LP Vinyl: Quality, Pressing, Label, Weight, Where to Buy ???

For used records try discogs.com. I've received some NM in very good quality, some average. Always assume the seller is exaggerating about the condition, look for mint and near mint. Always message seller before a sale to confirm the record is the version you want.

Discogs is a great tool as well. It is a database listing every release, country of origin, etc.

I've bought used from Academy Records online (a NYC store). Good quality, return policy, but not cheap.

Local record store if you have one.  They will usually price used records according to quality, because they want repeat customers.  At least mine does.  And they will order what they may not have in stock if you’re looking for new.

Discogs is specialized and peer reviewed. The sellar tells you what he's got and if wrong he gets bad marks.

Are the new remakes/repressed a "better" quality vinyl then the original released...if I understand the process correctly,  back in the day, after the first 20-30k pressings from the master the quality drops? Some labels produced better quality vinyl? Is todays "new" vinyl a better quality - looks like the wt (180 gm) is not indicative of quality?  Going thru a reputable online dealer with a return policy seems to be the way to go - unless buying new/repressed version....?

Thanks,

JM

I buy new pressings from Music Direct. There are lots of people with strong opinions on which vendor. I probably buy six or eight audiophile pressings a year. I also buy from a local used record store here in Vancouver Washington. I lived in Tucson Arizona and purchased from a huge record store there… if you can look at the album before you buy it you can eliminate any scratched or warped records. A good cleaning machine, I had a VPI for about 25 years, now a German Nessie (way bettera0, and most albums sound pristine with no ticks and pops after cleaning. Of course that requires a great turntable, I now have a high end Linn LP12… my vinyl is a pleasure to listen to… whether a $5 used album from the late 1950’s or a newly pressed 200 gram audiophile album.