Just curious, is $39 for the gold CD the new normal for Octive releases?
I ordered a copy and I noticed it too. I hope that the artists get the most of the pot. It’s not a career I’d suggest to my children. This is the least of my audio indulgences so I’ll live with it.
Listened to the DSD64 download last night and really enjoyed it. Too many distractions for a serious listen, so hope to do that later today.
1 Like
Wow. That’s an increase of more than 34%. I’m not saying the others’ $29 price wasn’t a genuine value for what we got, but still…this amount gives me a little pause.
I just listened to the sample clip of the first track - reminiscent, in parts, of the theme music from the BBC Jeeves & Wooster series. Lots of fun. I’ll probably buy it, but I’d like to hear the reason for a price bump of that magnitude.
Yes, we didn’t say much. Sorry. Downloads remain at their original $29. The price bump in the SACD is permanent, unfortunately, not specific to this release. Sony’s one remaining SACD pressing plant in Austria jacked their prices up because of rising costs and put us over the line with expenses.
2 Likes
I think the new stand alone studio pretty much dictates the rise in cost.
Thanks, @Paul. I appreciate the transparency. I may complain from time to time about the cost of recordings, but that’s a result of having been conditioned by the relatively low prices of CDs over the last couple of decades or so. In truth, if you look at the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s online inflation calculator, a $7.98 LP (typical price for a run-of-the-mill, non-audiophile recording when I got out of college in 1976) translates to $40.35 today. So I suppose we should all view $39 for outstanding recordings as still a relative bargain.
Edit: I see a note on the order page that explains the price increase. If that was there before and I simply missed it, I apologize.
1 Like
That certainly changes the business model. I’m guessing any recordings for SACD must use this one and only pressing plant? Ouch.
Yes, unfortunately for physical media it’s the new normal. Sony in Austria (where the discs are pressed) raised their prices significantly and we had no choice but to follow suit. Downloads remain the same.
2 Likes
I feel your pain. I am still waiting for an aluminum stock order that I placed last October. The “estimated” price had doubled from the year before and the actual price may be higher yet. “Price in effect at time of manufacture” or some similar verbage.
I quite enjoyed this album too!
Great energy and recording for me.
1 Like
So…this just happened:
I placed the new release in my USB disc drive and dialed up dBpoweramp, ready to have to manually enter all of the meta data, per usual.
Instead, this The Guess Who recording was automatically loaded up.
I have not hit “Rip” yet, because I was just too startled. 
I already ejected the disc and tried again…same result.
What to do? 
My first thought is to overwrite all of the meta data manually and then hit “Rip”.
Before I do, I thought I would post here first to see if anyone else has “enjoyed” this phenomenon. I wonder if PSA actually tried to get the disc’s info. out into the databases and some sort of error was made uploading a unique identification code or something.
I’ve never had incorrect data come up for an Octave record. But then I’ve never had any data come up for an Octave record.
2 Likes
I know, right?
This was really puzzling.
On the bright side, now I have to get that The Guess Who record spun up. Some great tracks on that compilation.
Maybe that’s a hidden prize for the $10 price increase.
Received Paul’s email this morning announcing the price of the Octave Records SACD’s would be dropped back to their original price. I just wanted to give my opinion on this decision to drop the price back and absorb the increased costs to produce the SACD disks. Although dropping the price back to $29 is greatly appreciated, I for one had no issue with the increase to $39. I personally think the product Octave Records produces is a steal at $39 - A SACD DSD disk, a DVD DSD data disk, gorgeous packaging, plus the outstanding music - I mean come on, where else can you get that for $39, let alone for $29? And, if I understand correctly, the artist pays nothing?
So thank you @Paul for putting your customers first and for producing such a high quality product - just hate that you feel you need to eat cost increases that you do not control.
BTW: Hothouse Flower is Octave Records best to date - Love it!
4 Likes
I could not agree more.
FWIW.
3 Likes
I agree. I hope my initial comments weren’t construed as a complaint. As I said later, adjusted for inflation, the higher price is in line with what garden-variety albums cost back in the pre-CD era.
I certainly don’t kid myself that I have the power to influence other people’s business decisions, but I’d feel awful if Octave stepped back to their old prices in the face of increased costs, and found their model was no longer sustainable.
2 Likes
My worry exactly @Craig_Burgess, I really want to see where Octave Records goes in the future. The potential is amazing.