Gold Discs vs Generation X

Gold discs seem to be the latest fad with some of our favorite labels, but does anyone know how well they have been selling? I assume not too bad since they keep doing it.

A lot of the music we grew up with has been getting done in gold, but how much does Gen X care?

I would think that with Gen X, these things would hold true more often than not as to why they wouldn't buy them:

1) Longevity: We are already in our 50's-60's at this point, is the extra time a gold disc going to last really that important?

2) Sonic difference: How many of us, at our age, with decreased hearing ability due to age, are even going to notice the improvement?

3) Price: The cost is high for gold discs, and while some of our generation invested wisely, got really good jobs, and have retirement comfortably in sight...I would venture to guess that a majority of gen x is struggling with finances (age related healthcare, millennium children that stayed dependent on their parents for far too long, crappy economy, etc etc). So rebuying a release they already bought 2 or 3 times before at a price double higher than what they usually pay may not make sense.

4) Bonus: Lack of bonus features...as most of these releases contain the original tracks and that's it.  Rebuying the same CD over and over without any real bonus material doesn't seem like something a lot of us would be willing to do.


Obviously, this is only when it comes to reissues, not first time releases.

Does anyone agree with my opinion of Gen X and gold discs? What's your take?

Great post. I agree 150%.

Normaniac wrote:

Great post. I agree 150%.

Thank you 

Personally I think it’s a gimmick. While disc rot IS real, I have never experienced it. The oldest CD in my collection was manufactured in 1984 and it plays fine. I’m not sure what causes disc rot but I have yet to see it with my own eyes on one of my own CD’s. DVD’s on the other hand, some of those have gotten glitchy over time and no longer play.

I personally do not care.

MikeInFla wrote:

Personally I think it’s a gimmick. While disc rot IS real, I have never experienced it. The oldest CD in my collection was manufactured in 1984 and it plays fine. I’m not sure what causes disc rot but I have yet to see it with my own eyes on one of my own CD’s. DVD’s on the other hand, some of those have gotten glitchy over time and no longer play.

I have had cdr and dvdr discs that stopped playing (not disc rot though, just something about recordable discs losing their ability to hold a recording).

I have a massive dvd collection that I started when they first came out, none of the commercially bought discs that I have checked have gone bad..knock on wood

Yeah, I'm totally onboard with your list of reasons, and as an older Gen'Xer myself.  I don't think anyone in my family is going to care about my music collection when I die.  They probably won't even want to spend the effort to see if they can sell any of it, and if they do, will there even be a market for old CDs in 30 years (regardless of if they are silver or gold)?
Probably half of the music I get now I buy as downloads unless the CD is cheaper or CD is the only way to get it.  I'd rather put the money away towards my wife's retirement...seeing as how I'm probably going to work myself into an early grave (just joking... kind of).

Staybrite wrote:

YI don't think anyone in my family is going to care about my music collection when I die.  They probably won't even want to spend the effort to see if they can sell any of it, and if they do, will there even be a market for old CDs in 30 years (regardless of if they are silver or gold)?

Yeah,I have a LOT of collectibles that will go for naught hahahaha

AtomicFan wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

YI don't think anyone in my family is going to care about my music collection when I die.  They probably won't even want to spend the effort to see if they can sell any of it, and if they do, will there even be a market for old CDs in 30 years (regardless of if they are silver or gold)?

Yeah,I have a LOT of collectibles that will go for naught hahahaha

What you mean your son isn't going to want all your cool monster movie collectables? 

Staybrite wrote:

AtomicFan wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

YI don't think anyone in my family is going to care about my music collection when I die.  They probably won't even want to spend the effort to see if they can sell any of it, and if they do, will there even be a market for old CDs in 30 years (regardless of if they are silver or gold)?

Yeah,I have a LOT of collectibles that will go for naught hahahaha

What you mean your son isn't going to want all your cool monster movie collectables? 

I mean LOL, he says he would but you know when it comes down to it these kids don't want to take the time to do it

Don't believe I've ever purchased a gold disc (or colored vinyl for that matter). I think there were a few cases of disc rot on commercial ones but think it was more due to poor quality materials to begin with. Certainly have never heard of it aside from rare isolated pressings.

I have several discs from 1983. Maybe I should play them again to make sure they're still good.

I agree that recordable discs will not have the longevity.

Xid wrote:

I personally do not care.

Now THAT is the best Gen X answer!  We don't care!  Just leave us alone and get off our lawns!  It isn't that the lawn is that wonderful--we just want to be left alone!

alldatndensum wrote:

Xid wrote:

I personally do not care.

Now THAT is the best Gen X answer!

Thank you! I'll be here all week.

Me too, I'm not bothered by Gold discs, and Staybrite is right.  No one is going to be interested in my collection when I'm gone.  It will probably all be thrown out, or given away, so buying gold discs is a bit futile.  To my ears I don't notice any difference.

The only gold cd I bought was the Die Happy one. It was on sale and I like that album. The first album and I had never owned it. Had it been regular price I would’ve passed but I can do without the gold gimmick. Fool’s gold!

I know it's a small sample size here, but I find it fascinating that, IMO, these labels completely misjudged their targeted consumer base. That's actually why I brought this conversation up, not because the gold discs bother me.

I think unless you are offering substantial bonus tracks, or a bonus DVD, or some thing similar, that reissues of 20 to 40 year old albums should be priced around 10 bucks.

I know in the secular market, they've been doing some reissues where they have another whole CD of bonus material. That does happen every once in awhile with Christian music too, like the Crystavox release, but more often than not nowadays it seems they try and use gold discs as a reason to charge more, instead of giving more content.

AtomicFan wrote:

2) Sonic difference: How many of us, at our age, with decreased hearing ability due to age, are even going to notice the improvement?

Since music on CDs are digital, that means it is all ones and zeroes, so a gold one doesn't sound any better.

deathisgain wrote:

AtomicFan wrote:

2) Sonic difference: How many of us, at our age, with decreased hearing ability due to age, are even going to notice the improvement?

Since music on CDs are digital, that means it is all ones and zeroes, so a gold one doesn't sound any better.

"Gold coats the polycarbinate layer of the cd better than aluminum resulting in less "pincushioning" and a cleaner signal back to the player."

I shortened the original answer but this is something I have seen stated many times over the past decade or so.

I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes in the sound quality, but like I said, some people do swear it exists.

deathisgain wrote:

AtomicFan wrote:

2) Sonic difference: How many of us, at our age, with decreased hearing ability due to age, are even going to notice the improvement?

Since music on CDs are digital, that means it is all ones and zeroes, so a gold one doesn't sound any better.

AtomicFan wrote:

deathisgain wrote:

AtomicFan wrote:

2) Sonic difference: How many of us, at our age, with decreased hearing ability due to age, are even going to notice the improvement?

Since music on CDs are digital, that means it is all ones and zeroes, so a gold one doesn't sound any better.

"Gold coats the polycarbinate layer of the cd better than aluminum resulting in less "pincushioning" and a cleaner signal back to the player."

I shortened the original answer but this is something I have seen stated many times over the past decade or so.

I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes in the sound quality, but like I said, some people do swear it exists.

I don't know if it is hearing loss, or tinnitus, but I can't even tell the difference between a CD or a high quality MP3 (with the same speakers).  So there is no way a gold-disc would make a difference for me sonically.