# Where does one draw the line with CDs?



## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Through this thread I am trying to draw a general consensus as to how much the average TC member spends on CDs. Also, how expensive of a CD will one purchase until it is not worth buying anymore? For me, that number sits around 80$. I know that some of you live in countries with different currencies, but I should still get a general idea.

I ask this question after a long search to find the 'best' (to me) interpretation of Ustvolskaya's piano works. After much thought, I settled on Ivan Sokolov's version. _Piano Classics_ has re-issued the original 1996 CD for 20$, but tone between movements appears to be messed up (according to several reviews on different sites). The 1996 recording is not "messed up", but it will cost me 80$ for a new CD. This, obviously, is where I wonder "_Is it worth it?_"

Discuss.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Depends on alternative sources of music like Youtube. I definitely would have bought less before than i did if Youtube was around then. Sampling more = buying less. Then I would have paid any amount for the versions I like.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Portamento said:


> Through this thread I am trying to draw a general consensus as to how much the average TC member spends on CDs. Also, how expensive of a CD will one purchase until it is not worth buying anymore? For me, that number sits around 80$. I know that some of you live in countries with different currencies, but I should still get a general idea.
> 
> I ask this question after a long search to find the 'best' (to me) interpretation of Ustvolskaya's piano works. After much thought, I settled on Ivan Sokolov's version. _Piano Classics_ has re-issued the original 1996 CD for 20$, but tone between movements appears to be messed up (according to several reviews on different sites). The 1996 recording is not "messed up", but it will cost me 80$ for a new CD. This, obviously, is where I wonder "_Is it worth it?_"
> 
> Discuss.


Yes it is worth it, were only talking about $60 more, it's not going to break the bank hopefully, and think how much you'd pay to hear him play it in concerts! Don't buy the dud CD - you need to hear the music as composer and performer intended.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Sokolov's 1995 2-CD set is available at Presto Classics for $14.50. Both recordings you mention are 1996 so I don't know if it's the 'messed up' one or not.


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

I used to spend serious money on new elpees as a student and young adult. (And still enjoy those very much, currently spinning: Ashkenazy playing Prokofiev's 3rd, bought 35 years ago). 
Then cd's came, so the money went there. 25 to 35 euro's for premium discs would be about the max per purchase. The bulk would be much cheaper though.
Gave up on cd alltogether a couple of years ago. I enjoy digital music via streaming or downloads, usually free of charge, however not illegal

These days I'm totally corrupted by the 2nd hand elpee market. Especially in classical, absolute gems can be found for loose change. Anything over a tenner, I ask the seller whether he thinks I'm Onassis


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I have never been looking for rare specimens - fortunately. Of all the many thousands of CDs in our collection, I don't think I ever paid more than say 15 euro for a CD (I usually wait for promotions - don't need a new CD the moment it comes out).


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

I don't think I would spend more than $25 for a single disc CD. Even then, that would have to be something really special. Normally the most I'd pay is ~$18. For boxsets, well, it depends on how many discs there are in the set. Like Art Rock, I usually use a coupon to get the prices down even further.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

DaveM said:


> Sokolov's 1995 2-CD set is available at Presto Classics for $14.50. Both recordings you mention are 1996 so I don't know if it's the 'messed up' one or not.


If this is the CD that you are referring to, then it is the "messed up" one. The original audio was recorded in 1996, but the 2013 re-issue is apparently mis-edited. Here is the 1996 release that I am considering purchasing: _http://www.allmusic.com/album/galina-ustvolskaya-complete-piano-music-mw0001814979_



Klassik said:


> I don't think I would spend more than $25 for a single disc CD. Even then, that would have to be something really special. Normally the most I'd pay is ~$18. For boxsets, well, it depends on how many discs there are in the set. Like Art Rock, I usually use a coupon to get the prices down even further.


It is a two-disk CD. Has a total run-time of 1:26:02.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Klassik said:


> I don't think I would spend more than $25 for a single disc CD. Even then, that would have to be something really special. Normally the most I'd pay is ~$18. For boxsets, well, it depends on how many discs there are in the set. Like Art Rock, I usually use a coupon to get the prices down even further.


