Not to stray from your specific topic, but speaking of budget priced labels, I think "Amadis" should be vouched for. It's a branch of the Naxos label and on Amazon.com all of its CD's are retailed at $2.99.
The quantity of recordings is pretty astounding. Just check
http://www.naxos.com/labels/amadis-cd.htm to get a glimpse at what they offer, and then search "amadis" in Amazon. For music you haven't heard before, it's a definite investment to buy from Amadis. For example, they have at least 5 recordings of Vivaldi's concertos (brass, wind, cello, etc) and also some odd choices. I recall 3 different CD's of Grieg's Lyric Pieces, Mendelssohn's complete Songs Without Words, a LOT of Chopin (Ballades, Scherzi, Sonatas, Nocturnes, Etudes, Polonaises, Waltzes) and an Anton Rubinstein piano concerto, highly unusual for a budget label.
While I mentioned the quantity, the quality is also not to be dismissed. Obviously when it comes to Beethoven and Mozart symphonies, there are just so many greater recordings out there. However, there are exceptions... I bought two Amadis CD's of Beethoven's piano sonatas, played by a pianist I never heard of: Ethella Chuprik. The first CD featured the Tempest, Les Adieux, and the Op. 110. I've heard a lot of the "big boys" who tackled Beethoven and I must say Chuprik's Les Adieux and Op. 110 is the best execution I've heard. Additionally, I bought Amadis' "Liszt: Piano Works" and "Rachmaninoff: Piano Works" with the same featured pianist and she pulled off the best Mephisto Waltz No. 1 I've heard and a refreshing Variations on a Theme of Chopin.
I've actually never heard of the "Pilz" label and will look into them, but while we were on the subject of a budget label, I thought I would bring Amadis up because I've been very satisfied with them.
