180g … It’s All Hype !


I seem to have had an issue with just about every 180g record I’ve purchased… Either warped, surface scuffs or just plan ole doesn’t sound as good as the original.

I’ve noticed on re-masters / re-mixes many times it’s just somebody else’s idea of how the music should sound, adding in a few leads or something and certainly not what I expect or want. 

I actually have one I swear they just took the CD as the master and pressed it on to vinyl… Seriously I’ll stick to a decent cartridge, my ultrasonic record cleaner and the bargain bins for my vinyl purchases and listening. I’ve been able to build quite a substantial collection, granted the outer covers may show some wear, but being I’ve been in this for sometime I know by looking at a used record weather it will clean up or not and after cleaning I always replace the inner sleeves with static free high quality sleeves. As for the outer covers… I buy records to listen to so as long as the cover is in tact I’m ok with that. 

I’d rather see ‘em re-release stuff if they do on un doctored up original weight vinyl with the same quality control they had back in the day… 

Heck, stuff in the dollar bins, after having been played over and over through many a folks’ adolescence then stored for years in basements and attics, then sold at garage sales, flea markets or ending up in bargain bins seem to have made the journey just fine… 

I’m tried of the hype and seriously, 180g is nothing but marketing BS to part you with your money.

Need proof of how good older records from the back in the day can sound?….. Check out any of these….

WAR - The World Is A Ghetto

King Curtis & Champion Dupree - Blues At Montreux

John Mayall - Blues Jazz Fusion

Led Zeppelin- Led Zep II

Any LP from James Cotton 

Any LP from The Alan Parsons Project

Any LP from Steely Dan

Any LP The Yellowjackets 

Most LP’s from Savoy Brown

Most LP’s on The Blue Note Label

just to name a few…

I’ve got of tons of ‘em and if you have any Artists or specific Titles you’d like to suggest feel free to respond

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adrobitko, The LP in your photos looks to be covered with white specks of something, which could have happened as a result of static electric charge on the LP surface, created in the process of removing it from the sleeve.  (That's all it takes.)  One photo does make it appear that the surface is a bit scuffed, but probably not in a way that would affect SQ.  The real proof of the pudding is in the playing; does it sound noisy, skips, warps, etc?  Do those white specks come off with a careful brushing?  If so, probably static charge.

I have never had a bad experience with anything sold by Chad Kassem.  Mo-Fi are usually not grossly defective but they don't always meet or exceed the SQ of the original pressings. I do have a 4-5 LP set of Miles Davis with his iconic quintet that included Coltrane, originally available on Prestige (Workin', Steamin', etc), re-issued several years ago by Classic.  I also own the original Prestige pressings of some of those LPs, so I can compare the Prestige to the Classic versions.  One or two of the Classic re-issues have unpardonable defects in the pressing that cause gross distortions. Yet they all look perfect, would pass anyone's visual inspection. Had I discovered these problems earlier on, I would have returned the LPs, but alas I've owned the re-issue set for more than 10 years and only discovered the problem a few years ago. Ironically, OJC jazz re-issues were never "expensive" (e.g., much more than $20 each), never 180g, and almost always sound great. I don't think it's the weight of the vinyl so much as the care with which the re-issues were created that determines listener satisfaction.

Yeah @lewn, Classic Records---though starting out strong---ended up wimpering across the finish line, their last few years marred by bad pressings. Owner Michael Hobson blames that partially on the move to  200g discs. 200g? Why?!

Good news: Chad Kassem has announced Analogue Productions will be issuing the Prestige catalog on LP, starting I believe this year. Cool, the Prestige titles I have are great, but finding clean copies is not easy (or cheap!).

Get an audiodeske record cleaner. They all sound great after a cleaning in this machine. On the topic, yes I’ve had 180g duds…more that you should expect. I’ve also got used old vinyl that has been amazing. Either hit or miss. Analog Productions along with MOFI are excellent..

+1 Analog Productions

+1 MOFI

+1 Good Record Cleaner (especially ultrasonic!)

+1 Original Pressings (usually)

Keep buying vinyl while you can because in the future the distopian AI's will demand that..."You will own nothing and be Happy"

Although I don't have all ~5 of the Miles Davis Quintet LPs, I do own at least 3 of them on Prestige.  Not sure I would spend the bucks again for yet more re-issues of them.  Not all 5 of the Classic re-issue are terrible, just one or two in particular.

dinov, These are not problems that could be resolved by a RCM, unless your RCM doubles as a cutter lathe. We are talking about brand new LPs out of the box and about gross distortions cut into the vinyl itself.