Comments on: Neil Young Archives Blu-ray: Rip off?

Decades in the making, Neil Young's much anticipated "Archives, Vol. 1: 1963-1972" box set is here. Was it worth the wait?

[ballssalty]

"Hollywood movies that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make retail for under 20 bucks a pop, so why does Neil charge $31 for a disc for music he made nearly 40 years ago? Rip off."

That's because Hollywood movies recoup some or all of their investment at the movie theaters, then get added revenue selling the DVD or Blu-Ray.

I agree the Neil Young box set is a complete rip-off though.

[Synthmeister]

But Neil didn't spend hundreds of millions of dollars making those recordings and he's also been recouping royalties through 8-Track tapes, cassettes, LPs, singles and CDs AND print music and radio play.

[alegr]

And because Hollywood movies are sold in much greater quantities.

[cyclone]

The audience for this type of extensive, in-depth catalog of music is very small, which requires a high per-unit price. I am professionally acquainted with several of the production people for this project and Neil funded much of it out of his pocket (not the record label), with little expectation of recouping the cost. The pricing is not about maximizing profit, it's about ensuring he can release the rest of his collection as future volumes with the same level of attention to detail for the materials.

[swenk22]

I like Neil's music but I have been turned off by his choice to be so politically loudmouthed... instead of just playing the music... I choose not to buy any more of his stuff.

[ducttape36]

he has always been like that. one of buffalo springfield's first hits was "for what its worth" and most of his huge hits have been political: "ohio" "Rockin in the free world" and many more...

[ewsachse]

You never really listened to the lyrics of Neil Young's solo music or his music with CSN&Y. He has always been politically charged. Why not look up the lyrics of "Ohio" or "Rockin in the Free World".

You sound like a bitter conservative who just found out that their favorite musician is a liberal, which is the political leaning of almost every rock and roll musician from the 60's and 70's.

Not if Neil Young wrote a song that sang about loving the policies of Dick Cheney, that Richard Nixon was framed, and that waterboarding is cool, then I bet you would be gobbling up that BS as if it was chocolate ice cream with a cherry on top.

[coprock]

Yep, I hear you....remember when Billy Joel went political with that song "I didn't start the fire"? Why oh Why? Sheesh ; )

[Inconnux]

Anything on Blu-ray is a rip off

[Police_States_of_America]

^ idiot

[Lumiseon]

PSoA is the idiot here. Blu-ray may be bigger, but it's not really better. It's more expensive, and can't be played on a DVD player. Only those who haven't been hit by the bad recession can really afford them

[ewsachse]

Lumiseon is blind as a bat. Anyone with an HDTV and 20/20 vision can easily see the difference between DVD's and Blu Ray (or any other 720p/1080p video source). Anyone who says DVD's look just has good should get their eyes checked before the DMV revokes your driver license because of poor eyesight.

It is one thing to say that Blu Ray costs more; no DUH! It is completely false to spread lies that Blu Ray does not look better.

[Inconnux]

I don't think he was claiming that it didn't look better, just that the improvement in quality was not worth the price. Thats why I also stated that blu-ray was a ripoff. Perhaps when bluray is at the same cost as DVD I will switch... until then I am not interested.

[jeffgtr60]

You miss the point of blu ray entirely. If your happy with the sound of mp3's or cd's then buy the CD. If you're after superior sound and a Neil Young fan, and have the equipment then the blu ray is probably worth it. The difference between an SACD and a normal CD is quite noticeable, I'm sure the blu ray will be the same if not better. Why on earth would Neil Young release the recordings in surround sound? That kind of thing works for Pink Floyd but not Neil Young, his intent was to keep things as true to form as in the studio what on earth are you thinking? Of course you (Steve) probably wonder why people shoot photo's in black and white when they could shoot them in color...jeez

Steve, go download the MP3,s and put them on your ipod and plug your Ipod into a boombox. I have a hunch you won't be able to tell the difference.

I'm not taking issue with you not liking the archives, I'm taking issue with I have wasted my time reading an article written by someone who doesn't have a clue.

