Thread: That darn yen, again!

Posts: 28
Page: prev 1 2 3 next

Post by Windsurfer February 18, 2009 (11 of 28)
XE, the currency calculator I use says:

1.00 USD = 93.8390 JPY

What I find surprising is that the Ashkenzy Mozart Piano Concertos 17 and 20 album I acquired last year for a reasonable price is now listed at 19001 yen or about $202.00. If I were considering its purchase now, I certainly would pass.

But many others are still listed for around 2500 to 3000 yen and that has been rather stable for a while now.

Post by flyingdutchman February 18, 2009 (12 of 28)
Windsurfer said:

What I find surprising is that the Ashkenzy Mozart Piano Concertos 17 and 20 album I acquired last year for a reasonable price is now listed at 19001 yen or about $202.00. If I were considering its purchase now, I certainly would pass.

Looking at the wrong one, Bruce.

Post by Paul Clark February 18, 2009 (13 of 28)
Yen/$ Exchange rate graph:
http://www.x-rates.com/d/JPY/USD/graph120.html

I have had a credit card company not approve several attempted December purchases from HMV Japan. Even after calling the CC company. I have never before had this problem. I suspect the CC company has been getting burned by being on the short side of the Yen/$ currency trade.

Post by Windsurfer February 18, 2009 (14 of 28)
flyingdutchman said:

Looking at the wrong one, Bruce.

I assume then, that was a "direct to disc" recording?

Post by Paul February 18, 2009 (15 of 28)
Paul Clark said:

Yen/$ Exchange rate graph:
http://www.x-rates.com/d/JPY/USD/graph120.html

I have had a credit card company not approve several attempted December purchases from HMV Japan. Even after calling the CC company. I have never before had this problem. I suspect the CC company has been getting burned by being on the short side of the Yen/$ currency trade.

I do not think that's the case. Cards charge at the prevailing rates, charging you for the conversion as part of the rate. Further, most CC companies add a surcharge anywhere up to 3% for overseas purchases.

Post by rammiepie February 18, 2009 (16 of 28)
flyingdutchman said:

Look at the price of a Japanese disc...it is preset according to what the disc costs in Japan. In fact, the price is right on the front. There is no consideration for yen-dollar exchange. If a disc sells for 1000 yen and it points it out right on the front, it is sold in the US or elsewhere according to the exchange rate. The cost is the same in Japan. I can buy the same disc in Japan for 1000 yen last year, tomorrow, or next year.

Again, you by ignorance, believe that the Japanese market should somehow price their product according to your demands. The Japanese market is not stubbornly refusing to make their music more affordable to markets outside of Japan because again, as I told you before, they are marketing and selling their product to Japanese citizens or residents of Japan.

Honestly, I have never seen anyone so willfully ignorant such as you.

But you failed to answer my question about the Pioneer Kuro. And there's nothing worse than a MALE BITCH!

Post by rammiepie February 18, 2009 (17 of 28)
bissie said:

Could I just lodge a small protest against the word "small"?
What is "small"? If you mean organization and overhead, yes, OK. If you look at production, hmmm.

FYI, if you go into ArkivMusic and go through all labels and see how many live and available titles each label has, you'll find that BIS is on 7th place in the world and Chandos is marginally even bigger, and that includes all majors.

If we go into SACD (which is probably more interesting here) I believe that BIS is the biggest label for new, original, Mch releases and certainly with 113 titles one of the biggest overall.

So, small, yes and no. We spend our money where it makes a difference - on the Artists, the sound, the recordings, the MUSIC, but NOT overhead, parties, Business Class flights and fat bonuses.

Best - Robert

BISSIE, I was only referring to the world "small" as opposed to the Large Record Companies (EMI, Warner, Sony Japan) not to your magnificent output of quality music, both RB and SACD. In fact I just treated myself to your highly-regarded 3 disc SACD set of Handel's Twelve Grand Concertos and have been purchasing your rbcds for years. Keep up the LARGE output while the BIG companies continue to abandon the format.

Post by flyingdutchman February 18, 2009 (18 of 28)
rammiepie said:

But you failed to answer my question about the Pioneer Kuro. And there's nothing worse than a MALE BITCH!

This forum isn't about TVs.

But to answer your ridiculous apples and oranges question, the Pioneer is a product that is marketed and sold in the US based on a product that is intended for the US market. None of the cds or SACDs you see produced in Japan are meant for the US or European market and they never were.

Talk about a male bitch. Dimwit. You again show your total misunderstanding of the international market. Good grief, how old are you...12?

Post by braver February 19, 2009 (19 of 28)
It's really funny to observe some immature flame-fest interspersed with serious note savoring on this forum. Shows how an eclectic a mix a technology can attract.

Post by rammiepie February 19, 2009 (20 of 28)
braver said:

It's really funny to observe some immature flame-fest interspersed with serious note savoring on this forum. Shows how an eclectic a mix a technology can attract.

I profusely apologize for my immature display in dealing with a blogger who has consistently referred to me as IGNORANT (WHICH I AM NOT), but I cannot help commenting on this self-professed Emperor of the Sun who made the following statement: None of the Cds or SACDs produced in Japan are meant for European or US markets, AND THEY NEVER WERE! Are we now denying the phenomenon of the WORLD-WIDE Net which allows us to access vendors from ALL OVER THE WORLD. CDJapan courts buyers from all over the world by implementing Bonus coupons and Bonus points which in their words help ease the disparity between the Yen and other less prodigious foreign currencies. To limit production/distribution ONLY to JAPAN, as the FD asserts in his blog, would seem false and as we have previously discussed: Music is Universal and a country which produces discs solely for its own enjoyment would surely be shooting itself in the foot. A person who TRULY enjoys music would also be denying himself the pleasure if he/she were denied access to world music, in general. So, LYING Dutchman, ain't that a kick in the kimono!

Page: prev 1 2 3 next

Closed