Music Collection

[UltraFast69]

So once you get past the cost of High Fidelity, now we face the reality of purchasing music, it ain’t cheap but does not need to be crazy expensive either.

Buying all variations of music playback to me is fun, especially being able to handle the physical media.

Streaming is obviously the most cost effective, and depending on the details on addressing your system can really be very, very good, like good enough where you can rest your hat and call it a day and save a bunch of cash, but to a lot us that choose this format, we don’t either seem to start or stop there.

Qobuz; Hi Res, plus Sublime $299.99 (prices may have recently dropped) which allows you to download albums to your hard drive at a discount.

Downloads, CDs and ripping seem to add up as well and I have seen some pricey renditions on SACD and Red Book - these add up just as quick and for downloads you do need some type of backup or your out if something goes south.

Pink Floyd, SACD pressing, Capital Records, Japanese release; $300

Then comes the record albums, and the maturity of previous sought after releases, the ones that are thought to be the best engineered and pressed copies on the planet; originally released as $XX.XX and now sell for upwards of $XXXXX.XX, well the best adds up very quickly!

Led Zeppelin, Classic Records box set: $8500 US
Elvis Presley, RCA Victor 10”: $15000 US

Of course I want all of the best versions, but reality sets in, so most of the ones I want seem to be from $50.00 up through $300.00, and that adds up very quick, and frankly can choke a chicken, hold aside all the different format and same versions we own of the same title, and one can probably trade this accumulation of masterpieces for a luxury car.

So one can stay the course and accumulate high dollar recordings, or achieve knowledge to target the value priced copies, I’m looking for a blend. The forums seem to be a decent resource, and outside this site I visit Analog Planet, Steve Hoffman, and DisCogs to hunt down and find the best versions then look for these versions in the local shops, usually a fruitless endeavor. I’m admit-tingly OCD, and gotta have it now - online makes it easy! Those that are disciplined can go on the hunt, I believe a lot of these treasures have to still be sitting in attics, basements and perhaps in storage around the world - if they are already in the shop then someone has graded their score and your at the decision point to pay if you want to play.

Then comes tape reels, and just when you jump out of the frying pan for wallet safety from vinyl, you are literally now in the fire, these seem to start at the upper price range of what I consider expensive on vinyl and go far, far north it seems on average.

I was talking to KingRex, and I guess the best way to look at the cost of the physical media is to think of it as investments that hopefully appreciate in value, keeping in mind one must care and protect for longevity to support value.

I will not buy to sit, I’m only interested to buy and play, but that is today, and can’t speak for tomorrow.

If I die young, maybe my collection will be someone’s value target if my Wife doesn’t yard sale my system and collection.

So what is everyone’s take on the expense of media, especially the guys who have assembled multi 100/1000 album collections?

What are some of your best value scores, and what are some of your crazy dollar additions?

Do you play them?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Randy Myers]

Music definitely gets expensive, especially since I am not a fan of streaming. I have about 200 DSD downloads up to DSD512 (5 of them now). About 300 PCM downloads, about 100 SACDs, 20 of which are Japanese imports (you know how much they cost). I have already purchased 40 albums since getting the little table, and about 300 CDs.

Yes indeed music can get expensive. Like you I prefer to get the best copy of something I want , and I am not patient .

 

[nicoff]

So once you get past the cost of High Fidelity, now we face the reality of purchasing music, it ain’t cheap but does not need to be crazy expensive either.

Buying all variations of music playback to me is fun, especially being able to handle the physical media.

Streaming is obviously the most cost effective, and depending on the details on addressing your system can really be very, very good, like good enough where you can rest your hat and call it a day and save a bunch of cash, but to a lot us that choose this format, we don’t either seem to start or stop there.

Qobuz; Hi Res, plus Sublime $299.99 (prices may have recently dropped) which allows you to download albums to your hard drive at a discount.

Downloads, CDs and ripping seem to add up as well and I have seen some pricey renditions on SACD and Red Book - these add up just as quick and for downloads you do need some type of backup or your out if something goes south.

Pink Floyd, SACD pressing, Capital Records, Japanese release; $300

Then comes the record albums, and the maturity of previous sought after releases, the ones that are thought to be the best engineered and pressed copies on the planet; originally released as $XX.XX and now sell for upwards of $XXXXX.XX, well the best adds up very quickly!

Led Zeppelin, Classic Records box set: $8500 US
Elvis Presley, RCA Victor 10”: $15000 US

Of course I want all of the best versions, but reality sets in, so most of the ones I want seem to be from $50.00 up through $300.00, and that adds up very quick, and frankly can choke a chicken, hold aside all the different format and same versions we own of the same title, and one can probably trade this accumulation of masterpieces for a luxury car.

