CD PACKAGING
Wed, Jun 22 2011, 5:36PM
I have just received, from an on-line seller, a copy of the new Abbado recording of Fidelio. And I am appalled at the cheap and nasty, totally inadequate packaging. It is not a plastic jewel case as was once used, nor even a cardboard box, but little more than an thin cardboard envelope. Utterly unsuitable for being posted and yet I suppose that a majority of CDs purchased these days are bought on-line and will thus travel to the buyer by post. I don't hold either the on-line retailer nor the postal service responsible for the condition in which my copy arrived. The recording doubtless cost a fortune to make and yet the end product does not, apparently, deserve qualty marketing. Yes, I know one doesn't play the packaging - but to have a proper container in which to keep the recording for years to come I cannot but think collectors would be prepared to pay whatever small increase in price might be involved. Perhaps the recording company is trying to discourage any form of purchase other than down-loading from the web?
Fri, Jun 24 2011, 7:38AM
#2
RE: CD PACKAGING
As I rip every new CD to hard-drive storage and digital streaming, the quality of the packaging is not an issue for me. I keep them on display for selecting what to listen to, and occasionally to refer to the booklet. Cardboard packaging is fine as long as it has a spine for the title display. It does its bit for the environment too, of course.
Downloading, or continual streaming (like Spotify) will take over eventually, I guess, and companies are gearing up for this by the trend to ever more flimsy packaging. It is less of an issue for them if you select music on-line. You see the picture but don't handle the product.
Losing decent jewel cases is reminiscent of losing vinyl sleeves - regretable but inevitable.
Vic.
Sat, Jun 25 2011, 2:37PM
#3
RE: CD PACKAGING
Totally agree with the comment on SACD packaging.
I realise that CDs will cease to be marketed at all in time; meanwhile I don't see the connection with the demise of LP sleeves that surely only disappeared as a result of the demise of the format - they didn't suffer a gradual downgrade in quality while the format was still being marketed as the principal music carrier. I had not imagined that the move to poor quality packaging was to help save the planet. But surely classical music CD purchasers are not habitually throwing them away and thus creating a threat to the environment from plastic jewel cases?
Sat, Jun 25 2011, 5:55PM
#4
RE: CD PACKAGING
Yes, the packaging of the new Fidelio is very poor - the cardboard case is not sturdy enough and the booklet falls out too easily. The record companies will cause their own demise through treating their customers so badly - particularly with cheap packaging for a prestige release like this one. SACD cases are definitely better. The trend towards cheaper packaging is very disappointing. The only reason the record companies do it is to cut costs. Incidentally, good packaging enhances and promotes records - one has only to look at the many excellent Harmonia Mundi releases. Now there is a label worthy of support with many superb performances often of non-mainstream works and always superbly presented. Why would anyone wish to download when the pleasure of owning a beautifully presented recording is part of the experience?
Sat, Jun 25 2011, 9:55PM
#5
RE: CD PACKAGING
I can't understand why some recording labels are so defeatist in deciding that the future is digital only. I agree completely with what Scoastlistener says about Harmonia Mundi. My main area of interest is early and baroque music, so the label is of interest anyway, but I find myself buying more H. M. releases than those of any other label because they take such care with every aspect of their releases. I am also very impressed by the packaging of releases on Alia Vox and SDG. If labels show that they care about the way their releases are presented, then I feel sure that they will continue to have strong CD sales. I am in my 40s, but I have never bought a download and I hope that CDs will continue to be produced just as vinyl still is. In fact sales of recordings on vinyl are increasing (although in the areas of dance, rock and experimental music rather than in classical).
Mon, Jun 27 2011, 12:15AM
#6
RE: CD PACKAGING
I have built up over the years a substantial stock of spare jewel cases.
Buying most of my CDs online it is inevitable that the odd one turns up in a damaged jewel case.
As for the new Abbado Fidelio, if bought, I would immediately transfer the discs to jewel cases.
Wed, Jun 29 2011, 2:03PM
#7
RE: CD PACKAGING
I've always thought that if I taught product design (which I don't and am never likely to) the first assignment I'd give students would be to design a proper CD case.
