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
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.
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.
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
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.

Right, but ultimately, the logo that's on the final product is that of the record company, not the pressing plant (at least I don't see pressing plants listed anywhere on the cover these days except for the stickers on the plastic wrap). If anything, the QC process should be doubly enforced by both the pressing plant and the record company, and it seems neither cares that their product is of a much lower quality than they claim or should be the norm.

Vinyl records are truly a peculiar industry; any other product that is continually offered to consumers and manufactured with no attention to quality would either fail in the market, or the manufacturer would be sued under a breach of warranty cause of action. Hell, I would even tack on a false advertising claim for good measure. But record after record, we are duped into buying an inferior product wanting to hear this or that artist on superior sounding vinyl. Isn't that called fraud?

The suggestion that there is a backlog at pressing plants should be no excuse. It just makes stronger the argument that it's all done for the biggest profit at the lowest possible cost with no regard for the quality. That is unacceptable.