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Colored vinyl?

Madeline12

Madeline12

Super Member
How do fellow AK-ers feel about colored vinyl? I have a few in my collection that sound fine and I quite enjoy :) But how about you guys? Like it? Hate it and prefer the classic black? Let us know and post a few you have if you can!

Here’s mine:
HOME - Odyssey. Translucent orange vinyl. Only 500 pressings made. According to Discogs, worth $1200. :) Lucky Buy.
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Dum Dum Girls - End of Daze (Loser Edition). One of my favorite albums in college.
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Lorde - Melodrama. Unfortunately got a little scratched, but still no skips :)
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I have a few more, but these are the three that I probably cherish most. Let’s see ‘em!
 
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onwardjames said:
I love my A Perfect Circle record (13th Step). Sounds great. I also have Kings of Leon's newest "Walls" in the same white as yours above. Also sounds great.

Picture discs are, in my opinion, of the devil. Almost always get some type of rumble or noise.
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I do have a picture disc of Colour By Numbers by Culture Club, but mostly because I was looking for a quick buy of the album and this was all they had. Doesn’t sound too bad, but I can’t say I disagree :)
 
I think colored vinyl is neat, though a bit of a novelty. It doesn't seem to affect sound quality, best I can tell, though it does trick some of my fancier turntables which use optical methods to determine record size. Another issue I notice is that, during the winter, they tend to build up static to a higher degree than standard black vinyl records. I've started usng a Zerostat gun in an attempt to cut down on the pops I get when cleaning dust off of colored vinyl using my carbon fiber brush, and it seems to work for the most part.
-Adam
 
AdamAnt316 said:
I think colored vinyl is neat, though a bit of a novelty. It doesn't seem to affect sound quality, best I can tell, though it does trick some of my fancier turntables which use optical methods to determine record size. Another issue I notice is that, during the winter, they tend to build up static to a higher degree than standard black vinyl records. I've started usng a Zerostat gun in an attempt to cut down on the pops I get when cleaning dust off of colored vinyl using my carbon fiber brush, and it seems to work for the most part.
-Adam
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Interesting. Wonder why?? I hadn't noticed that, but will now pay attention.
 
onwardjames said:
Interesting. Wonder why?? I hadn't noticed that, but will now pay attention.
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The theory generally given is that it has something to do with the lack of carbon black in the clear/colored vinyl formulation. Sure, I've had to deal with conventional black vinyl records which have some static built up, but it doesn't seem to be to the same degree or frequency as with colored vinyl. Naturally, the effect is most commonly observed during the winter, when humidity is low, though it sometimes crops up during the summer as well.
-Adam
 
I have quite a number of colored vinyl in my collection; the only issue I have is it’s more difficult to see flaws than standard black. No picture vinyl though - never cared for them.
 
AdamAnt316 said:
I think colored vinyl is neat, though a bit of a novelty. It doesn't seem to affect sound quality, best I can tell, though it does trick some of my fancier turntables which use optical methods to determine record size. Another issue I notice is that, during the winter, they tend to build up static to a higher degree than standard black vinyl records. I've started usng a Zerostat gun in an attempt to cut down on the pops I get when cleaning dust off of colored vinyl using my carbon fiber brush, and it seems to work for the most part.
-Adam
Click to expand...

I’ve noticed this too. Much more static on the clear or colored vinyl. I still like them.
 

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I have one picture disc (Beatles Sgt Peppers) it sounds better than my regular copy. I have half a dozen or so color discs they all seem to sound fine. The only thing I don't like about color discs is that my Technics SL-MA1 has an optical sensor to determine the size of the disc. It thinks there's no disc and shuts down.
 
I consider a record being of coloured or clear vinyl a bonus. Especially when I’m not expecting it.

A Grand Funk LP bought used was clear gold vinyl and a Simple Minds LP I bought new was clear/clear vinyl. A friend gave me a recent release by Dave Hause that is on really nice red pin wheel/spatter vinyl.

All the coloured stuff or clear vinyl I own have no sonic abnormalities except one. Devo - Are We Not Men? on marble vinyl. It has a little surface noise.

Out of curiosity, I bought a couple of LP’s from the 1950’s - can’t remember what label. Apparently they distinguished their product by pressing onto coloured clear vinyl. The specialty might have been songs from Broadway shows. One of mine is My Fair Lady on clear gold vinyl. Not my cup of tea content wise but it sounds OK. What interested me was merely being clear vinyl from the ‘50’s.
 
bigaltx24 said:
I have one picture disc (Beatles Sgt Peppers) it sounds better than my regular copy. I have half a dozen or so color discs they all seem to sound fine. The only thing I don't like about color discs is that my Technics SL-MA1 has an optical sensor to determine the size of the disc. It thinks there's no disc and shuts down.
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Interesting, my Sgt Pepper original stereo copy sounds pretty bad. Regardless of the awful stereo mixing, it’s seen it’s prime days and is now pretty damaged from the years.
 
The first 45's made in 1948 by RCA for their new player were colored vinyl.
Color coded by genre in fact. Didn't last long though.

Sometime in the 60's a Greek label made some of the most beautiful splatter-type pressings I've seen.

Also in the 60's, the Jetstar label out of Dallas issued a lot of promo copies on yellow vinyl.
Actually there a good number of yellow/brown splatter-types in with those as well.

I've always assumed carbon black was added to the mix to add wear resistance.
Basically for the same reason it's added to rubber to make car tires.....but don't actually know if that's true.

Anyone else know better?
 
shopping


vogue made picture discs in the 1940's....78 RPM
 
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