ROXX Underground Series - YOUR OPINION

I love the ROXX Underground Series vinyl. Awesome.

I have one beef with them. It won't keep me from buying but there is one thing that is just OK. The J-Card.

The J-Card in it's own way is kind of cool but I would prefer a standard jacket, especially for the money.

What say you?

I kinda like it. I don't "love" it, and I would prefer the classic cardboard sleeve, but still, there's a certain charm to it.  In one way, it's kind of neat to see a new take on an old product - we were certainly due for something new with vinyl. And in a way, it works well for me, cuz I already put my vinyl in plastic sleeves and put the insert envelope at the back so I can easily access the vinyl without it ever falling out.
On the negative side, it doesn't seem as though it will stand the test of time, as the material is cheap.
So yeh, for me, there are positives as well as negatives.

I'm a consumer, so I want the best for my buck, but I'm also a sympathetic friend of Bill and Scott's, so I tend to like that they're making a little money instead of just doing it only for the love of the music. He's obviously not getting rich in this business, but I'm sure he's making a little bit more by having the J sleeve. 

Overall, I'm a little torn. I kinda like the J Sleeve - but am concerned about the long run. Multiple spins over the next 10 years may not fair well for the materials used. We'll see.

I'm not interested in vinyls.

rockerVu2 wrote:

I'm not interested in vinyls.

I'm very much interested in vinyl, but i'm kinda disappointed all those christian vinyl are impossible to get for a decent price here in EU. All those Ulterium vinyls have decent distribution through Christian Metal Distribution, but somehow it doesn't work the other way around. few copies are finding its way to Nordic Mission, but are sold for around $50,- including shipping, which makes it about the same price for importing directly from Roxx. 
Anyway that wasn't the question. 
About the J-card. I would say leave the colored vinyl and focus on a decent sleeve!

I don't own any vinyl so I'm a little confused.  The only "j-card" I know of is the one that use to come in cassette tapes.

oteis wrote:

I'm very much interested in vinyl, but i'm kinda disappointed all those christian vinyl are impossible to get for a decent price here in EU. All those Ulterium vinyls have decent distribution through Christian Metal Distribution, but somehow it doesn't work the other way around. few copies are finding its way to Nordic Mission, but are sold for around $50,- including shipping, which makes it about the same price for importing directly from Roxx. 
Anyway that wasn't the question. 
About the J-card. I would say leave the colored vinyl and focus on a decent sleeve!

They are very difficult to get for a decent price in the US as well.  For example: Stryper's Fallen is $28.49 at Amazon.    That's ridiculous! I want vinyl, but I also want the CD, making that $45 if I get both. Thus, I don't buy new vinyl.  

Quote :

I don't own any vinyl so I'm a little confused.  The only "j-card" I know of is the one that use to come in cassette tapes.

Beats me what it is.  The last album we bought was one that was cut up to look like Batman and was rendered unplayable by that cut.

Quote :

I'm not interested in vinyls.

You got that right, sister!  I don't need 'em.  They take up too much space, melt or break too easily, and you can't play them in the car.  Bah, humbug!!!

Staybrite wrote:

I don't own any vinyl so I'm a little confused.  The only "j-card" I know of is the one that use to come in cassette tapes.

here is ultmetal queued up to where he describes it:

https://youtu.be/Wkt-UldmDyU?t=1m56s

crucifyd wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

I don't own any vinyl so I'm a little confused.  The only "j-card" I know of is the one that use to come in cassette tapes.

here is ultmetal queued up to where he describes it:

https://youtu.be/Wkt-UldmDyU?t=1m56s

OK, that makes more sense.  I still don't want vinyl albums, though. 

The last vinyl I bought was Barren Cross:  Atomic Arena.  And that was because they didn't have any cassettes in stock.

I haven't bought any vinyl since the 80s!

1988.  I still have it but nothing to play it on.

There are 3 types of Vinyl collectors:

1. The one who never sold his/her original collection from the 70s/80s and never stopped collecting due to their love of the medium.

2. The one who stopped collecting during the popularity of cassettes and the rise of CDs, but started collecting again due to the nostalgic feeling and reminiscing of the medium.

3. The "hipster" who drinks Starbucks, hobnobs with the rich, and just listens to vinyl cuz it's the "In Thing" right now.

