2. analog
  3. 162409-1009

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
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. 
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
If you're into 50s/60s/70s jazz you won't go wrong buying Japanese pressings from the 70s.  It's pretty easy to stay below $30 as well and I've never had a disappointing pressing.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Original 70’s Japanese pressings of American released are simply amazing and made from the mastertape, but using virgin vinyl formula. It’s probably a cultural difference, but i must admit that most of the old 7o’s Japanese LPs are still like new (vinyl and sleeve) while American LPs are scratched and dirty (much rarder to find even an NM)
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
When nothing less than the best sound quality will do https://better-records.com/collections/new-arrivals 
Spoiler alert: not cheap!
tweak1
3,676 posts
 
Reading the OPs initial post here, sounds to me like his issues lie elsewhere in his system


My cds sound vg to great and I have 500+ of them
More to discover