I'm hearing things


I wonder if anyone can explain why this happens. Between tracks I sometimes hear the start of the next track before it happens! I hear a very faint rendition of the first bar before the music-proper comes in. It's kind of ghistly and rather disconcerting! This is only discernable when I listen to a record with the volume quite high and I don't think it's with every record I own.

What causes this? Is this a fault or feature with the record pressing itself or due to some incorrent alignment/setup?

Any help, very much appreciated. Thanks.
nickatkins

Showing 3 responses by rcprince

That was done on purpose--it's on my original copy and every one I've heard out there. Same sort of effect, though.

Worst print-through I had was an audiophile re-issue of the Proprius album Cantate Domino, which sounded like it had a continuous pre-echo on the whole album.
It's called pre-echo and it's normal with most non-audiophile pressings of records (on records made from old master tapes, this sound you're hearing could also be tape saturation/print-through). It generally is the record's fault, unless it comes from the tape saturation/print-through, in which case it's the master tape's fault. Now if it had been a CD you were talking about, you'd likely be hearing things.
Print-through actually can also show up on CDs from old master tapes--I've heard it on a few of the Living Stereo re-releases. Not much the folks pressing the record can do about it.