This phenomena drives alot of us crazy, I think. At the RMAF I put on Galibier's copy of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and couldn't believe the difference in quality from my own copy, which I bought new in '86 and have played only 3-4 times. It's apparently made of regrind, Thom's isn't. Same label. Go figure.
There is undoubtedly some effect from that new records are a relatively small market these days and the sales/dollar volume does not warrant the best quality control. NOS tubes demonstrate the same point - in the days when these items were mainstream and represented big bucks to big companies, competition seems to have forced a better product. There is good news as this seems to be turning around. Vinyl sales are up, as are vacuum tubes. There are actually a few good tubes being produced right now, and some good new records.
This makes digging for records in the used bin some great fun. Some of my very best vinyl has come $0.50 used from unlikely sources, some of the very worst I paid $40 new. Newer release rock vinyl seems to suffer worse than other genres.
Of course as the system gets better, quality differences between records stand out in greater relief.
There is undoubtedly some effect from that new records are a relatively small market these days and the sales/dollar volume does not warrant the best quality control. NOS tubes demonstrate the same point - in the days when these items were mainstream and represented big bucks to big companies, competition seems to have forced a better product. There is good news as this seems to be turning around. Vinyl sales are up, as are vacuum tubes. There are actually a few good tubes being produced right now, and some good new records.
This makes digging for records in the used bin some great fun. Some of my very best vinyl has come $0.50 used from unlikely sources, some of the very worst I paid $40 new. Newer release rock vinyl seems to suffer worse than other genres.
Of course as the system gets better, quality differences between records stand out in greater relief.