Too many bad pressings lately
 

I've come across an unusual number of defective brand new records as of late and was wondering if I've just been unlucky or anyone else is experiencing this as well. I will say most have come from Barnes and Nobles and wondering if they are sourcing differently than say Acoustic Sounds which I haven't had much of an issue with other than the Star Trek Beyond soundtrack ... I've swapped it out 4 times now and can't get a decent pressing. I'm not just being picky ... these have deep enough scratches to make the needle skip on all of the records. Otherwise lots of pops and clicks on many new albums lately. New James Taylor is very clean though! :banana:

If both B&N and AS are selling a current issued remaster or a new LP of the same group/title; it eventually traces back to the same source.

If it's a new LP -- not a remaster or say MoFI or Analogue Productions, and pressed on typical 135-150 gram weight, I've been unlucky in the past and had to return it to get one which is more acceptable. There was one I bought at a brick and mortar a number of years back that I returned 3 times and on the 4th I asked for a refund. Other forums discussed the poor quality, so it was more widespread than being unlucky.

Best Sir,

Bob

Most of the bad pressings are coming from the same plants that are at the bottom of the food chain. They pick up jobs when the big boys like Pallas have a waiting list. Before you order you need to do the best you can to find out who the pressing plant is.

I have received one from Amazon that was bad, the newest Diana Krall. It has severe distortion on loud piano notes.

I too had issues with my copy of the latest Diana Krall. Swapped 3 times before giving up due to same exact issue ... something sounding like a scratch every time the record spins around but can’t see anything. All three records. Wish they would get this fixed. As a kid buying records it was rare to get a bad one and when you did swapping it out took care of it. Had a similar issue with one of the new Star Trek soundtracks. Swapped out 4 times to no avail.

I would have sent mine back except I waited too long before playing it so it was beyond the return time.

Knock on wood (head) seems I have no major issues with new pressings. Most of what I listen to is pressed overseas at places like Optimal Media GmbH, MPO, GZ, Pallas and Record Industry. These plants consistently press high quality output...

Where I have had issues is on US plants like Pallas, RTI, QRP......lots of scuffing and vinyl surface that looks old.
My Fleetwood Mac Rumours pressed by Pallas US has a scratch on Side 1 the length of 2 songs....bought at a store out of state so just dealing with it. Might buy another one local if I see it.

I guess vinyl is being the victim of its own success. Not enough plants to cover the demand so quality is lagging. I've had my fair share of warped records mainly due to not letting the vinyl cool down enough.

I had an issue with Lana Del Rey's Born To Die. I got it twice from Amazon (returning the original copy) and gave up. I am now trying a UK source hoping the pressing is different/better.

Something to consider SL. Your issue sounds more like overload of the phono. The Mac phonos don't handle loud passages well with medium output MC carts. Correct me if I'm wrong but yours looks to be 0.8mV. Need to plan on a preamp that can handle 10x this for any cart which would be 8mV for you. Your Mac phono tops out at 5mV so you will get distortion on ceartain loud passages.

I have a similar problem with Mac phono and a Blackbird cart (0.7mV).