Question Are Vinyl weights worth considering?

[Bushey Vinyl]

I have recently purchased a fairly high end TT, and along with my collection of decent jazz funk and other more poppy stuff from the 90's, been scavenging a lot from relatives that have long since lost the ability to play vinyl.
I note the furore these days about new 180g pressings, but wonder if this is purely for groove depth or there is merit to heavier vinyl.
Would anyone think buying vinyl weights a benefit that will improve the quality of some older, lighter vinyl, and may also serve to reduce vibration?

 

[Al ears]

I don't know where your vibration would come from but weight certainly has its benefits in preventing warping to a degree and a lot of good pressings are now coming out on 180g vinyl as a matter of course.
And yes, I do consider weight when I am searching out new vinyl

 

[Deleted member 108165]

I have a different perspective to Al I generally look for original recordings which are on thinner vinyl as I find the reproduction is far superior to that of any new heavyweight vinyl released under the heading of "Remastered". I have also found that thicker vinyl warps just as easily as the thinner variety. However, there are some excellent reports of MoFi remastered albums cut at 45rpm.

Your collection tastes seem to be similar to mine. As a trial, and if possible, I would suggest purchasing a 33rpm 180gm Remaster of an original pressing you currently have in your collection and let your ears decide which sounds the best... my money would be on the original.

 

[plastic penguin]

This reminds me of an adage: 'Never mind the quality, feel the width'.

I have a Ray Charles album inherited from my sister, recorded in circa 1962. It feels like Bakelite -- literally no bend in it at all. it's so thick yet the sound quality is so-so. On the flipside, I have a few Beatles original albums released just a few years ago, available through supermarkets by De Agostini, and the sound quality is superb. Wiggle them and they sound like Rolf Harris's wobble board (that's not a euphemism by the way).

I don't really know the answer, other than it's swings and roundabouts. It's more to do with production quality than just thickness of the vinyl.

 

[Al ears]

I think you got the nail on the head there. Production quality and original mastering quality are everything.
However, this is not all. I have some LPs produced back in the time of the Arab oil embargo and whilst originally good they didn't last because of their thinness and vinyl quality.
I also have some remastered vinyl that happens to be way better than the original recording, the fact it is cut at 45rpm and on 200g vinyl is merely coincidental.
Regarding old versus new I guess a lot comes down to what you like to listen to.
I declare I don't have a single Beatles album in my collection but I do have quite a few Rolling Stones and the original recording of some of these are dire compared to modern pressings that have been produced by some of the more reknown record producers of today.
PS. Those De Agostini albums were not bad at all, I have a few from their Jazz collection

 

[Deleted member 116933]

I think it mostly a marketing gimmick....alot of todays pressings though are warped and it has nothing to do with the thickness or lack there of, and everything to do with the plants pumping them out at rate of knots.

I think a more pressing problem (oh dear) is the cost of some these albums London grammar have are about to release a 60-70 quid deluxe set, and then the limited run thing is getting annoying they say this one is limited then a few day later another one put out, Lana del ray is example of this.

Just buy the ones you like collectable, thick or not and enjoy the purchase.

 

[Oxfordian]

PS. Those De Agostini albums were not bad at all, I have a few from their Jazz collection

Really pleased to hear that the De Agostini vinyl was okay, we distributed them to retail and they were a ***** to pack, the odd one or two did snap when an over enthusiastic packer tried sealing the bundle too tight

Oops, it didn’t like the itch with a b, sorry if anyone is offended.

 

[Al ears]

It's not anyone in particular it is an over-zealous algorithm that automatically deletes whatever it considers to be inappropriate language so we don't offend the sensitive types

 

[bigfish786]

Have a look at the Souther Clever Clamp.
I have this and a weight, I prefer the clamp.

 

[Al ears]

Have a look at the Souther Clever Clamp.
I have this and a weight, I prefer the clamp.

If that was a joke.....
If it wasn't I fear you have missed the jist of the thread.

 

[bigfish786]

I’ve probably missed the point completely 🤣
Sometimes it’s just better to say nothing. 😳🤷🏻‍♂️🤣