So one can stay the course and accumulate high dollar recordings, or achieve knowledge to target the value priced copies, I’m looking for a blend. The forums seem to be a decent resource, and outside this site I visit Analog Planet, Steve Hoffman, and DisCogs to hunt down and find the best versions then look for these versions in the local shops, usually a fruitless endeavor. I’m admit-tingly OCD, and gotta have it now - online makes it easy! Those that are disciplined can go on the hunt, I believe a lot of these treasures have to still be sitting in attics, basements and perhaps in storage around the world - if they are already in the shop then someone has graded their score and your at the decision point to pay if you want to play.

Then comes tape reels, and just when you jump out of the frying pan for wallet safety from vinyl, you are literally now in the fire, these seem to start at the upper price range of what I consider expensive on vinyl and go far, far north it seems on average.

I was talking to KingRex, and I guess the best way to look at the cost of the physical media is to think of it as investments that hopefully appreciate in value, keeping in mind one must care and protect for longevity to support value.

I will not buy to sit, I’m only interested to buy and play, but that is today, and can’t speak for tomorrow.

If I die young, maybe my collection will be someone’s value target if my Wife doesn’t yard sale my system and collection.

So what is everyone’s take on the expense of media, especially the guys who have assembled multi 100/1000 album collections?

What are some of your best value scores, and what are some of your crazy dollar additions?

Do you play them?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

After re-reading your post my take away is that you are primarily into "collecting" as opposed to just building a music library. I have a friend who enjoys buying and collecting limited edition/desirable LPs. He would typically buy two copies of the same album and keep one sealed and play the other.

I have never "scored" any such special recordings and if I have any in my collection, I do not know. However, I do have a copy of The Beatles' butcher album that I bought in the 60's and only in the past 10 years found out that is worth some money. I have read stories of people who have found very valuable LPs at estate sales and yard sales. In my absence, my wife for one will likely give away or donate to Goodwill that butcher album I mentioned.

I would assume that you have at least properly cataloged your prized music collection for insurance purposes and for future reference (your heirs will appreciate that). You might even have to add a rider to your policy to cover it (like you do with jewelry and other valuable items).

 

[astrotoy]

I've been very interested in music, especially classical music for around 60 years, since I was a teenager. Attending concerts regularly began in college and has continued to this day (currently about 70 per year). Having a spouse with the same interest (married 49 years in two weeks) has been an important factor.

I also began to collect records (again mostly classical) in college, but the collection really accelerated 20+ years ago when we began to make regular visits to the UK, and London was a hotbed of high quality used vinyl at very good prices. I've really slowed buying vinyl in the past decade, but have switched my attention to tape. At this point, my record collection has remained relatively static at 15,000, but my tape collection (15ips 2 track) has built up since around 2008 (with the start of Tape Project) from nothing to over 1100 reels. In addition, I have smaller (by my standards) of CD's, SACDs, and hirez digital downloads. I did a massive hirez ripping project of 10,000 albums and tapes (took six years) resulting in 40TB of hirez (192/24 PCM) files. In addition, my purchase of downloads and rips of SACDs and CDs adds another 20TB of files. So I think I qualify as a big collector.

A few great record scores (any big collector who regularly dived into used record bins has similar stories):
EMI ASD493 white/gold label Bruckner Symphony 9 Carl Schuricht Vienna PO. paid $14.95. Discogs has two copies for sale - $1200 and $1660. Ultrarare and valuable.
EMI SAX2323 blue/silver Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Leonid Kogan. paid 24 GBP or about $40. Discogs has two copies - $1020 for one in not so good condition, $5450 in fine condition. The Kogan SAX albums have gotten crazy expensive in recent years.
RCA LSC-2436 1S pressing Reiner Pines of Rome paid $3.98, current price $400 (for a copy with two scratches) up to $1000 or more for a near mint copy. Has to be a 1S pressing which was recalled by RCA because its deep bass would mistrack on the record players of the day. The record was reissued with less bass and you can buy copies of later pressings for $15 or so.

Large Collection of Safety Master tapes (200 reels). Includes many super desirable titles, mostly jazz and rock/pop with a few classical titles. I paid a small fortune for the collection, but have been offered a large fortune for them. Not the biggest increase in value compared to the 100 times purchase price of the records listed above, but still many times my purchase price.

Some hints to follow.

Larry

 

[sharkmouth]

Go through a divorce & then get back to this thread, seriously!!. You'll be the biggest believer in paying streaming fees without the physical media... imo!

 

[astrotoy]

Go through a divorce & then get back to this thread, seriously!!. You'll be the biggest believer in paying streaming fees without the physical media... imo!

Is it this CD for me, that CD for you, this Blue Note mono for me, that Blue Note mono for you ...? I heard the story of Jack Warner, of Warner Bros, who used to play around with the beautiful young starlets. Whenever his eye wandered too much, his wife would take him to the studios, and say - this sound stage for me, that sound stage for you, this studio for me, that studio for you ...

Larry

 

[sharkmouth]

Nah, it was take it all. I got the stereo....& $23 dollars a month later, back in business baby...