One thing I can always count on with cnet is drivel like this.

[Lumiseon]

That's not true. The music isn't superior, I've tried myself. It sounds exactly the same. Why? Because the exact same instruments are used in both. So, sorry. You're quite wrong. mp3 is perfectly fine.

[ewsachse]

Not only is Lumiseon blind as a bat, he/she is deaf as well.

Higher quality audio equipment will expose the deficiencies of low bitrate MP3's.

Sorry that your audio and visual senses are so poor, but stop spreading lies about the quality of different media sources. Not only do they sound better, but these media formats have better technical specs that are measurable via equipment.

[Synthmeister]

So when you record Neil Young's guitar and voice with a Mister Mic as opposed to a Neumann mic, they sound exactly the same because it's the same instruments?

[plasticities]

If you have done double-blind testing to see that you can tell the difference between, say, 320 k/s mp3s and CD quality or CD quality and 24bit/192kHz audio then you have made a valid point.

Most people haven't and most people can't tell the difference but maybe you're an exception. See: Placebo Effect.

[pubmat]

lumiseon...sorry to be so blunt, but thats a comment borne completely out of ignorance. There is a significant audible difference between mp3s and SACD. YOU may not notice a difference ( I have no idea what condition your hearing is in, but it may be a factor.) but most people do.

[docster87]

Wish Hollywood would see downloads as 'added revenue' and price BELOW dvd price points. Download a movie off iTunes and you don't get commentary track, other bonus stuff, and it saves Hollywood $ from solid production. Buy the DVD at about the same price and get all the goodies. Seems like Hollywood is trying to kill download videos by overpricing them...
And that's likely what Neil is doing, to a degree. Blue Ray is the hot newest thing and people that have them most likely have the extra cash to pay a premium, so why not overprice the Blue Ray package? Cash in on those that have to have the newest shiniest media format.

[punterjoe]

Of course, there are those of us who think BluRay ITSELF is inherently a ripoff. :)
Thanks for the review - I'll talk someone else into buying it & invite myself over.

[Renegade Knight]

Agreed on BluRay.

[iphoneapps]

Steve Guttenberg should go back to making Police Academy sequels. Did you actually pay for your Neil Young collection or did you get a free copy for review? Your review is the rip-off, I wish I had these 2 minutes back. Give me a refund.

[pubmat]

Nice re-re-re-tread joke there bud. You're only about 10 years behind in the joke department, but a million years or so stunted in the evolution dept.

[PLounder]

This is a dishonest column. You quote prices that NO ONE pays for the product(s) and then use those prices to build a case about being ripped off. You should be ashamed of yourself. Maybe someone might be interested in the real economics:

CD set - real price $70 (Best Buy and Amazon)
8 CDs ; Price per CD $8.75
Average price for new CDs (Amazon) - $10

DVD Set - Real Price $200 (Best Buy and Amazon)
11 DVDs; price per DVD $18.18
8 DVDs (subtracting three live previously issued); $25
Average price new DVDs (Amazon) $18
Difference between Neil Young Archives at 8 DVD price and 8 new DVDs - $56
Added value in Neil Young Archive - 125 MP3 downloads (Itunes value $100-125 ; book, poster, etc.

BR Set - Real Price $267 (Amazon); $279 (Best Buy)
11 BRs; price per BR $25.36
8 BRs (subtracting three live previously issued); $34.87
Average price new BRs (Amazon) $25
Difference between Neil Young Archives at 8 BR price and 8 new BRs - $79
Added value in Neil Young Archive - 125 MP3s- Itunes value $100-125 ; book, poster - BD Live w/ free ongoing additions to archive
Now fairly obviously that's going to be hard to follow for someone of your limited intellectual firepower, so let me sum it up for you in a short version:

The Archives are ripping off no one. If you don't want them, don't buy them, but don't try to convince someone that they're being hosed using lies and half-truths.

[ewelch]

Dude, learn the difference between truth/lies and opinion.

