Problems with Radiohead’s OK Computer al*** (vinyl format)

Brian

From recollection I don't recall any excessive surface noise between Paranoid Android and ...Alien. This record does have a lot of ambient, spatial noise, that's tic for tack with the music. Is that what you are talking about? I'll give it a whirl tomorrow to double check.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of vinyl rig are you using?

Aric

Aric you know that it was your “P3 Dynavector thread” that got me thinking about LP playback.

Yep, I totally agree about that ambient noise thing but what I wasn’t prepared for was the about of information the LP was giving compared to my CD copy. Maybe I am confusion surface noise with what really is a lot of ambient and spatial noise.

It’s very kind of you for double-checking.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Aric:Just out of curiosity, what kind of vinyl rig are you using?Aric

I have a Nottingham Analogue Interspace turntable, with an Origin Live Encounter tonearm, and an Ortofon Kontrapunkt B cart. It’s hard to explain but my rig communicates music like there’s no tomorrow.

Hi Brian,
I have just checked my copy, vinyl that is, and between tracks on side one, no surface noise at all, silent.
I don’t think you would be mistaking surface noise for ambient sounds or something that is supposed to be there.
You don’t need me to tell you the quality of your vinyl playback gear, but it is either particularly sensitive to surface noise or the pressing is at fault. I would bet on the latter unless it is common to other discs.
Hope this helps,
John.

Brian,

Nice! I double checked and there is nothing out of the ordinary...or at least anything that is not ambient sound like John and I said. I have a cd copy as well, but the amount of information that's extracted off of it is nothing compared to my vinyl copy.

You have a better TT setup than I have, so perhaps you're getting more info(?).

Did you buy your copy of OK Computer brand new and sealed?

Aric

Firstly I want thank you guys for checking this out for me (very appreciated).

quote:

Originally posted by Aric: Did you buy your copy of OK Computer brand new and sealed?

Yep, I bought it brand spanking new.

What I’ll do next is double wash the LP and then spin it a couple of times letting the stylus do its thing. Then I’ll decide to have it sent back or to keep it.

Oh, and thanks for your the kind words concerning my TT,

Brian

Brian

Let me know how it comes out. I'm starting to suspect you may have a bad copy. Have you compared it to the cd version? How would you characterize the difference?

Aric

quote:

Originally posted by Aric: Have you compared it to the cd version? How would you characterize the difference?
Aric

Aric when I first played the vinyl copy of OK computer I thought it sounded shitty. I was expected to hear crystal clear sound reproduction (à la CD) but with tons of detail (à la vinyl). What got thrown at me instead were lots of low-level detail and the layering + texturing of the music was / is just great (sorry but I’m finding it hard to explain). I do find that the CD version plays louder (sound level wise) but when comparing it to the vinyl the CD definitely has less detail (with my CD5 that is). One great example at how the vinyl version communicates the artist intentions is very much evident on Airbag (around the 3-minute mark). The music or tempo speeds up in an uncontrollable fashion and at a certain point it almost seems that the music skips (when this happened I actually though that my stylus had skipped out of its groove) very cool effect on vinyl but kind of lost on the CD version.

I know I suck at trying to explain (sorry about that) but I find vinyl just lets the music flow in a way CD cannot.

Aric if you like U2 and if you don’t already have it you should give Achtung Baby a spin because it too contains tons of that low level detail thingy. It almost made me wet my pants when I first heard it.

Loving my vinyl,

Brian

Brian,

I do like U2 and I have Achtung Baby on cd. I would LOVE to get it on vinyl, but I have not yet seen it available.

You're right though, vinyl just communicates better. It's more fluid and tangible. Definitely worth the extra money and time spent trying to locate artists that you already have their cds.

Aric

quote:

Originally posted by Aric: I do like U2 and I have Achtung Baby on cd. I would LOVE to get it on vinyl, but I have not yet seen it available. Aric

You're in luck

Diamond Groove Records

Hi this is my first ever input into this forum so I hope I can use it to be helpful....Achtung baby IS out there on the shiny black lovely stuff.I`m looking at my copy now.So the serial number your hunting for is 510347-1 on the Island label of course and in my opinion its the only U2 lp worth buying after the josh......re ok computer.there is no probs with mine either. This brings me to a question.Have any of you ever found that cleaning a seemingly poor pressing of a new record has actualy made it sound even WORSE! any views are welcome...

Lapdog
I have played my vinyl copy of OK Computer using an Origin Live Silver tonearm and a Linn Ekos.

The Origin Live digs out more detail than the Ekos it also has a brighter sound with more surface noise this is probably due to the type of wire that Origin Live use in their tonearms.

quote:

Originally posted by Ivor J:This brings me to a question.Have any of you ever found that cleaning a seemingly poor pressing of a new record has actualy made it sound even WORSE! any views are welcome...

Yes - Nityn (sp) Sawhney's "Prophecy" - my mate managed to accidentally drop some flob on it while turning it over at a party (and he was the ONLY sober one there!!!). A clean removed the flob, but the surface noise went up!

Brian,

It seems I wasn't looking hard enough.

Thanks for that.

quote:

Originally posted by Ivor J: Have any of you ever found that cleaning a seemingly poor pressing of a new record has actualy made it sound even WORSE! any views are welcome...

Ivor, welcome to the forum.

I use Disc Doctor and I haven’t found it to make my records noisier. I’m guessing that if you have a noisy or bad pressing already then it will most definitely bring out that noise even more but on average I would say no cleaning in its self doesn’t make it worse. If you’re going to clean your LPs then I would recommend a double rinse and if possible some type of vacuum assist device (I use KAB’s EV1).

Hey Lapdog thanks for the welcome. I feel realy at home now! I will take your tips on board......Cheers Ivor.

I have Achtung Baby on vinyl, it's such a quiet recording, I have to turn the volume right up to get a decent level albiet I use a modest Rega Planar 3, but no problem on most other LPs.

quote:

Originally posted by alex95:
I have Achtung Baby on vinyl, it's such a quiet recording, I have to turn the volume right up to get a decent level albiet I use a modest Rega Planar 3, but no problem on most other LPs.

Yep, I too was struck with that same impression but you might want to consider (if you haven’t already) washing your LP.

Brian