CD Clubs -Press their own CD's?

That's interesting - I'd never heard that. I buy a lot of music from both, especially BMG, and haven't had any problem with sound quality or durability - they look and sound just like normal CDs. The BMG ones do usually say "manufactured for BMG..." on the cover.

They do tack on a lot for S/H as well as tax - closer to $3 when you add it all up. However, you can usually buy from BMG for $5 a piece, so $8 a CD is what you're paying which is a heck of a deal. BMG has a lot of excellent jazz CDs. They're also great places to get boxed sets if you like that kind of thing - MUCH cheaper if they have it. Their overall selectiion isn't what CDNOW or Tower records has, but you can save a lot of money and fill out a collection there pretty easily. -Kirk

For a very informative take on this, refer to:
http://www.stereophile.com/showarchives.cgi?55

What I know is BMG labeled CDs are much worse in sound quality than same artist/album non-BMG which gives me an idea that they remanufacture CDs with poor bulk quality. Columbia House is OK in that direction since they trade with originally pressed ones. For shipping-handling they do overcharge but there still possible to find a good deal on each of CD that you order from them. For example if you are obligated to buy off 6 CDs at original club price for 3 years of membership, you can buy them on buy 1 get 3 free deals and fulfill your obligation with such offers. At the end it figures that you'll have a bunch of sealed CDs at average price of $6!

The big clubs can press some of their own for a few big sellers. But the majority of discs are ordinary (same as retailers get amywhere) stuff.
The story that ColumbiaHouse and BMG make their own discs AND that they are 'inferior' is GREAT for the full price retailers bottom lines. BMG does print special inserts for the CDs that say they are from BMG.. So does Col.house, just to keep members from taking them, still wrapped, to retailers and claim them as 'gifts' in need of exchanging. Many, though, of the obscure titles don't have this feature. I have never noticed any "Quality Gap" in the many club CDs I've purchased over the years, and have to say it is a myth.

...that's just what I thoght it is, Gs5556! --
Very informative and I am now more shure that I'm not nuts

I suggest you all read the Stereophile article linked above. It found no difference what-so-ever; and the testing done was substantial. This included mixing/combining the two CDs with the polarity reversed on one. If they are identical they will cancel each other out. If one is inferior, then sound will be heard. All of the CDs tested passed this test completely (as well as all the other tests performed. I have been buying record club CDs since CDs came out. I have never had a defective CD. I have returned CDs bought in the store for replacement.

Sugar, i too have been buying cd's from BMG and noticed the "manufactured for BMG" on the liner notes. I just "assumed" that the discs were made specifically for them by the original manufacturer.

While i have never done a side by side listening comparison of a BMG disc to an "untampered" store bought disc, i have LOOKED at a BMG compared to a non BMG. The specific disc in question was by a local band called "Ministry" that some of you might be familiar with. The two discs were NOT the same in terms of actual space that was used on the disc i.e. there was more "dead space" on one disc than the other. If i can recall correctly, the one that showed less physical data was the BMG disc. The reason that i did not do a "fair" side by side listening comparison is that i had already "cut" one of the discs with my Audio Desk Systeme, so it would not have been an apples to apples comparison. There WAS a difference in the discs, but i would attribute that mostly to the benefits of "cutting" the one to not cutting the other one. Sean
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