Brand new vinyl - what’s acceptable to you?

@mulveling Well said!  FWIW, I buy a lot of records every year both new and used. Not including an estate record collection (~8,000) acquired last year, probably an average of 10-12 new records a month.  In the past 5 years I can only recall one instance when I had to return a record as unacceptable.  Perhaps you are correct and our expectations are lower.  The records we are getting now are generally much, much better than the ones available when I bought my first records in 1960. I still have those records too, and all the ones bought between then and now.  Oh yes there is a difference and yes I can still hear it.

@dogberry FWIW, I get around the full platter contamination problem on my VPI, basically the same issue you describe on your Loricraft, by using a microfibre cloth to wipe it off as I turn each record over.  It is a minor issue anyway.  For the benefit of others who might not know about these machines I offer the following.   Another potential issue that you don’t have on the Loricraft is the potential for contamination on the surface of the record by the vacuum pickup tube during vacuuming.  The Loricraft (and Monks) machines use a string that continuously passes between the the pickup tube and the record surface to prevent contamination.  VPI uses felt lips that come in continuous contact with the record that pick up both the fluid and suspended debris off the records surface during drying.  In consequence the VPI lips do get contaminated.  The trade off is that the Loricraft is slower, but inherently cleaner.  The solution for VPI users is a dedicated tooth brush or similar, which should be used after vacuum pickup on each side of each record.  

+1 @mulveling 

My collection is a single digit percentage of what you have. I too find charm in the medium even with its flaws. That said, I was trying to get a handle on what others expect. I can live with “mostly” quiet. I can’t live with a scratch.

As noted earlier - most of my stuff is classical. But, I’m listening to my new Who’s Next on polydor/UMC half speed master on 180g. It’s dead quiet and sounds fabulous! So much so that it sounds quite different than I’m used to. Far more depth/ spatial information. For those of us who love classic 70s rock - highly recommended.

I don't want any noise on a new record but true perfection is not easy to find. Cleaning is important, that's for sure but flaws in a new record are something that I despise. I have found more flaws in modern 180 and 200g re-masters than I have in originals from the 50's on through modern times. I will seek out original pressings whenever possible. Clear and colored vinyl often tends to be cleaner in SQ than black vinyl but I also have a lot of excellent black vinyl records as well. It's not a perfect media but it sure can come close at times. 

I’ve had to return a higher percentage of records from audiophile labels than the rest. Just had to provide photo evidence of the destroyed, Lp 1 in the latest Hendrix/Axis UHQR in order for a replacement. 

@slaw I have as well. Often too late for me to return, as I would just put them in my collection still sealed and not play them for a year or more. I mostly avoid the re-masters now, having had so much trouble with them. Many of them I have found to be inferior in SQ as well, compared to originals. Disappointing when you spend $40 or more for something that is supposed to be high quality or "Audiophile". Some are great buy many just are not.