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QC at QRP

Let me start this post by saying that I'm a long-time supporter of Acoustic Sounds/Analog Productions, and think Chad Kassem has done the analog community a huge service by reissuing so many great recordings of the past on high quality vinyl and with beautiful packaging.  That said...

I recently placed a fairly substantial order from AS that included several jazz and classical reissues pressed by QRP.  As the reviews all say, the packaging is beautiful and the recordings from that batch that I've listened to so far have sounded very good.  However, I am a bit disappointed in the quality of some of the QRP pressings.  At least half of the records in this batch are noticeably warped.  I'm not expecting the utmost perfection in terms of record flatness, but some of these are warped to the point where the clamp on my Michell turntable isn't able to get them reasonably flat - and the Michell clamp is the most effective one I've ever used at tightly coupling an LP to the platter.  Without the clamp the records are unacceptably wavy.

I keep asking myself if I'm being unreasonable in my expectations and maybe I am. But these are 'premium' $40+ records from a company with their own pressing plant and that touts the quality of their pressings at every turn - 'Quality' is in their name, after all!  A couple of the records also have spindle holes that are drilled so small that the records can't be placed on the spindle without excessive force.  And, once on, removing the record from the spindle is another adventure.  Not acceptable IMHO.  

I'm tempted to return close to half the records in this order, but I'll probably limit it to the most egregious cases.  If the Michell clamp can reasonably flatten a record then I wont return it. 

Are others experiencing similar QC problems with QRP pressings?   YouTube channels like Scott Wilson's The Pressing Matters and others seem to universally praise the Analog Productions/QRP LPs - I don't think I've ever heard Scott complain about warped LPs from QRP or discuss other pressing anomalies like poorly drilled spindle holes.

Maybe I've just been unlucky, but I'd love to hear the experience of others.

lpluvr
kevemaher's avatar
kevemaher
418 posts
 

I stopped buying any Analog Productions offerings about five years ago after the test LP they sent me "The Ultimate Analogue test LP" had the spindle hole so far out of center that I could hear the wow as the frequency of the 1KHz test track was modulated by the off-center hole. On REW, I could see about a 50Hz deviation around 1KHz.

Some test record, huh!

Prior to that I had purchased a few of their other offerings. All are now stored far, far away in a very dark place. Huge amounts of surface noise and pops and clicks happening multiple times per surface.

I have many stereo LPs made in the 50s thru 60s that are far quieter and run true. Decca and London labels mostly, although there are a few RCAs as well.

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dweller's avatar
dweller
3,932 posts
 

Returned a Classic Records Zeppelin reissue, to Music DIrect, which was obviously "dished". Replacement was fine.

A Premium, numbered, Hendrix "Are you Experienced", purchased new at a T.H.E. Show, had and impassible bridge in the groove. Made the Stylus jumped out.

Always play your vinyl soon after purchase and beware of "sealed" vinyl as they may have defects.

hickamore
774 posts
 

As one who has not acquired a new LP in 20 years, I must say these experiences are beyond unacceptable. I own many audiophile "test" records, virgin vinyl, half-speed mastered, etc., NONE of which had ANY of the defects mentioned here. It would be nice to claim that I quit buying when quality fell off, but that would be false. I quit buying because there was no need for more. Good timing, it seems.

lpluvr OP
78 posts
 

@slaw  I’ve been collecting records for nearly four decades, and I’ve never felt the need for a flattener. I would hope that a company like Analogue Productions could manage to produce a reasonably flat LP without requiring its customers to invest $1K in a device to correct the pressing plant’s production defects.

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