Crap quality vinyl

[Dingdong]

I just received a brand new copy of Touch by Yello from an ebay seller in Germany. Not cheap at £28.
Sit down looking forward to a listen. The bugger is warped and there is a crackle on the first two tracks once per revolution.
Rather pissed off. Will be in touch to get it replaced. Would have rather bought a copy in the UK but couldn't find one.

I've been back and checked the setup of my cartridge and it appears spot on. The SAS tip has got about 10 hours on it. So I don't reckon that should be a problem.

Rant over for now.

[Audioman]

Vinyl fill !!! Can you tell which plant pressed this ?

[Stratmangler]

Would have rather bought a copy in the UK but couldn't find one

Diverse have it in their catalogue http://www.diversevinyl.com/item.php?id=67377be7ccd206842f213996adbd5760

[Spur07]

I just received a brand new copy of Touch by Yello from an ebay seller in Germany. Not cheap at £28.
Sit down looking forward to a listen. The bugger is warped and there is a crackle on the first two tracks once per revolution.
Rather pissed off. Will be in touch to get it replaced. Would have rather bought a copy in the UK but couldn't find one.

I've been back and checked the setup of my cartridge and it appears spot on. The SAS tip has got about 10 hours on it. So I don't reckon that should be a problem.

Rant over for now.

Noisy brand new vinyl can be a problem, you have my sympathy. I bet you'll be saddled with the return postage.

[MartinT]

I bought my copy from Diverse and it's fine.

[Spur07]

Sticking to the theme, I received today my pre-ordered copy of the new Field Music album, 'Plumb'. Very nice it is to in purple 180g vinyl. Field Music stuff is really well mastered, the 'Measure' album was excellent - on the sleeve it says "for maximum listening pleasure please to turn your music system UP!". That's all very well if there wasn't the audible crackle of something akin to a roaring open fire in the background during quiet moments. The first songs on both side 1 and 2 suffer from pops and snaps. Under strong light there seems to be a thumb print on side 2 (bit too much to expect the person who packed it to be wearing cotten gloves then), and both sides have numerous hairline scratches, probably due to the cheap, abrasive cardboard sleeve.

welcome to the world of vinyl :)

[keiths]

In my experience, coloured vinyl seems more prone to surface noise than the black stuff. I don't have that many coloured vinyl records, but of the ones I do have, most are excessively noisy.

[Stratmangler]

In my experience, coloured vinyl seems more prone to surface noise than the black stuff. I don't have that many coloured vinyl records, but of the ones I do have, most are excessively noisy.

+1

[Spur07]

In my experience, coloured vinyl seems more prone to surface noise than the black stuff. I don't have that many coloured vinyl records, but of the ones I do have, most are excessively noisy.

Yes, I think you may be right Keith. I must admit I was a little wary.

[Rare Bird]

A lot of re-issue records i used to buy i the 80's were dreadful, very thin & noisy, must have surely been recycled vinyl at that time.

[Dingdong]

I contacted the seller about the problem and they are sending a new copy of disc one. No need to return the dodgy one.
That's pretty excellent service I reckon. The seller is Obsessed-Music on ebay.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/obsessed-music-uk-shop?_trksid=p4340.l2563

[Spur07]

That's a result Mark, not enough of them out there like that though.

Another day for me, another flurry of angry emails to sellers. Looks like John's predictions were right, I'm starting to mull over the possibility of either buying or building a RCM :)

[Dingdong]

I'm picking up a diy rcm at Scalford. Just needs a bit of finishing. Got a lot of dodgy 80's vinyl that needs a clean.

Just got a replacement lp in the post today. They sent the whole thing. No warps and plays perfectly. I like service like that. I am happy.

[Audioman]

An RCM will clean vinyl it will not cure pressing faults, groove wear, scratches etc. In fact they can sound worse.

[Dingdong]

An RCM will clean vinyl it will not cure pressing faults, groove wear, scratches etc. In fact they can sound worse.

I'd kinda figured that. That's why it's an rcm and not a rrm.

[Spur07]

An RCM will clean vinyl it will not cure pressing faults, groove wear, scratches etc. In fact they can sound worse.

Yeah, I'm beginning to discover this as I take my vinyl periodically to Sister Ray in London to be cleaned. Sometimes there's an improvement and it seems extended cleaning might do the trick, sometimes it makes no difference at all, and sometimes it makes it worse - why is that Paul?

I'd like a RCM to do some extended cleaning on some of the cheaper vinyl I'm picking up from thrift stores, etc.

[MartinT]

After cleaning on an RCM it's vital that the records are placed in new anti-static inner sleeves to gradually dissipate the charge. It's surprising how much quieter they sound after a few days.

[Spur07]

After cleaning on an RCM it's vital that the records are placed in new anti-static inner sleeves to gradually dissipate the charge. It's surprising how much quieter they sound after a few days.

