Do 45 rpm 12" LPs really sound better than 33 rpm?

@orpheus10 please stop your analogy with jukebox in each post, the OP is talking about "12inch format, not "7 inch.

What you’re talking about is just a "7 inch SINGLE invented by RCA long before the first "12 inch single appeared on the market.

Every radiostation played singles (one song per side) back then, also every club deejay played singles. This is professional format to promote hits, but please keep in mind that many small independent record labels never released any LPs (just 45s), some of them are private press. It was just a handy format to sell music. Special Promo Singles also pressed prior to LPs (if they were any) to promote new music.

In Jamaica they pressed only "7 inch singles (45s) for example.

Jukebox is just a player in public places for already well known music.

But to make a hit they need a radio dj and promo 45s (singles) to break the record before it became a hit. Same about local discoteques back in the days (in the 70’s).

Music released on "7 inch single is often different version, different take of what they released later on LPs.

Later when "12 inch 45rpm single was invented that was extended version of the song, often different take, sometimes absolutelty unique version available only on single and not available on LP. There was a maxi single format as well with many different versions of the same tune.

This is a whole different culture, compared to what a typical modern audiophile pressing company is doing now. What they do is just a regular LP (originally pressed on 33rpm), but re-issued on 2 x 45rpm "12inch LPs for better quality. Sometimes re-mastered in half speed. But it’s the same music as on the regular LP.

The culture behind the "7 inch 45s and "12 inch 45rpm singles (or maxi singles) is a whole different story. This is not about speed or size, it’s about different version, extended version, different take or remix. This is what makes those records unique, not just different speed or rotation on turntable.

@newf27 definitely, those 12 inch 45 rpm promotional singles from the golden era of analog are the best, made for radiostations and deejays, and you’re right that these are the first that comes from the stampers. In my opinion they are unbeatable by any 180g or even 200g reissues on the modern days.

@orpheus10 I did not checked all your posts here, but no matter what you’re talking about, you always refer to the jukeboxes, i remember that from the cartridge thread, now again you’re about jukeboxes, lol

I like original vintage 45s (7s) from the ’50s, ’60s, 70’s and even early ’80s. Some of them are superb, some of them are very bad souding even in mint- condition. It’s all depends on the engineering, mastering, pressing, since the key word about 45s (7’ inchers) is "independent label", major lables could make a proper mastering, but many independent labels recorded their artist (often themselfs) in a garage and pressed only 500 copies.

Why do you think all 45s made for jukeboxes ? I have no idea what do you mean, those records made for all record players with adapter (middle). You don’t need jukebox to play them.

If you like jukeboxes that’s fine. Jukebox is only one way to play them, but normal people could not afford a jukebox back in the days. They could buy a record player and 45s.

45s are not always better than LPs, there are many bad LPs and bad 45s too.

I think "12 inch single is better then "7 inch single in theory.

Also i’m pretty sure it make sense to use special aligment for "7 inch records, because the music is closer to the spindle and the record is smaller.

But anyway the OP is asking about LPs recorded on 45 rpm, not about "7 icnhers !

To him i would say that 45 rpm LP is NOT awalys better, just because it's on 45 

Yes, we’re

But this is a NEW trend to offer re-issues on double LPs recorded on 45s. First of all those records are re-issues, not the originals.

The original LP is on 33 1/3 rpm

I can’t remember any LPs from the golden era pressed that way and they are all fine, some of them are better than those modern 45 rpm re-issues on LPs.

What is definitelly better is a classic 12’inch singles with one track per side, from the golden era. From the fresh mastertape to the stamper, deep grooves. Those singles are fantastic in terms of fidelity on regular vinyl (not 180g).

When modern labels like Analogue Productions working on a re-issues it’s all about restoration, since the tapes are old, so they want to make the best possible to re-issue 40 years old music today. In this case they need all those vignin vinyl formula, 45 rpm pressing, 200g vinyl, half speed mastering etc. The price for their re-issues also very high.

P.S. I have thousands of rare original 45s and LPs, i don’t care about re-issues much, but i have some of those from Analogue Productions. Most of the modern re-issues on 7 inch 45s are crap comapred to the originals. 

I think it's not correct to say that 45 rpm is better, it depends on each particular record and the source (digital or analog master, cutting engineer etc).