Time for the Vinyl Revival to GET REAL

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by AudioAddict, Oct 5, 2019.

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  1. MBT68

    MBT68 I remember dates, names, numbers...

    Location:
    Chicago
    Vintage first pressings solves the problem. I don’t buy new Records’s and thus I don’t have the issue. Broke my rule once and ended up with a Black Crowe’s Southern Harmony and Muscial Companion that was spread out over 2 discs.. big bummer. Order of those songs super important to that records... I’ll stick with the old stuff. Works best for me.
     
  2. AcidPunk15

    AcidPunk15 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Brunswick, NJ
    I only buy new bands albums or new reissues from amazon. They have a great return policy. I would advise you to do the same.
     
  3. Kurt RUhlin

    Kurt RUhlin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    I'm not positive you are wrong on this but based on my conversations with the local brick and mortar owner, defective albums go back to the distributor for credit/replacement. Local stores are all about getting customers into the store - more buzz, more purchases. I mentioned earlier, my local store offers a 20% discount on all preorders (MoFi, One Step, whatever). They guarantee, the albums will be free of seam splits, bumped corners or pressing issues. If not, they will exchange them. I went though multiple copies of a well known audiophile version of a John Mayall album with the same pressing defect in the same spot. The owner worked with the distributor to finally get me a defect free pressing.

    Maybe its because I grew up browsing and buying from local stores in the 70's and 80's. To me there is nothing like flipping through shelves of records to find either what I am looking for or something I wasn't looking for that looks interesting based on cover art or credits. Hopefully, you'll get a local shop someday and experience the same.
     
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  4. Big Blue

    Big Blue Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I’m just going by what people here have said, but what you describe is how any retail return should work. It sounds like you’ve found a great record store, and I’d absolutely be taking advantage of that preorder deal.

    And I’m definitely familiar with the browsing experience you describe, though mostly with CDs (not quite as satisfying to flip through, but on the plus side they do fit more of them in the same space). I’ve spent a lot of time in record stores, and I do miss having ready access to one since moving to a more remote area several years ago. Were we to relocate again to somewhere more urban, finding a good record store would be high on my to do list. I love record stores, I just can’t be buying new records without an easy return process for the inevitable defects.
     
  5. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    Discogs confirms I have 41 "known" Rainbo disks, although about half of those are from before the '90s.

    True story: I once recorded and mixed for a band that had their record pressed at Rainbo, and it fell to me to be the one who confronted them after two rejected test pressings and one rejected production run. I have to give Rainbo some credit, as we were nobodies to them and they did eventually re-press a complete run of decent (actually quite good) records. But boy did we have to keep on them to do it right.

    There's a similar story with URP. Both plants are capable of doing good work, but to them the client is the customer - not the end consumer. Complaints always should go to the label, not the plant. Case in point: 4 Men With Beards.
     
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  6. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Some plants do certain clients disks better than their general output! It is a mystery why RTI do better Quality pressings for Intervention (Shane) than anyone else. Also Mo-Fi are above average for that plant. Maybe it has something to do with how much the client pays and pays attention to veting test pressings etc. Even GZ and Optimal achieve near perfection on some series of reissues while others are duds. I'm convinced that the Universal half speed Abbey Road releases get better QC by Optimal than anything else while with Tull reissues I have had to exchange practically every title.
     
    tin ears and Big Blue like this.
  7. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    If you have local shops that take returns - great! I'm certainly not shilling for Amazon or B&N. There are a couple of independent places I go to regularly for used items, but which as a rule don't take returns on new vinyl. One of them did for me once, but more like as an exception to the rule because I go there a lot. I appreciated it, but I don't want to have to feel like someone is doing me a favor by taking back a defective product. I perfectly understand how the system is rigged and that the little guy gets hurt the most by vinyl returns. It's not as if I *never* buy new vinyl from an independent store - sometimes I roll the dice. But since I probably return approximately 1 out of 5 new vinyl purchases, my reservoir of "favors" from my local store would likely dry up pretty quick if I was using them more for that.
     
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  8. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    If some shops take returns (maybe bigger concerns that rely on new vinyl) the story of eating the cost is probably bull. Maybe these small used product shops don't deal with the labels or their distribution direct? My guess is there is enough profit or credit allowed to deal with a percentage of returns. If you rely on new vinyl sales you can't afford to turn away dissatisfied customers.
     
  9. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    I have heard that it varies from store to store and the relationships that the stores have with their suppliers.
     
  10. GyroT

    GyroT Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    You gotta be a masochist to dig the groove, which I am and I do, but I like to think I am not a fool, so I buy with care, near mint is as low as I'll go and the choice of label pays dividends, so Ecm, will get my vote, new releases, tend to steer clear in the main, cos of the needle and the damage done. Only 15 newbies this year, whereas oldies by the ton. For the next wave of artistes Tidal will do!
     
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