I agree with everything that he said. 180 g record is a premium product that has a great feel to it. I have been collecting for over 40 years. Only occasionally do I replace a record in my collection with 180 g. Only if the standard pressing has worn out over time. The best way to get the best sound from your vinyl is to improve your turntable, tonearm and cartridge.

Like you mentioned, I like the feel and sturdiness of the 180 gram vinyl better too. But it sure is frustrating to see hype stickers that look like they're trying to make a record sound like it's an audiophile pressing when they add in the "Pressed on 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl". I just can't help but feel like they're trying to pull the wool over people's eyes and trick those who aren't aware that the pressing really isn't an audiophile pressing. Brian in Fort Worth 🎶

@soundmatters

5 ай бұрын

It's definitely a misleading statement!

The MoFi's I bought in the late 70's are pressed on heavy vinyl & they feel and play better than the regular pressings that I own. Not saying that the heavy vinyl makes them sound better just that I have never had one warp. That for ME is a reason to buy heavy vinyl. I never could stand a record that flexed & bowed when I took it out of the sleeve, looking at you Dyna-Flex.

Pretty much completely agree. It's largely about "feel". That said, I WILL say that 180g records are GENERALLY flatter, without even little warps and wobbles. They're also presumably more durable. For me, the biggest issue is the quality of the raw PVC in the manufacturing process. Is it "virgin" PVC? Is it recycled? That can actually make more difference than the mass of the record.

Different weights of records can sound different due to the slight changes in VTA vertical tracking angle of the cantilever and needle, also tracking force is slightly affected due to change in vta, your better spending the money on a decent turntable and acromat this would benefit all your existing records.

@soundmatters

2 жыл бұрын

You're absolutely right about the VTA adjustment. Some, very meticulous, collectors will adjust from one record to the next. For me, life is too short for that. The acromat is very good - as you say. Happy spinning

@denizenofclownworld4853

2 жыл бұрын

I'll guarantee there's not a bit of actual scientific evidence supporting anything you've just said.

I buy 180g vinyl primarily because it is less likely to be warped. It plays flatter on the platter, less wobble.

180g won´t warp as much and therefore the needle will receive less noise. But even without warping it still helps dampening the noise. And yes there is also the fact that most 180g albums have a better quality of recording that is hand selected.

With the 180 gm repressings it depends on if it was remastered well or did they use the original masters. I agree with the durability factor.

I've noticed more clicks and pops on the 180gm vinyl.

It's a racket, as long as the vinyl is thick enough to accomidate the required depth of grooves the extra weight is irrelevant.

then how do you explain that there are almost no clicks or pops on any of my 180 gm records?

@adotopp1865

2 жыл бұрын

the vinyl mix is good too?

Hi, great subject to discuss and my thoughts are concerning the relationship between record thickness and VTA. Would it be a valid argument as to why 180g records don’t sound any better is because of the VTA changing so dramatically? I have a copy of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid on 180g and I get a a faint sound of the intro before the song starts. Not present on lesser gram records and was wondering if it’s because of VTA or cartridge alignment or azimuth.

The only "audiophile" vinyl I've heard are the albums that run at 45 RPM (making a single album into a double). Actually, I only have one (Fleetwood Mac - Rumors), but the sonic qualities are seriously better.

I personally think it is all a gimmick to charge more... I own more than a few 180g records due to the fact that is all I can get from the particular artist. I grew up with vinyl, totally skipped CD's, now back into vinyl... I have no clue how I survived with those thinner 120g to 150g records.

Firstly, wasteful use of oil-based material is really bad for the environment. The only difference I've experienced is that they attract more static. Older pressing techniques were better in the 70s on thin, durable vinyl.

I think that the quality of the vinyl itself is a very important factor , not the mass or weight. 180 gm recorded on crap quality vinyl will sound crap

I have some quite solid and thick feeling, Direct Metal Master (DMM) LP pressings from the 1980s, but have no way of weighing them... so I should presume these would be no more than 150g... or were 180g LPs pressed in the 1980s at all?

I've recently started listening to my vinyl again and, no thanks to my old turntable biting the dust (only one button on my SL-5 remained working until a week ago) I ordered a new Rega Planar 2 and ordered an upgrade to the stylus, going form the supplied "Carbon" to an AT VM540ML, about 3x the price of the installed cart. I should get it next week sometime and can hardly wait! I know PS Audio has been harping on their 180g records. I bought a download of one of their Audiophile Masters, DSD I think and they use the same master recording to press their vinyl. They want $50 for a single album....not sure if it would be worth spending that kind of money...the downloads are a bit cheaper, and they do sound really good.

