Vinyl Me Please (store, exclusives, swaps, etc)

avecigrec said:
The VMP one sounds infinitely better than any of the 3 other copies I've owned.
Never had an OG, but it's better than the VBR and Jackpot pressings by miles.

By no means am I a VMP cheerleader or defender, but credit where credit's due --- they nailed that one
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Quality pressings was like the one thing VMP could consistently do, even if they were pricey. Ultimately thatā€™s why their demise is sad because it means the market has one less reissue label that for the most part gave a crap about sound quality for however terrible they were at business and keeping the customer satisfied.
 
avecigrec said:
The VMP one sounds infinitely better than any of the 3 other copies I've owned.
Never had an OG, but it's better than the VBR and Jackpot pressings by miles.

By no means am I a VMP cheerleader or defender, but credit where credit's due --- they nailed that one
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Yea--I dislike this kind of pricing comparison. If it's just a color-way but same cut with huge price difference (which lord knows VMP used to do and still does), that's one thing. But comparing the VBR to the VMP on Sun Ra is night and day difference. Many times, I would rather buy a $40 record that sounds awesome than 2 $20 albums that are meh sounding. Those VMP Spiritual Jazz records are absolutely killer.

As @wmeugene said, it's a shame if they go under because it's one less quality reissue label out there. 9/10 times on their exclusives, the records sounded awesome. Cutting corners with pressing plants and stuff probably cost them more money in the long run with returns and bad QC.

Shame that Clay go let go, but not a total shock given the fact that they aren't doing anthologies anymore, are barely doing new ROTMs and only are really doing the magazine. Probably not enough work to justify a full time employee to do it.

Fuck project willy wonka.
 
MikeH said:
Yea--I dislike this kind of pricing comparison. If it's just a color-way but same cut with huge price difference (which lord knows VMP used to do and still does), that's one thing. But comparing the VBR to the VMP on Sun Ra is night and day difference. Many times, I would rather buy a $40 record that sounds awesome than 2 $20 albums that are meh sounding. Those VMP Spiritual Jazz records are absolutely killer.

As @wmeugene said, it's a shame if they go under because it's one less quality reissue label out there. 9/10 times on their exclusives, the records sounded awesome. Cutting corners with pressing plants and stuff probably cost them more money in the long run with returns and bad QC.

Shame that Clay go let go, but not a total shock given the fact that they aren't doing anthologies anymore, are barely doing new ROTMs and only are really doing the magazine. Probably not enough work to justify a full time employee to do it.

Fuck project willy wonka.
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Are they doing anything anymore, itā€™s been twenty days, I donā€™t think theyā€™ve ever gone two weeks without a release. Maybe daylight savings time fucked up the schedule cause no way to predict that.
 
Nee Lewman said:
Are they doing anything anymore, itā€™s been twenty days, I donā€™t think theyā€™ve ever gone two weeks without a release. Maybe daylight savings time fucked yo the schedule cause no way to predict that.
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I don't know the last release they did--haven't really paid much attention and have no sense of time anymore...wouldn't be shocked if they are waiting to see how the dust settles on how many members they have with their new system + how many people asked for refunds on membership, etc before putting out any new products. Or possible they are waiting to be closer to launch date on records before putting them on presale....who knows. we'll find out soon.

I just hope I get the love supreme box + my test pressings....used credit on them but would still like to get em...
 
MikeH said:
I don't know the last release they did--haven't really paid much attention and have no sense of time anymore...wouldn't be shocked if they are waiting to see how the dust settles on how many members they have with their new system + how many people asked for refunds on membership, etc before putting out any new products. Or possible they are waiting to be closer to launch date on records before putting them on presale....who knows. we'll find out soon.

I just hope I get the love supreme box + my test pressings....used credit on them but would still like to get em...
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There are no launch dates.

I believe their cash crunch is so severe they are on COD at pressing plants. So they need to move stock to get funds to get anything pressed.

That's why release dates are a constantly shifting target.

I also noticed a lot of preorders suddenly going to 'unavailable'.

Could be one of two things. Or both. Pressing dates are pushed so far out they didn't want to take any more preorder money and have to end up refunding most. Or it could be they are having less and less confidence those titles will ever be pressed.

The Coltrane - ALS box, delayed since last summer. I was told directly by VMP in mid-Feb that it was pressed and awaiting packaging, to ship end Feb or at worst early March.

Now, it shows as 'unavailable' and being pressed mid-March. But they told me it had been pressed. What's true? It probably has been pressed, but RTI won't release until the COD is paid.

So could be April, more likely in April it will be delayed until July, then in July...who knows.

For a title like the Coltrane, with mastering and lacquers done, I would find it difficult to believe someone else wouldn't pick it up from VMP's bankruptcy trustee.
 
MikeH said:
Yea--I dislike this kind of pricing comparison. If it's just a color-way but same cut with huge price difference (which lord knows VMP used to do and still does), that's one thing. But comparing the VBR to the VMP on Sun Ra is night and day difference. Many times, I would rather buy a $40 record that sounds awesome than 2 $20 albums that are meh sounding. Those VMP Spiritual Jazz records are absolutely killer.

As @wmeugene said, it's a shame if they go under because it's one less quality reissue label out there. 9/10 times on their exclusives, the records sounded awesome. Cutting corners with pressing plants and stuff probably cost them more money in the long run with returns and bad QC.

Shame that Clay go let go, but not a total shock given the fact that they aren't doing anthologies anymore, are barely doing new ROTMs and only are really doing the magazine. Probably not enough work to justify a full time employee to do it.

Fuck project willy wonka.
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I make the comparison on price because opinions on which version sounds better than another is often subjective. (However, @avecigrec is one of our resident Sun Ra experts). Sometimes, the quality difference is very obvious, sometimes it varies.
I bought the Spiritual Jazz series from VMP and I agree, job well done, much like the Sharrock reissue. With the US economy in an evolving state, rising prices of VMP pressings could be an issue for some buyers, while maybe not for others. Can they survive on high end buyers? It's hard to ignore the $20 difference in this particular situation.
Just my 10 cents.
RHANDMJ said:
There are no launch dates.

I believe their cash crunch is so severe they are on COD at pressing plants. So they need to move stock to get funds to get anything pressed.

That's why release dates are a constantly shifting target.

I also noticed a lot of preorders suddenly going to 'unavailable'.

Could be one of two things. Or both. Pressing dates are pushed so far out they didn't want to take any more preorder money and have to end up refunding most. Or it could be they are having less and less confidence those titles will ever be pressed.

The Coltrane - ALS box, delayed since last summer. I was told directly by VMP in mid-Feb that it was pressed and awaiting packaging, to ship end Feb or at worst early March.

Now, it shows as 'unavailable' and being pressed mid-March. But they told me it had been pressed. What's true? It probably has been pressed, but RTI won't release until the COD is paid.

So could be April, more likely in April it will be delayed until July, then in July...who knows.

For a title like the Coltrane, with mastering and lacquers done, I would find it difficult to believe someone else wouldn't pick it up from VMP's bankruptcy trustee.
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If they reach a point where they don't have the cash on hand to "free" the 40 plus titles they sold prior to now--and have the risk of refund requests for those same titles hanging over them-- added to an inability to pay to press new titles, their cash flow is compromised. They in essence can't complete old business and can't go forward with new business.
That's before you even deal with whatever expenses are tied to the pressing plant legal proceedings and the salaries/benefits for employees who remain, overhead costs, operating costs, etc. It's a tough situation.
 
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