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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 10, 2020 22:37:51 GMT
From a technical perspective, translucent vinyl delivers a better sound than opaque vinyl. I didn’t know that. Why is that the case? The reason I ask is that it’s long been known that picture discs deliver the worst sound quality, and they are two pieces of colourless translucent vinyl with a printed card in the middle, and then fused together (I think, though not sure why they’re still black around the edges?). Perhaps the difference is that picture discs are two layers of vinyl and not one? I’m assuming that was a reason why Epic’s blue vinyl set from 1984 was translucent (not sure why it was blue, unless you’re going to say blue translucent vinyl gives the best sound quality of any non-black records!). The only reason I know this particular nugget is because I was researching vinyl options for my own releases. I was considering colour vinyl and, irrespective of colour, the manufacturers say that translucent gives better sound than opaque. Whether that applies to back vinyl, I couldn't say. Although I imagine that clear vinyl would surely have become the industry standard if that was the case. One thing that does baffle me, though, is that there is virtually no difference in the production cost. So why are retailers charging more for the colour releases? |
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Post by Alan on Nov 13, 2020 17:39:50 GMT
Finally! An eBay seller has it for £29.95 new (free postage). It’s still possible Amazon could go lower than that but I want it for my birthday! Holding off on the picture discs though, they’re still too pricey for me.
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Post by Alan on Nov 20, 2020 19:00:38 GMT
If anyone is interested, Amazon Germany are currently doing a “3 for 2” on selected items including the Super Trouper releases. It finishes Sunday, but today I have ordered the three picture discs. Allowing for postage, I have paid £30.42 for the three, which is £10.14 each. Details of the offer and a link to it: www.superdeluxeedition.com/deal/the-classic-german-3-for-2-is-back/ |
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Post by Michal on Nov 22, 2020 15:14:14 GMT
It's interesting that the German Amazon is generally cheaper than the UK site. I would expect the prices would be more or less the same.
I already have the whole bundle and I must say that the half-speed double LP looks great. Unfortunately I can say nothing about the sound as I don't have a record-player yet but I will definitely be getting one sooner or later. Do the half-speed masters really sound much better?
I was a bit surprised to see that the picture discs are actually housed in a plastic sleeve, which is put into that coloured paper sleeve and the whole thing is protected but a wrap-up foil. That's not really ecological, is it? So I really don't see the reason to change the design of the picture discs at all. These look definitely better but I would prefer if all discs in the series had a consistent look...
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Post by Alan on Nov 22, 2020 20:12:51 GMT
Michal, I’m actually relieved to hear the picture discs are in plastic sleeves. The circular hole is just too large to protect the records otherwise. I don’t see too much of an ecological problem - they aren’t single-use plastic as they will be kept. The real problem is shrink wrap (or any other kind of plastic wrapping). That will not be retained (though I’ve tried it a few times) so that’s the real waste. Having got the coloured vinyl set today, I’m slightly disappointed. The box and sleeve quality are consistent with previous issues, but the vinyls themselves are noticeably thinner. I gave the Arrival box a visual airing last night and with that one, you really know you haven’t got a 1970s or 80s single in your hand. Thick vinyl in solid colours. The Album is similar, but with Voulez-Vous the quality dips. With this one, the fact that they’re translucent as well highlights the thinness. The Winner Takes It All has, of course, been released on clear blue vinyl before, in the 1984 Anniversary set from CBS-Epic. I couldn’t resist getting that one out to compare. Little difference in thickness. The blue is a different shade though. Interesting that the part where it goes quieter (the the verse starting “I don’t wanna talk, if it makes you feel bad. And I understand...”) is noticeable in the grooves, both discs showing a darker circle. The sleeve design of Lay All Your Love on Me was altered for the 1984 set, changing the colour scheme and back cover and removing the daft collector’s item line.   
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Post by Alan on Nov 22, 2020 22:24:41 GMT
Michal , I hadn’t quite grasped what you meant earlier about the plastic sleeves on the picture discs. The wonders of Amazon (order from Amazon Germany on Friday evening, get a projected Tuesday delivery date but then get emails advising it will be Sunday, with two failed deliveries during the day when I was out and a third, successful one at 9:30pm) meant that they arrived much sooner than expected. Amazon’s track and trace system is amazing, and could teach the NHS quite a lot... I had assumed the plastic sleeve housed the cardboard cover, but not so. You get shrink wrap on the card, and it’s the singles themselves within the card covers that have the plastic. Odd. With previous issues, the plastic covers negated the need for wrapping. Environmentally, this is therefore far worse. I have, however, slit the wrapping at the openings so as to keep the card sleeves protected. Having said all that, I do like the new presentation. I’ve generally found the picture discs to be the poor relation of the coloured vinyl boxes up until now. This time almost the opposite is the case. The picture discs are nice and thick compared to the thin coloured vinyls. As I said earlier, translucent doesn’t work for me. If you have colour, make the best of it. With these you have to hold them up to the light or put them on a white background to fully appreciate them. It’s a no from me.
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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 23, 2020 9:59:07 GMT
I guess that's the trade-off with a set like this: from an aesthetic point of view, opaque coloured vinyl has more impact; from an audiophile perspective, the transparent vinyl has a better sound. The presentation of the picture discs is great. They've treated them with the same kind of respect that picture disc albums more typically get.
