Better Records vs MoFi

The BR website currently has two copies of Beatles for Sale listed at ~$170 & $300 (rounded up one cent), so I pulled my copy off the shelf and gave it a spin. 

I rate both sides as "Mint Minus" (BR term, $300+), with just one light tick in the dead-wax.  [Sonically it is compressed, but after all these years I still get lost in the fun/beauty of the music.]

Then I recalled hearing more noise during previous playings. So, what changed? (It was not cleaned between playings).  I recently installed a better cartridge.  More specifically, I moved from an elliptical stylus to a micro-line stylus. 

A friend told me to expect quieter backgrounds, and he was right.  Moreover, this was not an isolated incident.  Over the years I have kept play-grading notes, and now each LP seems quieter (as compared to my notes).

I have a large LP collection, and at $300, I would need to spend ~$1M to replace all of them.  A better stylus is not a 'cure all', but I am glad I upgraded my cartridge instead of replacing excellent LPs.

it goes both ways. Some records, original, pristine condition sound dull, surprisingly uninspiring. And some, from the bottom of Goodwil’s bin, cover falling apart, crystal clear, rich and mesmerizing level of detail

I read the BR blog all the time and appreciate what I have learned. It is just one, but an important data point. To date I have not bought one as I have acquired most of my albums years ago….What pressing/stamper might have the best average sounding copy and the right tail Hot Stampers. 
 

The way I look at it, if someone is looking for a great sounding copy of a favorite LP their pricing model seems fair… Example…

They know from history only (only they know this true along with a few buyers) the US Sticky Fingers 1971 ATCO/Broadway OG from Monarch or Sonic win shootouts… This is an important edge.*assumption as example

The cost today to buy 8-10 copies in real VGplus condition or better is probably $100 per record, maybe more..They expect the shootout to yield 2 Hot Stampers, Those get sold for $700 on average and they lose a bit on the other LP’s. 
Sometimes they have one LP they sell for over $1000, they can also have a failed shootout, even the winner does make the grade..

Just trying to highlight the information edge..
 

The buyer gets money back if not happy. Clearly only for someone that wants this best sound…

I personally have 10-12 copies of the album, my favorite. Probably bought at $25 average cost over the years. Half because of condition issue would not qualify. With my remaining 5-6 clean copies I don’t even know if even one has a chance of winning a shootout. 
 

Someday they will get cleaned again and if can get somebody to help me with a shootout, compare them to one of theirs…

You all have been great thank you. Edisoncarter, thanks for explaining its bandwidth for a HSM. I’m now curious, if there’s a white hot stamper for a regular pressing of an album. Not that they sell them but, if I gathered 50 Mofi copies of Dark Side of the Moon, would there be a white hot stamper of them? Or, does their QC weed out the non WHS quality pressings? Just Curious 

Tochsii - 

Funny thing, I sold my Old-School Harvest DSOTM about two weeks ago.

But before I did, I did a full length, side-to-side comparison against my MoFi copy.  It was not even close.  The MoFi was so much better.  Better clarity, better dynamics, and quieter.  Sorry if this muddies the water, but the data are what the data are.