Vinyl labels to avoid?

[Geek]

Hi folx

Reading recently an article that Rhino is a CD label to avoid for deliberately introduced defective soundquality (for that "retro" sound), I am concerned too of vinyl.

I'm just re-building my vinyl collection and have been using albums by Jean Michel Jarre as acoustic references. I have noticed that many 70's era albums (no classical or jazz albums though) have artificially enhanced highs, to the point I have to place an EQ inline Others, have almost nothing above 2KHz (not worn-out neither, I broke the original seal on the record myself). Not limited to those "Poly-tel" or "K-tel" cheapies either.

Is their any advice someone can share with this vinyl n00b to avoid costly pitfalls?

Thanks

[Brett]

Originally posted by Geek
Is their any advice someone can share with this vinyl n00b to avoid costly pitfalls?

Learn how to set up your TT properly. Not trying to be a smartarse here either.

[Geek]

I'm pretty sure I got that part down. The classical and jazz albums sound great!

[Brett]

Originally posted by Geek
I'm pretty sure I got that part down. The classical and jazz albums sound great!

OK. Just thought I'd make sure as it's usually the first thing less experienced vinyl people get wrong; made presumption of your experience level as both of your 'fault' descriptions sounded like mistracking and/or alignment errors.

[fdegrove]

Hi,

I have noticed that many 70's era albums (no classical or jazz albums though) have artificially enhanced highs, to the point I have to place an EQ inline

Hmmmmm............Never noticed anything like that.

Reading recently an article that Rhino is a CD label to avoid for deliberately introduced defective soundquality (for that "retro" sound), I am concerned too of vinyl.

I don't know whether or not the guys at Rhino manipulate the original soundtracks but this is a label that specializes in "old" rock and pop reissues. Most of these actually do sound "retro".
Other than that I suppose we could be happy someone goes to the trouble of putting them back on sale.

If it's a MM catridge you're using you can do some fine tuning just by loading the phono input using a little varicap in conjunction with the loading capacitor.

Cheers,

[Geek]

Originally posted by Brett

OK. Just thought I'd make sure as it's usually the first thing less experienced vinyl people get wrong; made presumption of your experience level as both of your 'fault' descriptions sounded like mistracking and/or alignment errors.

Quite correct!

Fortunately I had a great teacher, Fred Nachbaur, before he passed

Originally posted by fdegrove
If it's a MM catridge you're using you can do some fine tuning just by loading the phono input using a little varicap in conjunction with the loading capacitor.

Cheers,

That may be. I have a Shure 70B cart and the specs say something about 90pF loading, but I found the flattest response with 220pF. I'll reduce that somewhat.

[Gaucho]

I'm just re-building my vinyl collection and have been using albums by Jean Michel Jarre as acoustic references. I have noticed that many 70's era albums (no classical or jazz albums though) have artificially enhanced highs, to the point I have to place an EQ inline Others, have almost nothing above 2KHz (not worn-out neither, I broke the original seal on the record myself). Not limited to those "Poly-tel" or "K-tel" cheapies either.

An interesting topic. Perhaps you could list a few of the recordings that have the 'enhanced highs' so others with the same album(s) could hear the effect for themselves.

I've read that in some '70 folk music the highs and lows were cut inorder to optimise the sound for AM radio.

Also, IMO the over-use of compression has sucked the life out of alot of albums. A good example is Diesel's Watts in the Tank album.

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

I can state that Liberty and World Pacific were some of worst in terms of overall quality.