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From: doug@prime.UUCP (Douglas A. Hamilton)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: CD availability
Message-ID: <116@prime.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 15-Jul-85 18:52:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: prime.116
Posted: Mon Jul 15 18:52:06 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 18-Jul-85 05:44:15 EDT
References: <2028@ut-ngp.UTEXAS>
Distribution: net
Organization: Prime Computer, Inc., Framingham, MA
Lines: 62

> I recently bought a CD player, and have been having trouble finding discs.
> Local record stores carry a very limited supply.  mainly interested in pop/
> rock, and am wondering whether the shortage is due to nationwide shortages.
> Stores continue to carry classical, jazz and "oldies" as their primary stock
> because of mistaken belief that the typical CD owner is older, upscale, with
> more conservative tastes.
> I've noticed that all my discs are made either in Germany or Japan.
> No US plants manufacturing CDs?  Cause of the generally high
> (and unacceptable) price of discs here in the US?
> Why are the vast majority of records still being recorded with analog
> equipment?
> Scott Roby (swr@ngp)

It's true that more of the CD's currently on the market are classical
rather than pop/rock; the sudden explosion of the CD market has very
much surprised the record manufacturers who had been thinking (until
recently) of the typical CD owner as just as you've described.  The NY
Times reported that in the first three months of this year, CD's shifted
from roughly 10% to roughly 30% of the record volume.  This was just too
much too fast for the suppliers.

There are now something like 3,300 titles available, however, so you should
be able to find a few you like (-:.  Last Sunday's NY Times gave a couple
phone numbers you could call to get a free catalog of all the available
CD's:  355-0011 (New York) or 800-872-5565 (anywhere else.)

Currently, there is only one CD factory in the US:  CBS's plant in Terre
Haute, Indiana, which is still not up to full capacity and having yield
problems.  Denon plans to build a plant in the Southeast, but that won't
be for a while.  Presumably, other record manufacturers have plans...

For now, there are six plants world-wide, including the CBS plant.  There
are two plants in West Germany and three in Japan.  No doubt this is a
factor in the high price, but I suspect the real problem you're facing is
lack of retail competition.  The street price for CD's is down to $11.99
in NYC; where I live (outside Boston), $12.99 is pretty achievable at
sales, which are now routine.

As to many records being still analog, I draw your attention to the fact
that most of what you're listening to is popular.  Classical albums have
been routinely recorded digitally for the better labels for a good 5 to 10
years.  My own guess is that because popular music is so much less
demanding (few quiet passages, less dynamic range), record companies
have simply not felt the improvement in sound quality for pop would
justify the cost of the scarce digital equipment.

Final comment about pop vs. classical:  I can certainly understand your
preference - until I bought a CD, I had perhaps a half-dozen classical
albums compared to several hundred pop/rock/CW/etc.  What I've found,
however, is that a CD makes all the difference.  The hiss, etc., that
to my ears made classical unlistenable on vinyl is totally absent on
CD.  I recommend you at least try out some classical (e.g., Mozart's
Eine Kline Nachtmusik) even if only to reconfirm your preferences.

Regards.
-- 
Douglas Hamilton       Prime Computer,Inc.
617-626-1700 x3956     Video Products Group
                       492 Old Connecticut Path
                       Framingham, MA  10701

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