Dionne's upcoming set price comparison

[daviddesper]

With this release about a month away, I am starting to compare prices. I am in the US and the best price I can see for it so far is at Dusty Groove. However I cannot find anything on their website that discloses their shipping costs. Does anyone know approximately how much they charge for shipping? Or are there better options out there?

[carlo]

Hey David, usually you can get an estimate of the shipping fee, when you add an item to your cart on Dusty Groove's website. That being said, it looks like the Dionne set is not yet available for pre-order on their website. Since that's the case, I added a different comparable release to my cart [the Phyllis Hyman box set] and it looks like it's about $5.70 for media mail to NY [[1-4 weeks) or $9.20 for priority mail to NY [[1-4 days). I'd recommend trying out the same, by entering your own zip code.

Importcds.com is also a good option. I've used them in the past. Their prices are generally pretty competitive on imported titles. It looks like they have a good price on the Dionne set.

I also recently used imusic.co, to order the Tina Turner Break Every Rule box set, as they had a real good price on it, and the delivery from Europe was relatively fast too.

[kenneth]

Are you guys referring to the Warner Bros. set?

I'm not very familiar with her Warner Bros. material, except for the cuts with the Spinners [[and I think the horrible "Got a Date!" was from that era) but it seems to be priced just a little over $50 on Amazon.

I'm wondering if anyone got the Arista set and how they liked it. I think there's a thread on it somewhere so I'll look around. That one was more interesting to me, but it already appears to have become scarce, and on Amazon only one seller seems to have a copy for sale. Hoping to avoid the price gougers, but still not sure if I want to shell out $125 or so for it. Knowing me, if I don't, I'll regret it later!

[reese]

Are you guys referring to the Warner Bros. set?

I'm not very familiar with her Warner Bros. material, except for the cuts with the Spinners [[and I think the horrible "Got a Date!" was from that era) but it seems to be priced just a little over $50 on Amazon.

I'm wondering if anyone got the Arista set and how they liked it. I think there's a thread on it somewhere so I'll look around. That one was more interesting to me, but it already appears to have become scarce, and on Amazon only one seller seems to have a copy for sale. Hoping to avoid the price gougers, but still not sure if I want to shell out $125 or so for it. Knowing me, if I don't, I'll regret it later!

"Got A Date" was from her Arista years and produced by Luther Vandross.

I do have the Arista set but I don't think I've played it. At this point, many sets I buy because I'm a completist when it comes to certain artists and also because I think the set will have great notes, which the Arista set does. Plus I had all of the individual cds already and love many of the tracks. I think the Arista years are my favorite, vocally. There were some great albums during those years.

[carlo]

The remastering is great on the Arista set. Nick Robbins does a fine job. I agree with you Reese...Dionne's Arista years are also my favourite.

Kenneth, yes, we were referring to the upcoming Warner Bros set.

[daviddesper]

Kenneth:

I am surprised to read that you are having any trouble finding the Arista box set at a reasonable price. I thought it was still readily available in the $50 +- range. Thanks for the other suggestions regarding the upcoming Warner Brothers set.

[Bluebrock]

Are you guys referring to the Warner Bros. set?

I'm not very familiar with her Warner Bros. material, except for the cuts with the Spinners [[and I think the horrible "Got a Date!" was from that era) but it seems to be priced just a little over $50 on Amazon.

I'm wondering if anyone got the Arista set and how they liked it. I think there's a thread on it somewhere so I'll look around. That one was more interesting to me, but it already appears to have become scarce, and on Amazon only one seller seems to have a copy for sale. Hoping to avoid the price gougers, but still not sure if I want to shell out $125 or so for it. Knowing me, if I don't, I'll regret it later!

I agree that Got a date was ghastly and Reese has already correctly pointed out to you that it was a Luther production from her Arista years.
The Warners Albums are excellent and well worth investing in. Dionne was devastated by the failure of those albums and quite rightly so. The material stands up very well against her Scepter and Arista material. I already own virtually everything on this box set but i shall be investing in this one for sure. If you like Dionne's voice i shall be amazed if you do not enjoy these albums.
The Arista box set is still available in the UK but is much more expensive than it originally was. The albums are remarkably consistent aside from the Luther produced set which is somewhat disappointing, and the Brazilian album which is a strange album to say the very least. It is a beautifully compiled box set with fantastic sleeve notes. The Warners box set will be every bit as lavish and i cannot recommend them both enough.