That sounds about right. Also, since I'm not well off, there's a time element involved. I'll spend a fair amount on a large box set, but usually after a waiting period.

I don't think of it as saving up, but as healing the wound from the last big purchase.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

Generally, the reason I would buy a CD is to listen in the car. $10-15 per disc is about the most I would pay, especially considering the amazing box set deals out there.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I can sympathize with the OP. I have shelled out much more than I had wanted to, or that I thought was reasonable, a few times.
One was for the Jascha Horenstein recording of Mahler 4. It was only available as part of a large EMI Mahler complete works box that cost around $40. Once I spent around $50 for a Bernard Haitink box of 20 CDs to get a Schubert C Major. And most egregiously I spent around $40 for a Jean Pierre Rampal box set that contained one budget lp that I cherished back in the day.
The Mahler and Haitink boxes wound up being good buys because theses sets had so many other worthwhile discs that I have enjoyed. The Rampal-not so much,,


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I tend to buy used CDs from independent Amazon sellers. That usually cuts down quite a bit on CD expenditures.

However, sometimes I read a rave review about a new CD or CD set, as I have recently of Kyung Wha Chung's complete Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin, so I splurge.

I have to spend at least $200 a year on CDs. Probably more. Not more than $500 a year, I surmise.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

With a fairly substantial collection and the availability of CD quality streaming, I am buying less and less. A high percentage (in terms of dollars laid out) are audiophile SACDs - mostly jazz, and they go for $15 - $30 per disc. I did pick up Szell's Beethoven cycle on Japanese SACD last year, which I cannot really justify on a financial basis ($100 for 5 discs, which I knew were never going to be audiophile gems), but which represent the best digital version of recordings essential to my appreciation of classical.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I have been spending close to $100 per month on CDs, mostly used. Sometime I think I have to slow down, but not sure when.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I used to spend thousands of dollars each year on CD's; now it's less than $100 per year.

I don't think I'd be willing to spend more than $30 for a CD that I wanted badly; it would just feel all wrong. As I've found concerning my much less frequent spending these days, the world remains a wonderful place.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

In NZ we were used to paying NZ$35 – $40 per CD but the influx of east European CDs meant that you could get CDs from NZ$5 down to 99 cents, so I will never pay more than that for a CD, but again I don’t need to as I have enough.


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

I'm like others above who would rarely shell out more than $25 unless exceptional. There are good budget labels (Naxos, Brilliant, Vox, etc.) with many good performances and engineered well. 

Amazon downloads can be cost effective for those who listen to music from their computer's drive. Apple iTunes is another good download source, although more expensive and similar to CD pricing.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I am addicted to buying CDs if that answers your question!


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Captainnumber36 said:


> I am addicted to buying CDs if that answers your question!


Aren't we all?

How much do you spent on CDs in, say, a year? What is the maximum you can justify spending on them?


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

When i was a student, i did most of my collecting, mainly classical. I spent roughly $5000 a year. Now, i have most of what I want to own i only spend about $100-200 a year average.


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## JohnD (Jan 27, 2014)

I have spent more than my fair share on CDs, but I probably wouldn't spend more than $30 on a single CD. Especially nowadays when there are so many great classical box sets at budget prices.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Portamento said:


> Aren't we all?
> 
> How much do you spent on CDs in, say, a year? What is the maximum you can justify spending on them?


I don't really look at how much I'm spending moreso than can I afford to spend what I'm about to at the time. Or, splurge and then make adjustments to future monthly expenditures! haha.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Captainnumber36 said:


> I am addicted to buying CDs if that answers your question!


Me too, so my answer as well.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Portamento said:


> Aren't we all?
> 
> How much do you spent on CDs in, say, a year? What is the maximum you can justify spending on them?


Uncountable, better that way, nobody's business but mine. 
(For insurance reasons)


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

amfortas said:


> I don't think of it as saving up, but as healing the wound from the last big purchase.


