in the 90's mostly with albums that sold well and got a second pressing. Michael Jackson's "Bad" has 5-6 pressings with single mixes taking the place of former album versions.

I always thought the same manufactuers making store copies just made special versions for these clubs. I didn't know these clubs made their own copies. I had to replace about 70 store bought CDs because they got damaged in a 2017 move. I have a local record store that has a back room with $2 cds. A huge portion of them are BMG and Columbia House editions. I've never noticed a difference in sound. I have noticed some differences on the CD disc's label. I've had 3 CD copies of of the same album earlier this year - Aaliyah's "one in a million" - An original 1996 print for stores, the 2021 re-issue by Empire Distribution and an original 1996 BMG Club copy. I noticed glitches with sound cutting out on the copy for stores that wasn't present on the BMG Club copy or the 2021 re-issue. I had another copy of the same edition before the move and the glitches weren't there. it was just on this specific copy.

I had a Foreigner CD that had a noticeable audio glitch at the intro for "I don't want to live without you."

Not completely related but I remember when my brother went to Ireland for the first time he bought a lot of CD's. It was around the period Viva la Vida (Coldplay) and Iron Man 2 (AC/DC) were released. He bought those albums for 7 euro while they were 17-20 euro here in Belgium. The digipacks were very simple and cheap but it was more than half the price diffrence! I think media (especially vinyl nowadays) can be a LOT cheaper.

I love the shirt!

Columbia Record Club was the most stealth when producing their club issued compact discs. They just put a very small “CRC” text on the bottom left corner of the back jewel case artwork. Got to keep an eye out when purchasing on the secondary used CD market as some sellers will try to pass these off as non-club discs. I just returned one back on Amazon from a seller who failed to identify things in their description.

Love that shirt. 👍 think I may still be paying for my Columbia house 🙄 I have about 5-6 huge containers with cd’s don’t think I have looked at them in 10+ years.

I think the CD's are fine since it's just a digital transfer, I believe it's with the vinyl and tapes, like you showed in a previous video, that you lose a generation. They are made from copies.

I never joined any of those clubs but I have bought many used CDs from them over the years. I have never noticed any difference in quality whatsoever in discs made by those clubs. However I have an LP of Can't Buy A Thrill by Steely Dan made by Record Club Of America & its vinyl is very thick, much thicker than normal but I never had any complaint about it.

Man it was great getting that big box of CD's in the mail! and I've said it before and I'll say it again, moneywise it was actually a good deal, even when you fulfilled your agreement (when you did the math)

Ha, love your shirt!

I did the Columbia House thing through most of the nineties, and the only significant difference I came across was in the packaging to the CD version of _Dirty_ by Sonic Youth, as the underside of the tray card did not include the "dirty" artwork that the store bought version did.

Never had any issues with the sound quality of the CD's I got from both clubs. I surely didn't own the Crooklyn Soundtrack. I was pretty happy with what I got and they have held up pretty well over the years.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Haha, yeah, I thought the Crooklyn example was funny... sure spoke to the time when the research for the Stereophile article was done.

Ohhhh man! Columbia House and BMG - practically a STAPLE of growing up in the 70s/80s/90s for me! I built quite the tape collection (and later CDs) this way. How many of you out there usually defaulted on your "contractual obligation", and bailed after buying 1 or 2 albums at "regular" price, dodged the endless letters and collections effrots, and then started all over again with a fake name or a new address? LOL Or was that just me? :-P

Jittery audio. Still better than the ole boombox mic against the parents stereo speaker method? Lol I guess one method is free … love the shirt!

Fast forward to today, they're the same company LOL!

aside from the notations from former employees below, what strikes me is for the bmg cd's they say, "manufactured FOR bmg under license". implying the record company pressed the cd's for bmg. sounds legit to me. also, i have a original retail press and bmg press of soundgarden's "badmotorfinger" and the bmg press is a hotter press with more bottom end.

I collect these editions as "variants" for a few bands I love.

I have Led Zeppelin 1 on cd and it has licensed by BMG on the back card. Interesting history.

Once BMG sent me a catalog of box sets on sale...killer deals..but I ordered a RASCALS 2 cd box..killer cd..Except when we played it...disc one was hank jrs. Greatest hits..disc two was blank..it would play..with time and everything..but it was the real" sounds of silence "..ha..great job..my other stuff was excellent!!!

Often labels themselves will do a greatest hits or single with the channels reversed. I have heard this on numerous songs. Second pressings sometimes contain a more condensed booklet but that's done by the specific record label. Promos (the version you hear on the radio) contained much less of a booklet if at all and was often mixed "hot." (compressed with a boosted loudness)

I never noticed much of a difference between these CH/BMG "versions" and the ones bought in stores, other than maybe the inserts looking a little "cheaper" quality. They all sounded okay to me, but then, I hadn't yet developed my discriminating ear to notice if the sound quality was different, even if only a little.