[daviddesper]

Oh you boys are being entirely too hard on Got a Date. Yes I will agree that the entire album was the weakest of her Arista period, although for my personal tastes, Reservations for Two was not much better. But those two disco cuts were just her way of trying to fit in with what was selling at the time.

After all, even though she and Luther were both classic ballad singers, you have to admit that the uptempo stuff worked well for him on the few occasions that he tried it. [[For example, how could anyone not actually LOVE "She Won't Talk to Me?")

So Dionne did not sound bad on Got a Date......it was just that it was such a departure for her. Fortunately the next two albums [[Friends and Finder of Lost Loves) were much closer to what we had come to expect from her. Actually my main complaint with the Luther album was that it only had eight tracks.

[reese]

Oh you boys are being entirely too hard on Got a Date. Yes I will agree that the entire album was the weakest of her Arista period, although for my personal tastes, Reservations for Two was not much better. But those two disco cuts were just her way of trying to fit in with what was selling at the time.

After all, even though she and Luther were both classic ballad singers, you have to admit that the uptempo stuff worked well for him on the few occasions that he tried it. [[For example, how could anyone not actually LOVE "She Won't Talk to Me?")

So Dionne did not sound bad on Got a Date......it was just that it was such a departure for her. Fortunately the next two albums [[Friends and Finder of Lost Loves) were much closer to what we had come to expect from her. Actually my main complaint with the Luther album was that it only had eight tracks.

I actually like GOT A DATE. It wasn't what I was used to hearing from her but it was very Luther so I wasn't surprised. It took awhile for me to warm to their album together but now it is one of my favorites.

[daviddesper]

Looks like I stand corrected........I am shocked to see that the Arista box set is now completely off the grid on every major online shopping site. That makes no sense to me for a project that is only about 2-3 years old, especially when you consider that many of her older studio albums are still available. The only thing I can figure is that they want to make room for the new project.

[kenneth]

Thanks for all the info, guys. I appreciate it.

Have only found the Arista set at a couple online sites, and listed at $100 or thereabouts. There's one on Ebay with a $101 price "or best offer" but my offer of $70 was rejected automatically by the Ebay bot. I didn't up it again as the set has a shipping cost of $20 as well, which is ridiculous for a CD box set. Anyway, I'll keep an eye out for it and hopefully get it at some point.

Meanwhile, I did order the Warner Bros. set from Import CDs which has it for only $41 and by signing up to be on their email list was able to snag a 10% off coupon for the purchase as well.

Thanks again, all. Please keep an eye out for the Arista set for me!

[daviddesper]

Thanks for all the info, guys. I appreciate it.

Have only found the Arista set at a couple online sites, and listed at $100 or thereabouts. There's one on Ebay with a $101 price "or best offer" but my offer of $70 was rejected automatically by the Ebay bot. I didn't up it again as the set has a shipping cost of $20 as well, which is ridiculous for a CD box set. Anyway, I'll keep an eye out for it and hopefully get it at some point.

Meanwhile, I did order the Warner Bros. set from Import CDs which has it for only $41 and by signing up to be on their email list was able to snag a 10% off coupon for the purchase as well.

Thanks again, all. Please keep an eye out for the Arista set for me!

I saw that $41 on Import but was not aware of the 10% off deal. What was the shipping cost for that order?

[kenneth]

I saw that $41 on Import but was not aware of the 10% off deal. What was the shipping cost for that order?

$2.99. Looks like a set price for domestic USA.

[jack020]

Glad I bought the Edsel series when it came out:

https://www.amazon.com/Windows-World.../dp/B00H3WQUKM

[daviddesper]

Prices like these only prove to us what we already knew........that music is a true investment and that you can always get your money back........which is more than you can say for booze, cigarettes, and chasing wild women!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Glad I bought the Edsel series when it came out:

https://www.amazon.com/Windows-World.../dp/B00H3WQUKM

You and me both, Jack!

