A Japanese original against a new reissue

For certain classic albums, I no longer reach for the factory-sealed reissue first. I look for a near-mint original. I know it goes against the instinct of wanting that sealed experience.

The condition matters. I mean specific classic catalogues that are not licensed to audiophile labels, where the only new copy comes through the high-volume pipeline. A well-preserved original from the '70s, pressed when quality control standards were tighter, can significantly outperform a modern reissue.

Japanese pressings from the late '70s and early '80s in particular have historically outstanding quality control. And the modern alternative has to earn its price, which it often does not. In my own test of four albums, the premium anniversary edition at $80 was the worst of the four.

Don't misunderstand me, I am not romantic about old vinyl. An original has to be near mint, and I still clean every record so I hear exactly what the pressing gave me. But at today's prices the used copy is no longer the compromise; it may simply be the better record.

Age is not what ruins a record. Carelessness is, and the factory does not date-stamp it.