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Why is some vinyl noisy?

I'm listening to a copy of "This Is The Moody Blues", a very fine record store find, and I'm amazed at how noisy the vinyl sounds compared to it's physical condition.

The record is nice and flat, looks great in bright light, heavyweight. It's very clean as it's just been through my VPI 16.5 cleaner with two fluid baths. The rig it's playing on is plenty good enough to get the best from this record: VPI Scoutmaster, Sumiko Blackbird, McCormack & Krell downstream.

Yet, this is a noisy, clicky, poppy ride. I don't get it. Is some vinyl just plain noisy, or is some surface damage too hard to detect? By the same token, an ancient, clearly scuffed RCA Living Stereo recording of Van Cliburn just sounds terrific.
forddonald
riley804
628 posts
 
I have gone through several copies of Hotel California and none of them are particularly good sounding pressing, yet some audiophiles say good ones exist

I have given up after 3.

But on the other hand, I have a B.B King album (Guess Who) that looks terrible, but plays perfect, and I only paid $1.00 for it. Go figure.
analogphil
44 posts
 
Vinyl has ALWAYS been a crap shoot. There are no gaurantees especially when acquiring used media. You don't know what kind of equipment was used, allignment issues, cleaning issues, etc. I'm always amazed when I play stuff that even after cleaning looks bad but plays breat. I have some that look perfect but play like s**t. You never know until you play em'.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I'm always amazed when I play stuff that even after cleaning looks bad but plays breat. I have some that look perfect but play like s**t. You never know until you play em'.
Analogphil (System | Threads | Answers)

Exactly.

This is the minefield that people need to consider before they jump into vinyl if they're starting from ground zero.
forddonald OP
2 posts
 
Very illuminating, thanks! Maybe this explains why my Cat Stevens albums sounds so remarkably good when they arguably shouldn't (not a major artist) and why CCR records are hit and miss.

At least I know it's not me or my cartridge! Now it's back to the dark majiks of setting tonearm alignment and other fiddly things I'm learning how to do for the first time.
mcp
2 posts
 
It is a strange thing...some LPs that look like they were used for frisbees sound great -- and nice, glossy copies sound terrible. This is why I try not to give up on older LPs I run across in thrift stores (especially considering that they're 3/$1). Picked up 7 or 8 London mono Rolling Stones LPs a few weeks ago that looked just plain awful. After a good cleaning, they sound terrific; the odd click here and there, but thoroughly enjoyable.
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