I can understand that. I usually make a list of CDs I want and then wait for a while until I have >$100 on the list to make the purchase. Barnes & Noble has 20% off orders over $75-125 (depending on the particular promotion) fairly frequently so I have to have that as a minimum. Because of that, I may go several months before putting the order in (I try to have no more than 2 or 3 orders a year). I think this is a good way to go because I do sometimes cross CDs off my list after I listen to the music more on YouTube or whatever and decide that maybe I am not as interested in it as I was at one point.

I do buy some CDs from the various B&M stores around town in between big orders so I do have some new stuff to listen to even if there are big breaks between online orders. Thrift store CDs usually cost <$2 and I can usually get out of the Half Price Books while spending <$20 even if I buy a few CDs so those aren't going to break the budget too badly.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I rarely wait to order CDs I want, unless they are way overpriced. Typically, if I want it, I find a good set at the best price and hit buy. Many times I have had 6 or 8 on order and sometimes 2 or 3 will arrive in one day. It is a lot of fun to search out deals, make the orders, have them coming, and especially have them arrive. I keep the image files of the covers on my computer desk top in a row at the top and when they arrive I rename them "Folder.jpg" to show on my MP3 player and delete them from the desktop.

And as long as one has the money and the space to store more CDs, why even draw a line?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Portamento said:


> Through this thread I am trying to draw a general consensus as to *how much the average TC member spends on CDs*.


I just remembered we did this in a poll a few years back. Older data, but still interesting:
http://www.talkclassical.com/29072-how-much-do-you.html


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> I just remembered we did this in a poll a few years back. Older data, but still interesting:
> http://www.talkclassical.com/29072-how-much-do-you.html


Very good memory ! :clap:


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Florestan said:


> And as long as one has the money and the space to store more CDs, why even draw a line?


You really don't know how cheap I am! The fact that I spend what I do on CDs, and even have some CD impulse buys every now and then, is very out of character for me. I guess it shows how passionate I am about music, but of course there is a line that I do not want to overstep. Besides, who wants to die and leave a Satie-like mess behind?

Everyone has their own stories which shape their lives. I think of my father. He died unexpectedly when I was young. He started collecting classical recordings seriously only a few years before he died (this music is now part of my collection). It's a shame he didn't start earlier because he really loved classical music. Then again, he left us in very good shape financially when he died. Perhaps that would not have been the case if he started getting into collecting 20 years earlier. All of this probably shapes my behavior. I buy CDs because I want to be able to pursue things I enjoy while I can, but obviously a certain balance must be kept to keep priorities in check. And, of course, everyone's financial situation is different so the way that balance plays out is different for different people.


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## Andolink (Oct 29, 2012)

I've amassed a collection of some 6,000 CD's since 1983 and the most I've ever paid for one is in the $21-22 range. The avg. is about in the $14-16 range.


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## KRoad (Jun 1, 2012)

Over the last five years I have increasingly become a fan of opera (though a fan of classical music for over 48 years). Opera recordings are generally very expensive, especially when one wants to have the libretto booklet (in translation) included with the CD.

I now buy second hand whenever possible. Generally the CDs have been played only once or twice, and here in Berlin there is much to choose from at the "flea" markets on the weekend.

I have way too many CDs in general (000's) but I enjoy them and CD is really the only medium for opera because of the need for the libretto.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

KRoad said:


> I have way too many CDs in general (000's) but I enjoy them and CD is really the only medium for opera because of the need for the libretto.


You can get the gist of the opera, though probably not the whole libretto, by watching on DVD with English (or favored language) subtitles.


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## NorthernHarrier (Mar 1, 2017)

It seems that I've been rather frugal. My limit for a single CD is below $20. For sets, I've spent into the 20's, but I think some sets are certainly worth more than that for me. I would pay into the 30's for a set I felt I could not do without.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

NorthernHarrier said:


> It seems that I've been rather frugal. My limit for a single CD is below $20. For sets, I've spent into the 20's, but I think some sets are certainly worth more than that for me. I would pay into the 30's for a set I felt I could not do without.


Compared to filling your tank with gasoline, a CD is not expensive. Think about your overall finances and what will the money you would have spent on a CD be doing say 20-50 years or so from now (for me someone else will be spending it). Perhaps the CD is worth far more than sending some extra cash beyond the grave?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I'm currently spending anything between £15-25 a week on Amazon UK's marketplace but then I can suddenly go weeks - sometimes months - without buying anything.

