Audio Fidelity's Outer Sleeves

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ashr1565

Active Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2019
Messages
72
Location
Canada
You know, the things with the disc cutout and the horrible silver covered in mismatching logos and the MULTICHANNEL HYBRID SACD and stuff, and then when you take it off the back of the CD case still looks like that? Who thought this was a good idea and why? The sleeves are terrifically ugly, but I won't get rid of them because it's part of the package... they're probably the ugliest (SA)CD reissues I own :p
 
You know, the things with the disc cutout and the horrible silver covered in mismatching logos and the MULTICHANNEL HYBRID SACD and stuff, and then when you take it off the back of the CD case still looks like that? Who thought this was a good idea and why? The sleeves are terrifically ugly, but I won't get rid of them because it's part of the package... they're probably the ugliest (SA)CD reissues I own :p

Audio Fidelity used that type of packaging so that the discs (Gold CDs and later Hybrid SACDs) would stand out when customers were browsing through a rack of discs for sale at a store or audio show.

On that level it works.
 
would stand out when customers were browsing through a rack of discs for sale at a store

Those were the days. Now it’s all online shopping. Not that it’s a bad thing (online shopping) as I can get most everything now. I remember when I’d get very exited about a trip to a big international city in US, UK or SE Asia where I could visit huge stores to buy music and later movies on laserdisc Or electronic gadgets ets. Just the shear volume of releases we never saw here in AU/NZ.

Funny as only yesterday my wife asked me if I wanted to travel with her to New York. I said: ‘not really. Been there done that’. She said: ‘You could visit some great music and electronic stores’. I said ‘there’s nothing there I can’t get here now’. She’s going with her sister. I’m staying.
 
I can't get rid of the sleeves simply because of that dumb number, and I hate myself for it.

I peeled off a couple of the "limited edition" serial numbers and stuck them to the booklets.

Those sleeves are not worth messing with to me.
Haven't thrown them away, though. 🤓 😬
In a box to be pitched into the dumpster (Br. "skip") at the death cleaning, unless I get around to it first. 👻 🧟‍♂️💀

Not that I'm a nerd, or hoarder or anything...
First World problem.


IMG_3648.jpeg
 
Audio Fidelity used that type of packaging so that the discs (Gold CDs and later Hybrid SACDs) would stand out when customers were browsing through a rack of discs for sale at a store or audio show.

On that level it works.
Valid, no reason to butcher the back of the CD though. Although also, it just shows off the front of the disc so I guess they really wanted me to see the track list up front...
 
Those were the days. Now it’s all online shopping. Not that it’s a bad thing (online shopping) as I can get most everything now. I remember when I’d get very excited about a trip to a big international city in US, UK or SE Asia where I could visit huge stores to buy music and later movies on laserdisc Or electronic gadgets etc. Just the sheer volume of releases we never saw here in AU/NZ.

True. And having those Silver and Gold sleeves and big letters did make the AF optical discs stand out among the sea of other discs with tiny lettering on their spines in boxes and boxes of discs for sale in those days.... :)
 
Gotta make it seem like you're getting a lot for your $30 disc, I guess. :)
Idk, the lack of extras and liner notes on the two I own(Birds of Fire and Thirteenth Confession) make them feel like kind of skinny packages. It's the excellent mastering and deep-cut choices of quad mixes that make them worth it to me.
 
True. And having those Silver and Gold sleeves

I used file mine by size/type with all the Mofi Gold CDs together, big DVDAs, DTS CD (big then small), SACDs etc. Now it’s all digitised they’re all in big plastic boxes in my garage (still by type, not alphabetical...)
 
