A reconstituted audiophile

[Spectral Morn]

Welcome to AoS Graham

[Haselsh1]

Graham, a very warm welcome to AOS.

[Barry]

Welcome to AoS Graham,

Nice to have a new member join who was once involved in record pressing - if only to dispel or correct misapprehensions we might have about record production. Can you tell me what percentage of a pressing run was rejected? I've heard it could be quite high.

You find both the Ortofon SL15 (E?) and JVC Z1 uninspiring? Strange, as the Z1 is based on the JVC X-1, a cartridge which is far from sounding anodyne!

Shame you sold off your Tannoy and Quad gear, but pleased to read you are happy with your current system.

Enjoy the Forum
Barry

[GrahamS]

Welcome to AoS Graham,

Nice to have a new member join who was once involved in record pressing - if only to dispel or correct misapprehensions we might have about record production. Can you tell me what percentage of a pressing run was rejected? I've heard it could be quite high.

You find both the Ortofon SL15 (E?) and JVC Z1 uninspiring? Strange, as the Z1 is based on the JVC X-1, a cartridge which is far from sounding anodyne!

Shame you sold off your Tannoy and Quad gear, but pleased to read you are happy with your current system.

Enjoy the Forum
Barry

Thanks for the welcome Barry. In my opinion, the Ortophon SL-15 is suited to orchestral music and lacks the presence necessary for contemporary music. The JVC Z1 sounds "thin" to my ear and lifts the high end somewhat. However, all this may change depending on the downstream equipment. I have never heard any of my vinyl gear with my present setup. Watch this space.

Pressing reject percentages depend on the particular plant. There are many many factors that influence quality, and individual plants have particular QC control parameters and methodology. Most European plants adhere to the DIN control specifications and procedures, which are pretty stringent. Some plants, such as one I visited in Canada, only sample one in 1000 pressings and adopted a policy of "refund or exchange no questions asked" in collaboration with their distributors and customers. The plant I worked in had a reject ratio of 1:1000 due mainly to stamper damage and air pollution in the pressing plant caused by poorly maintained PVC delivery systems. Audio quality was never a problem. Philips had a reject rate of 1:10,000 in the DGG plant and some plants in "other" countries were not permitted to press the DGG label. There was a plant in Lusaka that had no QC to speak of at all, but then one has to take that particular market into consideration.