I tend to fall into the second category as I had kept a few of my records from back in the day. I bought both tapes and LPs during the 80s, more cassettes than vinyl though. Then I came to faith and trashed most of my vinyl with the concern that the albums I had were evil and God hated them. About 10 years later, I began picking up an LP here and there as I would find them for cheap. Then about 5 years ago when I started creating my media room, I stored the measly 150 records I owned already in my new music room and began adding to them like crazy. Five years later I have over 3000 LPs.  So I fall into category #1 a tiny bit, but mostly #2.  

To me, records bring a feeling of a time that was easy, pain-free, more simple, and fun. That's not the ONLY reason though as I love the sound. I won't argue that they sound better than CDs, cuz I think CDs sound clean and pop/crackle free. But I WILL say they sound way better than some of the highest kbps mp3s, I've done side by sides and was blown away !
To me the cover art of an album is JUST as important as the music inside, due to the artist inside me. So I LOVE the large cover art, and the larger inserts/lyrics, etc. I also love the smell and feel (that is something only a vinyl enthusiast gets)

The same could be said of cassettes for some. Some people get a nostalgic feeling with tapes and are collecting them again. I am NOT one of those, as I despise cassettes with every fiber of my being. I even hated them during the 80s. They'd get "eaten", sound garbled, our desert sun would warp the tape and it would sound terrible. Not to mention the super microscopic printing on the insides and the miniscule cover art. So, I'll keep my CDs and LPs thank you 

I fall into #3 because I drink Starbucks hahaha. Nope, #2 for me. In fact, we do not have a working CD player in the house. It died a few years ago. One of those all in one units. The turntable is hooked up to it. Before we got a turntable I gave my records to a childhood friend. I was living 500 miles away from TN so what good were they to me? I told him to go to my dad's and pick them up. So he and his wife drove over to get them. Then I got a turntable the next summer. He asked if I wanted my records back and I said "No, I gave them to you I would feel bad about taking them back". So he said "well, if anything happens to me I want you to have yours back and all of mine". Sadly he was killed in a car accident and then when his wife asked me about getting the records she back-pedaled and ended up not giving them to me.... And she doesn't play them or even like the music we listened to. So those are lost. I ended up buying a lot of them again. 

So if i could have it my way, I would fall under all 3 categories. Records are all we play in the house. If I want to hear a CD I have to play it on the computer or rip it to my iPod or listen in the car/truck. Love records and I love 180 and 200 gram records, they feel nice (although in reality they don't sound any different than older pressed records unless they are a remaster). 

We have a store here in that falls under #3. They are a record/coffee shop open 24/7! Hipster are everywhere in there and they sell crap Crosley players. I've found some good dollar records in there and hit a few scores on Record Store Day but don't go in there much. 


As for the "J" cards, I don't think I would like them. I don't have any of the underground stuff but it doesn't mean I won't get any. So far none of them have appealed to me. 

So here is my TT in action. Some Christmas music for your summertime listening enjoyment:

Mostly #2 but a little of #1, and I don't mean my last trip to the toilet! LOL!

Many of my records are ones I got from my grandparents and parents, music that very few would listen to these days. A few are ones I had in high school and college, like my Stryper and Saint LPs, and the rest are ones I started buying recently at garage sales and thrift stores. I have yet to buy any new vinyl, although I would live to have it. But $20 to $40 for the sake of having it on vinyl as well as CD is too much. I have better and more important uses for the $$ God so graciously allows me to pretend is mine.

BearDad wrote:

Mostly #2 but a little of #1, and I don't mean my last trip to the toilet! LOL!

Many of my records are ones I got from my grandparents and parents, music that very few would listen to these days. A few are ones I had in high school and college, like my Stryper and Saint LPs, and the rest are ones I started buying recently at garage sales and thrift stores. I have yet to buy any new vinyl, although I would live to have it. But $20 to $40 for the sake of having it on vinyl as well as CD is too much. I have better and more important uses for the $$ God so graciously allows me to pretend is mine.

