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Japan import cds

jazzman21jazzman21 287 Posts
edited August 2005 in Strut Central
I love buying these because of the bonus tracks that are usually on them compared with the domestics, my only beef is the price range $30-40. Anybody know some good sites to buy these at a reasonable price.P.S. The pic below is just an example 4 y'all that don't know what i'm talkin bout.

  Comments

  • johmbolayajohmbolaya 4,472 Posts
    Japanese CD's + reasonable prices = does not exist

    Occasionally you will find a few on eBay, but for anything well known, forget it.

    For years I used to think the mastering on CD's in different countries for the same album, at any specific time were the same, but I've been proven wrong. I'm not talking about an old CD from 1987 vs. an obvious remaster, but there is a heavy collector's market for certain pressings of certain CD's, due to the source of the recording and how they were mastered. In a way, not unlike collector's who seek Japanese pressings of LP's because they are essentially audiophile.

    The bonus tracks, even if it's one, are great. I'm not a Daddy Yankee fan, but I guess his Barrio Fino[/b] CD has one bonus track and the video for his "Gasolina". On a more sane note, I had bought Jill Scott's first album on CD from Japan because there was an extra song, only to find out a week after it arrived that the song would appear on a soundtrack.

    It's great, because there is still an emphasis on the CD and people buying it, so Japanese labels are not afraid of asking for an extra song or two, or five. I guess they know that even music fans in Japan can buy a cheaper Hong Kong import of the same album, but the bonus is a little incentive to keep it local.

    CDJapan sometimes has clearance sales.
  • Big_ChanBig_Chan 5,088 Posts
    I always just but them when I'm in Tokyo. Some are still expensive off the shelf in Japan like $25.00 or $30.00 USD, but that is a lot better than the $40.00 to $50.00 prices on sites like Towerrecords.com. Most U.S. based sites that import Japanese CDs almost double the prices. Check out www.cdjapan.co.jp They have lots of CDs and DVDs listed and the prices should be better. I always buy lots of CD reissues of American Soul/R&B albums when I'm in Tokyo. They have LOTS of titles that I have only seen in Japan. I got Bernard Wright's "Nard" LP remastered on CD for $17.00 USD. Also got Leon Ware S/T and other joints like that on CD.
  • slushslush 691 Posts
    rent from Tsutaya and dont give them back

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