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New Re-Issue Vinyl: Surface Noise, Ticks, Pops....

It seems that paying an average of 30.00 to get new 180-200 gram pressings is a lot of money. And I don't mind paying it for a good clean pressing. But is seems as though I usually end up with surface noise , crackling, pops etc.. It is so frustrating to wait for records to come and when I play them I hear a record that sounds like I bought it in a used record store. Has anyone ever mentally kept track of what interent distributor seems to have the noisiest or cleanest vinyl? Or perhaps the pressing company/label? Do you clean them before you play to clean the releasing agent or play them right out of the jacket? I love the sound of the grooves and I believe the sound is better but, I just would like to have a good clean copy. Am I wrong to expect a tick and pop free copy?
Back in the early days I usually didn't get the surface noise till I played them a few times. That was cheaper vinyl and about 4-5 bucks.
128x128theo

Showing 1 response by elinor

elinor's avatar
elinor
275 posts
 
I was in the retail record biz 30 years ago in what was one of the largest and most successful record/audio chains of the era. Trust me when I say that a large percentage of records were defective. Anyone who remembers otherwise is not remembering correctly. The never ending stream of returned records to the distributors and record companies along with uncontrollable pricing in the oil industry in the 1970s eventually led us to the digital age. By the way, those $7.00 records in the mid-70s were viewed as expensive and the same remarks regarding price/quality were voiced then as well.

If you are not cleaning your records before your initial first play, the ticks and pops cannot be improved upon. You must clean them.
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