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180 gram vinyl?


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I don't know jack about records.  I'm assuming the 180 gram stuff is worth it?  Seems to be a big jump in price.  Example, UPC 075992668118 from the Red Hot Chili Peppers can be had for $24 or so all over the place.  180 gram UPC 093624954163 jumps up to $33-$40.  Same album.  I didn't realize there were two different versions until now. The weirdest thing is that some retailers don't explain that there's even a difference:

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/blood-sugar-sex-magik-lp-pa/24906409.p?skuId=24906409

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/blood-sugar-sex-magik-lp-pa/24906262.p?skuId=24906262

 

 

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the weight of the LP has little to do with the sound reproduction it will deliver... the weightier stuff is more stable and less prone to warping though.

 

I have many original LP's that were later released again on 180-200 gram Vinyl... it almost never improved the sound and in fact, many of them sound much worse, but probably not because of the weight of the vinyl but because some guy remaster the originals.

 

Now Half speeds and 45 rpm versions of LP's do offer an increase in sound IMHO

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Current 180 grams is a better plastic. It doesn't retain a "memory" and can be played more than once without distorting the recording. This is why 180g half speed mastered recordings are very costly. In the '70's and '80's the US went to cheaper lighter material while many Countries the UK for instance always used quality pressing, it is about the music. I have quality pressings of Pink Floyd from Uraguay The Concert for Bangladesh (spelling?) UK Television Red on a red plastic UK then Mobile Fidelity came out with half speed masters and made the CD a waste of money until computers came out with 96,000 samples per second making s/n wow and flutter rumble a thing of the past.

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I bought a 180g from Acoustic Sounds in Kansas that they pressed themselves...they have bought and totally rebuilt a lot of the presses now. Not sure if the weight or the new press or the new re-master made it better. But it is completely silent no floor noise from record at all. I agree they are expensive but they have to be able to make up for the rebuilding of the presses right. So far I only bought one but I'm glad I did. It was   Tea for the Tiller Man album always liked that album and I already had a pristine old album to compare it to. WOW

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My goodness, there's even a German re-release.  Three versions of the same album. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Sugar-Magic-Chili-Peppers/dp/B000053ISM/ref=tmm_vnl_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1472503413&sr=8-1-fkmr1

 

 

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I have only limited expenditures on new vinyl, but from this viewpoint, results may vary.  Some presses are old and produce poor quality.  Some re-masters are botched by  engineering ears that no longer here across the whole sound spectrum. Yes there are still labels that do re-issues the way they always have, as cheaply and as quickly as possible, and quality is an afterthought.  

 

180 gram, 200 etc. bring an inherently stable platform for the music to be recorded on, what happens to that wax after it's run through all those variables and more, is a different matter.  If the recording is good then the 180 gram vinyl should sound slightly better, certainly quieter, and better able to stand up to abuse, goofs and general wear. 

 

To quote Marshall McLuhan, it's not the media it's the message.

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