 

[Kuoppis]

So once you get past the cost of High Fidelity, now we face the reality of purchasing music, it ain’t cheap but does not need to be crazy expensive either.

Buying all variations of music playback to me is fun, especially being able to handle the physical media.

Streaming is obviously the most cost effective, and depending on the details on addressing your system can really be very, very good, like good enough where you can rest your hat and call it a day and save a bunch of cash, but to a lot us that choose this format, we don’t either seem to start or stop there.

Qobuz; Hi Res, plus Sublime $299.99 (prices may have recently dropped) which allows you to download albums to your hard drive at a discount.

Downloads, CDs and ripping seem to add up as well and I have seen some pricey renditions on SACD and Red Book - these add up just as quick and for downloads you do need some type of backup or your out if something goes south.

Pink Floyd, SACD pressing, Capital Records, Japanese release; $300

Then comes the record albums, and the maturity of previous sought after releases, the ones that are thought to be the best engineered and pressed copies on the planet; originally released as $XX.XX and now sell for upwards of $XXXXX.XX, well the best adds up very quickly!

Led Zeppelin, Classic Records box set: $8500 US
Elvis Presley, RCA Victor 10”: $15000 US

Of course I want all of the best versions, but reality sets in, so most of the ones I want seem to be from $50.00 up through $300.00, and that adds up very quick, and frankly can choke a chicken, hold aside all the different format and same versions we own of the same title, and one can probably trade this accumulation of masterpieces for a luxury car.

So one can stay the course and accumulate high dollar recordings, or achieve knowledge to target the value priced copies, I’m looking for a blend. The forums seem to be a decent resource, and outside this site I visit Analog Planet, Steve Hoffman, and DisCogs to hunt down and find the best versions then look for these versions in the local shops, usually a fruitless endeavor. I’m admit-tingly OCD, and gotta have it now - online makes it easy! Those that are disciplined can go on the hunt, I believe a lot of these treasures have to still be sitting in attics, basements and perhaps in storage around the world - if they are already in the shop then someone has graded their score and your at the decision point to pay if you want to play.

Then comes tape reels, and just when you jump out of the frying pan for wallet safety from vinyl, you are literally now in the fire, these seem to start at the upper price range of what I consider expensive on vinyl and go far, far north it seems on average.

I was talking to KingRex, and I guess the best way to look at the cost of the physical media is to think of it as investments that hopefully appreciate in value, keeping in mind one must care and protect for longevity to support value.

I will not buy to sit, I’m only interested to buy and play, but that is today, and can’t speak for tomorrow.

If I die young, maybe my collection will be someone’s value target if my Wife doesn’t yard sale my system and collection.

So what is everyone’s take on the expense of media, especially the guys who have assembled multi 100/1000 album collections?

What are some of your best value scores, and what are some of your crazy dollar additions?

Do you play them?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I remember when I got (back) into vinyl a couple years back, a friend of mine warned me, it’s not just the cost of the system, you’ll need the accompanying media as well. Caveat emptor, give or take $50,- a pop.

Several ten K later, I do have a great vinyl system as well. And a nice vinyl collection of mostly 50s-60s jazz, classic, and special gems across the range. Regrets? The polar opposite is the case. This move enhanced my passion for music very nicely.

I really enjoy Tidal, the new formats, and the possibility to check out basically anything at a press of my index finger. That’s also how I mostly use it. And I add a lots of things to my library on an ongoing basis to learn about new stuff. This is really invaluable, as I simply do not have the time to go to music stores that much to check out new releases etc. I do read a lots though. And when I listen to music mostly on the weekends, I choose the things I want to buy in High Res or vinyl.

But collecting vinyls is for me where the fun starts. I prefer good quality pressings, but do not need to go crazy about them. Occasionally I do get a $300-500,- out of print record, but most things I desire are available at reasonable prices. New stuff even mostly for $20-30,- and things like Discogs provide an opportunity to get older stuff. And having lived in Asia, where haggling is some kind of a sport, I take particular pleasure in finding good offers. Finding unopened high quality releases of out-of-print Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio pressings in Singapore is an example.

Luckily any of these are not costs I do need to ponder twice about, so I just get the gear and media I fancy. Then it’s just the hunt, and the pleasure of handling records, setting up the system and enjoying either. But for me there’s no point in having something I do not use, just for the sake of owning it or to grow the value of a library. I think there are better opportunities for investments in life, like sending my kids to great schools or teaching them new languages.

For the several K albums I have bought in some kind of material format (sans the stuff received some other way, all-in-all totaling about 10 GB), there is always a story or experience attached to them. Therefore, listening to these is usually more rewarding, than the access to millions of records via streaming. E.g. I have been to my summerhouse for a couple days now to attend a board chairman training, but so far I have just enjoyed the things on my Naim UnitiServe, and not touched any streaming stuff so far.

However, YMMV.


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