Grading Records Headphones Or Not ?

[Guest Voodoo]

Sorry ..but another novice question. I have been selling my personal collection .I have been grading their quality by listening to them via headphones.Is this the 'proper' way ?

[Pete S]

Sorry ..but another novice question. I have been selling my personal collection .I have been grading their quality by listening to them via headphones.Is this the 'proper' way ?

 

Don't think theres any rules - as long as you can heart it.  My stereo/hi fi whatever tends to make any crackle etc much worse than it is, so I tend to downgrade a little and people are sometimes surprised that I graded it lower...

[Guest Voodoo]

Thank You.

[boba]

I buy off of visual grade and that's more standard given that all the grading standards explicitly list visual guidelines. If you are going to grade aurally, make sure you at least explicitly state it and state what your grading standard is.

[Guest Voodoo]

Thanks ....I have been doing both..because the grading guidelines asked for visual as well as aural. e.g any scuffs/scratches etc...and any crackles pops..skips etc....do i state both then ?..i'm a bit confused.

Edited March 10, 2013 by Voodoo

[Tiberius]

Thanks ....I have been doing both..because the grading guidelines asked for visual as well as aural. e.g any scuffs/scratches etc...and any crackles pops..skips etc....do i state both then ?..i'm a bit confused.

Everyone would agree you are wise to state both if they are different, as in the case of some badly pressed, or styrene, records where you could have a new old store stock 45 that plays lower than visual grade.  You often see them described as "visually M- plays VG+" or whatever.

[Guest Voodoo]

Thanks...but i don't state both(even though i do both)...because the guidelines combine both aural and visual in their grading system.

[Guest Voodoo]

The original question i asked was about whether it is better to use headphones or speakers to grade records aurally.I found that any crackles or pops were more prominent when i listened through headphones....i'll be glad when my record collection is sold.

[Kev John]

The original question i asked was about whether it is better to use headphones or speakers to grade records aurally.I found that any crackles or pops were more prominent when i listened through headphones....i'll be glad when my record collection is sold.

Hi Voodoo

 

If i was selling i would grade through speakers IMHO

 

atb Kev 

[Guest Voodoo]

Thanks 

[Chalky]

Thanks ....I have been doing both..because the grading guidelines asked for visual as well as aural. e.g any scuffs/scratches etc...and any crackles pops..skips etc....do i state both then ?..i'm a bit confused.

When vinyl discs were pressed and the excess trimmed, the excess was re-ground and reused on further 45's. because it wasn't virgin vinyl if would often get things like air trapped in it and this would give the 45 background noise. One of the reasons a record might look mint but doesn't play mint. Many styrene might look mint but could have cue burn or the quality has deteriorated as styrene does.

As others said if there is a difference in play and visual then state this.

[Guest Voodoo]

Thank you... will do that. Much obliged to everyone that gave advice.