After reading what's in the set, I'm convinced Guttenberg is right. Or did you even bother reading.

For all you people who say Blu-ray is a rip-off, you're all no doubt just made because you bought HD-DVD when it was way too expensive, and you hate that Blu-ray owners are getting things much more cheaply now, and the format is taking off faster than DVD took over from VHS.

[stattube]

"This is a dishonest column. You quote prices that NO ONE pays for the product(s) and then use those prices to build a case about being ripped off."

I guess you didn't read the last line.

[crisante]

There is no doubt that Neil Young has always had something to say about politics in his music. I don't have a problem with that. I enjoyed his music political or not. Lately though it seems that he feels compelled to speak about his political views other than through his songs. Nobody wants to hear it. Just shut up Neil and play the music. You want to say something about our current political climate then put into a song. Don't use the fact that your a rock star to spread your political agenda.

[Rick Ahlgren]

Hey, if you don't like Neil's politics, then just listen to the music. If you don't like his political songs, skip them also.

Nobody seems to complain about Toby Keith's politics or anyone else's on the right. Why can't musicians on the left speak or sing what's on their mind?

Let's not forget Ronald Reagan was a celebrity before he was a politician.

If you think the Archives are a rip-off then save your money.

[pubmat]

Oh not true...the left whines endlessly about Toby Keith, et al. But I agree that anyone should be allowed to speak on their political views, no matter the issue. The problem is that the left has the market cornered in every type of media--it gets a little predictable at times.

[tainte]

dude you should stick with the police academy movies

[pubmat]

Har har. That was original. Why don't you stick to listening to Air Supply on your lifestyle Bose system?

[fclossson]

I don?t think that Mr. Guttenberg was thinking to hard when he wrote this review of the box set. I did pick up the Blu-Ray box set and I have to say that it is one of the best music experience I have ever see/heard. It was worth the wait!!!!

Mr. Guttenberg must be fine still lessening to his tape deck. The quality in sound on Blu-Ray is unreal. The extras of videos and other info it part of the experience. I kind of like that artistic visuals on each disk and I like finding hidden gems on each disk.

Now it is allot of money, however it is in the best and must new format out on the market right now. So you pay for anything top of the line.

What Mr. Guttenberg did not tell you is that you get an access card with the box set to download all the music from the box set online for free in MP3 format. This allows you to take the music with you in your iPod. That must be worth close to $150 at .99 a song!!

I don't think that Mr. Guthenberg likes Neil Young because he would not say the following statement. "Now if you really love Young, get the CD box. Then again, if Young really cared about his fans he'd ditch the filler and put out a killer two-disc set of just the unreleased stuff".

Sorry to brake it to you but Neil Young has started something that all artists are going to fallow with their box sets!!!

The day of the CD is gone deal with it!!

[pubmat]

MR Guttenberg's point is that it is OVERPRICED, AND THERE IS A LOT REISSUED STUFF ON THERE, NOT THAT IT SOUNDS POOR. However, my phonetic spelling friend, if he looked a little deeper he would find the price to be more reasonable on Amazon, et al.

[grtgrfx]

Thanks, I'll go with Mr. Guttenberg's opinion, based on his years of experience listening to quality hardware and software (and cogently describing those experiences with an educated audience) over an anonymous poster whose experience, not to mention hearing, I have no idea of. Please continue, Steve. your ears are fine.

[earwit]

Steve,

Your don't get it..
Finally, finally someone utilizes Blu-RaY 50g
This set is Historical and will likley change
how many artists issue there music.

It sounds as good as anything I have ever heard.

Please go home and listen to your Backstreet Boys CD

[earwit]

Steve,

Your don't get it..
Finally, finally someone utilizes Blu-ray 50g
This set is Historical and will likley change
how many artists issue there music.

It sounds as good as anything I have ever heard.

