Old records.

I’m beginning to think that my problem with analog is that I’m looking for it to have the same qualities as digital in terms of immediacy and accuracy. The two formats are indeed quite different.  If I listen to analog for the music and don’t get in the analytical mode it all becomes clearer.  The music indeed does come through but in a different way.

The other thought that occurs to me is that I have an old Conrad-Johnson (recapped by CJ) tube amplifier which matches wonderfully with my super accurate Benchmark equipment. Perhaps the mellowness of the CJ is just not a good match for the analog.

I realize my preceding comments are somewhat contradictory. Maybe I’m thinking too hard.

I never listened in analytical mode , the only exception were when i was acoustically unsatisfied and frustrated ..

Then i take the time necessary ( months ) to optimize mechanically, electrically and acoustically and begininng with the best synergy between components for sure as a starting point...

When this is done and i succeeded three times in the last years : 2 times with different speakers and with a system with headphone...I never look back nor listen anymore in analyical mode after that because all evidents defects perceptions pertaining to the three systems were gone or solved or decreased for the best ...In the specs limits of this system potential for sure ...

My three systems were low cost , mostly vintage , and the results is that i never listen with any defects in backtought as a pinch of insatisfaction when all was well embedded ...

Then i concluded that insatisfaction result in the lack of embeddings controls in any system at any price ...

There is a difference between vinyl and cd but this does not nullify what i just said ...

Buying and upgrading is not the solution , embedding each component with the others in the best way is the solution ... It was the solution for me in these three occasions then i dont know anything else...

It is not easy work it ask for study and experiments...

By the way , i quit vinyl soon before the cd era because the printing was so bad i was frustrated as a demon in purified water ...

I listened after that only Bach heavy european vinyl albums which did not deteriorate ...

When cd entered the scene i bought them and i was frustrated by their horrible sound for decades ...😁

In the last decade we had very good digital reading technology ...😊 It was then at this moment i begun to study how to embed all components for the best ...

Today with a well chosen low cost dac in a well embedded system there is no more war between bad digital and good analog ...

What matter now for a MINIMAL ACOUSTIC SATISFACTION THRESHOLD is the embeddings method not the product price at all ...

But many people dont want to study experiment and think and look for easy short-cut as upgades but we must do our homework , because each system in each different room /house must be treated in some specfic way in their three working dimensions, mechanical,electrical, acoustical and if there is many recipe to adress the mechanical and electrical problems ,there is no easy recipe for the acoustical relation between room speakers and ears .. We must experiment ... it was my experience ...

To answer the OP , many pop recording and even in other genre , were badly pressed ...It was the reason i quit buying vinyl long ago ...It is not a bad stylus which for sure do not help the case ...

Hey, I know sometimes audio can get frustrating. I amgoing to ask you to bring your questionable records to an audio store or a friends house whose system sounds good. This could be a setup issue even if some newer pressings sounds good. It does not matter if the cartridge was pre mounted unless you are using a conical stylus (circular). Do not give up. Some past recordings and even raw materials were not great. For some reason I get this weird error code when I try to look at members systems. It could be that your old vinyl was thin (120g) and your new vinyl is thicker (180g). By lowering the pivot point of your tonearm it creates more bass from the weight (VTF) of your cartridge. Find a second platter mat or put two of your old records you do not care about and put them both on the platter and play the top record. If you feel it improved then it is a VTF (cartridge weight) issue. 

hsounds, Can you explain further?  The change in VTF due to adding or subtracting VTA is real but very minimal for the amount of change in VTA that you describe.  Also, a modern tonearm that places the center of gravity of the counterweight in the plane of the LP surface will not much exhibit any change in VTF if you change VTA, even by a considerable amount. However, changing VTA does have an independent effect on tonal balance.  Usually people report that a "tail up" VTA causes a downward tilt in tonal balance (more apparent bass; less apparent treble), and vice-versa for a tail down setting, as you suggest.  That is more due to changing the contact patch between stylus and vinyl, as I understand it.