As regards how much I would spend on a single-disc recording, it obviously depends on how much I covet it. At a push I'd go up to about £15 but that would have to include P & P.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

It finally occurred to me to run a total on the spreadsheet I use to catalog my classical CDs. Turns out I've got close to a thousand discs. Nothing like the collections of many people here, but with my limited space and funds, I may want to be a bit more judicious about future growth.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

I rarely spend full retail on a CD, max is 14.99-15.99, if I really want it, and it is not available elsewhere. I think all CDs should be 10.99-11.99 if not less.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I just spent $17 (price plus shipping) for a single CD of arias. Sometimes you just have to have what you have to have.


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## RRod (Sep 17, 2012)

For me, I only buy used Redbook >$10 if no download option is available. Anything more expensive better be horribly out-of-print/non-downloadable or have some kind of extra content beyond a stereo CD.


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## jailhouse (Sep 2, 2016)

I draw the line at $0.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

jailhouse said:


> I draw the line at $0.


So, you have no music collection? Or only what you have before drawing that line.

I actually go below $0 and will happily be paid to take good CDs off other people's hands.


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## Julius Seizure (Mar 28, 2017)

when Cd too expensive i don buy! sorry my spanish bad


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> So, you have no music collection? Or only what you have before drawing that line.
> 
> I actually go below $0 and will happily be paid to take good CDs off other people's hands.


Member left the building....


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

I have to admit that I have, not just once but actually on three occasions, paid a great deal more than $25 for a given CD. (I am assuming that for sets, we can pro-rate the total cost on a per-CD basis.) This has generally reflected more my instincts as a collector than a music lover, but we are all entitled to our occasional weaknesses.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

jailhouse said:


> I draw the line at $0.


I draw it around the rim with a green marker.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Depends. These days, probably not more than £15-£20 a month. Twenty years ago, before I was married and had children and all the overheads that go with that, probably ten times that (not adjusted for inflation).


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## jailhouse (Sep 2, 2016)

Florestan said:


> So, you have no music collection? Or only what you have before drawing that line.
> 
> I actually go below $0 and will happily be paid to take good CDs off other people's hands.


I have plenty of cds left, although I tried selling all of them. I have about 100 vinyl, haven't attempted to sell them. 
Spotify + other means (if the recording is not on spotify) is what I do.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

I just drew the line--after looking at my bank statement.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

amfortas said:


> I just drew the line--after looking at my bank statement.


I do the same with my credit cart.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Florestan said:


> Compared to filling your tank with gasoline, a CD is not expensive. Think about your overall finances and what will the money you would have spent on a CD be doing say 20-50 years or so from now (for me someone else will be spending it). * Perhaps the CD is worth far more than sending some extra cash beyond the grave*?


Sure but you could also flip that idea on its head: that perhaps that someone's cash could in some way be more valuable in some other way than having a few extra CDs beyond the grave  There comes a point when ones collection outpaces ones ability to listen to it.


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

jegreenwood said:


> I draw it around the rim with a green marker.


I have heard about that, but does it actually improve the sound to a noticeable degree? (I always hesitated because I remember that at one time it was recommended to use liquid vinyl treatment to tweak the sound, which was later discovered actually destroyed the CD over time and could not be reversed.)


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Sonata said:


> Sure but you could also flip that idea on its head: that perhaps that someone's cash could in some way be more valuable in some other way than having a few extra CDs beyond the grave  There comes a point when ones collection outpaces ones ability to listen to it.


But then again when one is retiring........


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## Alydon (May 16, 2012)

I have found the problem with CDs over the last few years is that they are so cheap, especially on Amazon, new or second hand. This has found me buying far more than is reasonably sane simply because the price is so small that to add another few discs to the shopping basket usually comes out under £10.00. Of course the upshot of this is that my annual spend on music is the equivalent of paying a small mortgage and my guilt caused by spending so much is mostly assuaged by the notion that I could be buying stacks of alcohol or hard drugs instead, and music didn't harm anyone, did it?

