How to review your vinyl test pressings (part 2)
Last time in this series, we went over the basics of what a test pressing is, and why they’re always important to review before approving the full vinyl production run. We’re continuing that conversation today with some additional questions answered.
You can also reference the Greg Lloyd Mastering Studio Vinyl Test Pressing Guide for more information.
What sonic issues can you safely ignore when listening to test pressings?
Cold-pull
Because test pressings are produced in limited quantities, where the press hasn’t had the time to reach its full operating temperature, they can sometimes be susceptible to a phenomenon called cold-pull. Cold-pull can cause excess pops, clicks, or surface noise to appear on a record, but as long as those issues don’t occur in the same place across all of your different test copies, they’re nothing to worry about.
Inner groove distortion
It’s normal to hear small amounts of distortion on the last tracks of a side (the ones closest to the center label). This happens because audio wavelengths get compressed as the diameter of the disc gets smaller towards the center.
I wouldn’t worry too much about very small amounts of distortion on the tracks closest to the center label, but if you hear distortion in other parts of the record, make a note and contact your account manager.
It’s important to note that inner-groove distortion can be mitigated to a significant degree by proper track sequencing, and masters that are made specifically for vinyl, before the pressing ever takes place.
It’s one reason (of many) why I recommend paying for dedicated vinyl masters that are separate from your digital masters.
A qualified mastering engineer should be walking you through all of these potential sonic issues, and the steps that can be taken to mitigate them, before you ever send your tracks off to your vinyl pressing provider.
What should you do if you find a potential mistake in your test pressing?
Check your turntable setup
First, make sure your turntable is correctly set up and calibrated. If the tracking force on your individual turntable is set too light, it can cause skipping or skating around the disc during playback.
If the tracking force is set too heavy, it can cause excess surface noise.
It’s easy to confuse these types of turntable setup problems with a production or pressing mistake when evaluating test pressings. Setting up a turntable is pretty simple to do with a few basic tools, and many record shops and hifi audio shops offer affordable turntable setup services.
Check/clean your stylus
Make sure that the stylus on your turntable isn’t too old or worn down, and gently clean any dust or dirt off of it, if there’s any present.
Listen on multiple turntables
An easy way to isolate these issues, if you don't know how to calibrate your turntable or change/clean your stylus, is to listen to your test pressings on multiple different turntables. Take your test pressings over to a friends house, and see if those skipping or surface noise issues reoccur in the same spots across all of your different test copies.
Addressing issues
If you’ve discovered a legitimate manufacturing issue with the pressing, communicate with your pressing provider! The whole point of doing test pressings is to make sure you’re completely happy with the end product, and we all want to make sure the full production run works out great for you.
For any issues that you find, make sure that you catalog the character, time, and disc side where the issue is occurring (e.g. “Recurring skipping across multiple turntables and test copies: Side A at approx. 01:39”).
Most pressing providers will also ask for your catalog number for the project as well, so make sure you have that on hand.
The Greg Lloyd Mastering Studio Vinyl Pressing Guide and Mastering FAQ are regularly updated resources, and here to answer even more of your mastering questions.
