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How Much Surface Noise is Too Much?

Just curious as to a range of opinions here. At what point is an LP unworthy of being played with your stylus/cartridge? Should one expect a used record store to give refunds on LPs which turn out to have more than a certain amount of surface noise/warpage and, if so, how much damage/defect should be criteria for getting one's money back? Any other thoughts along this line?
lg1
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Most people have their VTA set incorrectly. When it is properly set, the surface noise of an LP will be presented in a different plane from the music. Our sensory gating mechanisms can deal with this much more easily and tolerance of these abberations becomes much greater.
jlc76
37 posts
 
I don't know which stores you are shopping at but where I live all the stores give some type of guarantee for defective new records. Usually this involves exchanging it for another copy. I took an LP back to one store this week and swapped it for the CD as the pressing was just unlistenable. As for used vinyl, most stores will give you at least an in-store credit.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
"How Much Surface Noise is Too Much?"

Isn't that a Jeff Foxworthy routine? Heheh.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
5,112 posts
 
My turntable is almost as quiet as my CD player...if occasional scratches ...pops, tick's, etc. are discounted.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Let’s assume the OP knows what a quiet LP sounds like in his system, and
let’s also assume his analog rig is quiet and properly set-up before we start
making him feel inadequate without justification.
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