Synphonic progressive mail order/Greg Walker
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: News from Official Prog Suppliers
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=128312
Printed Date: November 22 2024 at 20:15
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Topic: Synphonic progressive mail order/Greg Walker
Posted By: PaulG
Subject: Synphonic progressive mail order/Greg Walker
Date Posted: January 26 2022 at 20:11
| Hello fellow music lovers. Anyone know if this mail order site is still active? I emailed Greg with questions about ordering and haven’t heard back. Thanks. Paul |
Replies:
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 04:02
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I purchased some CDs from him back in late November on Discogs. He's still active on there. Maybe you can try sending a message through Discogs?: https://www.discogs.com/user/progwalker" rel="nofollow - https://www.discogs.com/user/progwalker I don't know how often he updates the Syn-Phonic website or checks e-mail. I don't order that often from him to know and all my orders have been through Discogs the last couple of years (it's easier to compare prices with other dealers).
------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 09:43
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I've sent him a couple emails in the last several months with no reply. In years past Greg has always been uber responsive, I suspect his recent move is still an issue. I'll check his Discogs page later on...but he has also become too expensive for me.
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Posted By: PaulG
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 10:09
Thanks for the responses. Looks like Greg has gravitated to Amazon unfortunately. Goes by the name of Prog Heaven. Prices are much more there. I have a large list of hard to find cds from his synphonic online vending site of cds that were stolen I’m replacing. Much better selection and prices at synphonic yet as both of you pointed out, I do not believe he is still selling this route. He makes more money at Amazon yet loses loyal customers. Looks like the good old days of internet savings are weaning. I still have the tried and true lasersedge I buy from. Ken told me he will continue this route until his last breath, thank God and the Prog heavens.   He does not have the releases I’m referring to unfortunately. Any other vendors such as Ken? Thanks again.
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 11:07
I am 99.9999% LP records, I don't buy new CDs anymore have not for 20yrs. I will pick up used CDs from the $1 bin.....Greg was great for records, I bought a good amount from him as he had the selection. But as records have become so mainstream now and almost everything has a LP release I find them at many different places. I don't buy any music from Amazon........LasersEdge is my go to place, as well Discogs and then other online sellers like Tower Records or the labels like KScope and Burning Shed. -------------
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PaulG wrote:Posted By: PaulG
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 12:22
I hear you. I too do not buy from Amazon, at least not music. I grew up with vinyl and miss that analog warmth. I buy all releases from Ken @ Lasers Edge or directly from the band/record company. I’m finding some releases I had from the 2000-2010 time period very difficult to find. Some are easier to find on vinyl. I remember when they were saying cds would take vinyl out. Glad that never happened as I want to get back into vinyl and record to cd for convenience and the hobby of recreating a recording to another medium. As a teenager cassettes came out and I got into recording my vinyl collection to chrome and metal cassettes. This was extremely satisfying. I want to do the same with transfer to cd. Although you don’t buy cd I find the medium has very good sound quality with the correct equipment. I agree nothing beats vinyl for packaging satisfaction and that wonderful analog warmth, again with proper equipment. Really I’m comparing apples to oranges as both have their advantages especially with how far technology has advanced. I remember them saying cds would be taken out by streaming. Glad that hasn’t happened. Do not prefer streaming and will always want the medium in my hand. Cds and vinyl sound so much better too. The artwork that comes with a cd or album can not be replaced either. I also want to support musicians in the best possible way. Progressive rock musicians do not make a lot of money in general as they are doing this for the art unlike most of the current popular bands pumping out crap. Just got a new set of Focal Stellia headphones. First set of quality headphones since a teenager. Enjoying then and will be buying a seperate headphone amp and DAC next. Live in a condo where speakers are voodoo unfortunately. I guess I’ll wait and see if Mr. Golden can get these releases. He told me many of them are not being issued currently so I will have to wait for reissue. To bad it looks as if Greg went to the dark side with Amazon. 
