Soundbird Steel Rails Q8 on eBay

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JonUrban

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I was thinking about listing a bunch of sealed and unsealed Q8's on eBay over the summer, so I was checking out the going prices and all. Haven't used eBay in over a decade. So I saw this Q8 in the completed listings and I honestly don't think I'd ever seen one of these ever before, so I checked out the original listing.

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YIKES! This poor seller tells tales of getting ripped off just as I'd heard by losers sending back different tapes, taking apart tapes and replacing the inner tape, even just copying the tape then sending it back telling eBay/PayPal that it was bad. How can eBay/PayPal continue to take the side of unscrupulous buyers over good and trusted sellers like this guy?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Steel-Rail...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
It boggles the mind. Even when you say NO RETURNS they can still force you to take the item back and they will take your money and refund it. To me, this really sucks.

Still, an interesting Q8 for sure!
 
Good score Jon.

Maybe it's a cultural thing but i never understood the fascinating sounds of locomotives - dozen of japanese albums too! - and how some had even a quad release. Sound effect, shaking dynamic... i can see that, but? Can someone educate me on that?
 
Good score Jon.

Maybe it's a cultural thing but i never understood the fascinating sounds of locomotives - dozen of japanese albums too! - and how some had even a quad release. Sound effect, shaking dynamic... i can see that, but? Can someone educate me on that?

Me either. I mean, the one's I've had (CD-4 LPS) I of course listened to once, but after the initial "ooo-ahh", that sounds cool and real, I don't think I ever went back to them. And as you say, there were a LOT of them. That's basically how Brad Miller/Mobile Fidelity started, with the train records in stereo, then quad.

PS - I didn't buy that tape, I just noted it because I'd never seen one - ever. And I've seen a LOT of Q8's over the past 45+ years
 
If you ever rode with my younger son (26 train fanatic), you'd hear a number of real locomotive favorite clips mixed in with his Coldplay, Gershwin, Disco big band marches, Beatles, Porcupine Tree. Talk about eclectic!
 
It boggles the mind. Even when you say NO RETURNS they can still force you to take the item back and they will take your money and refund it. To me, this really sucks.

Still, an interesting Q8 for sure!

I'm not so sure that ebay can force you into taking an item back if you clearly state "NO RETURNS". If so, why would ebay give you the option of "seller will accept returns" or "seller will not accept returns" when listing an item? I've almost always listed items "as-is" with no returns because of the horror stories I've heard about like the one the seller tells in the "Steel Rails" listing. Maybe I'm being naive here, but I so far have never had an issue with someone demanding a refund. It seems to me that the seller of the "Steel Rails" Q8 is only now emphasizing the "no return" policy in his listing because he got burned in the past by leaving out the "as-is" and returns" disclaimers in prior auctions.
 
I'm not so sure that ebay can force you into taking an item back if you clearly state "NO RETURNS". If so, why would ebay give you the option of "seller will accept returns" or "seller will not accept returns" when listing an item? I've almost always listed items "as-is" with no returns because of the horror stories I've heard about like the one the seller tells in the "Steel Rails" listing. Maybe I'm being naive here, but I so far have never had an issue with someone demanding a refund. It seems to me that the seller of the "Steel Rails" Q8 is only now emphasizing the "no return" policy in his listing because he got burned in the past by leaving out the "as-is" and returns" disclaimers in prior auctions.
The "no returns" condition on eBay only covers items where the buyer isn't happy with the item and wants to return it. If the buyer comes back and says the item was defective or not as advertised, the seller has no choice in the matter, and eBay will force a return. Even specifying "as-is" means nothing to them in that case. Its a policy that has shifted overwhelmingly in the buyers favor over the years.
 
The "no returns" condition on eBay only covers items where the buyer isn't happy with the item and wants to return it. If the buyer comes back and says the item was defective or not as advertised, the seller has no choice in the matter, and eBay will force a return. Even specifying "as-is" means nothing to them in that case. Its a policy that has shifted overwhelmingly in the buyers favor over the years.

Right. And if the buyer takes the tape itself and replaces it with a fake or copy, then claims it's defective, you are fucked. No recourse. Way back I sold a Mastersound Gold CD to a guy and it was in perfect shape. He claimed it was scratched and sure enough, when I got it back it was scratched big time. He kept my disc and sent me back his. Nice.

