Warped vinyl- again!

[Robert]

I'm afraid it goes with the turf.
If you want to play and collect vinyl you must accept that a good portion of the collection won't be perfectly flat and a good percentage will be off-centre to some degree.

You can make equipment choices to minimise the impact of warped discs - primarily good arm/cart resonance matching and having low inertia in the arm.

Good warp filter also helps.

 

[JezmondTutu]

I've bought regularly from them over the years, seem to be doing fine to me, never an issue and good service.

None of the albums I've bought recently from Amazon have been warped, in fact the quality has generally been superb. Depends what you are buying I guess.

 

[DSCOTT]

I was getting a lot of warped new records a number of years ago. I decided to buy a Vinyl Flat and later the Groovy Pouch. This is one of the best investments I have made with respect to vinyl playback. Warped records are now a thing of the past - the Vinyl Flat and Groovy Pouch pretty much fixes the vast majority of warped records. When I bought it originally it was about AU$250.

As of now the Vinyl Flat is US$119.95 (+ shipping) and the Groovy Pouch is US$79.95 (+ shipping).

A record store owner bought a new record for his collection, however he couldn't play it as it was extremely warped - no replacement available as it was limited. I said that I would attempt to fix it for him with the Vinyl Flat - he was sceptical that anything could be done. Anyway, the record was fixed and was now nice and flat - he was impressed to say the least (there was no adverse impact on the sound).

http://www.vinylflat.com/vinylflatproducts.html

With all that being said, I find that I'm getting less warped records now (very few in fact) compared to a few years ago (no doubt I've just jinxed myself).

 

[Elephantears]

If I get a warped record (very rare occurrence) it is only from Amazon. In most cases it is the way it is packed or stored. It helps if you only order vinyl and nothing else otherwise your record may share a box with something else and this will more than likely cause a warp or worse.

I think it's the mailers they use, which are very thin. Sometimes they put the mailer within a large box, but even then I've had a warped one. I've complained about a couple of warped records and got replacements, so at least I can say they have good customer service with problems.

I am going to send Amazon a picture of a good mailer in comparison with the ones they use (I will use one from Norman Records; they use really sturdy ones). Perhaps if others do this too they might think about acting on it.

 

[mmaatt]

I can't see how the packaging alone can warp a record - it takes heat to cause a warp. By the time Amazon get vinyl it will have totally cooled from the manufacturing process.

If it were just the forces of tight packaging then it would be possible to flatten a record again using the reverse process, this is not the case - you need heat to unwarp the record as per DSCOTT's solution.

mat

 

[Klyde]

My therapy for warped records:
1. Bring back to shop (even a decent 2nd hand dealer should take it back);
2. (if 1. is not possible) Keep under a heavy object for a certain period;
3. (if 2. doesn't work) If the warp causes audible distortion or visual irritation, throw it out.

Regards, Klyde

 

[9designs]

The warp will come from the manufacturing process, internal stress in the plastic from the heat.
I would suspect due to demand they are trying to run at max rate so the process settings are getting abused, or the cooling cycle is compromised.

That said I've not had much problem....... perhaps just buy a deck that tracks better..

 

[Mike Reed]

That said I've not had much problem....... perhaps just buy a deck that tracks better..

Never known a deck to track that well ! As I found with an Amazon record last year,, even with a top class tonearm and cart., if you have a warp at the edge, cueing can be a dangerous hit and miss affair.

 

[Music freak]

The warp will come from the manufacturing process, internal stress in the plastic from the heat.
I would suspect due to demand they are trying to run at max rate so the process settings are getting abused, or the cooling cycle is compromised.

MY QUOTE] I can remember when I spent literally hours in shops that handled new - 'remainder' vinyl back in the 70's to the very early 80's . In some shops, you were even allowed /had the possibility of breaking its seal , to slip the vinyl out of its covers for self visual inspection,
As a result, checking say 5 to 8 copies - ' on offer' here &. there- starkly showed serious quality control issues : guaranteed -from bad manufacturing and handling issues.

"I.E : I do not know why ,but one particular examined vinyl example sticks in my memory for some reason. Though I was not seeking to buy, out of curiosity, I inspected a big remained batch of the U.S ( MGM Label) pressed soundtrack recording of the late 60's musical film "Goodbye Mr Chips" . All copies ... looked like a some worker at the pressing plant , with grubby hands ( after having a very greasy food lunch - that day) decided to leave his strongly made fingerprints and rub marks on all the discs.
Russian Melodiya vinyl discs also had a reputation being then, joking referred to, as pressed from the finest grade of Russian Govt. road bitumen .Another notorious label for bad quality and noisy surfaces - from back then was U.S Philips.
Frustrated U.S classical music buyers : were often known to go to the trouble and much added expense , importing individual copies pressed by Philips in Europe.