New Record Sounds Like Crap - How???

Lots of good advice above, and I can echo the experiences of Jependleton, Nsgarch and Rauliruegas. I have experienced everything they said (except that I've never used Last, or Groove Glide either).

One more thing to try before you decide poor QC and poor vinyl is to blame: an enzyme based cleaner. Strange as it seems, even some newish records have biological contaminants. These usually sound like intermittent snaps, crackles and pops. A thorough dosing with Buggtussel Vinyl-Zyme removes most of them. Follow with RRL as a final step. You need Vinyl-Zyme in your cleaning arsenal anyway. While it's not common for new LP's to need it, it's virtually guaranteed that older ones will.

Good luck,
Doug

I have luck using the aerosol Micro Care Premier record-cleaner as a first-treatment for those older still sealed records described by Nsgarch. At 20 bucks a can its kinda pricey, but it seems to work well for mold release agent. Available wherever fine potions, unquents and lotions are sold - Smart Devices, Acoustics Sounds, Music Direct, etc.

Tim

Is anyone looking (listening) at the fact that one might have a incorrectly set up TT? The reason why I introduce this idea into the thread is most all my Analogue Productions Fantasy series prove to be some of the best, if not the best records I've ever heard. And pardon me but, that's saying a lot as I've been collecting records for forty years.

I concede that in the analog (vinyl) world, it's all about getting the right pressing, in good shape and that takes a lot of hard learned knowledge and some luck. Mold release is an issue but, I feel it is somewhat over blown as the boogy man of all surface noise.

New pressings are not necessarily the problem though many old original/first pressings better represent true high fidelity but, it gets complicated. Record collecting (for the music) is not an instant gratification, always. I could give you a list a mile long of great current pressings or reissues that are superb to my ear and quiet. This is the whole thing IMHO that got early digital an undeserved start in the first place. Most folks didn't want, or didn’t know how, or couldn't afford (priorities?!) a well set up deck to play on so they kept blaming the (poor) vinyl quality.

Please, with all due respect I say these things because most everything I play on my TT or my friends TT's sound remarkable with one caveat and that is more or less vinyl will never be, on the whole, as quiet as a digital format but, close. So maybe you need to assess your personal tolerance to surface noise. That said, If you have a real nice TT, IMHO there is not a digital format available that holds a candle to analog for real sounding musical reproduction. SACD is on the right track but, still falls short. It is worth mentioning that I use a live acoustic event as my point of reference to what music should sound like at home on my HiFi. It’s also noteworthy to mention that I have owned a Linn Sondek Lp12 since 1982 and had some real nice decks before that.

I don’t know your background with TT’s Pawowski6132. I could only suggest making sure that your deck is set up right and that it is enough deck for your ears to be satisfied. I don’t believe the vinyl, by the most part, is the problem.

Best of luck. Happy Listening!

RF Sayles; it's ironic that you should say that because I just recalibrated my TT using a new protractor I bought. Not to mention that I continued to listen throughout the day to other used records I bought and cleaned that had indiscernable surface noice. I really think it's this particular record. Also, as was assumed in earlier threads, I don't this is NOS. I think it's a relatively late pressing. I'm going to look at the over-the-counter recommendations listed above as a possible solution (pun intended.)