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Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 12:30
Sure thing! I just purchased CD's yesterday. I email Greg a list of CD's I wish to purchase. Greg writes back, explaining which CD's are available. Greg asks, (and I quote) "Let me know if you want them sent media mail $5, first class mail $7 or priority mail $9. Thanks! Greg" Those are the postage prices for then entire package of CD's. Best deal around. Email Greg at: [email protected]
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 12:31
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Well I never stopped buying LPs, just slowed down that's all. I grew up with LPs/records and cassettes, which the latter are making a nice comeback. I think next year there will be a couple new higher end decks on the market so I might have to jump back in. I probably have 500 cassettes both albums and mix tapes I made all on high end chrome II and metal IV tapes, all Sony, Maxell, TDK and Denon. I just ordered a new turntable, should have it end of February. You can also buy great stuff at good prices from Discogs. -------------
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Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 12:36
I'd love to see your album collection. Can you post photo? Do you dedicate a room to your collection?
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Posted By: PaulG
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 12:56
Good news folks. Greg Walker is doing fine and Synphonic is still in business. I just got an email from Greg to send my selections. Good to know he did not go to the dark side with synphonic. Same excellent prices and selection. I’ll let you know what he ends up having in stock as many of these releases are either difficult, super expensive elsewhere or impossible to buy new currently. Long live progressive rock. 
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Posted By: PaulG
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 13:03
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Omphaloskepsis What a name. Thanks for the info. Good to hear others are still working with Greg. I look forward to making a large order I would not be able to locate new elsewhere or would pay an arm and a leg elsewhere. |
Posted By: PaulG
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 13:09
What kind of turntable did you buy catcher. I’m spent a ton on the headphones and though they sound great I need a dedicated headphone amp all the more. When I was a kid my pioneer had a headphone system that shared the preamp and main amp of the receiver. I had wonderful power and bass and treble control. Although electronics have come a long way some things like integrated receivers are not comparable to the good old days. I never dreamed a good set of headphones, closed back would cost so much. The tube headphone amp I’m considering will have me penny less for audio equipment for the rest of the year.  
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 18:37
My music room is in lower level of my house in a large great room area. I keep about 80% of my collection in these bins I made a few years ago, the rest is in a few other crates. This is about 600 records....  -------------
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: January 27 2022 at 18:44
Dang man!! Focal makes really nice HP, those Stellia are fantastic...nice! I'm not a big HP user since I can crank in my house and I don't care  . Get the Manley Absolute HP Amp, that thing looks amazing and I bet sounds stellar!I bought a Project Xtension 10 Evolution turntable...
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: January 28 2022 at 01:07
last couple of times I ordered from Greg were difficult because my e-mails fell in his spambox, and I don't think he checks at all in there. If someone that doesn't have the problem can warn him to do so (check out his span box)....One can also phone him up to warn him that an e-mail might be strayed in his address box. I guess with the idiotic import taxes that have now resulted from Dump Trump's trade wars, it's quite difficult to avoid them punitive taxes, which means that I'm pretty well done ordering anything from the US, the UK (Brexit) or Japan/Korea (colateral victims) ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: January 28 2022 at 11:04
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A couple of months ago, I ordered some music from scope ( UK) , global amount round 100 euros. In Belgium, since july 21, one has to pay VAT for any purchase out of CE area. ( VAT 21% in Belgium ), . (Before 1 July 2021, one had to pay VAT only for value greater than 22 euro). Most of music sellers declared the goodies values < 22. A few days after ,I i got the bill from FEDEX with an extra fee of about 25 euros Thanx to the brexit , purchasing music from UK has become unpayable... same for ordering from Greg |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: January 28 2022 at 11:04
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k-scope* :-) |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: January 28 2022 at 14:19
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^ I hear ya, shipping costs for me to buy from the UK (Kscope, Burning Shed, band sites...) has become unsustainable. Has nothing to do with a political being.......Logistics costs have gone thru the roof this past year. I have not nor will I, order the new Marillion album as it will cost me USD75.00 delvd to my home. I will await for hopefully a US seller who will import it for less, much less than this. The shipping cost is what I pay for records here in the US. -------------
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: January 28 2022 at 15:58
That doesn't help of course. I've recently ordered the 4 Circus (the Swiss band) boxset for 123 € (including shipping) directly rom Belle Antique. However I expect Belgian custom to claim +/- 26€ before I get the delivery home. I normally wouldn't dish out sucj money, but they're in lavish mini-lp format an, three of those four albums will finally have their first legit ressue under any format whatsoever. So most likely this will be an exception, but I will call Greg one day to ask him if he's( we've) got some ways to smuggle it via some loophole. ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: PaulG
Date Posted: January 29 2022 at 08:58
| Nice vinyl collection catcher. I miss cranking the volume up as I’m condo’d. Don’t even have my main system active. The Focals are nice. As I said very expensive. Definitely bit the dollar with purchase. Im looking at a couple different headphone amps. Miss the old receivers from the late 70’s that shared the main amp with the headphones. The preamp was fully functional as to be able to use bass and treble. A different era. I’m looking at tube amps now. The Woo Audio’s are nice. Maybe the WA22. Sorry to hear of the astronomical taxes. Sean, I’ll ask Greg to look in his spam box for you and anyone else having problems when I send him my order. |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: January 29 2022 at 09:15
------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: February 12 2022 at 14:52
The Anti-Brexit Elites punish UK for leaving European Union. Make an example out of UK. The European Union (and anti-Brexit- British Politicians) could allow for cheaper than (outrageously expensive) postage if they so wished. It's not the UK Brexit voters making these rules.
