How much warp do you consider acceptable on a new LP?*

Which 2?

 

If I am being completely honest with myself, what I've managed to listen to all the way through already (the first 3) sound perfectly fine. It's the principle of it all that bothers me most I think? Seeing the tonearm bounce up and down distracts me from listening, and then I find myself thinking about the warp instead of how beautiful everything sounds. That's something I am either going to have to learn to get over, or get used to returning new online purchases by the sounds of it. The prices here at my local record shops are significantly higher than Amazon. So I need to weigh the pros and cons of big warehouse shopping I guess.

 

Maybe he meant exactly that.

Look, this is why I don't make it habit to buy or sell vinyl records on-line. Records are pieces of vinyl pressed with hot metal stampers. None of them are ever going to be perfectly flat, nor perfectly round, nor perfectly centered. Sometimes there is even some dust from the factory in the inner packaging and, gasp, on the product! That's a new record. Now look at the example of a used record and understand that all of that still applies to the used record and then there are additional condition grades based on wear and tear. It's impossible to please everyone and some people are just impossible to please. Much better to do buying and selling of records in person and skip the drama.
-Bill

 

I doubt you will have that problem very often. The weather is cooling down of course so if it was the case of them sitting in some hot place during shipment that caused the warp, that problem is passed for now.
You are right. LP stores, like too many B&M, are more expensive than online. Selection and returns are two benefits of online. B&M might be faster for return IF they do not give you hassle.
Are you sure your platter isn't slightly tilted? That can be the case too.

Now just an opinion here but it should be mentioned that with vinyl, there will often be at least slight problems no matter what. Things like -

Buying a brand new LP and somehow is has surface noise. THAT has to be discouraging. Some people here have complained about that though
Platter wobble, even if very slight.
Inner track distortion (on lower end turntables anyways)

Finally, to read some posts on here you would think they never have any sort of problems. Even if such a point could be reached, one can imagine that the number of headaches caused to reach it would not even be worth the hassle.

BTW, this is what a serious LP warp looks like. What you have going on there is nothing. If your videos looked like this, THEN one could say "worry".

 

Personally, I'd keep In Rainbows and Sgt. Peppers and return the others unless I felt I could flatten them successfully without affecting sound quality. Unsightly to my eyes counts as a fair reason for returning an LP in my book.

 

when I had my massive vinyl collection I never tolerated any warp...period!
return it! you'll feel a whole lot better!

 

I just wanted to update here since you've all been so helpful in helping me understand what I should and should not put up with. I attempted to return all 6 records back to Amazon, and they refunded me and told me to keep them. So now I have a few of wobbly records, but since I didn't pay for them and they all sound fine when playing, I don't seem to mind as much. My suspicions and concerns about dealing with the record shop came true though when I tried to swap some records for being too wobbly and then I was made to feel stupid for caring what the vinyl looked like if it sounded fine. Needless to say, he only took back 1 of the few I brought in, and I learned a valuable lesson. I do not have the patience or desire to be around a bunch of snobby record folks. While the actual shopping process was more fun at the shop, my tolerance for dealing with shop owners who don't care what I think a brand new $50 piece of vinyl should look like is far too low. Since I received crummy records from both amazon and the shop, I will be sticking with Amazon so I don't have to be made to feel like an idiot by someone who takes themselves too seriously.

 

As long as it doesn't owerpower the music, I do have a record where I can clearly hear in between songs that it's warped. This is however only one record and while I do have warps on most of my other records it isn't as audible. 95% of my records are in my opinion acceptable despite warps because it isn't disrupting the music, but these aren't that warped as I can't hear that in between songs. I should also add that most of these aren't any more warped than most albums released today.

 

Well I can for certain I haven't experienced one as severe as this...

 

The worst is new warped colored vinyl.

 

Came home from the store today excited to spend my evening with a grip of brand new jazz reissues I picked up this afternoon, and wouldn't you know, two are dished like a mixing bowl, the third looks like a rollercoaster. Two 180g Sun Ra, one Wendell Harrison, also felt like a 180g. Buzzkill city.

 

I’ve started paying very close attention to the outsides of sealed records. Warps are often detectable if you know how to look for them.

 

Thinking back, I should have seen it, particularly with the Sun Ra--both were gatefolds with the shrink obviously a bit too snug.

 

I’m happy you posted this topic & question as this has been on my mind as of late. It seems with the new boom of vinyl sales, distributors are releasing an uncanny amount of warped records. So how much warp is acceptable? I think it’s up to the consumer however I definitely have an opinion on this issue.
In short, if new records are warped and returning/exchanging them is an option, then by all means return! Even if the tone arm tracks with good sound, I still say returning warped records is the only way the industry is going to remedy the issue. If people simply accept warped records, quality standards around vinyl distribution will continue to deteriorate. Of course, I’d say that expecting perfectly flat records with every purchase would be unreasonable, so with that being said, if I receive new vinyl that has very minor warp, I typically accept it and move on. If the warp is somewhat noticeable, then it should most certainly be sent back. It’s up to us as collectors to set the standards as to what is acceptable, and turning a blind eye simply makes the issue worse.

 

I purchased a copy of Blues Traveler's "Hurry Up And Hang Around" LP from Amazon and although there was no edge warp, as the tone arm moved inward, it began going up and down like it was on the ocean. The record clamp didn't help. It's going back to Amazon and it's replacement has already arrived.

 

Second vinyl copy i have received from Amazon.Com of Rod Stewart (Every Picture Tells A Story)
Warped. Great return service & I got the second album within a day, Not as badly warped as the dished in first one.

Replacement copy play's & Sounds nice..But still has a bit of wavy gravy to it. I guess i'll keep this one & Put some heat & Weight on it.
I may get lucky. & Only have to send back the one copy.

It sucks because this latest copy is nice & Clean with no clicks or pops. Must be a badly stored batch of that particular album.
It has the Back to black sticker on the shrink. Maby from 2015?