Audiophile LP's

Many valuable suggestions of course, but perhaps a more generalized approach could be helpful as well. Here are some basic guidelines I've found useful in many years of record collecting:

1. Some labels had higher sonic standards than others and are now considered 'audiophile', even if that term hadn't even been invented when these records were recorded and pressed. Why? Because they hired or employed recording and mastering engineers that strived for something which has become an outdated concept in the music industry: quality. I suppose we all know which labels we're talking about and most have already been mentioned here.

PS: so far no mention of French Harmonia Mundi, but the Paniagua recordings (e.g. La Tarantule or La Spagna) are some of the most spectacular sounding records you will ever find as well as being  musically valuable. 

2. From those labels, pressings from the label's country of origin are generally the best. Perhaps because the engineers had access to the original master tapes, while engineers in other countries often  had to work with second generation copies of that master tape.

3. The earliest pressings are generally the best, although the mastering equipment is likely to have improved over time and we should also consider the possibility of a learning curve. But it seems that having access to a 'freshly' recorded original master tape is the best guarantee for top sound.

4. From those earliest pressings the records with the earliest stampers are generally the best. Probably because they were based on 'fresh' lacquers made from these still 'fresh' master tapes. This can usually be derived from the information on the 'dead wax' (stamper codes, etc.). 'Audiophile' collectors are prepared to pay a premium for these copies. While snobbery is certainly part of the 'allure', there are good reasons from a sonic point of view.

5. Within each pressing run from any stamper, the earliest copies coming from the presses are usually best, as stampers wear out with each copy pressed. Unfortunately there's no way to distinguish them, except by listening. This is where the 'hot stamper' service is useful, although in my opinion making such discoveries yourself is much more fun.

Caveat: these are general guidelines, so there are ALWAYS exceptions. But this has served me well in establishing the 'hierarchy' in sound quality as well as finding the 'sweet spots', where top sonics and a reasonable price level meet. Of course these 'discoveries' are the most fun of all......

^ ^ Great and very informative post. For jazz fans I highly recommend the ECM label German pressings, Pat Metheny etc.
In general, the quality of vintage records is higher, 50´s, 60´s and 70´s. "Dynamic compression" kinda nailed the opposite. The first pressings practically are much better than later editions, and the label´s country of origin usually are better. There are exceptions, like a certain Pink Floyd album from Germany, and even not the very first edition, has the best sound quality of them all, including Japanese audiophile editions.
Yes it´s so fun to find these cheap surprises. What a wonderful hobby this is : ) Good luck for all !

Many times and most of the time, the originals if you can find them in decent condition will be the best sound.  On earlier records everything was very analog and the recorded tapes were new.  Many used tubes through the whole mastering process, something lacking dearly these days.