You may be right, but the fact that VMP has made it clear that, outside of their subscription service, their business model is now based on FOMO and price gouging, I'm not willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.For sure, the price sucks, but that’s why you don’t see any audiophile companies doing HUGE titles at a run of 1000. I remember Storf claimed at the old forum that if they made the Fist City exclusive (also a run of 1000) a AAA cut it would have driven the cost up to $45 for them to make a profit. That’s not to far off what we see here. Think the issue is they’re cramming so much into this box (also account for the time they spend designing snd marketing this to a very high standard) and ordering so little of it that the economy of scale doesn’t work in their favor. They have to make a profit off of what is essentially 8 high quality releases while sticking to the super small run that so many people go bananas for, stoking that FOMO.
One other note is that the labels own mono box is a super high price point as well, so who knows how much Motown wants to squeeze this lemon. They’re also entering an audiophile market that’s become increasingly loony, with the ridiculous standards set by the One-Steps and UHQRs pretty much redefining the ceiling of sanity. As much as the audiophile crowd likes to look down our nose at the amount people charge for lame-ass colored pressings these days, I think we like to ignore that we’re really in a golden age for boutique BS. IMO this is a high ticket item, and not a trend I like to see, but still feels more tolerable than paying $125 for one 2X45RPM release.
The reason the Tone Poets are $10 more than the Blue Note 80 are because of the better jacket/gatefold. That's the only appreciable difference from the Blue Note 80s that are also AAA from Kevin Gray. I don't think RTI is more expensive than QRP and if they are I'd rather have QRP.If we have 8 (well, 9...) AAA LPs with hi-quality pressing and sleeves, the price point of the box itself (w/ discount) is not so unreasonable I'd say. I recently picked some Tone Poet releases for 35€ each (around 38$ - and FWIW they're among the best sounding record I have) so that's in-line with the box-set price (not discussing the Blue Note audiophile vs Motown thing here).
You may be right, but the fact that VMP has made it clear that, outside of their subscription service, their business model is now based on FOMO and price gouging, I'm not willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
It is their choice to make it a limited release, so saying that is why the price is high doesn't make it better. I understand why doing a much higher pressing number might not be as good of a business decision for them, but that's just it, they are choosing it for them, not us. I am absolutely not willing to pay a much higher price for something just because it is limited. If that is true for Loretta Lynn then the label was gouging them and they were passing it on to us.
I'll wait on well done non-limited boxes like the Kinks box all day over this extremely over-priced box.
I’m with youWe got a lot of great, constructive feedback after our first Anthology release. Based on that feedback, some of the major changes we’ve implemented include: shipping Anthology all at once (in a new shipping box) rather than over three separate shipments, moving the fan community from Facebook to Discourse.org, adding more exclusive content, allowing installment payments via Afterpay, and including liner note prints with each Episode rather than one booklet at the end. We’ve also invested much more time in the QC process this time around.
But they're still not going to tell you what's in the box. Unbelievable.
Scrolling through the last 3 pages has been hilarious watching you guys go from righteous indignation to rationalizing buying this thing. I'm leading a boycott. Who's with me? #whatsinthebox
I do think RTI is more expensive than QRP and I think the TPs do sound better than the BN80s I have. But I have only paid a few more dollars per TP than the BN80s. I think I have gotten all of the TPs for under $30. For those in Europe who have been paying $40+, I can see the difference in sound quality being more negligible compared to the price.The reason the Tone Poets are $10 more than the Blue Note 80 are because of the better jacket/gatefold. That's the only appreciable difference from the Blue Note 80s that are also AAA from Kevin Gray. I don't think RTI is more expensive than QRP and if they are I'd rather have QRP.
The anthology box, unless they change from the last one, will be much more similar to the Blue Note 80 releases.
FOMO is their marketing strategy. Despite how they try to deny it, it is 100% their strategy and they stoke it over and over and over again and goddamn if it isn't effective. I still fall for it sometimes and then I look back and realize hey--I don't even really want this record...We got a lot of great, constructive feedback after our first Anthology release. Based on that feedback, some of the major changes we’ve implemented include: shipping Anthology all at once (in a new shipping box) rather than over three separate shipments, moving the fan community from Facebook to Discourse.org, adding more exclusive content, allowing installment payments via Afterpay, and including liner note prints with each Episode rather than one booklet at the end. We’ve also invested much more time in the QC process this time around.
