A Question: What makes for Good Vinyl?

To answer this question properly, please provide context.  Are you asking a question about the material itself, or something about the use of the material in the manufacturing process, or about the performance characteristics of the material as applied to records, or what?

I can give you some thoughts, hopefully others will contribute more.  The key to the sound of a record is how it is mastered.  If you check your Rush records chances are that at least some of them will disclose in the fine print on the back who the mastering engineer is.  Since you like the sound of Rush's records it is probable that you would like the sound of other records mastered by the same mastering engineer.  Another thing to consider is the record company.  Most record companies have a "sound" and you are likely to find that you like other record releases from that same company.  For example, I like Blue Note records and most recently ones mastered by Kevin Gray.  Hope that helps.

Ignore him, there's one in every crowd.

Here are a few from a mostly jazz perspective.

Roy Dunann - Contemporary Records.  In my opinion the best who ever lived.  He is the guy who figured out how to properly mic and record in stereo.

Al Schmitt - Another great engineer.  He did a lot of work for RCA, later Capitol, and was instrumental in Diana Krall's recording success.

Val Valentin = Verve

Tom Dowd - Atlantc

Ebonie Smith - Atlantc, proving it is not for men only

Bill Smith - Capitol

That is just the tip of the iceberg.

I think the problem is the high level of compression being employed on most modern recordings.  It is not that a digital master is inherently incapable of being the basis for a good vinyl record.  It all gets down to how the recording, digital or analog, is mastered.  I'll give you an example of an analog recording from the sixties that is one of the most popular rock records in history that is so compressed to make it loud that it is just terrible to listen to.  I mean distortion city, but fans love it.  Led Zeplin, and the sequel Led Zeplin II.  So the problem is not confined to digital recordings at all.  Let's be clear sighted about this, though, and recognize that records are being made this way because that is what the majority of the intended audience wants.  More sophisticated consumers, like audiophiles, are a small fraction of the total market.

whart, that is a very thorough summary of the variables.  Well done and thanks.