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: February 14 2022 at 10:15
Sorry late reply JD, just saw this........And correct, I don't keep anything in alphabetical order or release date order within each band grouping. I don't know where everything is and that's why I made band name tags. I only have my fav artists in the front of each row. I prefer this system over ABC/123......Some people I have read also keep genre, release date, alphabetical and so on....that's too detailed for me I guess, a little loosey goosey is good. It's my records, "git off my lawn!!!!" -------------
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Posted By: Earl of Mar
Date Posted: February 14 2022 at 10:27
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I was flicking through the Steve Hoffman forum earlier and saw your post showing your collection. Good Stuff. |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: February 14 2022 at 12:40
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Posted By: PaulG
Date Posted: March 01 2022 at 15:30
So I submitted my order to Greg at Synphonic and received it two days later. I cant say enough good things about Greg and his excellent store. He is a gentleman and a pleasure to cummunicate with and do business. I made a large order of 32 CD’s. Many of these CD’s are hard to impossible to find elsewhere and many of the ones that are available elsewhere are twice the price. The packaging was superb. He has a lot of releases I will be ordering in the future. 9 of the 10 releases not in stock will be by next month. A lot of RPI cds are on order for next month. I’m a big fan of this style. He had a lot of classic Prog, hard to get classic Prog and Prog from around the world. Also current Prog bands. The only other vendor I currently work with is my local buddy from Jersey Ken Golden. Ken has more progressive metal, new releases and jazz/fusion while Greg has more of and a constant supply of the classics and hard to find classics plus a lot of recent Prog too. Between these two vendors my progressive rock listening will stay fulfilled. Just wanted to share some good news. 
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 01 2022 at 19:26
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Greg has always kicked serious butt ~ ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: March 02 2022 at 02:15
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^ Amen. No one has better service than Mr. Walker. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: sebprosperi
Date Posted: March 21 2022 at 15:25
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Hey! Just wanted to let you know that the band Bastian Per is giving away physical albums for free! All you must do to participate is submit you email on the following form:
Link form: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcutt.ly%2FLAIX8Ye%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2U05eVigZv-KYxIdzCH5hQA-75yZxEkYSDFInxT4Lj3pvQ6XzH2kfrQ00&h=AT05cF8pctzQSbL6ziuDu0rLVonS_wkEWRl22dWnulHSRhz118id54DzqHcm4MzgrmF_ECrrr2svHy83RMbKs25Vu1mYOV10Bu-O8TSdj0j2l9E8Zd9zRYKN7XdQNBuqTN-EYkg&__tn__=-UK-R&c%5b0%5d=AT1YX30TA8WWDfmAB-M0uVTGlHWK2usyPem4HrcmZkmowXIhAJvQ0WEQu9T24lul7dQVYUgVGUN1STC4n4D7NfITffgksMEh1laSD63nkC-Jb4trjEQ_qF8fPek-luaPESUg8h0fkIDdvzMnBcLAavWsTMWEeWA0ea1X4QNZ3ujfw5bnemn5AwnxhauTx83EMEDfcZKxKgC1wmPB2PQ3" rel="nofollow - https://cutt.ly/LAIX8Ye If you have a friend that loves progressive rock and appreciates the physical format, it would be awesome if you could share this giveaway link with him. Good Luck! |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: March 21 2022 at 15:32
Absolutely...  Sadly, I probably won't use his services for a few years to come because of those stupid trade wars under the Trump mandate.  I just paid 42 bucks of custom taxes to import the Swiss band Circus' boxset from Japan (which brought the whole thing to almost 200) and it is roughly the same for the US. ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |