The Supremes 6 CD Deluxe Vinyl Replicas

[aarondillon2011@gmail.com]

Anyone know anything about these? http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=The+Supremes#/ref=sr_st?keywords=The+Supremes&qid=1362952152&rh=n%3A5174%2Ck%3AThe+Supremes&sort=releasedaterank

[Ngroove]

Hmmmm....if only Where Did Our Love Go was one of them.....but, under the right price, maybe, Join the Temptations...

[Ngroove]

....Waitasec, "Culture Factory"???? I trust Universal / Motown for my Motown music needs, as well as Rhino, Hip-o, Spectrum, Tamla / Motown, Soulmusic, Funkytowngrooves, Kent, Ace, and Time-Life, I'd trust Collectables too if they reproduce Motown, but "Culture Factory"??? New to me....

[johnny_raven]

They are also releasing Diana's The Boss and An Evening With ...

[Kamasu_Jr]

Last year, the same company reissued two Rare Earth albums, Get Ready and Ecology with paper sleeves. The discs resembled vinyl, but were metal. The packaging reminded me of those Japanese imports. However, they were under $20.00. If you've noticed there are also several MOTOWN classics available as downloads including Cream OF the Crop, Time Out by the Miracles, Captured Live On Stage and more.

[aarondillon2011@gmail.com]

A couple of these might be wort picking up just for the fun of it and at $12.99 you just can't beat that.

[calvin]

I'll probably buy "An Evening With Diana Ross" when it's available in the UK, as that's the only one of these that I don't already have on cd. These don't seem to be available for pre-order in the UK yet as they are in the US, but the already-released titles are so it should just be a matter of time.

Info on "Vinyl Replica Deluxe":
http://www.culturefactoryusa.com/vinyl-replica-deluxe

[Ngroove]

"Limited Edition"? "For Collectors Only?" BRRRRRRRR, I don't like the sound of that!

Nice format, nice sound of "vinyl replica", to make it as vinyl replica as possible though.

[pghmusiclover]

I am not an audiophile, but the titles I have [[Motels and Robert Palmer) sound fine. The packaging detail is especially nice. Looking forward to these upcoming releases!

[calvin]

"Limited Edition"? "For Collectors Only?" BRRRRRRRR, I don't like the sound of that!

I wouldn't buy one to "collect" it, and I don't really care if the cd itself is shiny metallic or if it looks something like a miniature vinyl LP. This is a gimmick. But if one doesn't already have the music and wants it, the price is ok, even quite good - if the packaging is also good that's a bonus.

I guess these must be the same digital masters that were used to print these as normal cds previously?

[Ngroove]

[QUOTE=calvin;152708]I wouldn't buy one to "collect" it, and I don't really care if the cd itself is shiny metallic or if it looks something like a miniature vinyl LP. This is a gimmick. But if one doesn't already have the music and wants it, the price is ok, even quite good - if the packaging is also good that's a bonus.

Again, if right price, under right seller on Amazon, maybe, "Meet the Temptations" as well as "Sings Holland-Dozier-Holland".

[ejluther]

I've bought a few Culture Factory releases and they've been great...

[revup64]

I am not an audiophile, but the titles I have [[Motels and Robert Palmer) sound fine. The packaging detail is especially nice. Looking forward to these upcoming releases!

Audiophiles are saying that Culture Factory's output is wildly uneven, with some discs okay and others far too loud. I have only one disc, also by the Motels, and I like it just fine. By all accounts, the packaging is meticulous.

[calvin]

Audiophiles are saying that Culture Factory's output is wildly uneven, with some discs okay and others far too loud. I have only one disc, also by the Motels, and I like it just fine. By all accounts, the packaging is meticulous.

Do you think they're actually remastering this stuff themselves? I don't know, I'm asking. But I would guess that they're just getting the previously-released cd masters from the label [[in this case, Universal) and re-releasing them with the new packaging. If this is the case, they'd be exactly the same as the original releases in sound quality [[which could explain why audiophiles say the quality is wildly uneven).

Their website doesn't really answer this question. It states that "the music is encoded using state of the art, high definition remastering in 96 kHz / 24 BIT audio." But they don't say that THEY did it. I think that statement is also misleading, because what you'd be getting is not 96 kHz/24 bit - the original digital masters may be, but as far as I understand cds are limited to 44.1 kHz and 16 bit.

Maybe someone from Universal can give us some details on this cooperation with Culture Factory?

[ejluther]

I think that statement is also misleading, because what you'd be getting is not 96 kHz/24 bit - the original digital masters may be, but as far as I understand cds are limited to 44.1 kHz and 16 bit.

That's my undertstanding, too - in order to get true 96 kHz/24 bit playback they would have to be from a service like HDTracks...

[nathanj06]

These look quite fascinating and at a decent price. What do you do if Select comes out with more Supremes expanded editions? This is what is so frustrating about this. I was told directly from a reliable source that they had no idea what was coming next. No idea??? Hmm...I find that very difficult to believe. While no bonus tracks on these they are very nicely done. Harry & Co. should at least tell us what they plan to do or not do. The assembly line seems to have come to a halt.

[carole cucumber]

Yes, regrettably it is frustrating- for you, for us......but please remember that it is also frustrating for Harry & Co.
In interviews and online, Harry Weinger, Andy Skurow, and George Solomon have all indicated on numerous occasions that they, themselves Motown fans, would love to issue as much as possible, even all of the catalog, if feasible.
In the past Harry & Co. have announced projects, only to have the just announced project put on hold or delayed by those in charge of marketing/production or for some reason that they may not have been at liberty to reveal. Harry & Co. have felt and expressed the same frustration you do. [[Recent cases in point, The Complete Motown Singles Collection 1972 Vol 1 & 2, and now,Diana Ross-Baby It's Me). And they've also had to concurrently deal with the fan's frustration. Because they have been the voice for announcements, they become the recipients of complaints, unkind and/or sarcastic remarks [[and we all know how prevalent those can be at SD and elsewhere).
As a result, there is a fine line that Harry & Co must walk. And for what they are able to do to bring us the fine releases that they have given us and will give us in the future, I thank them. And for their sharing at times in our common frustration, welcome to the club!

[carole cucumber]

A few others thoughts came to mind.
UMG is a large conglomerate. Many labels embraced under one umbrella means many more requests for re-issues by fans of particular genres. Larger conglomerations also mean greater numbers of employees, more mouths to feed. Deluxe packaging and vault research naturally involves greater costs which are passed on to the consumer.
UMG Select is not the only music entity to experience a slow down. Rhino Handmade [[which began before Hip-O-Select) seems to also have slowed down tremendously.
At the same time, UMG has leased out Motown product of catalog material [[not unreleased vault tracks) to several smaller companies. A smaller company means less mouths to feed- i.e, can exist with smaller sales, although, I'm sure , looks for greater sales. That's one good reason that we continue to see re-issues such as those you refer to here.
The Kent/Ace label seems to be the exception as they are able to issue vault tracks due to the excellent sales that come from Great Britain, where older soul music is welcomed and clamored for by greater numbers of fans and because of the fine care and direction given to the releases by Keith Hughes. .

[Glenpwood]

Harry, Andy, George, and Kevin do a marvelous job at what they do but keep in mind there are only so many hours in a day. These projects aren't as simple as pulling a tape on a Monday and having it slapped onto CD for us on a Tuesday. They require time and effort to find all the multis in the vault, contend with the condition of the tape, remaster, compile liner notes, conduct interviews, and deal with corporate to firm up a release date etc. It's a large workload for a small team. The market is small but devoted for these projects hence why they tend to get bumped if Universal has to put its energy behind a new Rihanna album that could sell a million units compared to the 5000 copies an average Hip-O does. The lack of time and trying to appease fans is likely the main motivation behind them farming out some of these releases to BBR and other botique labels. Universal Japan has also picked up the slack issuing a bunch of Temps, Jermaine Jackson, and Ross titles as well. Also keep in mind everything has slowed down or delayed likely due to the merger with EMI. Thankfully, it hasn't affected the staff at Select and things seem to be coming now. I know it's hard to be patient but good things always come of the delays it seems so just be thankful for the hard work that goes into them and know it'll be worth the wait.