[kenneth]

My copy of the Warner Bros. box set arrived today. I had ordered from ImportCDs. Beautiful packaging, just like the Arista box set. I didn’t realize they were produced by the same company but I guess they must’ve been. Very anxious to listen to this, as I am not very familiar with most of her Warner Bros. material aside from the big hits with the Spinners.

From the notes, it sounds like disk three of this set includes all the material that had not been released until the single CD from her Warner Bros. years, which came out, maybe five years ago I think it was? So if you never bought that CD, it’s included in the set as well. I remember listening to that one, and not finding any cuts I thought were great on it, but it’s nice to have all her Warner Bros. material in one place in the set.

[reese]

My copy of the Warner Bros. box set arrived today. I had ordered from ImportCDs. Beautiful packaging, just like the Arista box set. I didn’t realize they were produced by the same company but I guess they must’ve been. Very anxious to listen to this, as I am not very familiar with most of her Warner Bros. material aside from the big hits with the Spinners.

From the notes, it sounds like disk three of this set includes all the material that had not been released until the single CD from her Warner Bros. years, which came out, maybe five years ago I think it was? So if you never bought that CD, it’s included in the set as well. I remember listening to that one, and not finding any cuts I thought were great on it, but it’s nice to have all her Warner Bros. material in one place in the set.

Although I really love her vocals during the Arista years, Dionne's voice was in pristine shape during the Warner Bros. years.

Just this past weekend I was watching a recently discovered 1975 concert of hers taped in Lake Tahoe. She sang magnificently. The only complaint I have is that it was edited down to 22 minutes.

[kenneth]

Although I really love her vocals during the Arista years, Dionne's voice was in pristine shape during the Warner Bros. years.

Just this past weekend I was watching a recently discovered 1975 concert of hers taped in Lake Tahoe. She sang magnificently. The only complaint I have is that it was edited down to 22 minutes.

I'd like to see that, but yikes! 22 minutes! I've sat through Infomercials longer than that!

[daviddesper]

My Warner Brothers set arrived today and I am looking forward to hearing it. Of course having the "repeat" button available on my car's CD player, I may never get past the first track..........what a song!!!!!

[jack020]

I received this last week and have played 4 out of 6 discs so far. To my ears it sounds good but not better than the discs I already had.
The price at had gone down after I ordered so I got 2 refunds, one of the price difference at the time of shipping and I complained because after that the price had gone down again so I received a voucher which I used on the order for the upcoming Scepter Singles Box.
The Arista box is also for sale again at Amazon UK from april 7, 2023 at a normal price.

[daviddesper]

Funny you should mention price reductions, etc. since that was the topic of my original post back when this CD was first announced. So let me tell you about my price experience in case it might help someone else.....

I compared prices and decided to order from Import CDs. Even though they charge shipping whereas others don't if you order enough, I decided to go with them. Well as I was inputting my credit card number, the Import website gave me some indication that I could use the bonus points accumulated on my credit card.

I never think about using those and had never once had a website suggest that as a form of payment. But I went with it, and although I will not know until the next credit card statement arrives, but it appears that I may have gotten this collection free. So anyone who has not yet ordered it might want to try Import to see if you get the same opportunity during the payment process.

[kenneth]

The price has dropped on several sites on the new Real Gone singles set.

Amazon US now has it for $51.99 [[with free shipping)
ImportCDs now has it for $45.20 [[plus shipping)

I like buying from sites other than Amazon, even if it's just a few dollars' difference, since Amazon is becoming such a juggernaut, though I'm not sure if ImportCDs has a "pre release price guarantee" like Amazon does.

[jack020]

For Europeans its not worth anymore buying from outside of Europe because of import taxes. I usually use Amazon UK or any other Amazon in Europe or their European sellers.
Amazan ES is has sometimes good prices for new Motown/Elemental vinyl.