@kevemaher I haven’t experienced any noisy pressings from AP - surfaces have been very quiet for the most part. But the number of warped records has not inspired confidence. I’ll see how they handle the returns/exchanges and decide whether or not to keep buying their releases.
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.
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@dweller It’s difficult to avoid sealed vinyl when buying new releases. |
I bought 180 gm; 45 rpm; good/better/best. I got warps, off center holes, noise, and yes, once an impassable vinyl lump in a groove. Replacements most often (not all) were better. Annoying at best. I don’t bother buying ’best’ or even ’better’ certainly not buying any 180 gm, and not bothering with 45 rpm either. They are or might be better, but it's not worth it to me. I buy used LPs on discogs, 1st sort by quality, then skim down looking for lower price, low shipping, already in USA perhaps, so far ALL my used purchases have been enjoyable. I don’t make any effort for ’best pressing’ either, it’s too much bother, the content I like would get my easily enjoyable attention on a cheap AM radio. //////////////////////////////// This is related to my good/better/best decision making https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/satisfying-is-not-settling |
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