I was able to snag both the Van and Cassandra Wilson LPs via Amazon Prime, and both are going back for refunds. The Van LP was so warped I was afraid to put needle to groove, so I can't report on the sound quality. It was pressed at United, I believe, so no real surprise here. The Cassandra Wilson was just as disappointing. Warped but playable (my Rega P5 plays darned near anything), the problem with this one was the excessive surface noise and several loud pops on the first side. Glad the sticker on the front said "180 gram Audiophile Vinyl" or I would have mistaken this for just another poorly-pressed, warped record... And, honestly, others who ordered these could find them to have virtually none of the issues that I experienced. Such is the state of the Wonderful World of Vinyl in 2015...
I very rarely order LPs from Amazon anymore, no matter how cheap they might be, cause they almost all arrive in the condition you described. I think that this might have more to do with improper storage from Amazon than with the individual LPs themselves.
Wow, you must have some terrible luck! I've ordered more records from Amazon than I can count, and have had to return maybe 3 of those....
another Van Morrison Essential 2-CD $8.49 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012UNH24Q?refRID=D0ASC7XHDV24CD94ADF5&ref_=ya_od_pd_dx_bx_4
You are lucky. Our friend Bill Levenson posted on FB a couple of weeks ago how he received the Bowie box, just flopping around inside an oversized square box, with no padding whatsoever. Even posted pictures. A few days later, his replacements arrived...guess what ? Yep, same deal again ! It's ridiculous after all these years, for this to be happening to anybody at all. .
You are correct about oversize sets. It amazes me that Amazon still packages expensive box sets like they're boxes of tissues. I got a Hendrix box set like that--flopping around in the box with two air bags thrown in with a prayer for good measure. Amazingly, it arrived undamaged. The prayer must've helped! I guess what I was trying to say as far as luck is concerned is that for single LPs, they package nicely, and defective vinyl is not really their fault.
Everybody gets a turn in the barrel, a run of bad luck. Mine are damaged Blu ray cases right now, USPS and UPS both dancing on my boxes before they get to me. It'll pass. Always does. .
A few weeks ago, I got another vinyl box set from Amazon (7LP set), just the box set in shrinkwrap with a shipping label on it. Not the first time. Getting something in a box is a step up.
I received the Marley deluxe vinyl set last week, they'd just put the Universal card shipping box inside a much larger box with a small token piece of brown paper, luckily the Universal box was pretty strong and well designed as the Marley set weighs a ton and could easily have burst the Amazon box, vinyl box sets are definitely a packaging Achilles heel for Amazon, both .com and .co.uk.
I have only ordered one vinyl box set from .de, but it was well packaged so they may be the exception, I hope so as I've had several issues buying vinyl box sets from .co.uk.
You are at the mercy of whoever is working in the shipping department. I have had (the majority) of my Amazon orders packaged well. But then, as I mentioned, I've also had box sets where they slapped a shipping label on the cellophane and shipped it.
That's standard Amazon packaging in my experience. I get many packages like that, not all with music related items inside. The fact they arrive in good condition always surprises me. What they think those loose bits of brown paper are going to protect against is beyond me. If they actually packed that paper in tightly fair enough but they never do.
I received the Norah Jones vinyl box set from Amazon.com back in May in exactly the same "packaging". I was shocked. Needless to say, the set's outer box was destroyed - all corners were beat up, the paper was peeling off and there appeared to be some water damage. Fortunately all LPS inside were fine and individually sealed. Of course I complained, and Amazon refunded me the full cost of my purchase and shipping (there were no replacements in stock).
My cassandra , same thing lp #1 is very badly warped , i will say i blame the packaging on mine , i could barely get the lp out as it was so snug in the jacket it was bending .... I asked for a replacement , we'll see how that goes .
I just bought it for $7.00. I love Van and the album is ok based on my Spotify listens but at this price there's not too much downside. Also, I get to see how well or how poorly it's packed!
Got my Jesse Malin and Dwight Yoakam LPs today, and they could not have been packed better. Each album in its own sealed LP mailer, with those packed inside a larger box with the "pillows" all around. No complaints about packaging here.
