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Brand New Warped albums!

First, let me say I LOVE Music Direct.  They have always provided me with good service, very quick shipping and very high quality products.  I will be a forever customer.  I received 4 albums for Christmas that I ordered.  I received Pink Floyd "Obscured By Clouds & "Meddle" and also Led Zeppelin 2 and 4.  All but one of the albums were warped.  I contacted MD and they arranged 3 new albums to be sent to me and I returned the old ones at no charge to me.  All 3 of the new ones were warped but I decided to live with it.

Last weekend I ordered 4 more albums from MD, Yes "Fragile" & "The Yes Album Box set recorded at 45rpm.  I also received Stand Up by Jethro Tull & DSOTM by Pink Floyd.  The packaging was more than perfect.  Excitedly, I opened and played the first record from The Yes Album box set and the record is severely warped.  It is so warped that the tonearm looks like it's going to fly off the record!.  I haven't played the other records yet and will probably play them on Saturday.  I did not write this to bash MD as I know they will do right by me but I am concerned about receiving so many warped records.  What I would like to know is this the new normal?  I can't believe I just have bad luck.  All of the records were 180gram vinyl.

I would like to hear from others who have ordered from MD and if your records arrived warped.  Again, let me be perfectly clear....I am not blaming MD as they just ship out the records which they receive from their distributor and have no way of knowing if the records are warped or not and they always make good on anything the customer finds unsatisfactory.  Am I being too picky?
128x128stereo5
tooblue
1,927 posts
 
@slaw , just googled the Vinyl Flat and that is interesting. Do you use it with the Groovy Pouch they offer for the heating or do you use the oven. Don't get many albums where this would be needed since I use a record clamp with a peripheral ring clamp with my VPI but when I do it looks like a cheap way to fix that problem.
vegasears
1,173 posts
 
Back in the late 70's early 80's when buying LP's, I had them open them up and put them on a TT and verify it was good.   The most disappointing warped LP was Clapton & Winwood "Live From Madison Square Garden" 3 LP Box Set.  I bought it while visiting California (I live in Nevada) and opened it weeks later.  Of the 3 albums, two were warped so bad they were unplayable.  I called them and the Manager said, "Didn't you see the sign, All Sales are Final on box sets".  It pisses me off every time I cross the border which ain't often.
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,396 posts
 
@tooblue ,

I use the pouch.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 
@slaw, if it's not asking too much, I would love to hear your tips on using the Vinyl Flat (and Groovy Pouch, if you also have that).
nkonor
635 posts
 
stereo5,

I have been a Music Direct customer since the beginning. #0001. I received the new Beatles, "White Album" , Rocky Racoon had  a skip pressed into it. Called MD customer service and they emailed a return FedEx shipping label that afternoon. The next morning, I drove to MD and they cancelled the return, notified their shipping dept. and exchanged my copy for a new copy. The best, as always. Yes, it is nice to live a 40 minute drive away. MD will take care of you.

I agree, that is a lot of warped records, in such a short time. No, that is Not being too fussy. Flat Records play and sound better. Flat records is what we should all expect. Back in the day. I was fussy and returned all records that had too many tics & pops, warps etc. Never a problem, just exchanged for new copy of the same: as I did with MD and the White Album.

Except for a few albums that I bought used and escaped my visual inspection, 99% of my records are mostly flat. A lot of albums do have (for lack of a better description), a "Wave" They play fine, the tonearm does what it is supposed to do. Still, I do think that the records could play and sound better if they were really flat. Just play a record that is flat and a copy that has a "Wave" or play a new MOFI UD1S or a UHQR and watch your tonearm. I think that, you will agree.

This is exactly why I have been saving my "nickles". I am, almost ready to purchase an "AFI Flat". A record flattener made in Germany. It not only flattens records; It has a, RELAX Cycle, that relieves the stresses introduced to the record when pressed. Yes, It is Spendy. 2850 euros.

It is a risk, for an esoteric audiophile tweak. Aren't they all ?  I thought the same thing when I got a VPI16.5, Furutech De Stat and De Mag,  Ultrasonic cleaner, TipToes,  First pair of ICs  and many that I would be embarrassed to mention. I have a boxful.

All of us, should be fussy. Especially about our Source / Records. It all starts here.

Best on your Journey.
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