📣 News Carpenters: "The Vinyl Collection"

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I also agree with this statement above.

To me something doesn't sound right, this was not marketed as a limited edition box set and now for them to up and basically quit manufacturing it...something is going on in the background we are not privy to. Let's face it this box set was a disaster the moment customers began to receive these defective sets and now to hear they won't be re manufacturing the box is another huge letdown.

It's a letdown for the public who want to buy it, a letdown for the record label, a let down for the artist and most of all a letdown to correct a wrong. A wrong that UMe needs to take responsibility for in not overseeing the original pressing and correct it by re pressing the vinyl exclusive for the public that wanted the original box set as marketed.

Never under estimate the power of the public, when something fails there are repercussions. I still think there is something about this we don't know about...part of the Carpenters legacy has been affected by the defective release of this set and then opting to quit after things turned bad. This is about the preservation of their music.

Presumably though, because the albums in the box set are being sold individually as well, it's easier (and more cost-effective) for the record company to replace individual defective albums rather than complete box sets (the box itself wasn't defective)?

As for them not making any more copies of the box sets, well, presumably they've had their fingers burnt to an extent after all the problems that have occurred and are drawing a line under it because of all the bad feedback. It's hard to say whether it will be an issue in that future that the box set is no longer available to buy - I imagine most of those who wanted it have already bought it. It was never going to be a huge seller to the mainstream audience (a) because of its high cost and (b) because it doesn't include anything unreleased or special (an exclusive booklet, etc). Perhaps it will become a niche collector's item in the future, although again you'd have to be a pretty hardcore fan to want it (essentially it's just a cardboard wrapper around albums that can be bought separately).

The box set wasn't of interest to me, but all this does go to show the problems with the quality of new vinyl pressings these days. I've heard of numerous releases, all with premium price tags, that have the same issues as this box set (or even worse in some cases). Whilst back in vinyl's heyday in the 1970s/1980s, you'd occasionally get the odd duff pressing, I've never heard of problems this bad on this scale, where the quality is worse than secondhand copies you can pick up for a dollar or so. It seems that a lot of the pressings these days are done on the cheap in Eastern Europe and the quality control is variable or even non-existent.

I think most new vinyl is very overpriced even if it were perfect, but given the frequency with which these issues arise now, even if I were interested, I'd be very cautious and would wait to read some reviews on the quality before purchasing, particularly if buying from overseas sellers.
 
How many box sets have you had now? I've counted four. Have you had to pay for them all up front?

I’ve had five, one for me, one for my mum and one as a back up to remain sealed in case I accidentally damage a record etc. All paid up front. Had to send two damaged ones back to Amazon USA at my own cost (promised a refund on my postage but as yet none forthcoming). The two copies that I sent back were replaced by Amazon by two (so far ok) ok copies.

So two bad , two bad replaced , one unopened copy which will remain like that for better or for worse!.

Two opened I’m checking through now on a daily basis listened to four albums last night, the Lovelines album for me is worth buying as it’s amazing sound quality, guys who were with M Jackson involved and sounds exquisite. If you haven’t got that album originally (I have but it’s hard to track down) an essential purchase.
 
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Also regarding Amazon they told me I would be sent the two replacements as a free gift due to the others being damaged, had that in four emails (items sent as complimentary with no charge to myself) two weeks down the line Amazon ask for the faulty copies back and unless I send them back would charge my card again. Had this in official emails - they then say sorry that was an admin error on three different customer services employees!!, please accept $20 for use in Amazon.com only!. As if I am going to buy something from them again!!.
Sent the two boxes back at my expense and haven’t even given me the £60 postage back - no wonder they are a multi billion $ set up, demanding I pay then not paying the return postage on damaged product!.
 
No wonder people have put the prices up!, they must have got prior warning about this, I’m glad I’ve got one now!, if they ain’t going to redo the box I’d rather have the tight spindle holes then nothing at all!. I’m now listening to ASFY my first out of 24 albums to go through it sounds superb to me through headphones and I haven’t even cleaned it!. This is a joy best I’ve heard my favourite album on my system thus far. If they all sound like this I’ll be well happy, my record cleaning machine is good for stretching the spindles a bit. 23 to go!.
I was also very lucky, my complete set is impeccable, even the holes, except for the printing errors in the brochures ...:):)
 
Can anyone confirm if the albums sold individually in UK are European pressings? I saw some pics showing the MP3 download voucher that is not included in the USA albums. If the answer is that they are, is the pressing also defective?
 