But this year being slightly more sensible in my spend simply due to lack of space and the fact I have so many duplicates I have managed to rein the addiction in, but there is nothing like the anticipation of the next CD arriving. In fact I sometimes forgot what I had ordered until it arrived, and of course if the fix was needed immediately Amazon Prime does the job nicely. As to the most expensive CD I have ever bought - £20.00, but then again for that money now you could buy up most of Beethoven's complete works or Vivaldi's or a set of Bach cantatas and that reminds me I need a set of those and that will be my next purchase if I give in.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

It's hard to resist, when I know, I just _know_, that next CD will finally make my life complete.

One might well ask, how's that working for me?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

amfortas said:


> It's hard to resist, when I know, I just _know_, that next CD will finally make my life complete.
> 
> One might well ask, how's that working for me?


And for me ..............


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

This month I may have hit the limit. I spent so much on CDs that there was no money left to pay the mortgage or buy groceries. I have decided that I may have to cut back, but I am waiting to count the haul from my wife and children whom I have sent begging with tin cups at the street corner before I make a drastic decision.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Triplets said:


> This month I may have hit the limit. I spent so much on CDs that there was no money left to pay the mortgage or buy groceries. I have decided that I may have to cut back, but I am waiting to count the haul from my wife and children whom I have sent begging with tin cups at the street corner before I make a drastic decision.


Ha ha! Tongue in cheek post, I know, but neatly encapsulates that moment that we've all experienced at least once where one pauses and says to oneself, "How did I possibly manage to spend that much on CDs in one month? Do I have some kind of problem for which I should seek professional help?" However, the problem can also manifest itself in other ways. I know one guy who had to have the floor of his "music room" reinforced to take the weight of all the vinyl stored therein. :lol:


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## pcnog11 (Nov 14, 2016)

CDs are investments especially for the music that you like. As for as how much is the top end limit? My take is that how bad do you want a particular recording or rendition in your collection and how crazy you are about that recording or rendition. I do not have a limit, however, the most expensive CD that I bought was about US$35. I think it is still a reasonable investment based on how much education, practice and managment goes into a symphony orchestra.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

pcnog11 said:


> CDs are investments especially for the music that you like...


Certainly. But it is also a useful way to get to know other music than what you know and like beforehand and even to collect multiple recordings. This may be the most space-consuming part of the show.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

JAS said:


> I have heard about that, but does it actually improve the sound to a noticeable degree? (I always hesitated because I remember that at one time it was recommended to use liquid vinyl treatment to tweak the sound, which was later discovered actually destroyed the CD over time and could not be reversed.)


No. And with my share of marked up discs, I was the sucker born that minute. Didn't actually lose any CDs though.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Pugg said:


> But then again when one is retiring........


Entirely reasonable in that case


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

pcnog11 said:


> CDs are investments especially for the music that you like. As for as how much is the top end limit? My take is that how bad do you want a particular recording or rendition in your collection and how crazy you are about that recording or rendition. I do not have a limit, however, the most expensive CD that I bought was about US$35. I think it is still a reasonable investment based on how much education, practice and managment goes into a symphony orchestra.


It is all relative. How much money does one drop for an afternoon of golfing? (I don't golf, but imagine it is more than the CD you refer to, especially if they retire to the clubhouse after the game).


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

premont said:


> Certainly. But it is also a useful way to get to know other music than what you know and like beforehand and even to collect multiple recordings. This may be the most space-consuming part of the show.


I try to draw a line at collecting multiple recordings of the same works. I've done it before on a few occasions and intend to replace a few of my existing recordings with better ones, but I try to avoid this for the most part. I'd rather use my money and give my space to more works than more of the same. Having said that, I can appreciate those who do buy multiple CDs of the same works. People like me lean on those people to offer good suggestions and, of course, different performances can vary significantly in terms of HIP/non-HIP, repeats, different versions, and so forth.


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## quietfire (Mar 13, 2017)

I spend most of my money on sheet music and instruments rather than music recordings.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

quietfire said:


> I spend most of my money on sheet music and instruments rather than music recordings.


