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How do you avoid buying new LPs that sound just like CDs?

Most new albums and reissue albums I bought at around $20 sound pretty much like CDs, or even worse.
Some notable exceptions are Norah Jones' Come away with me. It sounds real nice, much better than CD; LP's Lost on You sound pretty good too; Eminem's LP sound good too.

Most LPs that I bought at $40 or over always sound very good. I have two Patricia Barber's LPs and they sound much better than her CDs, but her LPs usually cost $40 or more. Why can't record company make LPs that sound like Patricia Barber's and price at around $20? For me, $20~30 per LP sounds right and I can easily buy them. But for more than $40, I hesitate. Overall, I've bought about 100 new/reissue LPs at around $20 and about 20 at $40 or more over the last 10 years (in addition to about 5K used records that I've collected over 40 some years). 
So, when you buy new or reissue LPs at around $20, how do you avoid those with sub par sound quality? Or, if you like certain musicians and songs, you just buy them without concerning the sound quality?
128x128ihcho
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,597 posts
 
The sound quality of many releases, vinyl and digital, is often discussed at the Steve Hoffman Music Forums.

(1) Music Corner | Steve Hoffman Music Forums
tablejockey
3,920 posts
 
Stop buying newly released music on LP or reissues of music made  after the 80's. 

Easiest way is to enjoy current releases is to  buy the CD/file and enjoy the actual music.

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,631 posts
 
Music is way ahead of SQ.
ihcho's avatar
ihcho OP
612 posts
 
In my case I only buy vinyl from analog sources.
Where? Do you have a link?
The sound quality of many releases, vinyl and digital, is often discussed at the Steve Hoffman Music Forums.
Great. Good know know.
Stop buying newly released music on LP or reissues of music made after the 80's.
Probably that's where I am heading into.
Music is way ahead of SQ.
I agree. Sometimes I'm getting into too much of HiFi SQ and neglect the music itself. However, in classical music, you have hundreds to choose from for the music you like, and most times the best SQ matters. 
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
I'm not sure if digital recording has anything to do with it.  My friend works for very large recording studio, known for many highly praised recordings, that dumped analog recording (Studer) decades ago.  The more important issue is compression, necessary to be able to play music with smaller speakers (boomboxes).  It sounds like we need two different medias - one for audiophiles and another for the rest.  At this point I would assume that most of people buying LPs are audiophiles, taking into consideration how impractical they are.  So, I would expect much less compression on LP than on CD.  Do I make sense?
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