LPs get better after first playback?

[Ingo]

I just threw on my Friday Night Lights OST vinyl and it seems that it sounds much better than the last time I played it. Is there something to that, or am I just remembering poorly?

 

[003]

Remembering poorly. LPs get worse each time you play them. The rate at which they degrade, however, largely depends on how they are cared for and the quality of the turntable and alignment.

 

[trains are bad]

I think they can get better after a couple plays. There's probably mold flashing or something on them. I know if I plan on recording an LP I do it the second or third play.

 

[Todd R]

They get better after the first couple plays. Tiny bits of "flash" on the edges of the groove left from the pressing process get polished off.
Early Mobile Fidelity LP pressings used to have a statement about that included with their records.

 

[robm321]

I've noticed the same thing with new records. Agreed, the get better.

 

[tjohnusa]

A friend of mine used to play albums the first time with a Shure m95 to clean the grooves and then switched to a Sonus Red for critical listening or recording...actually he always recorded his albums on the 2nd play.

 

[Ingo]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I didn't mention in my post that I had only played the album once. I was kinda disappointed the first time, but it really sounded good on the second play. It was probably 6 months ago that I played it the first time. I just looked at my MOFI Alison Krauss and Union Station 'So Long, So Wrong' LP and it actually says on it that it will get better after the first few plays. Haha. I had the answer right in front of me.

 

[LarryK2]

I find it's also true with some used records. I just can't seem to get them entirely clean the first time. After the first thorough cleaning, one play, and then a second (normal) cleaning, they are frequently better. Of course, this isn't true of well cared for LPs.