UMe now have my photos of the destroyed records, so I am hoping it wont be long before the new replacements arrive. Out of nearly 60 years in collecting records, this is the first time (and last I hope) where I have had to physically destroy a record.
 
As for them not making any more copies of the box sets, I imagine most of those who wanted it have already bought it. It was never going to be a huge seller to the mainstream audience (a) because of its high cost and (b) because it doesn't include anything unreleased or special (an exclusive booklet, etc). Perhaps it will become a niche collector's item in the future, although again you'd have to be a pretty hardcore fan to want it (essentially it's just a cardboard wrapper around albums that can be bought separately).

I think most new vinyl is very overpriced even if it were perfect, but given the frequency with which these issues arise now, even if I were interested, I'd be very cautious and would wait to read some reviews on the quality before purchasing, particularly if buying from overseas sellers.

I agree - hardcore fans will buy or have bought the set, but the casual record buyer is more likely to buy a few of the albums separately - the box is seems grossly overpriced for what it is especially in the UK. £320 for just 12 albums in a box. Having said that, when I first started buying LPs back in 1963, the price then was 32s/6p which today equates to around £25.00 in today's money. I thing the low price of CDs has somewhat distorted things though.

I feel they should definitely have included an album of rarities and an album sized book with some historical data to make it a more attractive package. A missed opportunity but maybe they will do something for the 50th in 2019 and if they do, I suspect it will not be another vinyl box set.
 
I agree - hardcore fans will buy or have bought the set, but the casual record buyer is more likely to buy a few of the albums separately - the box is seems grossly overpriced for what it is especially in the UK. £320 for just 12 albums in a box. Having said that, when I first started buying LPs back in 1963, the price then was 32s/6p which today equates to around £25.00 in today's money. I thing the low price of CDs has somewhat distorted things though.

I feel they should definitely have included an album of rarities and an album sized book with some historical data to make it a more attractive package. A missed opportunity but maybe they will do something for the 50th in 2019 and if they do, I suspect it will not be another vinyl box set.

I also think the same, I thought that when I opened the set I would find a beautiful brochure with some new image and biography, but not .. just the box plus the albums ... or another rarity...
 
I was just wondering has anyone purchased the individual vinyl and the vinyl was also defective? I haven't been reading all the reviews online and was wondering if it affected the individual ones just as much as the boxed set?
 
I was just wondering has anyone purchased the individual vinyl and the vinyl was also defective? I haven't been reading all the reviews online and was wondering if it affected the individual ones just as much as the boxed set?

I`ve bought 3 and they are beautiful :) not so much as a finger print on them, sharp edge, bad spindle holes, nothing, they are perfect and sound as good as they look!
I haven't seen a bad review anywhere ............... go figure!
can`t understand why they`ve stopped doing this box-set and I agree, somethings going on behind the scenes, perhaps a fall-out with R.C??
 
Listening to Made In America as I type this, another astoundingly good sounding record!. Getting through the rest will be a breeze if they all sound like this. Listened three times to Lovelines last evening couldn’t help myself!!.
 
I`ve bought 3 and they are beautiful :) not so much as a finger print on them, sharp edge, bad spindle holes, nothing, they are perfect and sound as good as they look!
I haven't seen a bad review anywhere ............... go figure!
can`t understand why they`ve stopped doing this box-set and I agree, somethings going on behind the scenes, perhaps a fall-out with R.C??

Do they have any pops or ticks occasionally
Then, I’m just trying to gauge what is considered acceptable and not returnable?. They sound great the ones I have played really do, but they do have the odd tick now and again?.
Playing Close To You now and it does have a few background ticks more than the other 5 I’ve played so far?.
 
The moderating team would like to thank everybody for their participation and feedback regarding the box set.

At this point we believe UMe's position is to replace the individual defective vinyls only, and not the box set in its entirety.

I realize this has all come with a bit of frustration and mixed emotions for those that ended up with defective sets. However, there have been in fact those that received theirs in pristine quality, so there's obviously some contradiction here. However for those less fortunate, we can't change the reality that there were batch errors during the reproduction stage.

At this time we want to respect whatever decision Universal makes in the matter. And who knows, at some point in the future this set could always resurface, at which point we can resume the positive discussion and feedback.

If you have received your vinyl in pristine condition and would like to dialogue about that, please visit our CARPENTERS VINYL REISSUES: Audiophile Discussion thread.

Having said that, this thread is no longer open for discussion. Thanks!
 
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