Are CD clubs a good deal?

Has anyone had experience with the Musical Heritage Society? I just got an offer for all Beethoven's 9 symphonies, Berlin Philharmonic/von Karajan, for 99 cents each, no further buying requirements.

I found it interesting the threads about signing up over and over. Columbia House has been trying to get me to cancel my membership and start all over. They know that the only time I ever buy any are when they have one of their "Buy one, get 2 free, take unlimited CD's at 2.99 sale". That's when I load up. Even with s&h, the average cost drops below $7. And this is before the ones I earn with freebie points. I have not had to return a card in years.

As far as sound quality, I personally don't hear much of a difference any more.

It's OK to be a BMG member for great quantity deals, but in reality their product is sold for what it's worth + shipping(nearly$2.50 for each).

I used to be a BMG and Columbia House club member and as soon as I received the package deal and complete my club duty to buy one or two CDs I immediately quit that club and waited for another inivtation back with 12CDs. Also you can benefit signing up friends and relatives(your mom, dad, daughter, girlfriend, wife yeah, including members of your family) in order to get even larger bundles of CDs at once and so maintain them as well as a customers as soon as "they" complete their club duties etc...etc...etc... I even signed up guests that came to me to pay a short visit from overseas and maintained their accounts and accepted the phone calls from BMG for them! Imagine if you signed up 4...5 family members or relatives you'll get 12 cds from each 4 CDs as a gift for each member signed at once! If you're at the same time in both clubs than add another bundle! And everything with average price arround $4. For illiterate overseas customer with morst-often cheap or pocket CD-players and moreover sealed it seems a great deal for overall price arround $10 per piece.

Business is business. Personal collection is personal collection. I have there originals only
Whenever I bid on CD I'd always ask if it's not from BMG or Columbia House.

If you compare the original CD and BMG remanufactured you will realize where the truth lies.

10 yrs ago, my girlfriend got me a Bjork CD which she got from BMG not knowing I already have a store purchased copy of the exact same CD. There are 2 main differences that I still remember til today which are the reasons why I don't go for cd clubs other than they never have anythign I want.

1) The BMG CD sounds tinny and shrill compared to the store bought copy.
2) The CD cover on the BMG is made of a cheaper thinner paper material than the store bought copy.

Ofcourse, I only care about the first reason. And, for a time, I people thought I was crazy to point out this difference. But, I felt very validated when I found a few articles that stated the same observations. One of which is the article mentioned by Matt.

I actually prefer Columbia house. They have a much better selection and after you have met your commitment, you can ask and they will make it so you never have to send in any of the monthly selection cards and they won't send anything automatically.