higher end jazz vinyl: where to turn?

If you plan on doing any significant amount of Jazz record collecting, a record vac is the difference between the annoying crackle and dead silent or near dead silent records. You don't need to go crazy spending money on this. While I have a Loricraft today (and that makes sense given the size and value of my collection) I started with a homemade vac which could do a significant portion of what the Loricraft can do and cost almost nothing. If you are interested, let me know I will give you details or search the web for many plans. VPI is a good choise as well but more expensive.
If you are near central CT, I can give you the names of some excellent used jazz record shops.

I agree with Topoxforddoc. If your old vinyl isn't scratched and just snapping and crackling, a proper record cleaning will solve that issue for you. If a semi auto RCM is out of the question $$$ wise, get a manual Spin Clean kit for $75.00. Using that device alone will make a great improvement in your old vinyl. You can also get the Disk Doctor brushes with a good record cleaning solution and manually scrub them and use the Spin Clean as a rinser. (Fill it with distilled water). You would then dry off the records with a micro-fibre cloth and let them sit out in the air for 30 minutes so that they are completely dry before putting them back in a "New" inner sleeve.

Yep. Your original post indicates that you need a way to deep clean your records.

To answer the second question, I've listened to part of Analogue Productions' reissue of Nat King Cole's "After Midnight," recorded in 1955. It is one of the most stunning "in-the-room" recordings I've ever heard, especially for a 56-year-old recording.

I have jazz reissues from WaxTime, Speakers Corner, ORG, and Classic Records. They've all been good-to-outstanding. I especially like the Speakers Corner reissues for jazz as well as the Diana Krall ones on ORG. As good as they are, I'd put the 45 rpm pressings from Analogue Productions a notch above that.

I need to get a Spin Clean myself. I just played a Buddy Rich album a couple days ago that crackled throughout. For all the things that have been reissued on vinyl, no one has reissued Buddy's six albums recorded on Pacific Jazz from 1966-70. Pacific Jazz is owned by EMI. But then, their record with Beatles reissues isn't that great either.

I have had the best luck buying jazz LPs from used record stores and on Ebay. In my experience, early releases of jazz LPs (not limited to the original pressings) almost always sound better than recent reissues, and I am including the "audiophile" pressings that are the rage these days. The new reissues certainly sound cleaner and there isn't the inner groove distortion that you often find with used records, but they just aren't as much fun to listen to. For whatever reason. Other folks have strong feelings on the opposite side so ultimately you have to make up your own mind. Just buy a few reissues and a few older copies, and decide for yourself.

Thanks for responses, folks! Lots of good food for thought here. And I can afford to do research.

I am really struck by the general enthusiasm for record vacuum cleaners like the vpi 16.5, but I'm curious if there's a useful mid-point between those big machines and my non-mechanical method with the disc doctor cleaner and brushes, very soft towels, and tlc. And, of course, there's nowhere to 'test-drive' these units near me (in Ann Arbor Michigan: home of great Encore Records), so far as I know.

On the issue of identifying the better (even the best) pressings of ECM: are there easy markers for this on the jacket or LP? I find myself buying these on ebay and all I have to go on are distant pictures of cover (for condition) and a claim about vg, nm, and m.

On the issue of 180g reissues: I feel kind of burned, as I bought an Impulse 180g Coltrane BALLADS last week and it was, um, not a truly flat record. It plays fine, but there is an up and down wave to the motion. (Hypnotic in the right state, perhaps.) I contacted the seller and they haven't written back (perhaps because I didn't demand a refund, which they probably would have given). Moreover, there were a few crackles and pops on this brand new album! Right out of the gate you must color me cautious about guaranteed quality of 180g or 200g reissues. Then I find the $40-50 versions from some sellers (twice the price of general 180g vinyl) and wonder what that mark-up signifies regarding quality.