Thanks for that tip Martin, I think I may have been suffering from this - I had noticed after cleaning there are pops and crackles that gradually dissipates after a few plays. :scratch:

Have you got a link to the sleeves you buy? I do get sister ray to pop my newly cleaned vinyl into new sleeves but I'm not sure they're anti-static.

[The Grand Wazoo]

The build up of static when using the RCM was brought home to me just last night.

One disc was just being vacuumed on it's second side - this is the point when I usually slip the new inner sleeve into the old one & then get the next disc ready for cleaning. When I picked up the next record, there must have been some dust & perhaps carpet fluff on the bottom edge of the sleeve, because suddenly the beautiful clean record on the machine was filthy again. It must have leapt onto it due to a static charge.

I always shine a very bright light on the work area so that I can see how good a job is being done & whether I think a particular disc needs some extra attention. The light shines at such an angle that any muck is made to look far worse than it really is - which is how you want to see it really.

Anyway, as I was watching the disc spin on the RCM, I noticed a few bits of fluffy stuff creeping their way around the disc such that they remained in the same position directly above the contact area of the vacuum tube. Obviously a static charge was building up because the record was now dry, but I would have thought that the vinyl would have insulated the charge from the fluff sitting on the other side. Evidently then, the whole record becomes charged. After earthing it & giving it another wetting & vacuuming it up again, the disc remained clean & free of static. Moral - don't overdo the vacuum cycle and always use anti-static inners.

[The Grand Wazoo]

For good value anti-static inners, I get mine from Japan (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3141). These are excellent quality - as good as any I've bought in the UK.

[Dingdong]

I spoke a bit too early about the condition of the replacement lp.

Side B is worse than the first copy.

This is what shows up on the surface. The dust doesn't show up unless you shine a bright light on it. There seems to be something dodgy looking, that appears in other places on the lp. What do you reckon?

http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac169/marktb/Hifi/IMG_0118.jpg

[keiths]

Looks like 'mould release agent' - though not everyone is convinced that such a substance is used in record manufacture.

[Dingdong]

I'm not sure what to do now. I really want the lp, but 2 copies have been crap. If I bought it from somewhere else I'm worried it would be just the same.

I played the first copy on another couple of turntables, a 1210/SME III/Goldring 900 and an Oracle/SME V/Benz wood, and the crackle was hardly noticeable.
My SAS tipped Shure VST V doesn't like it, though.

Arse!!

[Macca]

Looks like 'mould release agent' - though not everyone is convinced that such a substance is used in record manufacture.

Or grease and dirt from the fingers of whoever packed it. Whatever it is an RCM will clean it off liketty-split.

[Audioman]

I'm not sure what to do now. I really want the lp, but 2 copies have been crap. If I bought it from somewhere else I'm worried it would be just the same.

I played the first copy on another couple of turntables, a 1210/SME III/Goldring 900 and an Oracle/SME V/Benz wood, and the crackle was hardly noticeable.
My SAS tipped Shure VST V doesn't like it, though.

Arse!!

Assuming the SAS is a Microline I think this is partly the problem. Eliptical tips (some at least) avoid reproducing certain groove damage. I have to be very picky with used vinyl quality with my AT. However the vinyl is obviously damaged so the trick is to spot a minty unworn copy.

[Dingdong]

Both copies were brand new and sealed. I'll contact the seller again and see what they can do.

[The Grand Wazoo]

It looks badly cut to me - is that stuff vinyl swarf? There's a strand of something at the bottom (in the dark band) - is it a hair or vinyl?

[Dingdong]

Just a bit of dust/hair.

[Audioman]

Both copies were brand new and sealed. I'll contact the seller again and see what they can do.

I just realised you are still talking about the Yello album. I think the same goes for certain bad new pressings. Unfortunately the whole pressing run could be plagued by this issue which is likely non-fill. In my experience RCM cleaning does nothing to resolve the problem. My advice get a refund and order a copy from another source. It's worked for me a few times probably due to a certain part of the pressing run only being bad and a particular dealer getting a stack of the bad ones. If it's on Amazon use them as they are easiest to return items and pay for your postage costs.

[Macca]

. In my experience RCM cleaning does nothing to resolve the problem. .

Totally agree if it is damage/flawed pressing. Hard to tell from the photo.

[Spur07]

Both copies were brand new and sealed. I'll contact the seller again and see what they can do.

trouble is, how many 'sealed' copies does he want you to break? what if the 3rd copy is worse than the 1st, etc, etc

try another source i'd say.

[MartinT]

I'd be tempted to give it a thorough clean first before sending it back. The cleaning fluid will rid it of any mould release agent still in the grooves.

[MartinT]

For anti-static inner sleeves, you can't beat Nagaoka:

http://www.divineaudio.co.uk/hi-fi/turntable-parts-and-accessories/nagaoka-no-102-anti-static-record-sleeves-pack-of-50/prod_2071.html