Roots Archives Forum

Does anyone know anything about the sound quality/pressing quality of old LPs on the Top Ranking International label?

I recently bought a Jacob Miller Greatest Hits LP that was sold to me as NM. The vinyl is clean, looks good, etc. but there is significant surface noise on certain tracks. I'm not sure if it was abused/overplayed by the previous owner or if this label's records just weren't pressed that well.

I've got some LP's and discos on the label and they sound fine I'd say. I don't have that one however and can't say if it's the press or if the previous owner had a damaged stylus.

Stupid advice perhaps but have you tried giving it a thorough clean deep in the grooves? I've noticed that some records look clean on the surface but have a lot of dust gathered in the grooves.

Not a stupid question. The seller says it was cleaned on a vacuum style record cleaning machine. I have a habit of cleaning every single used record I buy and about 80% of the new ones, so I cleaned this particular LP myself (Spin Clean + Air Dry) before playing it. If the record is dusty, the Spin Clean usually does the trick and gets stuff out of the grooves that a simple record brush can't.

So the record is definitely clean now. It has to either be a bad pressing or the previous owner played it on a rig with a worn out/damaged stylus.

I have a few LPs and 12"es on Top Ranking. Vinyl quality is fine. Those 70`s pressings have to be washed before playing them.
The stylus needs cleaning before every performance. I use a small carbon brush.
Once a year the stylus is under the microscope to check wear.

A worn out stylus or wrongly adjusted anti-skating spoils the grooves.

I bought "Fatman Riddim Section Meets Downtown Horns At Channel One" from a collector who used to care about his records. Spin quality is nice.
Music is a pleasure

The record was cleaned before playing it. Twice actually. My stylus is only a couple months old with very low hours. It was cleaned with an Onzow Zero Dust before playing the record.