Bought my first new audiophile LP...back it goes


I opened my 200g pressing of Neil Young's "Prairie Wind" today. Had my Audio Intelligent cleaner all ready to go. Slipped the first licorice disc out of it's poly record sleeve...and it had three 3"x1/2" stains of some kind. I gently tried to clean them off using AI step 1 and AI step 2 and a soft cotton cloth, but to no avail. One other side was stained, too. So, back it goes to Elusive Disc. For $40 I expect the vinyl to be pristine and absolutely free of defects or stains.

Is this common with new audiophile vinyl? What a hassle...
tvad
Not had any problems, I buy my "audiophile" pressings second hand, there are a lot about. the added advantage is finding out of print pressings, many of the premium discs don't stay in print long. I spent 2 years tracking down a copy of Lorna Hunt's "All in one Day", it was worth it.
A label you colonials may not have heard of is Pure pleasure, a small UK outfit. All their pressings have been first class to date and they have some nice out of the way stuff. If you like jazz, I particularly commend Jim Hall's "Concerto", a real favourite of mine.
I am sure it has been done, but it might be worth everyone listing there 6 favourite Audiophile Pressings, both on the qualitry of the pressing and the music
I too am returning the new Norah Jones and Diana Krall classic 200 gram vinyl records. I'm glad the hear it's not just me. Both those albums have terrible noise embedded in the vinyl. The worst pressings I have every heard.
many pressing plants (this practice started back in the late 70's)use recycled vinyl. the plants themselves are more primitive than ever (old equipment,etc) because its becoming impossible to make money given the lp's tiny marketshare. even the 'virgin vinyl' product is not what it used to be.
I just got the new Diana Krall as well- the center hole was not punched through, and the vinyl surface is noisy and distorted- very disappointing. Some of the others from Classic have been superb.
I don't buy new "audiophile" vinyl, but I have bought vinyl reissues that happen to have been 180g pressings, mostly Sundazed but also some others, and most were warped to some extent right out of the wrapper (several also had some instances of intermitent noise pressed in the grooves). Personally I like standard weight pressings better; the more flexible records clamp to the platter more positively and seem to stand less chance of being warped. I think that if you are clamping, there is no real advantage to heavier pressings over a good-quality 120g ones. To me the whole heavy vinyl thing is a marketing gimmick to charge audiophiles extra, and apparently it has worked.