Please go home and listen to your Backstreet Boys CD

[Jefferyslpalmer]

I can't afford Mr Young's sprawling opus......right now, I can barely afford fried chicken and an apple juice. However, I will say this....Mr Young and crew have been working endlessly on a project that I understand initially wasn't to even be fragmented into a volume set....I thought it very considerate of him to release Live at the Fillmore East & Live at Massey Hall as individual cds so that people as well off as myself would be able to enjoy them, They're invaluable documents of his work. I feel Steve and others should be thankful. Till the day I'm out of the red, I'll just drool over Archives in the record stores. But, what it really boils down to, is that Mr Young's a businessman. And hey! A guy's gotta eat, right?

[pablomartino]

Your review seems pretty negatively biased because you chose to compare the archives to some imagined concept you must have visualized in your head, instead of standing it up against any similar collection / box set from other artists. This digital media package is revolutionary and done incredibly well. The menus are simple to navigate and don't feature cumbersome layers to navigate through. The ability to listen to music while viewing the associated digital content makes for a fulfilling listening experience. The ability to receive automatic updates of ongoing archive additions is remarkable and a great value to customers. As for your complaint about having to find "Easter Eggs" and such, you obviously don't value the enjoyment that comes from uncovering such content during a relaxing and enjoyable exploration of the materials. Sounds like people who share your view ought to just purchase the CD and listen to the tracks... fans of Neil's work simply MUST have the Blu-Ray edition and immerse themselves in it. It is a great value for the sheer magnitude of what it provides, and furthermore the audio quality is nothing short of incredible. I highly recommend it to anyone and I think the price is a bargain given the extensive content AND the promise of future content delivered over the internet (which is already taking place).

[zakclaxton]

Nicely done, Steve. If there was ever any doubt in your readers' minds that you are not qualified to write this blog, you've certainly dispelled all doubts at this point.

- You recommend that people buy the CD box set of the Archives because you couldn't figure out the Blu-Ray/DVD navigation that my 9-year-old son understood immediately.

- You claim to be an aficionado of music, but don't understand the paradigm of watching a tape reel or record player spin while focusing on the listening experience.

- You present yourself as an audiophile and yet aren't sure if any high-end electronics can access digital sample rates of 192kHz.

All in all, the only thing I imagine you were trying to do was to be provocative enough to get hits to this blog, and a nice list of comments. Congratulations, if that was your goal. In terms of writing a review that was of value to your readers, you have failed miserably. I'm sure your career as a theater projector operator gives you high qualifications to dispense your wisdom on the creative and technical aspects of a project like the Neil Young Archives, but perhaps for the next lifetime retrospective you slam, you could take a step back and see what real, qualified reviewers are saying before you out yourself as an imbecile again. Or don't; it matters not to me. I'm only thinking of the poor people who might not immediately realize that you are utterly incapable of doing this job.

On a final note, I will agree that the 24-bit, 96kHz audio quality of the DVD package (as compared to the Blu-Ray version) sounds terrific, about as good as digital audio gets. I still would have purchased the Blu-Ray version if I'd had easy access to an affordable Blu-Ray player, but my son would have taken the new PS3 and I'd compete against his desire to use it for video gaming. For the sake of peace in my household in this regard, I'm fine with the DVD set, which I own and love, and feel was a terrific value, based on the amount of joy it's brought me so far.

In any case, I certainly hope CNET doesn't compensate you for this blog... that, truly, would be a rip-off of astronomical proportions.

SG did not comment on 192/24 stereo tunes. They sound great through the analog ports on most BD machines. One can get 192/24 through the HDMI port. Perhaps the machine he got for free does not sound good. There are lots of unreleased recordings in the timeline and Neil is giving away free downloads through BD-Live. Maybe BD live does not exist on his reviewer machine. The movie was shot in 16mm in 1971 and looks good considering. The navigation is easy to use and fun. This is a fantastic way to hear good sound. There is no other way to hear 192/24.

If SG is not a Neil Young fan, why did he buy it or did he get if free?

yes it is well worth it

[hefeman]

Compare this review with the one in Sound@Vision magazine:
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/bluray/3183/neil-young-archives-vol-1-1963-1972.html