Ugly! First time I've seen matrix number in the actual track grooves. Good thing you got it sorted though.
The Amy Grant Christmas album was finally issue on vinyl, though why I don’t know. First, I keep sending them back. Must be Rainbo pressing them...man oh man, off centered noisy junk. Why?? I don’t get it...I can’t see most people keeping them and back they go. I went to the trouble today to actually drill a larger hole in this copy (every single one is off centered and there is a slow piano song at the end, the best track on the album, so you can really hear the off center sound on the piano) and of course, after getting a quiet copy the drill bit slipped and scratched the last track. So, back it goes! And the sound is probably the worse I have ever heard on vinyl...very thin and just crap. How hard is it to just get the master? This is generations away from the master. They need to fire every person that makes these decisions as it’s an “up your’s” to the consumer. But....overall, it’s getting better. Just not for this album. A shame...usually Christian labels use good suppliers for whatever reason. Sparrow really blew it this time. Amy, hope you read this! Lol.....
For any fans of the Descendents, the latest reissue of their album, "I Don't Want to Grow Up", has the wrong center labels, channel drop-outs, and poor sound quality, according to several people on Instagram that I follow. The LP was pressed by Rainbo, by the way.
Question to collectors of new classical pressings: Are those of any better quality than people are experiencing with pop recordings? Or is no one pressing classical these days? I personally only buy used from thrifts, and they usually clean up nicely, though I'm not finding much these days. It's surprising to read that people pay $$$ for records that are so often faulty. Educate me, guys! David
Brand new Pink Floyd Animals from Amazon. Multiple deep scratches on Side 1. Never got past Dogs. Going back. I'm now done with all new vinyl except premium labels.
Got J Mellencamp American Fool 2016 180g vinyl yesterday from Amazon, despite some bad vinyl reviews I wanted to give it a shot. Center hole way too small, as reported in the reviews. Visual defects on the vinyl as reported in the reviews. Really bad audible damage between tracks despite cleaning thoroughly. Ordered a replacement which arrives today.
Nirvana Unplugged, side 3 had a shard of vinyl gouged into it. Never saw that before. New set came and all is well.
Update got the replacement today Center hole almost closed Vinyl damage again Inside sleeve torn on 2 sides Side 2 track 2 has exact same issue loud pops and clear damage. Giving up on this one. I wish I had the luck of the endless perfect vinyl thread.
I just bought some new ozzy titles, diary of a madman and blizzard of 0z from Amazon today. I was kinda bummed by all the surface marks. I have 40 year old lps that are spotless compared to these. I always check them out on the turntable first to check for warping. they are perfectly flat. I will give them a good cleaning tomorrow and test them out. I bought a new cheap trick heaven tonight a while back, same thing- probably worse than these, cleaned it and it played great and sounded fantastic, so there is hope. Still a bummer seeing this when you take them out of the sleeves for the first time.
I actually bought a used record the other day that looks like it has one of those "trumpet" inscriptions in the grooves (you know the one, a straight line and a triangle, that you sometimes see in the runout area). I haven't tried to play it yet. This was an 80s copy of The Secret Policeman's Ball. It's probably just a random scratch but it really looks like a runout inscription.
I think That’s the mark of a specific pressing plant.. I forget which one but I see it on Discogs all the time
So I ordered the new masters of TOTO Fahrenheit IV The Seventh One All 3 a total crackle fest. Huge surface noise, loud pops before and after cleaning. Sent them all back, ordered a replacement of Fahrenheit and it’s exactly the same.
I look for where it was pressed, prior to purchase. Suede just had an RSD release that I wanted to pick up, but I'm done with GZ pressings so I had to skip. OTOH, Optimal, Pallas, and RTI are usually safe - Acoustic Sounds "prestige" offerings are outstanding, too. Third Man pressings are hit & miss - I have several duds and one or two that sound ok. Most of Rhino's reissues are decent, and IR's are solid too. I'll generally wait for an original press of what I want, to pop up here - the pressings have been vetted, and I've yet to hear an original that didn't best a reissue.
I have had a lot of luck with Music On Vinyl. Very quiet pressings, I’ve probably purchased about 14/15 from them and they are super quiet, really nice.