This was pretty interesting! I'm really surprised that the club versions were equal to the retail cds for the most part. I would love it if we could also get a vinyl version of this video. I got so many records from Columbia House in my early teens. Still have most of them too. 👍

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

I'll see what I can do!

When it comes to vinyl I think the clubs would get a copy of the production master tape and cut their own version from that. I have quite a few examples in my collection where the grooves on the regular release look very different than the club mastered version. Usually I think the regular version sounds better.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks David.

@DorianPaige00

2 жыл бұрын

RCA used to have dynaflex which is a very cheap, light and flexible plastic.

@CatDadChris

2 жыл бұрын

Not sure what happened here. My name is Chris and I have no idea what my post has to do with Dynaflex.

Hey Frank! Cool video. Sometimes, "Columbia House LPs" were actually better pressings than those that came from the actual labels. Early "Motown" for instance; Motown's pressings were of dubious quality sometimes as were labels such as T.K. or Dunhill/ABC. I can't say the same for BMG music club.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Good info. I didn't know that. Thanks Edward. Frank

I did record clubs starting mid 70s then later CDs too myself as you said inner sleeves were different but far as sound vynils or CD there were no sound differences to me I lived 5 miles from record stores with 3 kids in the80s more convenient no car at time but I bought CDs from stores too didn't notice any. Big sound differences found out some of the vynils later albums worth 30 to 50 bucks each But no regrets buying them now the record clubs are Champaign taste on a beer budget I don't belong

Hi Frank I fell hook line and sinker for this how can you not miss Columbia house heck I miss record stores as well interesting segment thank you

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Tino. Columbia House, BMG rocked!

I have cds from both clubs and they all sound fine to me.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

I agree.

I have some club releases in my collection, but when I find the original release for a good price, I buy it to replace the club version. Why you might ask? I dont like the UPC on Club releases..its a pet peeve sort of thing.

I have an import Dire Straits where the left and right channels reversed. I bought a Joni Mitchell CD at Tower Hollywood, I opened it and It was Billy Joel inside. I was at the parking lot and went back at Tower and they gave me another copy. Disgruntled worker at Electra.

@DorianPaige00

2 жыл бұрын

Billy Joel was at Columbia records. It was probably the plant that produced the discs (like Terre-Haute) that made the error.

Also back in the day of the cod. Their tapes the cover was kinda bootleg. The front was alright but the side was white

I bought hundreds of them before the loudness wars and so called remasters and the content is full dynamic range. I still look for the oldest release date when I buy CDs off eBay. I may have to rip and adjust them but at least those can be fixed, these new ones have clipped waveforms and it’s too late to fix those.

I got recently bought online redhot chili peppers albums one hot minute and blood sugar sex magic, both manufactured under bmg direct marketing inc. would these become rare because they already closed their manufacturing plant.

We had music club here and I think all their CDs were same releases (pressings) that was also store. mr. Finglish (Bäd English Recs)

The only difference I've found is that sometimes they will have a censored version. Black Sunday by Cypress Hill is a good example. Usually really easy to spot. Just see if it has the Parental Advisory sticker on the cover. If it dont have one. Then you just got the yttihs version of the album. If I remember it right. It was Columbia House who had the edit. But BMG didnt. I know because I remember ordering 5 copies of it when I signed up (for the 4th or 9th time)

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting. Thanks for the info. Frank

I don't know why, but what annoyed me BMG tags, compared to the Columbia House or originals, was the BMG address where the code went. At least Columbia House didn't do that. I still love Columbia House better than BMg

Australian Compact Disc Club shipped out *only* the officially mass-market-issue copies of albums chosen by customers. They dealt in all labels, EMI, Festival, Sony, Polygram, BMG, Warner, etc.

@travelingman5762

2 жыл бұрын

@Neil Forbes situated at Macquarie Park NSW

@neilforbes416

2 жыл бұрын

@@travelingman5762 When I knew it, it was at Parramatta Road, Homebush, almost next door to the abandoned EMI plant where they manufactured TVs, radios, stereograms, colour TV(from 1975) and even white goods(chest freezers and such) under the His Master's Voice and Healing brands.

@top40researcher31

Жыл бұрын

@@neilforbes416 stereograms the ones that were part of your furniture they just blend in lol

@neilforbes416

Жыл бұрын

@@travelingman5762 No, They(their office and warehouse) were at Parramatta Road, Homebush, next door to Time-Life Australia's warehouse, divided by a little access road called *Columbia Lane.* Just a short walk back on the same side of the street(the side closest to the Homebush railway Station, was this humungous, but sadly derelict-looking building, it was the *EMI(Australia) Ltd.* plant, where His Master's Voice and Healing brand TVs, stereograms, radios and other consumer electrical goods were made, including chest freezers, yes, *chest freezers!* A local corner shop I remember at Stockton, on the corner of Roxburgh and Pembroke Streets(which closed in 1972) had one where they kept ice-cream, frozen vegetables(various types), and a treat which Mr. Brown made up and sold for 10 cents to the local kids(myself included) which he called *"Uncle Bob's Specials!"* They were basically flavoured ice treats in cups! Us kids loved them! Thought they were fantastic! That EMI plant was, it is said, where the EMI Record Pressing Plant was also located, though I'd have thought the records(and later, CDs) were processed at a locale close to EMI's *Studio 301* in the city itself(Sydney).