Even though it was not the same disc that I sent out it didn't matter. eBay took my money and gave it back to the buyer, along with the shipping and I seem to recall the return shipping.

This to me is a crock of shit.
 
I wouldn't even think of doing something like that - there's some real ass holes out there; haven't sold much on eBay, I tend to hold onto stuff. More likely to give my fellow QQ mates a great deal on my overflow!

41084
 
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Its a policy that has shifted overwhelmingly in the buyers favor over the years.

I did have a nasty experience with an eBay seller over a Q8 not too long ago - it wasn't cheap, but it was a rare title and the seller claimed it had been play-tested all the way through. Once I received the tape, it became obvious that wasn't true it all: the internal winding of the tape was totally screwed up. There was no way this thing could've played. And to add insult to injury - once I repaired it and got it playing, it became obvious that I'd been sold a dub of the tape placed in it's original shell. Extremely low-level recording, tons of hiss, etc. So I made the guy take it back - and sure enough, he re-listed it a few days later. In this case, I would've been screwed without that buyer protection - but I totally understand that this probably a unique situation and it's not fair to the sellers who are legitimate.

I think at the end of the day, there's people taking advantage of the system on both sides. Discogs is a much better place for our hobby, IMO.
 
I"ve had a lot of transactions on Ebay the last few years...more buying than selling....but the last 6 months I have sold quite a bit....the only real problems I have ever had are a few instances of the seller rating the condition of the item higher than I would....and once a buyer disputed my condition rating...it was actually a new sealed item that had sat on my shelf for a long time and the plastic was ragged on the bottom from the rough edges of my shelf...but it was sealed...he said he thought I re-sealed it...what I did was ask him how I could make it right...even though I knew he was looking for a discount...so I knocked $5 off the price...he was happy and I moved on....

There is a way to "punish" an unethical buyer...you get a chance to rate the buyer...and that's where you can do some damage to them....after enough of those complaints you can use that as a defense against these type of buyers...if they lodge a complaint against you...I use the same principle to choose sellers...I look at their reviews...not the % that ebay gives you...but the actual comments from buyers

I love Ebay...for both buying and selling...I know a lot of people on here love to point out the problems and complain about things they do and don't do....but when I want to find a specific item..I can get pictures of the item...in searching for vintage CDs it's the best place...discogs is good too but you seldom get the amount of information on a title compared to Ebay….I have a group of sellers and buyers now on Ebay....that I know are first class...and whenever I need anything...if they don't have it...they usually can put me in touch with someone "trustworthy" that has what I want...

I know people complain about Ebay fees...and I do at times...but the reality is that the exposure you get on there is unequalled..and it's worth every penny...and some whine about Pay Pal...which to me is a lifesaver...if I want to get somebody some cash for postage or some personal reason...I can get them the funds at no cost
 
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I did have a nasty experience with an eBay seller over a Q8 not too long ago - it wasn't cheap, but it was a rare title and the seller claimed it had been play-tested all the way through. Once I received the tape, it became obvious that wasn't true it all: the internal winding of the tape was totally screwed up. There was no way this thing could've played. And to add insult to injury - once I repaired it and got it playing, it became obvious that I'd been sold a dub of the tape placed in it's original shell. Extremely low-level recording, tons of hiss, etc. So I made the guy take it back - and sure enough, he re-listed it a few days later. In this case, I would've been screwed without that buyer protection - but I totally understand that this probably a unique situation and it's not fair to the sellers who are legitimate.

I think at the end of the day, there's people taking advantage of the system on both sides. Discogs is a much better place for our hobby, IMO.

IMO...protecting the buyer isn't a bad idea...yes there are instances that go the other way...but the majority of the time it's a good policy...I like discogs...but they just don't have the inventory(volume)that Ebay has and some of those sellers are so slow to respond if I want additional information...I like pictures of CD covers and the disc so I can get the information I need and I can usually find that on Ebay as there are more sellers..
 
There is a way to "punish" an unethical buyer...you get a chance to rate the buyer...and that's where you can do some damage to them....after enough of those complaints you can use that as a defense against these type of buyers...if they lodge a complaint against you...I use the same principle to choose sellers...I look at their reviews...not the % that ebay gives you...but the actual comments from buyers

Agreed. The feedback system is your only re-course with an unethical buyer. When I sell something, which is a rarity these days, I always wait until the deal is done before leaving any feedback for a buyer. Also... never, ever, send anything without getting a tracking number.
 
