I give up on new vinyl

I have plenty of success with both old original vinyl and newly remastered reissues, but I am collecting almost entirely classical and jazz.

With that said, it’s like everything else. Vinyl reissues run the gamut. Some come from nefarious outfits using CDs as mastering source and crappy, noisy pressings. Some are outstanding, using 1st gen master tapes and taking care to produce a top notch product on quality vinyl (e.g. Music Matters Jazz for Blue Note, Analogue Productions Prestige and RCA Living Stereo).

I am listening now to DG Classics’ reissue of Bernstein’s Beethoven symphony cycle from 1980, half-speed mastered by Emil Berliner Studios in Germany on 180 gr. vinyl and presented beautifully in a box with individual sleeves for each symphony. Surface noise is almost non-existent and the music (and SQ) is sublime.

YMMV, but vetting reissues can be hard.

I’m not into vinyl but have had two opposite experiences with new vinyl purchases recently.

#1: Astral Weeks - Van Morrison. Warner Brothers. 180g. Clear vinyl...not sure why. Sound quality is fine but there is a repeating pop during one of the songs. I should have returned it but waited too late. It has not been cleaned but I don’t think that is going to help.

#2: My Generation - The Who. Geffen. No special indications about weight or pressing. It is in mono like the original. It feels thicker and heavier than the Van Morrison album. No clicks, no pops, no hiss and SQ is great....for mono.

I don’t buy records often but this experience makes me wary. Is it okay to open and play a record and then return it?

Are some of these recordings mastered in digital?