I give up on new vinyl


After getting burned yet again by "audiophile quality" vinyl that sounds like 180 grams of paper getting crinkled next to a mic, I am done. My re-issued Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd albums sound especially bad. Do the record companies buy re-tread vinyl, melt it down, and think that adding weight will make it sound new? The only consistently dependable new vinyl IMO is Rhino and the Beatles Apple re-issues. I would say, for everything else you're better off buying the old, classic pressings. 
128x128mysteriousmrm

Showing 1 response by n80

I’m not into vinyl but have had two opposite experiences with new vinyl purchases recently.

#1: Astral Weeks - Van Morrison. Warner Brothers. 180g. Clear vinyl...not sure why. Sound quality is fine but there is a repeating pop during one of the songs. I should have returned it but waited too late. It has not been cleaned but I don’t think that is going to help.

#2: My Generation - The Who. Geffen. No special indications about weight or pressing. It is in mono like the original. It feels thicker and heavier than the Van Morrison album. No clicks, no pops, no hiss and SQ is great....for mono.

I don’t buy records often but this experience makes me wary. Is it okay to open and play a record and then return it?