So I came across this thread looking for information on this eight track. The blue Song Bird one is the closest I could find but it looks like this one may have actually been released from Mobile Fidelity. The fact that my aunt worked there decades ago and it was in a box with other MoFi cassette tapes would lead me to think it was. Has anyone ever seen one before?
 

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So I came across this thread looking for information on this eight track. The blue Song Bird one is the closest I could find but it looks like this one may have actually been released from Mobile Fidelity. The fact that my aunt worked there decades ago and it was in a box with other MoFi cassette tapes would lead me to think it was. Has anyone ever seen one before?

Wow. No. (It's "Soundbird" BTW)

There is a difference between Mobile Fidelity Records, and Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, although both were started by Brad Miller. The Record label which did the sound effects records and Brad's "Mystic Moods Orchestra" was obviously first and of course these started out as stereo titles before the quads came along. Quads were not issued for every Mobile Fidelity Records title, and the first quads were actually distributed by Warner Brothers Records before Brad started Soundbird for his stuff. Some say Brad was instrumental with getting WEA to go CD-4 over SQ or QS. After the quad era, a lot of Brad's stuff (Mystic Moods, Railroad Sounds, etc.) were available in stereo on the Bainbridge Records label.

In the mid-90's, Brad hooked up with DTS Entertainment and restarted Mobile Fidelity International to release DTS Encoded CDs, including some of the previously released quad stuff as indicated below.

As for Soundbird, the chart below lists all of their quad releases. Some titles were released earlier by WB on CD4 LPs, gray case Q8's and Q4's.
The Soundbird Q8's were generally the blue case as shown in post one. Yours is something I have never seen before.

Very cool!

Soundbird CatNoTitleWB CatNoDTS CD
SB4X-002Lou Dorren CD-4 Quadradisc Test LP
SB4-4501Sound in Motion (Sound Effects)WB BS4-2658
SB4-4502Greenboard South (Railroad Sounds)WB BS4-2751
SB4-4503Last Train to Waterloo (Railroad Sounds)WB BS4-2757
SB4-4504A Royal Hudson (Railroad Sounds)
SB4-4505Steel Rails Under Thundering Skies (Railroad Sounds)DTS CD
SB4-4506American Freedom Train (Railroad Sounds)
SB4-4507Extra 4449 North (Railroad Sounds)
SB4-4551The Storm and the Sea (Sound Effects)WB BS4-2788DTS CD
SB4-4552The Forest and the Water (Sound Effects)
SB4-4553Hawaii - Sounds for Love (Sound Effects)
SB4-7507Mystic Moods - Touch (WB and DTS CD Title: Highway One)WB BS4-2648DTS CD
SB4-7508Mystic Moods - Love the One You're WithWB BS4-2577
SB4-7509Mystic Moods - ErogenousWB BS4-2786DTS CD
SB4-7510Mystic Moods - Being With You
NO SB RELEASEMystic Moods - Awakening (DTS CD: Cosmic Force)WB BS4-2690DTS CD
NO SB RELEASEMystic Moods - Clear Light (DTS CD: Bright Side of the Moon)WB BS4-2745DTS CD
 
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OK, Now I have to figure out where I got the catalog number of 7313-4505H (Q8) for Steel Rails Under Thundering Skies (Q8). And I am perplexed as why the Q8 at the top of this thread and the stereo version posted by tylersdisciple have the same catalog number as the CD-4 LP.
 
The white label one should be a stereo cart.
 
My aunt worked in a warehouse in Petaluma, California around 1985-1988. All I remember is that it was Mobile Fidelity. Unsure if it was MoFi Records or Sound Lab though. I used to run around and play in the warehouse. They had me put these little clear and black square cases together for them. At the time I didn't know what they were. Years later it dawned on me, they were CD jewel cases. If only I had known then what I know now..............
 
There is a difference between Mobile Fidelity Records, and Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, although both were started by Brad Miller.

I had assumed the sound effects and Mystic Moods albums had just simply eventually morphed into what MFSL was. Or, that Miller had resurrected the name in the late 70's to launch MFSL.
I was surprised in the past few years when I realized Mobile Fidelity was listed in Mark's quad discography, and amused when I first laid hands on one of the albums. I was like, "No s**t, that
Mobile Fidelity?! They dabbled in quad? Huh!".
 
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