Record Store Day 2017 Sound Quality And Music Reviews

For those of you having issues with your Neil Young Decade, do you also hear what seems to be distortion on some tracks? I have to admit it's been a long time since I've listened to many of these songs, but I don't remember Heart of Gold and some others sounding this way. Best I can describe it is a sound that is really maxed out/distorted/fuzzy. But then, many other tracks sound very nice. Just curious.

 

My copy of Cracked Actor is dished on records 2 and 3. Thank you Vinyl Flat! The sound is good, but not great. The sound on BOWPROMO is just OK.

 

I heard some distortion toward the end of Sugar Mountain the first time I played it through, but then it seemed to be gone the second time... weird.

 

Sugar Mountain has some distortion in the recording.

 

Thanks!

 

Just wanted to single this out 'cause the album seems still widely available

 

I don't feel like reading through 20 pages of this thread to see if it's already been mentioned, but the one RSD release I bought, Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam Live at KCRW, sounds fine on side A but pretty bad on side B. Sort of like static throughout. Is that non-fill?

 

My copy is like that on discs 2 and 3 on several tracks ... debating whether to return it but otherwise very happy with the release ...

 

There's a lot of sibilance on the vocals all over the album. It's mastered quite loud and for the first thirty seconds of the first track I thought it was gonna be spectacular...but as I listened onwards my became a

 

Thanks, I'm always on the lookout for a mono Music Machine, since my copy is stereo.

 

Yep! My disc 1 is really nice and there are issues for sure with my disc 2. I wonder if returning it for a replacement is an option? I'm guessing not.

 

According to Discogs the set was pressed by Record Industry - Neil Young - Decade .

Honestly, it is the most pervasive and annoying of record defects in recent times. I have got records pressed by Pallas, Optimal and Record Industry in the past year all of which had non-fill issues. It can be seen on the record surface of course, but sometimes it is hard to spot unless you view the disc under suitable lighting. When you hear it though, there's no mistaking it. Somehow, I don't remember this being a problem with pre-1990s vinyl.

 

Here is another example of non-fill as there are people asking what it looks like. This image is from my copy of Cygnus X-1. Non-fill spots are those short stripes which are parallel to the grooves. They always appear brighter in colour than the grooves - like a pearl. Good lighting and viewing angle is required to spot this. Also in this picture there are some small dust particles which could be mistaken as non-fill, but it's just the picture that's making them look similar.

 

My cracked actor is a disaster. All 3 discs are badly dished. Thank you Parlophone!

 

Picked up the Nilsson Schmilsson yesterday and listened to it. Side 1 - Wonderful! Side 2 - second track, Lime in the Coconut, I heard what sounds like fingernails on canvas! I stopped the record, cleaned it, tried it again. Same thing. Went back to the store where I purchased because I knew they had several copies. I am now a little wiser about Record Store Day. I wasn't looking for a refund, just an exchange. The owner says that for all RSD materials, sales are supposed to be final. No refunds or exchanges. I couldn't believe it. But, he's a nice enough guy, and he did exchange it. Gave the usual speech about how most people are buying vinyl for the novelty of it, especially colored vinyl which this is. He also said chances were high that this copy would have the same issues. Get home, put it on the table....same exact scraping sound, same song. At first I thought maybe he pulled a fast one on me, but the previous copy was slightly warped. This one is extremely flat. Anyone else noticing this defect on their copy? Also, is it true that there are no refunds or exchanges on this stuff? THAT is disappointing!

 

The noise you are seemingly describing is what others are talking about in this thread - non-fill.

Refunds or exchanges really depend on the store - on a case by case basis. The real issue is, from what I understand, a retailer cannot return vinyl to the distributor or record company, so the retailer, if he takes a return from a customer, eats the loss. It does seem unfair that companies are pushing vinyl these days (I'm not complaining), but aren't allowing returns from stores. In some cases, the store passes that same thing on to their customers, and indicate all vinyl sales are final.

Thankfully, most stores will take vinyl returns from good customers or as a courtesy and good will to a customer, and eat the loss (as the store that took back your product). Yet if a customer wants 100% perfection with vinyl (which is not always possible) and tends to return the majority of his purchases for minor issues, a store may not take back anything from that customer anymore.

 

Guess I love my old Dynaflex more than ever, huh ?

 

Ain't that the truth! I don't know if the '79 repress is dynaflex, but it is pretty thin. Sounds good except for "Early In the Morning". That's why I wanted the new one, and it is better on the RSD release. Oh well, I can listen to side one of the RSD, and side two of the oldie!

 

My copy of A Message From Meters is also a decent quality, quiet pressing. Didn't think I'd find it but I was fourth in line and got lucky. Record 2 has a bit more surface noise, and is slightly less than flat but well within my acceptable limits. Also, all 3 records are very, very slightly off center, but again within my limits.

I am however noticing what I think are deficiencies in the tapes used to master this. I haven't listened to the whole set yet but for example, I'm hearing some pretty bad dropouts on "Look-A Py Py" and slight distortion on other tracks. Seems to be just some of the mono Josie singles. Not surprising considering the age of the masters that they did the transfers from. Still a pretty nice listen in my opinion, it passed my "I want to crank this up!" several times.

Anybody else noticing these flaws as well? It could be an issue with my setup for sure, or my copy specifically, but I think it's more the age of the tapes being revealed. If people are considering this one, I hope this info is helpful.

 

Jeez, all this talk of non-fill makes me wonder if I want to crack some of these offenders open (I'm a slow listener) or just try to flip them. I hate the process of selling records, but I hate non-fill maybe even more.

 

I don't care what supposed RSD policy is, a retailer must offer an exchange or refund any product that they sell that turns out to be defective. That's just basic consumer law. The record industry cannot on their own decide differently. At least in the USA that's the case.

 

The retailer is obligated to do no such thing. If the store is buying the product one way than the customer is buying it one way. If there is a defect the customer can contact the label or distributer to resolve. If the store is willing to do an exchange on the album as an exception they are doing you a favor and are going above and beyond in order to make you happy. In all likelyhood they are then eating the cost of the record, or putting it right back out on the shelf for a small discount marked 'played once' in hopes a less discerning customer makes the buy.

 

Unless I've missed it, still no word on how the cure greatest hits /acoustic hits sounds on those picture discs..
My vultures copy should arrive tomorrow from ebay so I guess I'll find out myself.

Another long shot sound & pressing quality information request is the RSD 7" picture disc of Peter Schilling - Major Tom
Released to celebrate the amazing and successful 2016 German TV drama Deutschland 83.
Have been thinking of getting the 7 or 12" original release since I watched the show but now this has been released I might go for it instead, never saw it in any shop I went into on record store day though.

 

well then they must post: sold as is, no returns.

 

That's why I was surprised by his statement. This "policy" just opens the door for shoddy production with no repercussion. After all, if there isn't any accountability........but the owner did make the exchange. The sad part is that the replacement has the same issue. I'll keep it, but I'll file this experience under live and learn.