The Classic Vinyl Record

It’s been a while since I posted, I have bought a house and been moving. I haven’t had the chance to even hook up my turntable yet, so I am not exactly happy. But I thought I’d explain some things about vinyl for those that don’t know.

I found on Youtube some video off of Discovery Channel that is kind of cheesy and reminds me of the “technology” video tapes that we used to watch in elementary school.

Part one of How Vinyl Records are Made.

Part Two of How Vinyl Records are Made

The only thing that bothers me is the fact that they are recording a master vinyl record from a computer. I said it in a previous post, if the original recording is digital, then will the record sound as good as it would if the original recording was analog (using 24 track tape).

Some people have wondered what the difference is between regular vinyl, 180g and 200g vinyl. The difference is weight. G equals grams. So 180g vinyl weighs 180 grams. These weights have changed over time. Originally 130g was standard, and some record labels went as low as 90g, which would have sounded like crap. Today, most vinyl pressings are of 160g, 180g or 200g. However, most audiophiles will only buy and listen to 180g or 200g vinyl.

If you see something that says virgin vinyl, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t had sex, just that it’s never been used for anything before. During the oil shortage of the 70’s, it became general practice to recycle records and other things into new records. This lowered the quality and introduced imperfections into the vinyl. Virgin vinyl is pure, never before used vinyl.

I hope this helps some of you who weren’t exactly sure what these terms meant. If you have any questions on other topics relating to vinyl records or turntables or music, please ask me in the comment section. I will respond.