Roots Archives Forum

Hi!

A few days ago I bought the LP 'Pick a Dub'( blood and fire,1994 ) from Keith Hudson in a second hand shop.

There's a sticker on the sleeve which says that its a limited edition 180 gram version.

What's ( except for the weight.. ) the difference between a 'normal' LP and a 180 gram LP ? Why do companies release 180 gram LP's ?

Hi Geert W.

I have quite a few of those (mainly non-reggae) including the one you mention.

I think you'll probably find the answers you are looking for here - http://www.simplyvinyl.com/features.asp

Hi!
Cause a 180 g record plays and sounds better than a thin one.
Usually, simpy vinyl masters the original tape in a high end quality.
That makes a record sound great. Even better than the original.
You can compare the sound by playing a regular copy and then using the high end copy. Check out what`s best.

Nuff greetings,
I-Lion

yeah, anyone notice shanachie has really thin pressings? scared i'll break them every time

Right, some a dem pressings thin like a towel, wobblin around. Tooo bad!

I've never found the 180 g or even 200g pressings any better than a decent 120 g or 140 g pressing. A good pressing is a good pressing, weight doesn't really matter.
For example many/most japanese pressings are thin like wafer and the sound is incredibly dynamic and juicy, with no noticeable surface noise.

There are many good 180 gram ones though. I just don't take that 180g sticker on the front as a guarantee of anything.

Juha

The mastering is the key of sound.

Lion

I would have thought the quality of the pressing of the grooves - and the onfo contained in them, to be more important that the weight of vinyl.

I guess thicker vinyl means they are less likely to warp.

I have some heavy pressings on JA vinyl that sound awful...poor mastering and even poorer quality control in the pressing shop.

Most of the quality in a record press comes from the process of making the vinyl. Jamaicans commonly skipped a crucial step in the making of a 'plate'. You must bathe the plate in an emultion fluid to protect it from the expansion & contraction in the heating process. This is one of the most costly steps. Second, the plate should be 193 degrees not 1 degree more or less when pressing(this wasnt followed very much either.)There is also the issue of the plates being very dirty causing dimples in the vinyl (Joe Gibbs & Techniques are notorious for this)there are probably many more reasons (using the same master tapes over & over) that contribute to the lower quality of press.

Can we have a competition to find the worst pressed reggae record in history?

Ok...

...maybe not - as I know some readers here get rubbed up the wrong way by mentions of poor pressings. It's not an issue in JA I am told.

Perhaps I need to sell my reasonably good hi-fi set up and replace it with an old Dansette with a worn out stylus so I can enjoy the music the way it was supposed to be enjoyed?