I used file mine by size/type with all the Mofi Gold CDs together, big DVDAs, DTS CD (big then small), SACDs etc. Now it’s all digitised they’re all in big plastic boxes in my garage (still by type, not alphabetical...)
I can relate to this. My surround discs are like three Bluray cases, one weird 7.5" tall cardboard digipak thing, two tall DVD-A/DTS CD cases, four mini LP replicas, four jewel cases, four regular digipaks, and one 7" LP replica.... no semblance of order :p
 
Idk, the lack of extras and liner notes on the two I own(Birds of Fire and Thirteenth Confession) make them feel like kind of skinny packages. It's the excellent mastering and deep-cut choices of quad mixes that make them worth it to me
they are fine recordings I was fine paying that much for as well. But when AF sells old Earth Wind and Fire quads for $30 a piece while DV sells two stronger titles $15 for a two-fer, my head does start to need some scratching.

I know. things are different in the UK than they are in the US. But 4 times the cost?

hmmmm....and hmmmm
 
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they are fine recordings I was fine paying that much for as well. But when AF sells old Earth Wind and Fire quads for $30 a piece while DV sells two stronger titles $15 for a two-fer, my head does start to need some scratching.

I know. things are different in the UK than they are in the US. But 4 times the cost?

hmmmm....and hmmmm

Hmmm, Whiz, a LOT of ink has been spilled on QQ about the TOTAL inequities between the US and the UK 'reissue' market regarding pricing. It HAS to be a given that D~V is not burdened with a $30K per reissue licensing fee PER single title as are/were AF, AP and MoFi ARE or those D~V two fers at literally half the price of a single QUAD or for that matter Stereo SACD would never be a reality.

And GONE are the days when one could buy those US reissues at discount from Amazon, ImportCD or their sister company Deep Discount, especially since sales tax is now added across the board.

And the law of diminishing returns when new box sets containing a single surround disc are announced with some pretty outrageous pricing further points to a new reality that our hobby is approaching luxury item status!

And this is totally OFF TOPIC, but it's strange that on Black Friday, one can purchase A list UHD 4K Native movie Titles for $6~10 each, remastered in Dolby Atmos but you almost NEVER see music only discs sold for those steep discounts, including those pricey box sets containing that single surround disc......I know because I did check prices frequently during those sales.
 
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I can relate to this. My surround discs are like three Bluray cases, one weird 7.5" tall cardboard digipak thing, two tall DVD-A/DTS CD cases, four mini LP replicas, four jewel cases, four regular digipaks, and one 7" LP replica.... no semblance of order :p

I’ve had to rearrange the shelf height on one of my IKEA Billys and dedicate a section to all the oddball sizes, which makes them orphans from everything else by that artist and/or in that audio format
 
I like the AF outer sleeves, it makes the disc look more special. I would of preferred if they would of used SACD cases instead of regular CD cases though. DV releases look rather plain by comparison, not really distinguishable from regular CD's. Can't complain about DV's pricing though!
 
The outer cardboard more often than not, protects the SACD or CD case from cracking during shipment. I’m also able to fit a AF SACD with cardboard into a single disc plastic bag. I don’t have any issues with the cardboard. They add value, but are unnecessary if they’re going to add hassle to get a new title released.
 
The outer cardboard more often than not, protects the SACD or CD case from cracking during shipment. I’m also able to fit a AF SACD with cardboard into a single disc plastic bag. I don’t have any issues with the cardboard. They add value, but are unnecessary if they’re going to add hassle to get a new title released.

They were not an issue in getting an album released or not.
Simply a marketing and packaging decision by Audio Fidelity.
 
The outer packaging is called a “slipcase” if I am correct. And for anyone who might want to sell their discs off later, they become a part of the package that determines the perceived resale value. Condition of the slipcase is important enough that I always open one side of the sealed shrink wrap and take out the jewel case, but leave the shrink on the slipcase like one would leave shrink on an LP jacket. Thus keeping all the contents in “like new” NM condition.

I’ve always adored vintage LP covers with their shrink still on them - with no hands ever touched them, and not seeing the common ring wear present either.
 
I’ve always adored vintage LP covers with their shrink still on them - with no hands ever touched them, and not seeing the common ring wear present either.
I've always heard and believed that the shrink should be removed as it can cause the record to warp. That might just be an old husbands tale. In any case poly outer-sleeves work great to protect covers.
 
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