But that's a whole different case.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Klassik said:


> I try to draw a line at collecting multiple recordings of the same works. I've done it before on a few occasions and intend to replace a few of my existing recordings with better ones, but I try to avoid this for the most part. I'd rather use my money and give my space to more works than more of the same. Having said that, I can appreciate those who do buy multiple CDs of the same works. People like me lean on those people to offer good suggestions and, of course, different performances can vary significantly in terms of HIP/non-HIP, repeats, different versions, and so forth.


Karl Richter once said, that a piece of music must be recreated at every performance. For him, two performances would never become identical, and the variation possibilities are legion. It is therefore clear that a single performance only provides a relatively narrow view of the music. Hence arises the need for multiple recordings of the same work.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

premont said:


> Karl Richter once said, that a piece of music must be recreated at every performance. For him, two performances would never become identical, and the variation possibilities are legion. It is therefore clear that a single performance only provides a relatively narrow view of the music. Hence arises the need for multiple recordings of the same work.


I limit myself to 2-3 versions of anything excepting the absolute most famous works. I'd rather listen broadly than deeply. I might really be missing out in some subtly brilliant nuance of, say, Barenboim's recordings of Beethoven's sonatas, but I have to risk it, because I can't see paying for them when I already have at least half a dozen recordings of the most famous sonatas and several recordings of all of them to enjoy. I've never heard Norgard's symphonies, most of Ockeghem's masses, most of those works in Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series, most of Henze's works.... Lots to do. So there's a balance.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

premont said:


> Karl Richter once said, that a piece of music must be recreated at every performance. For him, two performances would never become identical, and the variation possibilities are legion. It is therefore clear that a single performance only provides a relatively narrow view of the music. Hence arises the need for multiple recordings of the same work.


I can certainly understand this point. Granted, it was in Richter's interest to sell more recordings, but still there are differences between each performance which may reveal something new about the music. I think we're fortunate these days to have streaming options so that we can sample music from a number of different performers/performances. I like to find one good recording to keep on CD, which can require a lot of research, but sometimes I'll listen online for something a little different.

The reality is that I sometimes go months without listening to the same CD again so there is a certain amount of freshness to listening to the same CD again and again. Just being in a slightly different mood can reveal different things even with the same recording!

As far as drawing the line, am I the only one here who sometimes buys a CD with a great deal of excitement (usually as part of a large order) and then end up not listening to it for several weeks or months because there's several other new/old CDs that you're wanting to listen to as well? This number is a bit on the high end for me right now since I've had a couple of large orders in the last couple of quarters or so, but I probably have around 15 CDs that I've brought that I have not even listened to yet.

On the flip side, it's always good to have a new CD on hand for those times when you're in the mood for the fun experience of unwrapping a new CD. Well, sometimes fun. Sometimes just getting the wrapping and stickers off the CD is a real pain in the rear. But, anyway, when should one draw the line when one already has a lot of unheard/rarely listened to CDs already?


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

I have hardly any duplicates. I think I wouldn't go in for more than 2 of the same piece of music. My inner puritan would bully me to death if I did. Or I suppose it could be my inner miser.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Ingélou said:


> I have hardly any duplicates. I think I wouldn't go in for more than 2 of the same piece of music. My inner puritan would bully me to death if I did. Or I suppose it could be my inner miser.


I am very similar; I sometimes spend hours on end trying to find the absolute _best_ recording of a certain work. This recording then becomes my only recording of that work (unless, of course, it is coupled with the best recording of another unique composition). 'Best' is subjective, but I usually go with the recording that has the most amount of people backing it up. Call me a fanatic, because that's what I am.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Klassik said:


> On the flip side, it's always good to have a new CD on hand for those times when you're in the mood for the fun experience of unwrapping a new CD. Well, sometimes fun. Sometimes just getting the wrapping and stickers off the CD is a real pain in the rear. But, anyway, when should one draw the line when one already has a lot of unheard/rarely listened to CDs already?


I have dozens of CD's that are still unopened. However, that doesn't matter at all when I'm into acquiring more. Essentially, if the money is around, there's no reason to draw the line.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

I generally find that it's those times when I have the least time to listen to music that I'm most likely to start ordering stuff like mad.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

"I don't draw the line - I _erase_ the line!"


