Many copies of "classic" albums can be picked up at record fairs in minty condition for a lot less than 180gm copies. Of course there will be exceptions - the recent new issue of "Mezzanine" springs to mind as well as the King Crimson series.

As most dealers tend to sell on e-bay these days, if there is a particular album you are after then check how available it is online and if there seems to be quite a selection to choose from in your desired condition (and price range) then have a few hours at your nearest large fair.

That is of course if there is one near you.

Ron

It's a marketing gimmick IMHO. A well sorted TT can produce equally good playback from a standard pressing of a well recorded / mastered LP.

Original pressings are best, even second hand: because the master disks were pristine and unworn.

I'm afraid that's not entirely how the LP manufacturing process worked.  Using a chemical electrolysis process negative metal plates were 'grown' from the master discs and then used to produce positive metal stampers. The stampers inevitably wore out in the course of being used to manufacture the records and were regularly replaced. The ultimate quality of the finished LP then is dependent on quality being maintained at several important points along the production chain.

In my experience, SQ seems independent of vinyl weight. Too many other key links in the process have a bigger effect, as bluedog notes. Heavy vinyl can sound great, but so can light, flimsy disks.

One nice thing about the heavy vinyl is that it's less likely to warp over time. Thicker vinyl can also affect VTA relative to thin vinyl, for better or worse. But I'm not one for fussy TT set-up, hence my Rega.

The Tom Petty Anthology sounds superb.

With all things being equal, a 180/200g pressing will sound better than a standard 140g.

WHat is the basis of this assertion?  All things are seldom equal, but let's assume they are.

i bought it from a friend who came back from the states ,i have now played it and its superb just thought i would share it. 

The SQ of the vinyl has more to do with how it's been recorded and mastered. Analogue remasters generally sound good and digital remasters invariably sound poor and wherever possible get a good quality original. The analogue remastered 45rpm are IME the best.

I have a couple of Classic Records issues on the earlier 180g and later 200g vinyl.  Taking care to account for the VTA difference, I have to say I prefer the 180g pressings.  I also note that the pressing quality on the earlier Classic issues from the '90s and early '00s on 180g vinyl was rather better than my most recent purchases from them on 200g vinyl, which were a disappointment after their earlier very high standard.

Worth noting that some of the finest pressings ever offered were done on relatively thin (but very pure) vinyl, usually JVC virgin vinyl. The first MOFIs used this and of course Nimbus consistently did immaculate pressings on very quiet vinyl, but also rather thin too.

Country artist such as Nancy Griffith and Lyle Lovett albums always sound spot on .

Agree with you on the Classic Record reissues Richard with the exception of the 45rpm Jethro Tull Aqualung album that I have on clear 200g vinyl. This is good.