2. analog
  3. 1375503272

Do you know why

the vast majority of today's records are warped regardless of where they are pressed? This has come to a boiling point with me in the recent months. I've bought numerous records, most of them heavy vinyl as is the trend these days, and the vast, vast majority of them are seriously warped, to the point that I would not play them without my periphery ring. Warped heavy vinyl records have to me now become the norm. I suppose my anger and frustration have been particularly fueled by warped records pressed at RTI or QRP, which are considered and hold themselves to be the best pressing plants in the business.

I recently returned a Norah Jones album pressed at Kassem's QRP as it was horribly warped (in addition to being pressed off center), which I find absolutely unacceptable at a price of almost $40. Then I put on a brand new Black Sabbath album (Heaven & Hell with the late Dio) pressed at RTI and the record has warps and bumps throughout so bad that I can't even stand the thought of subjecting my Delos' suspension to over an hour-long torture test. Julie London superb sound-wise 45 rpm $50 reissue by BoxStar? Warped. Most of my MoFi albums, which are pressed at RTI as well, are also warped to some degree, although easily tamed with the ring, thankfully. So seriously, WTF?!!!!

In contrast, the vast majority of my used records from the '60s, '70s, and '80s, all of them pressed on the thinnest vinyl, are perfectly flat with a rare exception here and there.

I simply do not understand this phenomenon. Do you?
actusreus
actusreus OP
733 posts
 
Raul,

I completely agree with your sentiments. I used to curse under my nose for a few seconds, then slap the periphery ring on the newly acquired warped record, and move on. But after experiencing, record after record, new vinyl being warped and pressed off center, I've decided I will contact the record company to express my discontent, disappointment, and disapproval. I still want to support the vinyl revival by buying new records, but I agree with you that perhaps not buying might just be a stronger statement.

I think this issue is critical as vinyl has been seeing an unprecedented resurgence. Seems to me, almost all of the discussions on the topics covered in the analog thread are just about irrelevant if the vinyl record that is at the very center of music reproduction is warped and/or pressed off center. Is that Schroeder or Durand tonearm, Atlas or Anna cartridge, mounted on an SME or Caliburn, to use extremes, going to perform to the maximum of their potential if they have to play warped and off-center records? A flat, perfectly centered record is the baseline without which any comparison or evaluation is just about useless. And yet the record companies shamelessly pretend to embrace and promote vinyl playback when they are really in it only to cash in on the revival with the lowest possible cost to them, and in reality don't give a damn about the quality of both the sound and the pressing. It really makes me angry as a vinyl enthusiast and a consumer.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,305 posts
 
What does it say about the vendors of modern vinyl if their product is of such poor quality? THose vendors that have this issue cannot expect to survive assuming their target consumer is an audiophile. Frankly, I doubt that is the target in most cases. Too limited a target audience. I really think its more about marketing records as another trendy way to sell poor quality product to the masses however possible.

Maybe there are certain labels/makers that are more reliable than others. I do not know. I have not bought any "new" vinyl, only the good old stuff whenever I find it.
jjrenman
279 posts
 
An awfull lot of the blame is being placed on the record label companies. It seems to me they do not own the pressing plants that would need to slow down their production to ensure less warped albums.
csontos
1,311 posts
 
I'm pretty sure no new vinyl presses are being built. Heck, there's probably scores just sitting around rotting or collecting dust. Who do you think received an epiphany all of a sudden and decided to go into business, pay the licensing fees, and take you guys on a 3-day voyage to Gilligan's Island? Never to return!! Dupes!
jjrenman
279 posts
 
From what I've read pressing plants have a huge backlog currently.
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