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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
tooblue
1,934 posts
 
Just DYDD as there are some very good new releases out there and follow the advice already given. I have found myself in the same situation as I was just buying to buy based on the onvees (cajun for wants) and have been culling my collection as of late. FWIW the New West label is very good  and sell for around $20.00 and have some great artist to pursue, take a look at their 20 Anniversary 6 album box set, best $99.00 I have spent in a long time. Enjoy the music
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
I find Discogs to be a good resource to compare the quality of pressings and to help determine whether analog tapes were used, who did the mastering, pressing etc...Lots of good owner feedback on various pressings.
ihcho's avatar
ihcho OP
612 posts
 
Yes, I’ve bought a few from Discogs. Most of the vinyl’s rating seem to be accurate. If not, I could get an easy return.
Sometimes I feel like going to a record store and buy either new or reissues. Most I bought Blue Note reissues were pretty good. But Kamasi Washington’s THE EPIC was an epic failure. All three LPs in his album sound just dull and I can’t stand listening to.
I’ll give a try on the New West label. I did not know the label.
Some bad experiences recently I had with: WaxTime, Jazz Images. There seem to be tones of recording labels that I’ve never heard of before coming from EU. I’ll avoid those labels whole heartedly.

I guess I will do some more homework rather than piking things like cherry picks. I would not avoid all LPs from digital mastering tapes. It means avoiding all LPs made since early 80s. Many of them are still pretty good.
Anyway, I was naive to think all new or reissues would be better than CDs, but it is not.

Thanks for all.

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
For $20-30 you can buy ORIGINALS instead of reissues.
ihcho's avatar
ihcho OP
612 posts
 
For $20-30 you can buy ORIGINALS instead of reissues.
Right.
I would much better go for used originals which is in VG+ or Mint- as long as I can get them at under $30 shipped. 
Occasionally I buy new albums. Diana Krall, Taylor Swift, Kasandra Wilson, Gregory Porter, Cecile Salvant, LP, and Robert Glasper are some of the artists that I bought over a couple of years. Most of them are OK. Cecile Salvant's For One To Love is real nice. 
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