Import CD Question

1. Many Japanese releases are "limited edition" and available for a limited period, many more than in the US where many titles are available for years.
2. Many Japanese CDs sound great, some are mediocre and some are poor. It's a crap shoot. Best thing is to ask for feedback and opinions of specific titles on forums such as the 'Gon.
3. 12'X12" are CDs released in vinyl/LP sized packaging. Mini LP is vinyl type packaging in CD size.
4. Japanese CDs generally cost between 1800-2400 yen each in Japan. Add the cost to import to US and you have a very expensive CD.
5. If you need Japanese CDs I suggest CD Universe in the US and CDJapan in Japan. Also Jpophelp in Canada. Ebay and numerous other sources work well for used CDs.
Hope this helps some.

Thank you for your insight, much appreciated. I was actually on CD universe and that's where my questions began. They had a number of titles from the Stones, the Who, etc that I was tempted to purchase but there was little to no information to sell me one way or another. Some did have reviews from people, but there was little beyond that...

I've bought discs through Music Direct but was looking for a better price point. MD at least provides some detail with their listings...

2. Many Japanese CDs sound great, some are mediocre and some are poor. It's a crap shoot. Best thing is to ask for feedback and opinions of specific titles on forums such as the 'Gon

I hear this argument often, which is sort of misleading. I am an avid Japanese CD and LP collector, and I would say that in 75% of the cases, the Japanese release sounds better than its US counterpart. In that event. it is not a "crap shoot", I cannot recall when I found a Japanese release which sounded worse than a US release, the same perhaps, but never worse.

So i guess my point is, if you are willing to spend the extra cash, you can't go wrong in terms of Sound quality by going for a Japanese pressing.

I agree, many Japanese CDs sound excellent as I stated earlier. But, why pay the premium price for those that are average or poor even if they are marginally better than or the same as the corresponding US release?
Thus my suggestion to get some direction before purchase. Your money would be best spent on the higher quality better sounding product. Without some feedback and opinions on sound quality it is a crap shoot.
To say that ALL Japanese CDs sound better than their US counterparts just isn't true.

Is there any site that provides reviews on import CD's?

Ron, I know of no such site. If you could list some things you're interested in perhaps someone will post with opinions. One word of warning though, many titles exist in 3-4 releases so it's best to refer to album number as well as title.

The ones I am looking at are mostly 60-70-80's rock but am open to all music style.

If memory serves most of the titles were Rolling Stones titles (Exile on Main St. - Beggars Banquet - Goats Head Soup) and there was also Santana (Abraxas)...

Ronreid - the tiles that you list (Stones and Santana) are available in remastered US versions that sound very good. Most of the Stones are also available in Hybrid SACD versions. I would be surprised if the regular Japanese sound better than these, but I've been wrong before.

I have to agree with R burke on this one. The hybrid SACD of the Stones probably would fit your pocketbook price wise and you can find selected titles on Ebay and the gon. As far as The Fab Four if there not already out then they are coming soon their catalog digitaly remastered. I don't know how those sound though.

Does anyone know who makes Mini LP CD CASES? I heard they don't make em in the US because they're pattened. Is that true? Who makes it in Japan?