Dmitri Shostakovich / Symphony No.8 In C Minor, Opus 65

Bernard Haitink / Concertgebouw Orchestra

"Haitink later re-recorded this work, but the original 1983 Decca account remains widely regarded as his definitive interpretation"

Cat#: SXDL 7621 Record Label: Decca Country Released: Europe (Holland Pressing) Label Info: Please See Pics Stereo/Mono: Stereo Release Year: 1983 (recorded December 1982)
Grading Vinyl Grading Side 1 EX Side 2 EX When this record first came to me, there was a bit of crackle/background noise (especially around the edges). As I've played it through a couple of times quite a lot of dust has been dislodged and it's now in a much better place than it was - I get the feeling this record hasn't had a great deal of play.

Very quiet on the needle drop, the record still has a few passages of crackle/pop but, given my experience with it, there is a chance it will get better with more play.

Very quiet in light orchestrated areas.

The only real criticism I can give is a couple of raised sections 3/4 of the way through which doesn't return a click but a very low level thump. This lasts for a couple of rotations and I'm putting this down to a groove thump issue (please see table at the foot of the listing) - a pressing issue, so am confident in it's grading.

VERY TOP END OF GRADE AND COULD PASS FOR NM.  Clean record with only a few very light hairlines seen under bright light.
Items of note are a couple of raised bumps 3/4 of the way into side 2 (as mentioned above).

Little evidence of spindle marks suggesting very light use.

Sleeve Grade VG+ Some softening of the edges and corners. Bottom right missing a tiny portion of printed surface. Clean back and front and solid spine.

Original Decca inner. Grading System

My Grading Philosophy (Updated 20th Nov 2025)

• I use a hybrid of Goldmine (US) and Record Collector (UK) standards as follows:

Mint (M)

• Perfect condition in every way.
• Guaranteed unplayed or factory sealed.
• Cover, inserts, and inner sleeves are flawless.

Near Mint (NM or M-)

• Almost indistinguishable from Mint.
• Record may have been played once or twice with no audible issues.
• No visible marks, scuffs, or handling wear.
• Cover is bright, clean, and free from major defects.

Excellent (EX)

• Very light signs of use but still a high-end copy.
• Hairline marks or faint sleeve scuffs may be visible under strong light only.
• Should play near-perfectly with minimal background noise.
• Sleeve may show slight edge wear or minor handling but remains clean and attractive.

Very Good Plus (VG+)

• Better than VG but not quite EX.
• Light, non-feelable marks or occasional low-level noise may be present.
• Still a solid, enjoyable listening copy.
• Sleeve may show moderate wear, small creases, or faint ring wear.

Very Good (VG)

• Played many times and will show signs of use.
• Audible surface noise, more noticeable in quiet passages.
• Light groove wear or feelable scratches possible.
• Sleeve will show general wear, writing, or small defects.

Good (G)

• Significantly worn and may skip or repeat.
• Heavy noise and visible scratches.
• Sleeve may have tears, splits, stains, or missing sections.

Fair (F)

• Just about playable with heavy noise, jumps, or distortion.
• Sleeve heavily damaged, torn, or defaced.

Poor (P) / Bad (B)

• Unplayable, cracked, or broken.
• Sleeve badly damaged or incomplete.

Equipment Used for Testing

• Turntable: JBL TT350
• Stereo Receiver: Sony STR-DH190
• Speakers: Elac Debut 3.0 DB63
• Preamp: Cambridge Audio MM/MC 640P
• Stylus / Needle: Audio Technica VMN95EN
• Other Notes: Testing done with standard volume, quiet room, no EQ or DSP applied.

Postage ***FREE UK POSTAGE***

All items packed in sturdy mailers with padding.

Next-day dispatch after payment where possible.

***International Shipping***

Handled by eBay Global Shipping Programme.

Refund Policy Most listings are EX/NM quality. If my grading ever falls below expectations, I will happily offer a full refund.

