Long-time reader...infrequent poster...

In a nutshell...I bought the Mono vinyl box from Amazon and there were problems with one of the records which necessitated me having to return it. And when I say return I mean Amazon sent me a whole new box rather than just replace the one record which had the issue.

So when I initiated the return I had yet to play the copy of Beggars Banquet but did so while the new box was in transit to my house. I'm playing Beggars and first of all I notice a fair number of "clicks" which are not evident on any other LP in the box. BUT the worst part is that during "loud" parts of the songs the record skips. The skips aren't the typical ones but rather sound more like when you accidentally slide the needle across the vinyl.

Initially I thought it was great that I had a replacement box coming as I now clearly needed a different copy of Beggars. HOWEVER, the replacement Beggars does exactly the same thing!

My setup isn't the highest end but my turntable is a Technics 1200, bamboo mat, and an Ortofon 2M Red stylus. I realize that utlizing equipment designed specifically for mono records would be preferrable but I have to point out that I don't have this issue with any other record I own, in this set or otherwise. I should also add that I had the table set up by a professional when I bought the Ortofon.

So, I'm at a loss here. I don't want to return both sets but I'm also not pleased with the idea that I can't listen to this copy of Beggars.

Any thoughts/ideas on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

I don't think you need a dedicated mono set up, nor do I think there actually is such a thing for a turntable!

If no other albums skip in that same location when the stylus reaches that location you probably are experiencing a bad batch of a pressing. This has happened to me a few times with warped records. I have gotten a Dylan box set with an album so badly warped I could not play it. I returned to Amazon, got a new box set and the exact same record was warped. I then returned and ordered from Pop Market and got a good box set. So I think with quality control still lacking on a lot of new pressings you do get some bad batches. Return and order from another source.

Yep , bad pressing batch by the sound of it.

My first experience of that was with GHS when it was first released in '73.

I had six copies from the shop's original shipment before finding a good one from the next batch. They all jumped at the same point.

My deck at the time wasn't any great shakes but that was nothing to do with it.

FWIW, when playing mono records, if you have a mono switch on your amplifier, use it . They'll usually sound better this way as some types differential distortion picked up R & L will be cancelled out



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-03-01 19:56 by Spud.

Thanks for the replies. It boggles my mind that the quality control could be so poor. With both sets, especially the most recent one, a lot of the lp's were dusty or had little white bits on them.
In the first set the UK Aftermath had "gunk" on it which caused playing issues but I cleaned that off successfully. The reason for the return was that My Obsession had a big gouge in it.
When I refer to a mono setup I just mean a mono cartridge. I have an Ortofon Red Cartridge, not 2M as I listed above.

Yeah, it is the quality control. Vinyl is now being pressed on a much bigger scale than it was since the early 90s. So they are returning to what was thought to be a phased out technology, and a lot of people who were experts in the field are no longer there! So they don't have the manufacturing expertise nor the quality control. I spoke with a friend who said he has seen uncooled vinyl just staked on the the loading racks where they of course warp!
It got so bad for a while on Amazon that I stopped ordering because everything was coming to me warped.

Case in point. I just received the new Neil Young box set from popmarket and the first album was so warped I asked for a return. They said to keep the box and they would send me another one. So they did. The SAME album was warped. Not nearly as bad, but warped none the less, but sounds fine. So not a big deal. but I now have another box set for free! Crazy!

Probably just that album pressing as has been noted but just a thought that you might want to verify your tracking weight and anti-skid settings. I'd think if they were off you would have noticed this on more than just one album but again, doesn't hurt to check and adjust.

[www.youtube.com]

Quote
downagain
Thanks for the replies. It boggles my mind that the quality control could be so poor. With both sets, especially the most recent one, a lot of the lp's were dusty or had little white bits on them.
In the first set the UK Aftermath had "gunk" on it which caused playing issues but I cleaned that off successfully. The reason for the return was that My Obsession had a big gouge in it.
When I refer to a mono setup I just mean a mono cartridge. I have an Ortofon Red Cartridge, not 2M as I listed above.

Believe it or not the "little white bits" are usually scraps of paper that found their way into the vinyl...and some of them are bloody huge.
It's always happened.

My B&L discs are warped...and they're slight "swingers" [hole not bang in the middle].

Neither issue is extreme though...so I just live with it.

Lots of records aren't perfect, even brand new

...and despite what folks instinctively think, the better your turntable, the less it matters.

Update: Amazon won't send me another copy as is their policy but they offered me 20% off. They'd already knocked off $30 for another issue with the set and I originally paid $299.99 so, even with Beggars being crappy I feel like I did pretty well.