How much warping is OK?

[Bol]

I've been buying more vinyl recently, and some audiophile LP's I have bought have a bit of warping. I'm wondering how much warping is OK, and at what point I should try to return the records?  Is there some good rule of thumb?  Thanks in advance.

[sidewinder]

I usually tolerate just the very minimum, if at all. If the effect is at all audible or if the arm shows significant up/down movement then that would be a no-no for me. Have to say, haven’t had too much of a problem with this on audiophile issues of the last few years, it was more of a problem with those thin 70s/80s e.g. ABC Impulse, Savoy, Atlantic, Inner City etc.. There seem to be lots of warp reports on the Hoffmann Board, maybe I have been lucky.

On recent issues, I don’t think I have had a single issue with warping on Blue Note Tone Poet, Classics or Music Matters. A pretty good record.

Some of the worst warping I ever saw were from cheap US cutouts I bought in the 1970s, including some Liberty Blue Notes, Motown, Stax and Atlantics. The rumour was that these were used as ballast in shipping between NYC and Liverpool, then sold for a pittance to the big UK chains. I wouldn’t be surprised if Morris Levy was behind it, nor if they had been stored in or near the ship’s boiler room !

Edited February 4, 2023 by sidewinder

[Bol]

20 minutes ago, sidewinder said:

I usually tolerate just the very minimum, if at all. If the effect is at all audible or if the arm shows significant up/down movement then that would be a no-no for me. Have to say, haven’t had too much of a problem with this on audiophile issues of the last few years, it was more of a problem with those thin 70s/80s e.g. ABC Impulse, Savoy, Atlantic, Inner City etc.. There seem to be lots of warp reports on the Hoffmann Board, maybe I have been lucky.

On recent issues, I don’t think I have had a single issue with warping on Blue Note Tone Poet, Classics or Music Matters. A pretty good record.

Some of the worst warping I ever saw were from cheap US cutouts I bought in the 1970s, including some Liberty Blue Notes, Motown, Stax and Atlantics. The rumour was that these were used as ballast in shipping between NYC and Liverpool, then sold for a pittance to the big UK chains. I wouldn’t be surprised if Morris Levy was behind it, nor if they had been stored in or near the ship’s boiler room !

Very helpful.  Thank you.  The one I have a problem with is from Acoustic Sounds.  

[Kevin Bresnahan]

This has become a problem with vinyl these days. Some people have theorized that because most of these pressing plants are operating at full capacity, they might not be waiting for the vinyl to cool down sufficiently before sliding them into sleeves. I've received a couple of slightly warped Blue Note LPs from their Classic Vinyl series, pressed at Optimal in Germany, as well as several Blue Note Tone Poets pressed at RTI with some underfill and nasty edges.

I have pretty much given up on modern audiophile vinyl reissues due to problems like this.

[mjazzg]

No major warping issues on any of my recent purchases of new issues except one that came the furthest, from Australia. Biggest warp I'd ever seen, looked horrible when played, sounded OK but I wasn't keeping it. Label replaced it immediately.

I'm with Sidewinder, if it effects the sound or just looks too much of a wave it goes back. A very slight hardly noticeable warp survives.

[Teasing the Korean]

Part of this depends on how sensitive your ear is to pitch.  Some warped records will exhibit pitch drift, though not to the extent of an off-center pressing.  Also, you will notice the warps more with certain instruments.  Solo piano albums, for example.

When I have two copies of a record, if a warped or off-center pressing is in cleaner shape, I will likely keep the flat on-center pressing and deal with any minor surface noise.  I am very sensitive to pitch drift.

I have a room full of LPs, but I don't fetishize vinyl.  All media have their limitations.  I am not the audience for the recentish vinyl revival and its $50 albums.  I am happy with a CD or a lossless download.