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## rspader (May 14, 2014)

I am at my limit. My wife just told me so.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

premont said:


> Karl Richter once said, that a piece of music must be recreated at every performance. For him, two performances would never become identical, and the variation possibilities are legion. It is therefore clear that a single performance only provides a relatively narrow view of the music. Hence arises the need for multiple recordings of the same work.


Maybe Richter had shares in Sony or one of the other major record companies!


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## moonbridge (Mar 29, 2017)

Seldom more than $30 for a single CD and I would say that the average is about $14-$16. I've even bought a few used CD's on Amazon for peanuts.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

The evening is my personal music slot and it used to be entirely CD's but I now find that I have gone back to the old steam radio with the occasional CD, I don't know what this means or even if it is of any interest to others.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Dan Ante said:


> The evening is my personal music slot and it used to be entirely CD's but I now find that I have gone back to the old steam radio with the occasional CD, I don't know what this means or even if it is of any interest to others.


I am way to focused in on particular works to listen to radio stream music. Besides, radio rarely plays opera.


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## SARDiver (Jan 6, 2014)

I can't recall how much I spent exactly (I think $150), but I bought the complete Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven cycles by Deutsche Grammophon on Amazon. I considered it a pretty good buy, as they were the Dorati, Marriner, and Karajan versions of the respective composers. That's about as large a purchase as I'll make.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

Florestan said:


> I am way to focused in on particular works to listen to radio stream music. Besides, radio rarely plays opera.


Yes I can see that it wouldn't suit your tastes but it enables me to get back into a more diverse listening habit instead of just my old favorites.
And I should have added that it is via Sky @256kbps then through my HiFi set up so not too bad in the audio department


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

mis post deleted


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> mis post deleted


These are always the funniest ( and most intriguing)


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## Reukeboom (Dec 3, 2011)

I scour the local thrift stores (and from what I've heard, the Denver area thrift stores are better than many areas of the country) for my CD's on Saturday, when everything is half off. What's great is when an entire collection ends up (probably due to someone passing away, not so great) there, I get a well-taken care of collection for not a lot of money. I came across a box of sixty-four nice CD's for ten bucks on Craigslist, not far from where I live, too. That was a great deal! In the end, I have a lot of music to discover, of which I already own. (It is a lot of work though. I have to scan each CD cover, improve it in Photoshop, and import every CD into my iTunes library, standardizing the data i.e. Beethoven, Ludwig van and not Ludwig van Beethoven. It's worth it though.) I typically pay $1-2 per CD, most of which are in great shape. I will get back to buying off Amazon at some point, but right now I'm doing pretty well with my Saturday excursions. Although I don't like Thrift Stores, I have to go there.

It is sad to see what happens to CD's that don't sell though. They treat them like trash.

I've had to resort to breaking down my lesser quality CD's (cheap reprints and labels like Laserlight and Vienna Master Series) out of their cases and storing them on spools as I'm running out of space. (Saving the covers and back covers, of course).

It's nice to just wander about my iTunes and discover things. Lots of work, but worth it. I'm currently at just over 4,000 CD's (approximately one percent are downloads or ripped library rentals.) and am at the point where I'm going to break down a large portion of that for the cases and to make space, taking those cases and replacing bad cases on higher value CD's. Lots of work ahead.

When it comes to money spent, right now it's about volume simply because the prices are so good. There are still some things I buy new (Helene Grimaud, Sol Gabetta) but right now I have so much for so little, buying a CD for $3 seems like a rip-off, even though it isn't.


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

Portamento said:


> Through this thread I am trying to draw a general consensus as to how much the average TC member spends on CDs. Also, how expensive of a CD will one purchase until it is not worth buying anymore? For me, that number sits around 80$. I know that some of you live in countries with different currencies, but I should still get a general idea.
> 
> I ask this question after a long search to find the 'best' (to me) interpretation of Ustvolskaya's piano works. After much thought, I settled on Ivan Sokolov's version. _Piano Classics_ has re-issued the original 1996 CD for 20$, but tone between movements appears to be messed up (according to several reviews on different sites). The 1996 recording is not "messed up", but it will cost me 80$ for a new CD. This, obviously, is where I wonder "_Is it worth it?_"
> 
> Discuss.


