Some notions about this enjoyable insanity:
First, sound quality depends on the recordings, mixes and the mastering; second, sound quality depends on the way the master and the pressings are made, and the products used to create the master and the copies.
Third, artists can chose between a single LP set, or a double LP set; they can chose to include 3 songs on one side or 4 songs on one side, regarding the lenght of the songs, etc.; fourth, to my knowledge, there are 12 minute-long masters, 18 minute-long masters and 24 minute-long masters, I'm not 100% certain though, they could vary; fifth, when pressing vinyl, artists may chose 120 gms, 180 gms, 200 gms or 220 gms vinyl, but these last three points are decided after finishing recording and mixing all the songs to be included in the album, they ones that will make it to the album will be mastered, and then the master is produced.
So, at the time of pressing, it is known that the heavier the better, that is to say, you could get a better sound quality with a heavier vinyl than with a lighter vinyl, in theory. However, all things considered, depending on the recordings, the mixes and the mastering, artists may get a good sound quiality on a 120 gms vinyl, or in the worst case, a lousy sound quiality on a 220 grams vinyl. For isntance, I heard someone saying that in his opinion the sound quality of Pearl Jam's Vitallogy first pressing is better that the reissue one.
Spinning has nothing to do with weight, both light and heavy 33 1/3 12" vinyl will spin at the same speed on the turntable, and for that matter, a 7" 45rpm will revolve at the same of a 12" 45rmp, it is not that the heavier vinyl will stall the turntable. If a 180 gms vinyl speeds slower than a 120 gms vinyl on 33 1/3 rpm it has nothing to do with the vinyl, it is a problem with the turntable.
And the reason why first pressing albums are way more expensive than the reissues is because they are first pressings, nothing else, it has nothing to do with sound quality or weight of the vinyl. It's because as they are first pressing they have acquired the status of collectible items.
Third, artists can chose between a single LP set, or a double LP set; they can chose to include 3 songs on one side or 4 songs on one side, regarding the lenght of the songs, etc.; fourth, to my knowledge, there are 12 minute-long masters, 18 minute-long masters and 24 minute-long masters, I'm not 100% certain though, they could vary; fifth, when pressing vinyl, artists may chose 120 gms, 180 gms, 200 gms or 220 gms vinyl, but these last three points are decided after finishing recording and mixing all the songs to be included in the album, they ones that will make it to the album will be mastered, and then the master is produced.
So, at the time of pressing, it is known that the heavier the better, that is to say, you could get a better sound quality with a heavier vinyl than with a lighter vinyl, in theory. However, all things considered, depending on the recordings, the mixes and the mastering, artists may get a good sound quiality on a 120 gms vinyl, or in the worst case, a lousy sound quiality on a 220 grams vinyl. For isntance, I heard someone saying that in his opinion the sound quality of Pearl Jam's Vitallogy first pressing is better that the reissue one.
Spinning has nothing to do with weight, both light and heavy 33 1/3 12" vinyl will spin at the same speed on the turntable, and for that matter, a 7" 45rpm will revolve at the same of a 12" 45rmp, it is not that the heavier vinyl will stall the turntable. If a 180 gms vinyl speeds slower than a 120 gms vinyl on 33 1/3 rpm it has nothing to do with the vinyl, it is a problem with the turntable.
And the reason why first pressing albums are way more expensive than the reissues is because they are first pressings, nothing else, it has nothing to do with sound quality or weight of the vinyl. It's because as they are first pressing they have acquired the status of collectible items.