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Post by Alan on Nov 23, 2020 10:56:31 GMT
An unexpected consequence of this anniversary and releases is that it’s belatedly given me an appreciation of the Super Trouper album. Yesterday, on a long car journey, I listened to the lot (deluxe bonus tracks and all, though the main album was from the download of this year’s Studio Albums box, as the quality is much better than anything I had on my phone before).
I’m still not fond of the title track, though I was able to tolerate it, but the rest of it seemed very fresh. When you’re completely in the mood for something (the planets aligned etc etc) it can suddenly feel like the best thing you’ve ever heard. I was hearing things I hadn’t noticed before and really getting into every song. A slight disappointment was that the audience applause segue from LAYLOM to The Way Old Friends Do was not present on this version but it’s otherwise a good remaster. Then last night I watched the entirety of the Deluxe DVD and all the other promo videos (probably not given that DVD an airing in at least seven years), so I’ve had a Super Trouper-filled lockdown birthday weekend!
(This is quite a big deal for me as ST has tended to be my least favourite ABBA album over the years, with only Winner and Lay to save it. The weekend was my first listen in decades where it didn’t feel a bit of a chore!)
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Post by gary on Nov 24, 2020 23:19:08 GMT
That’s nice to hear, Alan. A similar delayed appreciation of an album has happened to me several times in the past (most recently of David Bowie’s Low). I remember your lack of liking for the Super Trouper from the previous forum we were both on. I didn’t quite understand that, although I do think it’s a slightly inferior album to the previous three.
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Post by foreverfan on Nov 26, 2020 15:27:06 GMT
I was going to start another thread , but as so few of us posting at the moment, this is a good place..
Just for the record it’s 40 years this week that the single ST, made number one in the UK , for ABBA s final number one... so far !
it has gone onto be their 2nd biggest selling single here, to date approx 978,000 . I have heard that it has gone over the million with KMKY, but can’t find confirmation, where’s Colin when we need him..lol
Personally it’s a “ in the mood “ track for me, a little bit twee, I prefer the B side.. The Piper, so underrated and seldom heard.
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Post by Michal on Dec 8, 2020 10:27:28 GMT
Environmentally, this is therefore far worse. But somebody here on the forum suggested that the change in design was due to Universal's environmental awareness. Obviously that's not the case. I like the new design better too, I was just complaining that changing it half way through the series gives it inconsistent look, which is a pity. |
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Post by gamleman on Jul 27, 2021 15:06:54 GMT
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Post by Alan on Jul 27, 2021 16:21:41 GMT
Sadly not a great deal - postage is £6.50. There are eBay sellers offering it for less in total, including one at £25.99 with free postage. |
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Post by gamleman on Jul 27, 2021 16:28:16 GMT
Sadly not a great deal - postage is £6.50. There are eBay sellers offering it for less in total, including one at £25.99 with free postage. Sorry, didn't realise that. I see that it's still in stock in lots of places, although some (like HMV) are charging £45. They must have over-pressed this one - was it a run of 4000? Perhaps the box for "The Visitors" singles will be more limited. |
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Post by daronjulian on Aug 14, 2021 10:51:23 GMT
Not long to wait now and images should be appearing on the net showing what we will be getting this time.
Sadly, this will be the last one. I have enjoyed looking forard to these box sets, each one has been a treasure to keep.
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Post by Michal on Aug 14, 2021 13:35:27 GMT
Sadly, this will be the last one.. I don't think so. I'm quite sure they will continue with Ring Ring, Waterloo and ABBA (in whatever order - I think the Waterloo box will come out in 2024 for the 50th anniversary of the album). I can't imagine Universal would discontinue the series. Remember the Deluxe versions of the albums - The Visitors was not the last one either. |
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Post by daronjulian on Aug 14, 2021 14:27:55 GMT
If that's the case it would give us something to look forward to. But these box sets have been issued to celebrate the 40th anniversary, that was supposed to be the selling point of them. The 40th anniversary of Ring Ring, Waterloo & Abba has been and gone. perhaps Universal missed the boat?
If they do issue box sets/picture discs for these three albums they will be very expensive. The Abba album had about six singles taken from that. Waterloo album was choc full of singles as well.
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Post by Michal on Aug 14, 2021 16:01:47 GMT
Well, at least the Deluxe edition of Arrival was released to celebrate the 30th anniversary, so I don't think the missed 40th anniversaries of the respective albums will pose a problem. As for the number of singles - there were seven in the Voulez-Vous box, so there's no problem with six for ABBA  |
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Post by Alan on Aug 14, 2021 17:21:28 GMT
I imagine there will just be the four for the ABBA album - the only “unofficial” (non-Polar released) single they’ve included so far is Lay All Your Love On Me. Its inclusion on Gold probably made it an exception in order to make up the numbers in the ST releases.
If these boxes and picture discs do follow the release schedule of the CD deluxe issues (2006-2014), we may see the ABBA album in 2022 followed by Ring Ring in 2023 and Waterloo in 2024 to finish it. I’m surmising they start with Arrival rather than anything else because it was internationally very successful originally. A much better option than commencing with Ring Ring.
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