Vinyl Audio

Music => Vinyl Grooves => Topic started by: shadowlord on December 21, 2013, 04:50:32 PM

Title: Last vinyl purchases lack in quality ( both new and used)
Post by: shadowlord on December 21, 2013, 04:50:32 PM
Lately the mediocre quality takes some fun out of the hobby.

I bought several new releases only to have most of them suffer from "whooshing" sounds on  a side. ( i guess it might be no-fill )

Most of the used records i purchased over ebay lately weren't exactly what i expected either.
( for me a NM rated record shouldn't have clicks all  through)


What are your experiences ? 
Do you think the recent vinyl revival contributes to hastily made records with little quality control ?
Title: Re: Last vinyl purchases lack in quality ( both new and used)
Post by: lshin80 on December 23, 2013, 07:03:15 AM
Are you talking about audiophile reissues or standard anonimous reissues? Give us some names, the reissues galaxy is very diverse.
Title: Re: Last vinyl purchases lack in quality ( both new and used)
Post by: shadowlord on December 25, 2013, 03:58:09 AM
some of the worst offenders,

Leonard Cohen - I'm your man  ( music on vinyl reissue, side B nearly unalienable due to "whooshing" sounds, clicks and pops throughout)
Deep Purple - Machine Head ( Rhino remaster, lots of clicks and pops on both sides, side B starts with "whooshing" sounds on the first few tracks. I returned it only to get a copy with exact the same problems.)
Deep Purple - Now what?! ( earMusic, side 4 starts with "whooshing" sounds)
Fleetwood Mac - Rumors (remaster edition pressed at optimal, lots of clicks and pops throughout)

i never noticed this "whooshing" sounds on an "audiophile" re-release, but some of them have quite a few clicks for the price premium. ( Blade Runner soundtrack on Audio-fidelity comes to mind)
Title: Re: Last vinyl purchases lack in quality ( both new and used)
Post by: lshin80 on December 26, 2013, 06:40:00 AM
My few Warner / Rhino and Music on Vinyl reissues have no issues, but it's very likely that the request is increasing, and in order to fulfill it they may have rushed the printing process, thus decreasing quality and  quality control.

However, I doubt you'll ever find whooshing issues on true audiophile reissues, like MFSL, Speakers Corner, or Quality Records Pressings, since top quality is their goal. Clicks are still possible, as explained by MFSL, due to their cutting method, but they will disappear after a couple of playings, or a good cleaning of the disc.

All in all I think vinyl industry is now in a crucial phase, where it's becoming too big for low numbers, high quality pressings, but still too small to have the quality which the big numbers of an estabilished industry would allow.
Title: Re: Last vinyl purchases lack in quality ( both new and used)
Post by: shadowlord on December 26, 2013, 03:20:47 PM
i have some surprisingly good ( quiet) Rhino and Music on Vinyl pressings as well.
It seems that new vinyl is pretty much hit or miss now.

I guess you're right. Vinyl has some sort of revival right now and everyone wants a share of it, which leads to hastily made pressings with mediocre quality.