Is there somewhere I can check vinyl sound quality?

I've had good luck with Japanese vinyl in terms of production quality. Also, through trail, error, and experimentation some good finds can be had by paying attention to the label and time period. For example, Crown Records put out some good stuff during the 60's. Same thing for Mercury.

The hunt is just part of the hobby. I've found some absolute great records in the "used" bin. My method for checking quality: examine jacket, record sleeves [many times old, well-preserved parchment-like is a good sign], check record for scratches/wear under good light. Does this always have great result? Well, no; but I have been satisfied more often than not. Example: Miles "Porgy & Bess",  Bill Evans "Solo Vol. 1" and Wynton Marsalis debut record of the same name. Total outlay for all - under $10!

If you go the used route, be prepared to invest in a some sort of cleaning/restoration regimen. I use the Spin Clean RCM, then finish up with Perfection hand-held steam cleaner. Looks like Perfection brand is discontinued, but another good pressurized spouted steamer should work. Just make sure you have a way to protect the label from steam. I use a small "finger bowl" that covers perfectly. Hope this helps. Good luck and ...

Happy Listening!

Oh yeah ... Acoustic Sounds has a "pre-owned" section - complete with quality grading system. For used, they tend to be a bit pricey, but good deals show up from time to time. 

@ochremoon

+1 thanks for sharing info on the HIS site. Makes it really easy to use their info in conjunction with Acoustic Sounds ... since AS classifies by genre, artist, and label. I quickly located a specific highly rated hisonvinyl recommendation.

Perhaps it's still a work in progress; but the only real drawback is limited coverage. Sure you get 5 results for Miles; but entering search terms like  "Hancock", "Coltrane", "Blakey", or "Evans" yields no results.