All of the numerous 'jewel case' variants have significant weaknesses - one or more of:
- can't be opened easily
- won't stay shut properly
- can't be shut easily (the front cover somehow jams open)
- don't have deep enough 'tabs' on the front cover to hold a decent booklet
- have a 'rose' (the thing that's supposed to hold the CD) from which it's impossible to remove the CD
- have a 'rose' on which most of the 'petals' snap off the first time you press it (or have even mostly snapped off when you buy it).
In short, I hate the CD jewel case more than pretty much any item of modern packaging other than, perhaps, the heat-sealed blister pack.
Wed, Jun 29 2011, 10:59PM
#8
RE: CD PACKAGING
I have built up over the years a substantial stock of spare jewel cases.
Most of mine are from old Gramophone covermount CDs!
P
Thu, Jun 30 2011, 11:58AM
#9
RE: CD PACKAGING
I have built up over the years a substantial stock of spare jewel cases.
Most of mine are from old Gramophone covermount CDs!
P
As are mine;-)
I find that it is the "rose petals" that are the most vulnerable for some reason.
Thu, Jun 30 2011, 12:01PM
#10
RE: CD PACKAGING
Having less problems with digital format and less efforts needed to put in for selling it make record selling companies abandon CDs. Unfortunatelly... Because holding your music in the hands and having it virtually on your HDD is a completely different thing.
Fri, Oct 7 2011, 2:53PM
#11
RE: CD PACKAGING
I totally agree with you Zannor. As an avid collector, I would never resort to a kind of "virtual collection" of downloading. Listening Experience requires a ritual, where the actual product plays a vital role and the equipment too.
As for the packaging, I'm pleased that some labels (Alia Vox, Ricercar, Avie, Alpha, Glossa, etc.) still produce first rate products of high production values.
Parla
Fri, Oct 7 2011, 5:04PM
#12
RE: CD PACKAGING
I agree with Parla that there really is nothing like owning and handling an actual physical product, albeit that the jewel-case must be one of the worst designed containers ever produced. Like Vic and others, I now buy CDs and transfer them straight to hard disc for lossless streaming, storing the original on my shelves.
I have downloaded several works from a site called Classic Mobile (http://www.classicalmusicmobile.com/) which has a treasure trove of historic recordings at ridiculously low prices in MP3 format – not critical in terms of audio quality given the historic nature of some of the recordings in which I’m interested. These are mainly works which are either not available on disc, or which I would not necessarily buy at the higher price if they are. The 1953 Krauss or the Furtwängler EMI Rings in decent mono sound for €4 each are pretty impressive bargains, I think. There are many, many others. Well worth a look if you’re interested in such stuff.
I have, though, only ever purchased and downloaded one ‘proper’ album (i.e. one I would have bought on CD anyway) which I did as an experiment. Despite the undoubted quality of the sound and availability of texts/booklet, I was nonetheless left with the curious sensation of not actually owning anything, and haven’t felt any desire to repeat the experience.
Of course no CD package, however luxurious, can approach the thrill of buying an opera set on LP and opening up that box to reveal the treasures within. But time moves on, as they say.
JKH
Sun, Oct 9 2011, 9:16AM
#13
RE: CD PACKAGING
It is an excellent recording and has now replaced Fricsay as my Fidelio of choice. But the packaging is indeed poor. However anything is better than 'plastic jewel cases'. I like the idea of cardboard with glued plastic inserts as the Membran de los angeles Madama Butterfly or as we are talking about a decca release as they supplied for the 'heratige' series. The cardboard folder seems to protect the petal design which is the big flaw in postal received jewel cases. And the playing surface does not come into contact with anything which is the flaw with the cardboard sleeve.
Sun, Oct 9 2011, 6:36PM
#14
RE: CD PACKAGING
Another annoyance about CD packaging: very often the inserted booklet is difficult to remove without ripping the corners. I wish the record companies would always print the track information and timings on the back of the jewel case so the booklet doesn't have to removed so often.
Tue, Oct 11 2011, 1:36AM
#15
RE: CD PACKAGING
I'm surprised, jewel cases cost nothing. Been throwing these away by the bucketloads. Perhaps the sender tried to save a penny on postage?
That's pretty cheap..
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I like THE meeting scheduler
So CD packaging is getting even worse? It is surprising that after nearly 30 years of the format no really satisfying form of packaging has been found: jewel cases are too fragile; in the case of twofers and digipacks it is often very difficult to prise the discs out. The only decent jewel cases I have come across are those used for SACDs, made of thicker plastic and which release the disc easily.
Adrian