The only way compact discs issued as a general release and record club issues would differ is that the record company would have to deliberately mess up the club issues. It would actually take more money and effort to screw up the club issues compared with the regular releases. And why the Hell would anyone do that? It would only result in a lot of angry customers.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, wouldn't make sense. The Stereophile article also mentions that.

I have 2 copies of the 1st RATT vinyl albums one retail and one Columbia House both sound the same

I'm dating myself with this comment, but as far as cassettes were concerned, they used to say if you had a "chromium dioxide" tape it was considered to be top quality. The same title marked a "QC -10" was thought to be inferior sound wise🤷‍♂️

I like the tshirt. Me too.

I need one of those shirts! Where did you get yours?

@michaelackley5773

2 жыл бұрын

They are from his merch store ..link in description big cartel

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Right here >>>> channel33rpm.bigcartel.com

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mr. Ackley!

Im a massive collector and yes my love is vinyl always but i will say the bootleg cds i got buy mail order in very early 1990s and shops are still in great condition to this day I think the boots came from soundhouse a bootleg company outta germany Ive had official ones from stores and they have corroded not playable dead I think back then certain discs were rubbish Maybe quickly made in Australia not europe

Get my 8, buy the ones I had to, cancel subscription and do it all over again. I had hundreds of cassettes from them.

What’s they master that album and create a digital file to make the CDs with they’re not gonna go back and remaster that album again for any reason. That cost more money they’re just gonna keep using the same digital file they have.

All I know is BMG gave me SO MUCH JOY back in the day. No matter what the special was : Buy 1 for $X.XX and get 2 for 1/3 or buy 1 at full price get 5 free.....it always came out to be right at $3.50 per cd lol.

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

So many crazy specials and formulas, but ultimately the price was right. Cheers Brandon.

Short video, Frank. Anything more today?

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Th-th-th-that's all, folks!

If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around does it still make a sound?

The catalog albums were quickly pressed on cd in the late 80s without proper mastering for CD. I can’t listen to most of those. Then there is the brickwalled remasters that started coming out in the mid-2000s. I stick to the good quality recent remasters.

Ya forgot to mention in the brief history that BMG began as RCA Record Club. Of course there was no difference. The only explanation for a difference would be if there was some way to be spending less money on manufacturing and we all know CDs were extremely cheap to manufacture.

How can I get one of those shirts?

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Floyd. Check it out here >>> channel33rpm.bigcartel.com. Cheers

@floydstoner2962

2 жыл бұрын

@@Channel33RPM Ordered one...thank you!

There was never any certainty that the mastering on a CH CD was the same as the 'original'. I have a Rush Signals CH CD (could be BMG, I forget) and the sound quality is abysmal. Even the soundstage is really poor and narrow sounding. I have the original Canadian and US CD and they sound so much better, particularly the Canadian, which uses a superior mastering. That said, I have other CH and BMG CD's that sound fine.

What did the music industry in was the super-overpriced CDs. In the early 2000s a new release CD retailed around $34 in todays money. Young professionals couldn’t afford those; kids straightaway began stealing music. CD sales are up, cause they are $5-10 in todays dollars. Good for the customer and the industry.

And when they know customers that bought hundreds on the monthly plan after a while they break into your car or house and steal it all

Why are there CD-R's in the thumbnails?

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

Sharp eye!

I’m a little confused by so many of your videos about cd’s. I mean… “Channel 33 RPM” right? Rather see some Vinyl Additions videos or anything about Vinyl. 👍

@Channel33RPM

2 жыл бұрын

I mostly focus on records, but yes, absolutely - I also talk about CDs, tapes, 8-tracks, streaming, rock mags, rock news, music-related books, music history, album artwork, etc ... I know it doesn't work for everyone (I totally get that), but it keeps me from getting bored/going insane (especially after 7 years of doing this). It's why the tagline is "vinyl, gear and more" - the last bit is my escape hatch for doing other stuff :) Thanks for the comment, I do appreciate it. And lots of vinyl stuff in the hopper!

@thomaslytle5519

2 жыл бұрын

@@Channel33RPM Yeah I guess I get that. Just seems like way more cd videos lately. No interest in cds whatsoever. I look forward to your next vinyl video. Good job btw take care

I tried to avoid Columbia House in the 90s. I just didn't want that name on my albums.