QC at QRP

Lpluvr, did you listen to “Relaxin’”? Because AP purchased Classic Records in 2010, and my pressing of that LP is the one of a 5 record set on Classic that was grossly distorted on at least one cut. If AP used whatever they bought from Classic to generate that LP, perhaps it’s sonically defective, not just warped.

@drbond I did initiate the return process using the form on the web site.  Unfortunately, there are a couple of LPs that are just outside the 30 day return window.  I had to travel out of town for a family emergency and this delayed me in checking out some of the LPs.  I guess I’m going to be testing their leniency there as well.

@lewm I’ve been doing marathon listening sessions to get through all of the LPs I ordered and I honestly can’t recall if I listened to the entirety of Relaxin' before deciding that it needed to be exchanged.  I’ll listen to the whole thing today and see if I hear any distortion.  Do you recall which track was affected and what you heard?  

I buy a lot of records from Acoustic Sounds, and plenty are QRP pressings.  I rarely receive a warped record and when I do they are easy to do business with.  The internet generated RMA is typically responded to within 1 day and if it's a QRP record they always send a new copy without the jacket, if it is a non-QRP product, they request the return with their accompanying return shipping label.  An easy process, so long as you remain in the 30-day window.  I once went past 30 days (about 40 days or so) and they were very lenient about it.  That said, my return rate is about 5%.

Their tight spindle holes are 100% consistent on all QRP pressings.  At least, that is the case for me on my turntable.  I use a Clear Audio spindle hole reamer.  It takes just a few seconds, and the record is a perfect fit.  I believe that the tolerances in spindle production vary enough that the presses QRP uses just don't work well with those spindles on the higher side of tolerance.  I could be wrong, but that is my guestimate.

I find that all of the QRP records have excellent sound quality.  However, my real complaint is that far too many have surface noise that is well beyond what the maximum should be.  I tend to think they are skimping on vinyl quality.  A high-quality vinyl formula goes a million miles in quiet surfaces.  The pressings I get from RTI are consistently quiet.  I have never received a noisy record from Impex but I often do from QRP.  Vinyl formula is my only conclusion because mastering, plating, and pressing at QRP are all excellent.  If anyone has more to offer on that subject I look forward to hearing about it.  

I believe you will find that Acoustic Sounds will work with you in the most honorable fashion.

@mammothguy54 Thanks for chiming in. 

I did receive a response today from Acoustic Sounds and they will be replacing all of the defective records - despite some of them being a bit outside the 30 day return window.   Can't complain about their customer service, it's been excellent.

Given the high number of warped records I received, I guess it's possible that the package was subjected to excessive heat along the way from Salina to the west coast - or I was incredibly unlucky.  Either way, hopefully this was an anomaly and things will go more smoothly moving forward.   

BTW, you're not the first person in this thread to mention high levels of surface noise with some QRP pressings.  That's not something I've experienced to date.  Unless I'm less sensitive to that, but I'm pretty picky so I doubt it   Do you have some examples of the noisy LPs you've received?