New Vinyl Defects

thanks again for all the input, it sounds like my experience isn't that unusual, and I realize a sample of 4 isn't a statistically valid sample to project 50% defects from.

I plan to return the 2 defectives, and will post how it goes back here. By the way, the 2 in question are 1) Johnny Cash "American V: A Hundred Highways" 180gm on Lost Highway Records; and 2) Lambchop "Damaged" on Merge Records. The Lambchop record is bizarre - on side one the grooves are cut off-center by about 1/4". How can that happen, I wonder?? Both are excellent. I cleaned both before playing them. I cleaned the Johnny Cash album a second time and listened to it again this morning on my second system. Same results on track one, so I think we can rule out equipment as the source.

Albert - your point on phono stage is interesting, and I didn't realize that the phono stage could introduce this kind of noise. I'm using a Lehman Black Cube SE into a Musical Fidelity NuVista preamp on one system (Cartridge at present is a Benz Glider LO. On the other system I'm using the internal phono stage of my TAD 150 signature. The table is a Pink Triangle Original, Audioquest PT6 arm, and a Grado Sonota cartridge. Should I be concerned here? I'd appreciate it if you could elaborate.

Finally, the emphasis on setup is well taken, and while I assumed I got it right, but I suspect if I'm honest I probably haven't taken as much care as I should. I'll probably give it anither go on both tables.

The number of people complaining of poor QC on new audiophile vinyl has increased quite a bit in the past year or so. It's a constant topic on VA these days and I've heard a few of these problem LP's myself. Careful examination has proven beyond any doubt that there are QC issues with the records.

As has already been said, careful mastering and good quality vinyl are no guarantee of a flaw-free record. Any mis-step during cutting, plating, stamping or cooling can produce a flawed LP, and those mis-steps seem to be happening more frequently.

I agree that 50% is very unlucky however. Such records should be returned for replacement or refund of course. Otherwise the manufacturers will have no idea and no incentive to improve their work processes.

***
Note to jmcgrogan2,

IME "pops and clicks" are usually the sign of biological contaminants. These are especially likely on older records and RRL will not remove them. Try Vinyl-Zyme.

Older records may have been damaged of course, but I have hundreds (thousands?) that are just as quiet as any new release. After proper cleaning I have never heard a noisy surface on any (undamaged) post-1970 Harmonia Mundi, French Erato, Telefunken, Archiv Produktion or German EMI, to name a few. Quiet surfaces were not a Y2K development.

Doug

Bdgregory: I don't believe that Albert was suggesting that phono stages are "introducing" this noise, but rather that, as you go up the food chain in terms of quality in phono stages that the better phono stages actually deal with surface noise, pops etc. in a manner that makes that type of noise much less noticeable. I experienced exactly that this week with a phono stage I have been auditioning, expensive but not outrageously so (by high end phono stage standards) at $900. I was shocked at how less obtrusive that type of noise was using the better stage.

Note to jmcgrogan2,

IME "pops and clicks" are usually the sign of biological contaminants. These are especially likely on older records and RRL will not remove them. Try Vinyl-Zyme.

Thanks Doug, I will have to try that.

John

HDM - thanks for the clarification - that makes sense.