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What do you do when you get a bad vinyl record pressing?

I'm not talking about just buying any record off the shelf, taking it home and discovering it sounds like turds. I mean when after you've done as much research as you could to find out what particular pressing is the best sounding of that album and purchased it online or found it in the wild. 

I had my latest disappointment with The Cult. I remember the album, which I had on CD, from my college days and recalled there were some pretty cool songs on the album. In fact I recall liking the whole album. I wondered how it would sound on my rig now? So I did the research and got a NM Canadian pressing. This is the honest truth - the whole record sounds terrible with no bass except for She Sells Sanctuary! It's crazy how the mastering of every song on an album may not be from the same recording. Many times it seems there is one song or a couple that seems to just sound better than the other songs on the album. 

I was really bummed out. That album could have been such a killer album. Bernie Grundman or Steven Wilson should remix it. So what do I do when this happens and I love the album?

I play it on another rig. A less critically serious rig. Most times these albums spring to life and are great. Is it the coloration of the vintage gear? Who knows but sometimes ignorance is bliss!

vuch

Showing 2 responses by pindac

pindac's avatar
pindac
3,091 posts
 

When it comes to Vinyl, there is reasonably cheap purchases that can prove to be not so valuable as a purchase when experienced in use.

Alternatively, there are Purchases that are much more expensive that can prove to be not so valuable as a purchase when experienced in use.

I would assume said Album has been acquired for approx’ $40 CAD, No Matter how you feel, it remains a $40 Album as condition is assessed on Visual and not ones thoughts on the recording quality.

I spent £750 on MC Cart’ that did not deliver to the level I believed it was capable of. I tried to eke the better from it and Jacked in early in the life of the Cart’.

I would assume I lost £300ish the first time I used it due to depreciation in value and the same Cart’ is today stored or offer out as a loaner Cart’ to individuals with a Temporary need for a Cart’.

Sometimes the best outcome is not to materialise, acceptance and moving on is a great freedom to give oneself. 

I have had my worst New Purchase of Vinyl Experiences through using Amazon, some Albums supplied are pure Cacca. Amazon returns Policy Helps massively, but multiple returns can have to happen until the ideal pressing is found.

How does that happen, are Amazon in possession of Pressings from multiple pressing plants, and some Plants or Shifts at a Plant are not as in control of quality as another?

Is today’s Pressing Plants producing a Large Volume of Pressings Specifically for Amazon and Low Quality Pressings are not pulled from the Batches produced?

Buying direct from an Artist as a Merch Purchase or as a Crowd Funded Group Buy, as my experiences have been, does not of yet, have records received that are not wanted to be kept. Quality issues are non existent.    

pindac's avatar
pindac
3,091 posts
 

In the Late 70’s - Early 80’s a lot of listening to Vinyl LP’s was done in a Friends Home, where a small group with Beers would have a evening of Music.

The Friends Room had a Foam Ceiling Tile, which had become the record storage area. My Friend had developed the skill to Spin Throw the LP and embed the LP’s into the ceiling tile.

Follow Up replays were fine, even from LP’s subjected to the storage method on a multitude of occasions.

A very sketchy recollection suggest the concerns for the LP’s was more to do with an individual falling over and landing on the Record Player devil

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