Vinyl Faults Reference (Sound + Cause + Typical Grade Impact) Factory / Manufacturing & Mastering Issues Fault / Issue How It?s Caused What the Listener Hears Typical Grade Impact Notes / Typical Location Non-fill Vinyl puck doesn?t fully flow into the stamper (temperature/pressure issue) Zipper / tearing / frying sound (often rhythmic) Usually drops to VG+ or lower if obvious; EX only if very minor and brief Often one channel; can be outer grooves Stitching Mild non-fill from marginal temperature/pressure Light rasping/tearing, less aggressive than non-fill Typically EX ? VG+ depending on audibility Can be mistaken for surface noise Pressing thump / Groove thump Local groove wall deformation from uneven pressure/cooling Low-frequency bass ?thud? for 1?2 rotations Often acceptable at NM-/ EX if low-level and disclosed Mid-band or outer grooves; more noticeable in bass-heavy passages Stamper drag / Flow lines Vinyl stretches as stamper closes/opens; flow irregularities Repeating whoosh / pulsing, sometimes ?breathing? noise Usually EX if mild; VG+ if clearly audible Often visible as wood-grain / flow pattern Orange peel Vinyl cools too quickly or unevenly (surface texture) Subtle graininess, reduced clarity, ?texture? to sound Often EX if mild; can push to VG+ if continuous and obvious Usually continuous rather than isolated Dish warp Uneven cooling after pressing, or storage pressure/heat Slow LF pulse, possible pitch instability if severe NM- if plays fine; EX/VG+ if audible thump/wow Start/end of side most apparent; visually dished Edge warp Edge sags while vinyl is still warm; heat/storage Periodic LF thump, sometimes stylus ?bounce? EX if mild and mostly visual; VG+ if audible Often strongest in lead-in / outer grooves Off-centre pressing Spindle hole punched off-centre Cyclic pitch wow (wavering), most obvious on sustained notes Usually VG+ or lower if clearly audible; may still be EX if very slight Watch the cartridge sway in/out while playing Eccentric grooves Groove spiral cut inaccurately even if hole is centred Wow similar to off-centre Similar to off-centre: EX if slight; VG+ if obvious Rarer than off-centre; same symptom Fill flash Excess vinyl squeezed to edge during pressing Usually silent Usually no grade impact unless it affects tracking (then VG+ or lower) Mostly cosmetic; can look like sharp edge Recycled vinyl noise Impure/recycled pellets (higher noise floor) Continuous low-level hiss / ?shhh? Often caps at EX if audible; can be VG+ if prominent Common on some 70s runs; less common mid-80s classical Inner groove distortion (cutting) Cutting limitations near label + playback geometry Sibilance/breakup on loud inner passages If inherent to the cut and mild: EX; if severe: VG+ or lower Depends on cart/stylus; more obvious on vocals/strings Overcut groove Cutting level too hot (over-modulation) Mistracking/distortion, especially peaks Usually VG+ or lower if it?s not system-specific Can be cartridge-dependent; check with a known-good setup Pre-echo / Print-through (tape) Magnetic tape imprinting prior to cutting Faint ?preview? of loud passage before it arrives Typically still NM-/ EX (mastering artefact); disclose if noticeable Most noticeable in quiet lead-ups Stamper wear Stamper used beyond optimal life Loss of definition, soft transients, slightly ?grey? sound Usually caps at EX if clearly audible; can still be NM- if subtle Later copies in a pressing run Micro-bubbles Air trapped in vinyl during pressing Random pops (not always repeating) EX if occasional; VG+ if frequent Sometimes visible under angled light Delamination Poor bonding of vinyl layers (rare on LPs) Swishing/instability, sometimes worsening over time Usually VG+ or lower if audible Very rare; often visually apparent User / Handling, Wear & Playback Issues Fault / Issue How It?s Caused What the Listener Hears Typical Grade Impact Notes / Typical Location Groove wear Heavy tracking force, worn stylus, repeated play with poor setup Distortion on peaks; worst on inner grooves; ?spitty? strings/vocals Usually VG+ or lower once clearly audible Irreversible; can look deceptively clean Burnishing Repeated play with misalignment (polishes groove walls) Duller, flattened dynamics; reduced ?air? Often caps at EX if audible; VG+ if obvious Looks fine; reveals itself on loud passages Cue burn Stylus dropped repeatedly in the same spot Loud distortion burst at the start of a track Often VG+ or lower (very noticeable) Common on DJ/party copies Back-cue damage Record played backwards (DJ cueing) Continuous hiss/distortion over affected sections Usually VG+ or lower Often multiple tracks affected Pinch effect (playback) Stylus profile too large for tight inner grooves; alignment issues Sibilance/mistracking near label If setup-related only, record may still be NM-/ EX; if inherent on many systems: EX ? VG+ Try a finer stylus profile to confirm Hairlines Paper sleeve contact Usually silent Often no impact: can still be NM-/ EX Cosmetic unless numerous and audible Scuffs Sliding contact with sleeve/surface Light ticks or none EX if mostly visual; VG+ if audibly ticking Often directional under light Scratches Sharp contact cutting into groove Repeating click/pop (per revolution) depending on depth Mild: EX; noticeable repeating: VG+; loud/repeating: VG or lower Depth matters far more than length Gouges Heavy impact/dragging Loud pops, jumps, skips Usually VG or lower Visually obvious; often tracking affected Embedded grit Dirt forced into groove under pressure; poor storage/handling Random ticks; can cluster in a small area If cleanable: can remain EX; if permanent ticks remain: VG+ Ultrasonic/deep clean can improve a lot Mould / mildew Damp storage conditions Crackle, swoosh, general noise Often improves after cleaning; grade depends on residual noise (commonly VG+ ? EX) Smell can persist even when audio improves Residue / film Fingerprints, smoke film, cleaning residue, factory film not removed Hazy, muffled sound; increased crackle If resolved by proper clean, grade can stay high ( NM-/ EX) Often a ?before/after? cleaning fix Static discharge Dry air + friction (sleeves/brushes) Sharp crack(s), often one-off Usually no grade impact if not repeatable; disclose only if frequent Anti-static sleeves and humidity help Rumble (system) Turntable bearing/motor vibration; isolation issues Constant low-frequency noise (not groove-specific) Not a record grade issue (system-related) Present across many records if it?s your deck Hum (system) Ground loop / earthing / cable routing Steady low tone Not a record grade issue (system-related) Improves with grounding and cable checks