It looks like Sokolov's original recording is now available on the Amazon Marketplace for $38.

I have a pretty modest collection, I'd say less than 200 cds/boxsets. I am willing to spend a lot of money for specific recordings. For example: A few years ago Italian pianist Nicola Giasmin did a complete survey of Alan Hovhaness' piano sonatas; 7 cds. Many of them had never been recorded. In fact, he had to get some of the sheet music from estate sales, or so he claimed. It was a first, it was historic, no one had ever come close to recording all of them. They were never put into a box set. I had to buy all 7 full price from an Italian label and have them shipped to the US. I live in the pacific northwest, near where Hovhaness spent the last 30 years of his life. It is wonderfully ironic that I had to order internationally to get recordings of these pieces, composed 'right next door.' It cost hundreds. It was worth it. I have never regretted it.

I don't know what I would pay to have the JACK Quartet do a survey of all of Georg Friedrich Haas' string quartets, but that would be a big number. A very big number.

Buy what you love and use the library and Youtube for everything else.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Reukeboom said:


> I scour the local thrift stores (and from what I've heard, the Denver area thrift stores are better than many areas of the country) for my CD's on Saturday...


I visit the local thrift stores here pretty frequently. That said, I have not been visiting them as much recently. I usually go to look for interesting electronics and for classical CDs/cassettes. Mostly what I find in terms of music are budget recordings of Four Seasons, Bolero, Sousa marches, Strauss family waltzes, and Tchaikovsky ballets. These are all things I like, but I already have copies of them. Every once in a while you'll find something really good though. I recently found a Chandos Bax orchestral works CD. That was a real oddball find. Although I had heard of Bax, I never listened to his stuff so I was willing to spend $1.50 to take a risk. You don't find Chandos CDs that cheap very often.

I usually try to avoid the thrifts on Saturdays. They can become a real zoo. It seems like we have Goodwills on very street corner here in Houston these days. They're not the cheapest thrift around, but they are usually the best in terms of shopping experience. We also have several other thrift chains in town and some local religious ones as well.

What do you think of your LaserLight and Pilz ultra bargain CDs? I have some of these that I inherited from my father. Some of the recordings are pretty good, but it's a mixed bag. It sounds like you have 10x the collection that I have and my collection is pretty decent!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I won't spend more than $20 for an individual CD and even then it has to be brand new. 

Thrift stores are usually $3 a disc around here and I occasionally find something I like but I concentrate more on large collections. 

I spend a LOT of money on CD's but that's because I prefer to buy large box sets where I am paying maybe $2 a disc or less. 

Take something like the "Complete Charles Munch RCA Recordings" which has 86 CD's. I bought it for around $150 new which is $1.74 per CD. Yes, it's more money upfront but you would be hard pressed to find a more consistently excellent set of recordings. There are no duds in the entire 86 CD's. And if you were to purchase just some of his essential recordings at $15 a piece new, it doesn't take long before you could have just bought everything he recorded (all of which is great to amazing) for far less.

That's where my focus is these days. I'm hopeful for the release of just a few more big conductor sets (I'm especially looking at you Sony for a complete remastered George Szell set!) and a few more performers sets that I want and I will probably be done buying CD's for the most part.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

Klassik said:


> I visit the local thrift stores here pretty frequently. That said, I have not been visiting them as much recently


I did once get about 30 LPs from a second shop and only two were scratched but I have not been since, thanks for reminding me.


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## gHeadphone (Mar 30, 2015)

Simply put i spend way too much.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

gHeadphone said:


> Simply put i spend way too much.


You speak for many.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

gHeadphone said:


> Simply put i spend way too much.


A drunkard can say that about his habit, but at least ours is not destroying our bodies, lives and others' lives--or is it?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> A drunkard can say that about his habit, but at least ours is not destroying our bodies, lives and others' lives--or is it?


Very good and valued point made!


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