SHM-CDs quickly out of print?

Hello,

While contemplating getting Steely Dan's "Aja", John Coltrane's "Ballads", Cannonball Adderley's "Quintet in Chicago" and a number of other titles on Japanese SHM-CD, I find that many SHM-CDs are already OOP (out of print) only weeks after their release!

Why is this?
How many of each are made?

...oh, I suppose I can wait for the 24K gold mini lp hybrid shm-sacd versions


Larry

 

I noticed this too, and now many titles are going for significant $$$ on eBay. I'm glad I picked up the three Rolling Stones titles when I did!

 

FYI, "S.H.M." stands for "Super High Material" and references the clear polycarbonate layer beneath the data on a music CD - this new type uses the same material used in LCD displays suggesting that its clarity offers improved fidelity.

This person certainly believes it anyway.

Here's the big main thread on such releases here.

-s1m0n-

 

thanks for clearing that up, i thought it stood for Steve Hoffman Mastered.

 

Hey where's your wink smiley?

I just thought not everyone (me included) would know that acronym. Anyway, here's another interesting take on this new media.

-s1m0n-

 

i was dead serious.

thanks for clearing it up!

 

Isn't this common for a lot of collector-oriented cds issued in Japan? I think that they know they are going to issue a certain number of copies and then delete the title, so the title becomes technically out-of-print as soon as it's issued. That doesn't mean, of course, that a given title can't still be found easily.

 

Yeah, I thought it was "Steve Hoffman Mastering" as well - that's what "SHM" means 99% of the time here. I figured it meant something else when I saw mention of SHM Stones titles - there would've been a big to-do if Steve remastered the Stones! - but it still initially confused me...

 

Well with these it's kind of strange... JVC introduced a new physical material for the CDs so I would think it's unlikely they introduced these with the intent to almost immediately delete the titles soon as 1) the R&D to develop the process must have been somewhat substantial and 2) the licensing for the titles (The Stones, Who, Hendrix, etc.) couldn't have been cheap.

I'm still perplexed though why the plug was pulled. Anyone know?

 

Who says it was?

I believe they pressed 5,000 of each title.

They'll surely repress them, or at least titles that sold well. Universal Japan has repressed many a "limited edition" in their day. They might wait a while, but it will happen.

Whether buying these makes any sense is another matter and can be researched in other threads here, but they all seem to use whatever the latest in print mastering is, so the material on the data side of the disc would seem secondary to that in terms of importance.

 

Ahh, ok, you are very welcome (I was just figuring that I was way behind the curve from everyone else, as usual ).



-s1m0n-

 

Hmm, I'd never heard of these before reading this thread.

 

Hello,

However, I just found out that there is going to be a seven-album Steely Dan SHM-CD cardboard sleeve reissue series featuring the albums "Can't Buy A Thrill," "Countdown To Ecstasy," "Pretzel Logic," "Katie Lied," "Royal Scam," "Aja," and "Gaucho" to be released in Japan this coming June 2008.

larry

 

...as well as a boatload of Spooky Tooth plus various Dickey Betts & Duane/Gregg Allman Bros. titles.

 

So is the idea that these new discs with their new substrate will avoid jitter issues? Anyone buy/listen to one yet and compare it with a known liked non SHM version?

-s1m0n-

 

You are correct. sir.

If you go to CD Japan's site, you'll notice most of these SHM CDs are posed as limited editions. They're often out of print before they even ship, especially if they're also being released as mini-LP-sleeve CDs.

 

A few of the early titles are out of print. Many of them will return, probably in LP sleeves, or some other configuration.

 

I just Googled the Steely Dan SHM CDs, namely Aja, and see that it is already being sold on eBay, while the Japanese HMV talks about a June 25 release. Check out for yourselves...

Has anybody heard any of these? If so, how do they sound?

 

bump

 

Same mastering.

 

Exactly.

So what good is SHM if the mastering itself isn't up to snuff?

 

Are you talking to me? Same mastering as what? Have you heard the SHM-CD?

 

Well, no, I was just speaking in general. This is what we had talked about on the other threads about this subject. It seems as if they just pulled out ready existing mastering which they then applied the new manufacturing process to. The SHM is just the polycarbonate, with no new mastering added, so why bother? I don't think there has been any consensus that new mastering was involved in any of these titles.

 

I'll let you know if it's the same mastering when/if I get a hold of any of these Steely Dan titles.

 

They are all just using the currently in print masterings. Not just for Steely Dan, but for all titles.

Hence, if you like the latest Steely Dan remasters, you'll probably be happy. If you don't, no change in the material being used for the data side of the medium involved is likely to change much about that.