A Question for Vinyl Fans

[Tenorman]

I have a couple of LPs that I bought second-hand. They both appear to be unmarked. However there is approximately half a second of what I can only describe as "static" every revolution on the first track. This gradually reduces in intensity, until, by the second track it has disappeared. You can hear it on the run-in as well

On one of the albums, this effect is on both sides, on the other, it is only on side A. The "static" comes only from the right speaker.

My first thought was an off-centre hole and the previous owner had been playing a very heavy tracking weight, but neither LP displays any tell-tale movement of the arm.

Anyone any ideas what this might be?

[wolff]

Since it looks unplayed/new I'd guess it's a pressing flaw that's been with the record since day one.

[Leeway]

A small stain or scuff might be the cause. Put the LP under or near a strong light (lie a reading lamp) and look along the plane of the vinyl. My guess is you will spot whatever is causing the noise.

[jazzcritic]

Another possibility is that there is (or was) a minor edge warp, which caused the stylus to bear down a bit extra. It may be gone if the LP has been packed tightly and filed vertically or at the bottom of a large flat stack, yet the wear remains. You ought to try cleaning it with Discwasher or a VPI machine if you have access to either one.

[Tenorman]

Thanks, guys,

Even a close inspection reveals no apparent damage. The warp idea might be a possibility on the one that has the noise on one side only. The one with the noise on both sides is a puzzle since it is at precisely the same spot on both sides, which would indicate the off-centre hole theory, which is not born out in practice.

I think if I had bought these new with that noise I would have returned them. I only paid £3 for them so am not too worried by the loss of a couple of tracks.

Unfortunately I don't have access to a cleaner. With the amount of Vinyl I now have, I suppose I should get one but you can buy a lot of Vinyl for the cost of one of those things

[Newport Rebel]

you don't have to buy a cleaning machine persay. I mix of 1/4 or less isopropyl alcohol and 3/4 or more distilled water and scraps from a soft, old t-shirt should do the trick. Just apply with the grooves and wipe off with the grooves. It's not the job you'll get from a machine like a Nitty Gritty, but its how most folks clean their vinyl.

[Tenorman]

What? You mean I shouldn't put them in the dishwasher? But those plate racks hold them so well :D

Yeah I have tried the cleaning bit and I am afraid that the noise has to be put down to damage or a manufacturing fault.

I had wondered if anyone else had experienced it, given that I have two, purchased from two different shops - a Gerry Mulligan - "Walk On The Water" and a Peggy Lee - "Sea Shells". Different labels as well

Very strange :confused2

[Donny]

Tenorman

These are usually pressing faults. I bought a Phil Woods Quintet "Live" Double on RCA some years ago with the same problem years ago and took it back and swopped it for a new pressing three times with no succcess. I was so pleased when Novus did a "best of" CD of the session and I was able to hear the album properly at last. Although I've got 2500 LPs, I must admit to trying to replace most of the important ones on CD (where available) or transferring them to CD with some computer based anti-click software, however this takes so long I'll be long dead before I get thru' half of my collection.

The crackles and pops on a lot of LPs does not thrill and spoils a lot of the music for me. I just want to believe I'm there at the session and the noise of many LPs just buggers that up for me. AND yes I've got a first class Linn turntable to play them on, but it all depends on the quality of the pressing. Interesting that the best pressings in my collection are more often than not Japanese imports, (better quality vinyl?).

PS Anybody want to buy 2500 jazz LPs (when I've transferred the best of them to mini disc, if I ever get round to it).

[Tenorman]

Aw come on Donny. A good LP pressing will beat a good CD pressing any day. Especially on vocals. I am a big Julie London fan and she sounds far better on LP than she does on CD. I have an immaculate Dynagroove, that brings out detail that no CD can come near to.

But thanks for the info on that. Someone obviously decided not to return the new LP, but got rid of it on the second hand market so that some mug would buy it - i.e. me

[Donny]

Aw come on Donny. A good LP pressing will beat a good CD pressing any day. Especially on vocals. I am a big Julie London fan and she sounds far better on LP than she does on CD. I have an immaculate Dynagroove, that brings out detail that no CD can come near to.

Tenorman

Doesn't it really depend on the hi-fi gear one has? I'm pretty happy with my set up but when I get around to playing LPs I'm always surprised at the excellent sound, especially from decent pressings but there's that occasional surface noise that really spoils ithe listening experience for me. The Phil Woods is one example but there are a lot more, Pat Martino's "East" on Prestige which I had for years on a mint LP was dreadful, I was so thrilled when it was reissued on CD. I know it's my problem but checking out CDs against the same music on LP, give me the CD any day. It doesn't always work though, I had a brilliant Tommy Vig Big Band on LP and was excited to see it reissued on CD, result absolutely dire, back to the LP on that one but I've found that with most transfers from LP to CD I prefer the CD.

I'm off now to check my Julie London's LPs against CDs.

[Tenorman]

I chose my words carefully - there are some really crap re-issues on CD - the Soft Machine Third album appears to be one being discussed elsewhere.

I don't know whether price is considered to be an indicator, but my Michel Mycro record deck cost less than half what my Musical Fidelity A3.2 CD deck cost. One of the UK Hi-Fi magazines was doing a lab test on Vinyl, CD and SACD. The results showed that SACD was marginally ahead of Vinyl and CD came a poor third. The frequency range is one of the main reasons. CD chops the top end, which is probably why I prefer female vocalists on Vinyl

[Donny]

Tenorman

I've only got an Audiolab 8000A amp, Linn turntable and a Marantz KI signature CD player but maybe with my advanced years (I'm an OAP, just) the top end of my hearing has gone anyway, but most of my CD collection sounds pretty good, apart from the occasional dire transfer (and no bloody surface noise). Probably what I'm saying is that I'll sacrifice that extreme top end (which I probably don't hear anyway) for the lack of surface noise, cracks and pops. So many of my LP albums have been ruined for me by poor pressings. As I said I don't have major problems with most of my Japanese pressings, most of which I seem to have picked out 15 years ago at a stupid sale at Tower, where I think I bought about 30 of so Jap imports at £3 each.

[Tenorman]

By all accounts, the Linn is a damn good deck. The Marantz KI was the one I replaced with my current Music Fidelity one. The Marantz had started refusing play certain CDs - a repair was going to be expensive so I upgraded

I ain't no spring chicken myself, but top end has an affect, even if you cannot hear it.

Last year I saw a demo of super tweeters. On their own, you can hear nothing, but switch them on over a pair of standard speakers and there is a notable change - very weird

[JPW]

The crackles and pops on a lot of LPs does not thrill and spoils a lot of the music for me.Hi. I don't want to sound brutal, but if you're getting lots of crackle and pops, then a) your vinyl is not clean, and b) your deck/arm/cart is setup wrong.
I just got a VPI cleaning machine, and it is a revelation, really amazing and well worth every penny (is that a ringing enough endoresement). I picked mine up for $500 (including shipping to Japan) from www.amusic.com. Be warned, the 220~240v model is heavily backordered :D


PS Anybody want to buy 2500 jazz LPs (when I've transferred the best of them to mini disc, if I ever get round to it).I could be interested in this. What have you got?