I've had this album ever since I was a teenager back in the 80s. I picked it up mainly because it featured tracks by Freddie Mercury of Queen and Jon Anderson of Yes, two of my favorite bands at the time. This album has been stored well over the years and I recently gave it a spin, here are my notes:
S1 - Sounds great! Fairly quiet between tracks
S2 - Great sound, very 80s!, fairly quiet side.
Overall, a great sounding album with not much in the way of surface noise. The jacket, vinyl and sleeve are all in great shape too, enjoy!
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My Vinyl Grade: A-
Goldmine/Discogs Rating:
Vinyl Play: VG+
Visual Grade: VG+
Album Jacket: VG+
Inner Sleeve: VG
A = A real find! Not perfect, but aside from the stray pop or click, this is a very clean and more quiet listening experience. If there's a step below brand new, this is it.
B = A truly great album! While this does not sound brand new, the album features only a very light amount of surface noise, pops/clicks and should not interfere with your enjoyment. An enjoyable listening experience!
C = A pretty good album. While this one isn't unlistenable, the static, pops/clicks are pretty noticeable both during and in-between songs.
D = An album with many flaws! Unfortunately, this album is so noisy that it's hard to truly enjoy, even if the music itself sounds great. Some pops may be loud, frequent or recurring. I'm not likely to list an album like this.
F = Best to avoid! This album not only has more than enough static, pops and clicks but also has skips, perhaps that recur. Upon inspection, album may have damage to cause skip(s). I will not sell these kinds of albums.
About My Approach:
Ultimately, I want you to be happy with your vinyl purchase. In order for my descriptions to be as accurate as possible, I decided to purchase a mid-range turntable after being away from the vinyl scene for over a decade. I intend on listening to every single album being listed so that I can report to you as fairly as possible what to expect with your purchase.
I have a pretty decent vinyl collection that stretches back to my childhood from the late 70s through the mid-80s. Also included are albums I purchased new and used during my "vinyl revival" in 2013 along with others I've picked up along the way. I'll do my best to provide some history on where the album has been for the last 10+ years.
None of the albums I am selling have skips due to permanent damage on the vinyl. Everything listed has been tested to play through without skipping. I'd say 90% of all the skips I've encountered (and fixed) have been the result of dust, often clumped and stuck in the grooves.
In the event that you experience a skip, try cleaning the album as I have repaired many of them (some recurring) simply by doing a deeper clean. Feel free to message me for any guidance in this area!
Aside from skips being my #1 annoyance and main reason for not selling an album, a close second would be too much surface noise.
Sure, I expect an album to have SOME audible wear and tear but when the noise competes with the music and there's too many pops and clicks, the album may not be worth listening to.
Please note my 1-5 Grading Scale above along with my specific notes for each album. I have tried to be as accurate as possible so you know what to anticipate and have a satisfying buying experience. As another reference, I'm also including what my rating would be based on the GM/Discogs vinyl grading system, which you can preview in detail below.
RETURN POLICY: I want you to buy with confidence! In the event that you are not satisfied with your vinyl purchase, please know my return policy ensures there is absolutely no risk to you. Simply drop the album back into the mail and I will pay for return postage.
PLEASE NOTE: In case of a return, please try not to damage the original box so it can easily be repurposed for return shipping.
My sound PREFERENCES: Of course, pristine albums that are extremely quiet are always the goal. However, there are plenty of imperfect albums that I really enjoy too because they have tremendous range and/or you can hear the music without much distraction from pops/clicks. I have attempted to note any albums noisier than this where you can hear continual pops/clicks with the music. I pulled many albums that were too noisy because I thought if it distracts me, it's probably not worth listing (exceptions would be if the album is extremely rare.) Between providing my own rating along with the GM/Discogs rating, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect.
As For VISUAL GRADES: I've seen enough vinyl to know that how an album looks and sounds can be two completely different things. I've seen albums that look awful but sounded fantastic and others that looked perfect but sounded dreadful. Because of this, I place very little value on visual grades alone. For me, it's more about how an album SOUNDS and having an enjoyable listening experience. Below is the GM/Discogs ratings system that I follow:
Goldmine/Discogs Vinyl Grading System:
Mint (M)
Vinyl
Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed. Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all.
Near Mint (NM or M-)
Vinyl
A nearly perfect record. A NM or M- record has more than likely never been played, and the vinyl will play perfectly, with no imperfections during playback. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as any sign of slight handling. An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits, cut-out holes, or other noticeable similar defects. The same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves, etc.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
Vinyl
Generally worth 50% of the Near Mint value. A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Defects should be more of a cosmetic nature, not affecting the actual playback as a whole. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK". The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. Spindle marks may be present. Picture sleeves and inner sleeves will have some slight wear, slightly turned-up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear, and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation, or cut corner. In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint.
Very Good (VG)
Vinyl
Generally worth 25% of Near Mint value. Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time. Goldmine price guides with more than one price will list Very Good as the lowest price.
Good (G), Good Plus (G+)
Vinyl
Generally worth 10-15% of the Near Mint value. A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be played through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise, scratches, and visible groove wear. A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear, or other defects will be present. While the record will be playable without skipping, noticeable surface noise and "ticks" will almost certainly accompany the playback.
Poor (P), Fair (F)
Vinyl
Generally worth 0-5% of the Near Mint price. The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and writing. The LP cover barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully split, crinkled, and written upon.
My SOUND SYSTEM: Yamaha receiver; Klipsch speakers w/sub, Audio-Technica turntable.
I hope you enjoy your vinyl purchase and please let me know if you have any questions or issues!
Thanks!
Ant