What Does 180 Mean For Vinyl

While some misconceptions exist there s nothing really noteworthy about heavyweight vinyl.

What does 180 mean for vinyl.

Are thicker and heavier records actually better and if so why. The quality of the sound derives from the vinyl compound as opposed to the weight of the disc. 180 gram is a heavier grade of vinyl that many believe coaxes a richer audio palate than lighter standard grades. It means nothing really.

We explain the benefits of 180 gram vinyl to see if they are worth the premium price. 80 s vinyl is plentiful but still flimsy and rather bendy. 33 45 and 78 rpm is the speed at which the most common commercially available vinyl records spin at represented in revolutions per minute. What does 33 45 and 78 rpm mean.

Unnecessarily so i would say there is nothing magical about heavyweight vinyl and certainly some myths float over those shiny 180g stickers on the record covers but that doesn t mean there are no benefits from pressing 180g or even 200g vinyl lp s. 180 200g does have the potential to sound just as great but it is mostly a cosmetic quality. The records themselves are often referred to by their speed. There is no strong correlation between the weight and the sound quality of vinyl records.

As a result many 80 s vinyl lps tried to closely replicate the digital output of cds. These audiophile grade albums demand high prices at record stores. But does 180 gram heavyweight vinyl sound better than standard 140 gram records. Many new vinyl record releases tout their selling feature of being pressed on 180 gram vinyl.

Sure 180g lps ride more smoothly on a turntable thanks to their weight but the benefits end there. Warm analog sound gave way to a more sterile perfect aesthetic. Are 180 gram vinyl records inherently better than standard pressings. It has become a selling point for many new presses but ultimately it is meaningless.

Everything depends on the mastering process. The introduction of digital methods of recording and mastering also changed the way it sounded. The size and depth of the grooves are exactly the same on light and heavy records. The main dominators whether a record sound good or bad are the quality of the source.

That doesn t mean there are no benefits to be gained from 180g or even 200 220g vinyl lp s.