Wet clean Pre Pleasure before you blame the pressing.

Yes, there are known QC issues with some copies — non-fill and surface noise from pressing debris. But a lot of what people hear is just static and dust.

A proper wet clean (distilled water + a drop of surfactant like Photo-Flo, then dry with a lint-free cloth) removes most of that noise. Don’t use a carbon fiber brush while the record is spinning — that just redistributes the gunk. And skip alcohol-based solutions if you have a colored variant (it can strip the dye).

If you still hear pops after a wet clean, it’s likely a pressing defect. At that point, either live with it or try for an exchange. But nine times out of ten, the record just needs a bath.

Clean it well first. If it’s still noisy, you got a dud.