But they're still not going to tell you what's in the box. Unbelievable.
Scrolling through the last 3 pages has been hilarious watching you guys go from righteous indignation to rationalizing buying this thing. I'm leading a boycott. Who's with me? #whatsinthebox
I kind of understood not announcing the titles ahead of time. But I honestly (stupidly) thought they would announce them went it went live for purchase. I'm shocked. Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am. I'm trying not to judge anyone, but I honestly don't understand how someone can pay $300 and not know what they're buying.FOMO is their marketing strategy. Despite how they try to deny it, it is 100% their strategy and they stoke it over and over and over again and goddamn if it isn't effective. I still fall for it sometimes and then I look back and realize hey--I don't even really want this record...
If this was not a VMP box, would most people here buy it? How many people here bought the recent Motown in Mono box set that is AAA mastered by Kevin Grey and is 5 LPs for $150? Its interesting to see so many copies of the Anthology 1 box set re-selling for pretty much the same price that people paid when they bought it.
Also, was waiting on this one!![]()
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Vinyl Me, Please's Anthology Series Continues With 'The Women of Motown'
Record-of-the-month club Vinyl Me, Please is heading to Motown for the second installment in its ongoing VMP Anthology vinyl box set series, each volume of which will deep-dive into a specific genre, label or artist.www.billboard.com
The answer in that FAQ for why they won't tell us what's in the box is absolutely horse shit. When I bought the Tom Petty box set I bought it because I knew what was in it, and it cost less than this. They ask that people don't say what's in the box once they get it, are you kidding me? this is the internet. On what planet do they think that what's in the box won't be available as soon as the first person gets the box. Bullshit.
I understand not announcing the titles ahead of time if it's a cheap box set or grab bag. VMP did a "grab bag" thing a year or two ago. I bought a soul grab bag of former VMP titles. It was $58 for 4 records. I don't mind a case of that not knowing what titles are in it in that case. It's a gamble but it's not expensive. At least with BN anthology 1 we deduced what the records were before it went on sale.I kind of understood not announcing the titles ahead of time. But I honestly (stupidly) thought they would announce them went it went live for purchase. I'm shocked. Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am. I'm trying not to judge anyone, but I honestly don't understand how someone can pay $300 and not know what they're buying.
All good points, but the VMP soul grab bag sounds like there was at least a definable universe of possible titles. Limiting this to women narrows it down somewhat, but Motown has a 40+ year history. I think when people think about Motown they think Diana Ross and Gladys Knight, but what if they throw in a Pointer Sisters album from the 80s?I understand not announcing the titles ahead of time if it's a cheap box set or grab bag. VMP did a "grab bag" thing a year or two ago. I bought a soul grab bag of former VMP titles. It was $58 for 4 records. I don't mind a case of that not knowing what titles are in it in that case. It's a gamble but it's not expensive. At least with BN anthology 1 we deduced what the records were before it went on sale.
This is more expensive than some of the best box sets out there and they refuse to tell you what you're buying. I'm not trying to judge people based on buying this at all either. Conceptually, a women of Motown box set is awesome. But to me, it's not mystery $300 awesome.
Right--and that's why I was fine with buying that grab bag. I knew it A) wouldn't be titles I already owned because I only had 1 VMP soul release at that point and B) VMP had only done so many soul exclusives.All good points, but the VMP soul grab bag sounds like there was at least a definable universe of possible titles. Limiting this to women narrows it down somewhat, but Motown has a 40+ year history. I think when people think about Motown they think Diana Ross and Gladys Knight, but what if they throw in a Pointer Sisters album from the 80s?
Go back a couple of pages in this thread and somebody posted a link to the hidden page that they're going to release later today. It will make you feel stupid.Wait where are you seeing this?
This is even dumber than I thought tbh. Still think the price isn’t as oursgeous as some make it out to be, but the lack of transparency is.