what color vinyl sounds the best?

[theuglyorganist]

i've noticed that regular old black always sounds pretty crisp and not too trebble-y , but i've gotten some really interesting tones from green and white in particular. splatter always sounds a little muddy to me. has anyone else ever noticed these things/what color sounds the best in your experience?

[cactusbot]

Black.

[sunna]

gold black haze with PIrate's Press pixie dust on it of course. Or any color that Reinventing Axl Rose has graced it's presence on.

[AlexH.]

Picture disc.

[thrillho]

no idea purple... it's the reason they keep pressing stuff on it.

[jimmythescumbag]

I have heard/read that clear vinyl is supposed to sound best (as well as clear colors in general), while white vinyl (which means all opaque colors too) is on the bottom of the list.

It's all whatever to me, as long as the tunes are good.

[sunna]

yeah, that's why all audiophile labels press their records on clear vinyl.

[jimmythescumbag]

yeah, that's why all audiophile labels press their records on clear vinyl.

Hey I never said it was a fact.

Here is an excerpt from what I read (something similar at least):

Why did the demagnetizer had the sonic effects on a record? Very simply the carbon black that is ADDED to vinyl for LP manufacture contains trace metals that become randomly magnetized and interfere electrically with the cartridge hanging overhead during play. So... if carbon black and the trace metals contained therein caused playback distortion in the cartridge then why not take out the carbon black altogether? Classic Records Clarity SV-P II Clear Vinyl is the answer!

Clarity Vinyl represents the ultimate in vinyl formulations because it is comprised of over 90% percentage of the highest quality co-polymer available - a key component in vinyl pellets used for manufacturing vinyl records. Further, Clarity Vinyl has no carbon black additive, common in vinyl formulas for LP's. Carbon Black contains trace metals that become magnetized and cause "electrical distortions" in cartridges during playback that smears the sound. By taking out the Carbon Black, Classic Records is able to dramatically reduce the "electrical distortions" and thus bring more "Clarity" to the playback process, providing a more realistic musical experience to the listener and LP enthusiast.

45 rpm records have long been recognized as providing a higher fidelity musical experience resulting purely from the cartridge being able to extract more of the nuance from the complex vertical and horizontal groove modulations in stereo LP's. Further, Classic Records 45 rpm "single sided" pressings dramatically reduce the mechanical resonances created by the cartridge during playback by allowing these resonances to be more fully transmitted to and absorbed by the turntable platter. Classic Records Clarity Vinyl 45 rpm pressings are designed and manufactured to provide the "LOWEST DISTORTION" in every aspect of LP playback resulting in putting the listener as close to the music as possible.

This was from a listing for an audiophile pressing of Coltrane's "Blue Train". It could be all mumbo jumbo like hot stampers, but it is what it is.

http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BST1577-45QPC

[Guest poopmcgee]

invisible sounds the best

[Guest errolwest]

invisible sounds the best

great first post.

but in all seriousness I have a yellow 180g record, and maybe it was just a really good pressing, but GODDAMN does it sound good.

[j4m35]

i'm pretty sure none of this matters unless you have a high-end set up

[xxmartinxx]

In my experience (with a low-high end set up), anything can sound "good". I have flexi and picture discs that sounded as good or better than 180 gram black vinyl. It's all about mastering, in my opinion.

[smailtronic]

I have flexi...that sounded as good or better than 180 gram black vinyl.

[Dillhole]

The mastering and source used makes more of a difference that the color of the vinyl.

I have a couple of the same records on black and colored vinyl and with my mid-hi setup I can't tell any difference.

[deafmx]

on my setup, i think black and clear. splatter, white, some opaque colors and picture discs are the worst for surface noise and actual quality sound.

[kittenmittons]

the free kind.

[tokimedo]

my paulson all at once red with black splatter sounds incredible.

[controlthebleeding]

my black colored spazz "funky ass lil platter" sounds the best.

[minty]

Clear vinyl sounds the best, if you have a set-up good enough to bring out the audible differences in coloured records (and the ears of a dog).

[gabpower]

I've read in audiophile articles that black sounds the best. Considering that every* audiophile pressing is black, it might be correct.

[arnoldlayne]

There's a label called Classic Records who re-issue albums on one-sided 200g 45rpm clear vinyl because their tests said it sounds the best. But, yeah, unless you have a serious stereo, it's press/production that make the real difference.

[Shitty Rambo]

GLOW IN THE DARK. This way I can take ecstasy and pull out the ol' black light.

[moonbeams]

I have 180g black records that sound awful because they have been "digitally remastered."

Color isn't related to sound quality.

[vwagens88]

It sure isnt red and black. My copy of Bedlam in goliath was brand new but had a scratch about half an itch long on the vinyl that cracks really loud for the first few minutes of the recording.

[Guest]

The ones with good music one them are the records that sound the best.

SNIP SNAP