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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!microsoft!uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!ariel!hou5f!hou5g!hou5h!eagle!allegra!cbf
From: cbf@allegra.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Classical Music Club
Message-ID: <1907@allegra.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 24-Oct-83 11:16:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: allegra.1907
Posted: Mon Oct 24 11:16:50 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Oct-83 22:30:12 EDT
References: <576@sunybcs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 33

The International Preview Society is indeed for real.  They will send
you the Vienna/Karl Bohm Beethoven Symphony set, which Stereo Review's
Richard Freed dubs the most satisfying of all, plus an excellent (also
DG) recording of that supreme masterpiece, the Beethoven Violin
Concerto, all for $9.98 plus shipping with no obligations.  I joined a
couple of years ago, and until I discovered J&R and the Tower cut-out
bins in NYC, I got most of my records from them.  They feature the
entire classical standard repertoire on discs and cassettes from DG
(Archiv), London (Argo), Philips and RCA along with a few Angel items,
at reasonable prices with their "Bonus Certificates".  They have
recently started to offer some light pop classics by people like
flutist James Galway, and some classic pops by people like Abba.  The
best deals, though, are to be found with their multiple-record sets of
Symphonies, Operas etc.  Most of their records date from less than five
years back, and they add new releases every month.  Service is
reliable, although it has slowed down considerably in the past year as
they have gotten much more popular.  Also, their prices aren't as good
as they used to be when they were owned by Polygram (the umbrella
company for DG, London & Philips) instead of Warner Communications.
You are given ten days to audition any selection you request (NOTHING
is sent to you unless you ask for it), at which point you can return
it, or decide to honor their invoice.  I have returned records after
more than ten days with no difficulites.  I find their general trust
ingratiating as members could easily abuse their services through the
unethical practice of home taping.  In general, I have few reservations
about them, beyond the sometimes lengthy wait and the lack of a phone
number at which to contact them.  The IPS may not be as wonderful as it
once was, but it's still an excellent deal.  With a tool like Stereo
Review's reasonably thoughtful Basic Repertoire pamphlet, one can use
the IPS to build a good collection of the basic classics at a reasonable 
cost and great convenience.  Although the Tower cut-outs are still tops.

--C.Francois (decvax!allegra!cbf)