westover
12/15/2013 9:28:00 PM
?????? ??? ???, 14 ?????? 2013 12:53:22 UTC+2, ??? td:
> Amazon is bound to match that price soon. Clearly this was not a big seller for Sony. Sounds as though Sony has remaindered this box. Wait for Amazon to get in on this sell-off.
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> TD
Clearly this box didn't sell out super quick. Beyond that I think it is hard to explain the current fire sale. From what I have read, the expensive 800+ dollar price was for premium initial boxes that were signed by Ma, so it is a little like apples and oranges to compare the current price with that.
EMI and Universal releases can stay on the shelves at the original price for years, until they even start competing with their cheaper rereleases. Sony, in contrast, obviously likes to keep things cycling through. Even the gould original album went down to almost 100 before selling out.
Reasons? My theory is that these fire sales are usually a way to sell refurbished return boxes. From what I have read (and my own experience with the Yo-Yo Ma box I recently purchased) these cheapo boxes seem a little gimpy.. Not that I am complaining at these prices.
Other possible reasons? Once Sony recoups their costs (including operational costs for staff) they may want to sell the boxes at cost so they can move onto the next project. This would also let them clear the deck for future smaller box sets etc (like we have seen with Heifetz and Gould) and the individual cds that are on the market (both the Perahia and Ma boxes contain very recent cds).
Bottom Line: I am working through the Y0-Yo box right now and am amazed by the quality and quantity of the music (is there a trio or quartet that he didn't record?). I highly recommend this and the other similar boxes from Sony. I also hope they keep making them.
-Mike