[calvin]

Nathan, I can only second the comments of Carole and Glen above. Harry & Co love the music and I'm sure they would like to make it all available as quickly as they can. But Universal is a profit-seeking business. I'm not criticizing that, the same was true at Motown when the music was made, but it's something one has to keep in mind. I guess there are some marketing/accounting types who have to sign off on releases before they go ahead, and those guys will be looking at it from a profit perspective.

I think the Supremes must be top sellers of the Motown back catalogue, up there with the Jackson 5 / Michael Jackson. So I guess that we will see these titles eventually from Hip-O [[or UMG Select, or whatever). But I can understand the team at Hip-O not wanting to promise this because it's not totally under their control. And these releases, if they come, could be several years away.

As you wrote, the prices are pretty good. If you buy them now, you can listen to these editions until Hip-O has expanded releases, if that happens. But yes, you might end up buying them again later.

[ejluther]

These are really great looking! Even though I bought the most recent SHM-CD box set from Japan w/cardboard sleeves, I'm tempted to buy them because they're such a good price and the covers/inner sleeves/attention to detail are pretty tremendous...

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=supremes+paper+sleeve

[calvin]

ejluther, did you see that captainjames picked one of these [[Diana Ross "The Boss", not the Supremes) up for $5 at Best Buy?

http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?8384-The-Boss-Paper-Sleeve-CD-Deluxe-Vinyl-Replica

[mysterysinger]

Hmm well on my wish list would be....
any/all of the 16 Big Hits series
Choker Campbell Hits of the 60s
Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts
Barbara McNair - Here I Am
Four Tops Now

nah there's too many. The paclaging looks great, look at those replica inner sleeves.

[Ngroove]

Hmm well on my wish list would be....
any/all of the 16 Big Hits series
Choker Campbell Hits of the 60s
Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts
Barbara McNair - Here I Am
Four Tops Now

nah there's too many. The paclaging looks great, look at those replica inner sleeves.

Barbara McNair - I'd buy - take a look at her Motown Anthology, after all - YOWZA!!!
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Motown-Collection-Barbara-Mcnair/dp/B0000CDUYX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363747148&sr=8-1&keywords=barbara+mcnair+motown

[ejluther]

Thanks, Calvin! I wonder how that even happened? I see on the Best Buy website that the 1999 remaster is selling for $4.99 so perhaps they put the paper sleeve version out on the shelves early and marked it $4.99?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/The+Boss+%5BRemaster%5D+-+CD/3665876.p?id=97364&skuId=3665876&st=diana ross the boss&lp=2&cp=1

[carole cucumber]

According to Andy Skurow's post on facebook, the 'An Evening With Diana Ross' release on Culture Factory "went through" him, unlike the others- so I assume it is a new remaster and will be worth getting.
Andy, can you give us any more info?

[Kamasu_Jr]

I did notice a difference in sound on Rare Earth's Ecology. The sound was good, a little loud. But I look foward to buying more of these high definition discs.

[calvin]

I did notice a difference in sound on Rare Earth's Ecology. The sound was good, a little loud. But I look foward to buying more of these high definition discs.

They say "The music is encoded using state of the art, high definition remastering in 96 kHz / 24 BIT audio." I guess they're trying to mislead buyers into thinking that this is what they're getting. They're "using" high definition masters, but if what you're getting after they use these is an audio cd then it's 44.1 kHz, 16 bit.