Brand New Vinyl Static and Pops

Had similar issue with Neil Young Harvest pressing bought brand new from Amoeba in Hollywood CA.  Took it back but they wanted to only allow me another copy of the same.  After negotiation I was able to get a credit instead and found a clean older used version.

As already stated by many, I clean (Pro-Ject Record Cleaner) all new vinyl just in case, but some new may just be defective.  You could see a pattern and color difference in the part of new vinyl I returned.

I also, clean my stylus regularly as even with clean or new records some micro debris can build up.  I used a Pro-Ject acrylic platter cover and have no issues with static.

A lot of new vinyl is noisy - moreso on average than back in the heyday of vinyl - in my experience.

Awesome Guys!

Lot's of great info here.

👍

Just about every new vinyl purchase needs cleaning when first opened.  It’s like the packaging plant is dusty or something.  Clean before you play.  

@oldaudiophile 

Sorry, but you're showing your age.  Most turntables these days don't have a dustcover, particularly at the high end.  I exited my last table with a dust cover, a Linn, in the mid-80s.  For a while I used to put a sheet of newspaper over the turntable when not in use but pretty soon I didn't bother.  I have no problem with static or with dust.

It occurs to me it is possible that cleaning fetishists create static on LPs with all the cleaning.  I only clean a record if I hear noise - Nitty Gritty, not US.  I then put it in a fresh Nagaoka inner so I know it's been cleaned.  I almost never have to clean it again.  I have c.3000 LPs and have only bought a few 100 Nagaoka sleeves, so I haven't had to clean many.  Most of my collection is second-hand but I am VERY careful to buy only records that look pristine and little played.