I buy quite a lot of new vinyl but buy used as well. I have heard with inflation prices the average price of $25 is normal but I dunno. I have recently scored some good deals on new, sealed reissues: Queen - Flash Gordon and A Kind Of Magic, $7.99 each with free shipping. Led Zeppelin - Presence double LP for $15 with free shipping (it retails for like 40 bucks). And "In Through The Out Door: by Zep for around $2.49, free shipping (strange how that one worked out... I ordered it with the two Queen albums. A vendor on eBay had "buy 3 albums, get them 45 % off with free shipping. He already had them priced at $8.99. Then after I ordered "In Through The Out Door" he emailed me and said he was refunding my money which was $6.50 or so because he was out of stock. So I ordered it again the next day at 8.99 with my 6.50 credit... Then when the Queen order showed up it had the Zeppelin album in with it anyway. I just figured he combined it into one order. The next day ANOTHER copy of Led Zep showed up so I had another new and sealed copy. So I got 2 copies for $2.49 and just relisted one of them for sale on ebay).

I don't make it a habit buying new records but I go through periods where I will buy around 10 in one month then won't buy any again for 6 or 8 months. I think the last high dollar purchase I made was for the Recon remaster on vinyl and CD and even then I thought it was a pretty good deal (I think it was 35 bucks for both, don't really remember).

The only thing I don't like about the Roxx Underground Series is that they did Wonrowe Vision

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

There are 3 types of Vinyl collectors:

1. The one who never sold his/her original collection from the 70s/80s and never stopped collecting due to their love of the medium.

2. The one who stopped collecting during the popularity of cassettes and the rise of CDs, but started collecting again due to the nostalgic feeling and reminiscing of the medium.

3. The "hipster" who drinks Starbucks, hobnobs with the rich, and just listens to vinyl cuz it's the "In Thing" right now.

I tend to fall into the second category as I had kept a few of my records from back in the day. I bought both tapes and LPs during the 80s, more cassettes than vinyl though. Then I came to faith and trashed most of my vinyl with the concern that the albums I had were evil and God hated them. About 10 years later, I began picking up an LP here and there as I would find them for cheap. Then about 5 years ago when I started creating my media room, I stored the measly 150 records I owned already in my new music room and began adding to them like crazy. Five years later I have over 3000 LPs.  So I fall into category #1 a tiny bit, but mostly #2.  

To me, records bring a feeling of a time that was easy, pain-free, more simple, and fun. That's not the ONLY reason though as I love the sound. I won't argue that they sound better than CDs, cuz I think CDs sound clean and pop/crackle free. But I WILL say they sound way better than some of the highest kbps mp3s, I've done side by sides and was blown away !
To me the cover art of an album is JUST as important as the music inside, due to the artist inside me. So I LOVE the large cover art, and the larger inserts/lyrics, etc. I also love the smell and feel (that is something only a vinyl enthusiast gets)

I would add a fourth category to that. I know a lot of people in my age group (35) whose parents had vinyl and they just enjoy it. I can think of several people who have their parent's old vinyl with everything from the Clash to Dolly Parton and are buying new releases on vinyl too.

Agreed. I have my Mom's entire collection. She was gonna toss them out about 10 years ago and asked if I wanted them instead. After I freaked a little, I said YES of course !! All the stuff I grew up with is in there.
I have my Mom's collection as well as her sisters. When her sister died, the family went thru her things and asked if anyone wanted the records. I said yep !

alldatndensum wrote:

You got that right, sister!  I don't need 'em.  They take up too much space, melt or break too easily, and you can't play them in the car.  Bah, humbug!!!

Sure you can!

BearDad wrote:

oteis wrote:

I'm very much interested in vinyl, but i'm kinda disappointed all those christian vinyl are impossible to get for a decent price here in EU. All those Ulterium vinyls have decent distribution through Christian Metal Distribution, but somehow it doesn't work the other way around. few copies are finding its way to Nordic Mission, but are sold for around $50,- including shipping, which makes it about the same price for importing directly from Roxx. 
Anyway that wasn't the question. 
About the J-card. I would say leave the colored vinyl and focus on a decent sleeve!

They are very difficult to get for a decent price in the US as well.  For example: Stryper's Fallen is $28.49 at Amazon.    That's ridiculous! I want vinyl, but I also want the CD, making that $45 if I get both. Thus, I don't buy new vinyl.  

$28.49 is still cheaper than the EU price...

crucifyd wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

I don't own any vinyl so I'm a little confused.  The only "j-card" I know of is the one that use to come in cassette tapes.

here is ultmetal queued up to where he describes it:

https://youtu.be/Wkt-UldmDyU?t=1m56s

Thank you for queuing that up for me.   I understand now.  Not too terribly different than the cassette j-card, only you don't have a solid plastic case to protect your LP.  If I was a record collector I wouldn't care for that at all.

I wouldn't like that either.