@donwest5387

11 ай бұрын

they sound really nice. You own the content.

i find that they mostly sound better with less noise on the run in/out

@clavichord

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, I think I have noticed this too, with good pressings, the run in is generally quieter with thicker vinyl

I cannot say with absolute certainty that a vinyl record at the weight of 180g is going to sound better; however, there is less of a necessity to add a Record Weight. Such a weight has a possibility of doing a bit of damage to the spindle bearing; by logical assumption if a Record Weight/Clamp is very heavy. Therefore, 180g vinyl has the purpose of keeping a record down more on the platter; and that's a good thing! It as if I'm agreeing with the choice of a slightly more massive vinyl black disc; but remember that even a very small advantage can add to the sound of music. My preferred playback of analogue is from vinyl, close second is Compact Disc, distant third place is Cassette Tape pre-recorded with Dolby, Type 2; certainly not very popular, and very attainable! My further opinion, and preference is that if a record is available at 180 grams, I'm going to buy such vinyl that's got class, and mass. 🔉🎵🎶

The Issue I have with some is, that the Soundquality isn't good enought like the one i have from the 80's/90's. Some go Reissues and sound really not good and i don't know how to power up my Volume. Of course i can use my Hif-Fi System with it but when i put it down and bring for examle "Alice Cooper - Trash" Album from 1989 in it, it blew me away from the sound.

@soundmatters

4 ай бұрын

It all really comes down to how well the mastering stage was handled. Enjoy the music!

I find the "heavier" lp's tend to be flatter.

I have a very flmisy bendy record that sounds about as clean as a CD. So no. Also 180g vinyl tends to suffer from "non-fill" more often because the material cools off too quickly during the pressing process before the outer grooves are fully embedded. Oh what joy to buy the 2014 all analogue beatles blue album to discover each side has someone ripping velcro-strips at the start.

The 180g and 200g argument is all bs imo. The overall mass (the player + the record) could arguably improve sound quality (most people cannot tell the audible difference) but that also means the vinyl must be dead flat too (and most people do not realize how many records they have that do not make maximum contact with the platter). I have found 180g and 180g+ is all hype and actually a waste of material.

Have a good couple handfuls of 180g pressings in my mostly secondhand collection and they do most the time sound very good. But with rising prices and poor quality control the value in my eyes has faded away.

vinyl pressed during 50' era weight weight more than 180g

@adotopp1865

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I have some in my records on the 'Brunswick' lablel make in the 1950's -very heavyweight!

They warp lesser!

180 gram is really good at one thing, collecting dust. Being thicker it holds more of a static charge. Older records that are thinner get a lot less dusty, need a lot less cleaning.

@soundmatters

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting point. Thanks

@johnholmes912

2 жыл бұрын

the worst offenders for static, in my experience, are the thin flexible LPs from the 70s

@musicman8270

2 жыл бұрын

@@johnholmes912 I never and still don't have any problems with static on my albums. I do know that they don't need cleaning nearly as much as my modern 180 gram editions.You pull one of them out of the sleeve and here comes the dust

@elmowedgewood

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly the opposite for me. Maybe local conditions?

@gregtapevideo1464

Жыл бұрын

Anti static sleeves bro!👍✌

Is most new stuff digitally remastered

@soundmatters

2 жыл бұрын

With new material, there is almost always something digital in the signal chain. With older remastered stuff, a good engineer will use the best source available to them. Sometimes that's the original master tapes, other times, if they're not in good condition, it might have to be the nearest digital copy. So in short, it depends. At least from the mastering engineers I've spoken to

@PJmusic1981

2 жыл бұрын

@@soundmatters so like my sister buys all her vinyl from hmv, but I try buy second hand from local record shop. Is that the best way of doing things

@adotopp1865

2 жыл бұрын

@@PJmusic1981 I buy from both HMV and I buy used . They are both OK . The HMV service has been good in my experience, compared to others.

You would think If the record producer is taking care to make us a good record they will use a good substantial lump of material to press it

If you ask me 180 grain is a gimmick to get you to spend your money on vinyl. It still scratches, warps, and wears down. It still can equal cassettes, and it still can't beat the CD.

I buy 180gm albums so they won’t wrap much

I've seen grey market bootleg pressings from waxtime,DOL, not now music,vinyl passion,etc. so 180g doesnt work with those records. And official releases sound the best. Ever seen one of those? And maybe a video about grey market labels?

Huh ... 180 gram ? ... We need 380 gram vinyl for true audio-fool sonic superiority 😂🤣😅

@soundmatters

Жыл бұрын

Haha! :)

The quality of the vinyl and the production matter far more than the mass of the material. I have 180 g. records that sound like crap, and very thin floppy ones from the 70s and 80s that sound great. It really is all about the QC, not the weight.

@robertcudny1839

Жыл бұрын

Agree wih you 100%. What pisses me off is that I pay a premium price for so called audiophile lp and after just few spins it sounds worse than a 60 years old lp from my collection.

There are even 200gr vinyls!

Snake oil horse crap. But great for people who love static.

180g. Vinyl is mastered from remastered sources and sounds best when played with a diamond needle and a magnetic cartridge. To me, a 180g pressing of Led Zeppelin IV sounds the best than a first generation copy made from recycled plastic 50 years ago. The thicker the playing surface, the better the record sounds, so ditch that old copy of Led Zeppelin 1,2,3 or 4 albums. If you want the finest used vinyl, get records pressed by Columbia house in the 70’s and ‘80’s.

180g vinyl = snake oil (audiophoolery).

Audiophile 180g Vinyl? lol Audiophile and Vinyl together is an oxymoron.

180 gram records are to damn heavy, and a waist of money. They don't sound better.

@soundmatters

2 жыл бұрын

They don't sound better, but some like the premium feel of a heavier record. Thanks for watching

@adotopp1865

2 жыл бұрын

They don't sound better per se