A SUMMER BEST in Singapore

[axmish87]

OK guys i need some advice
What is the big difference between Japanese releases and Hong Kong's releases
I am trying to get all of Ayu's older albums and on CD Japan the prices are high
but on HMV are affordable.
I know that first difference is for the DVD because of the region 3
but i will get the DVD versions from cd japan
I have decided to buy first few albums from HMV because they have no DVD
and to save up a little money

[tiffanytgs]

Originally Posted by LacusClyne

I bought my Japan press second hand, it's only 2500yen, but in perfect condidition from Book Off last month when I went Tokyo for AKB48 Tokyo Dome Oncert.

EEK!! *JEALOUS* ./ignoring to see or ill be more heartache spending so much T.T!

Originally Posted by axmish87

OK guys i need some advice
What is the big difference between Japanese releases and Hong Kong's releases
I am trying to get all of Ayu's older albums and on CD Japan the prices are downright high
but on HMV are affordable.

Actually its exactly the same... Just that hk version comes with a chinese translation inside and behind the cd cover written Avex hk

[axmish87]

Ok thanks a bunch
God I can buy I am and RAINBOW for 35 euros from HMV!!!!

[KarenPang]

Originally Posted by axmish87

OK guys i need some advice
What is the big difference between Japanese releases and Hong Kong's releases
I am trying to get all of Ayu's older albums and on CD Japan the prices are high
but on HMV are affordable.
I know that first difference is for the DVD because of the region 3
but i will get the DVD versions from cd japan
I have decided to buy first few albums from HMV because they have no DVD
and to save up a little money

Originally Posted by tiffanytgs

Actually its exactly the same... Just that hk version comes with a chinese translation inside and behind the cd cover written Avex hk

Yup exactly like what Tiffany has said , nothing majorly different except for the inclusion of a Chinese translation sheet for both the Hong Kong & Taiwan press

OBI wise , the Hong Kong press tends to replica the same OBIs as the Japan press , unlike the Taiwan press that has a white coloured centre & light blue wordings

for me I prefer to buy Taiwan press as I feel the quality is somewhat better than Hong Kong press but at the end of the day , both HK & Taiwan presses are equally good if not much more cheaper than Japan press

[Kanzaki]

You know, I wouldn't order it online, but if my mall sold it, and I walked past it like that I don't think I'd be able to resist

[koumori]

Originally Posted by Kanzaki88

You know, I wouldn't order it online, but if my mall sold it, and I walked past it like that I don't think I'd be able to resist

Haha, yeah. If I saw Ayumi's albums/singles being sold here I'd just cry in happiness and buy everything

[KarenPang]

I saw the Taiwan press / 2CDs of A SUMMER BEST being sold at CD-Rama earlier on

Priced at S$20.95

[Delicious n Bold]

Originally Posted by axmish87

OK guys i need some advice
What is the big difference between Japanese releases and Hong Kong's releases
I am trying to get all of Ayu's older albums and on CD Japan the prices are high
but on HMV are affordable.
I know that first difference is for the DVD because of the region 3
but i will get the DVD versions from cd japan
I have decided to buy first few albums from HMV because they have no DVD
and to save up a little money

If you want to be 100% specific, I read somewhere that someone noticed a small audio difference between the Japanese and HK presses. You must note that the person used the state-of-the-art ($5000+ US dollars) surround sound system. So there is a small difference audio wise. I did borrow Namie's concentration 20 from a library and it was a HK press, but I didn't notice a difference.

Someone mentioned that Taiwan presses are better than HK presses. I don't know much about HK presses but Im aware that Hikki's ULTRA BLUE and HEART STATION Taiwan press CDs look like ****. Cheaper than cheap. but that's just me. I saw it at a convention and it looked like they got dollar store paper and ran it through a printer. I compared the jp version of HEART STATION to the taiwan version and the Jp version looks AMAZING.

[kinix]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

Someone mentioned that Taiwan presses are better than HK presses. I don't know much about HK presses but Im aware that Hikki's ULTRA BLUE and HEART STATION Taiwan press CDs look like ****. Cheaper than cheap. but that's just me. I saw it at a convention and it looked like they got dollar store paper and ran it through a printer. I compared the jp version of HEART STATION to the taiwan version and the Jp version looks AMAZING.

Hmm are you sure you saw an official release CD of taiwan or the bootlegs lol. But hikki is from different label so they might not be the same as avex taiwan.
IMO, the major difference between Japan and OS versions are the printed materials.
I would rate the printed materials as Japan > Taiwan > Hongkong (not sure about china but I think it's not much better than Hongkong)
I have A BEST 2 White Japan and Hongkong version. And the Hongkong version soon turns yellowish but the japan version still stays white. And if you've both japan and OS versions, you can feel the paper quality is different. OS is thicker and slightly rough. It's much more easier to notice by the A Song for XX album.
Most of the OS albums will have difficulty in taking the booklet out but the japan version is thin and easy to take out.

[KarenPang]

I was at Cathay's Gramophone earlier on & they had quite a lot of copies of A SUMMER BEST being sold

Hong Kong press / 2CDs + DVD - S$25.95

same price as what they charge for Party Queen (Hong Kong press , CD only)