How Much Does A Vinyl Record Weigh? (With & Without

Knowing this can help you figure out how to store your records, ship your records, and it also affects the sound and durability of a recordVinyl records can weigh from 40 grams to 150 grams

But remember that the weight can vary per recordIf you want to transport your record collection and turntable we also recommend our answer to question ‘how much does a turntable weigh?’

Or if you want to know more about what is needed to play a certain record size with a certain weight read our article on whether a turntable can play all record sizesIn this article, we take a look at the common weights of vinyl records and what the effect is on the sound, durability, and overall quality of the record

Read on to find out more7-Inch Records: Weight, Specifics and HistoryAs the name implies, these records are 7-inches in diameter and are designed to run at the average speed of 45 rpm

Typically a 7-inch record will weigh around 40 grams

They served as a more durable, and higher-fidelity alternative to the 78 rpm shellac discs being used at the time

Since they don’t hold as much data as their larger 12-inch relatives, 7-inch records typically contain a single

They served as a great way for artists to release their music without releasing an album that costs more money and effort to produce while still giving listeners a more affordable and convenient way to listen to their music

As these records are quiet light it can impact sound and potential resonance (we will talk more about that later)

If you want to know more about the different materials that are used read our article on what records are made of12-Inch Records: Weight, Specifics and HistoryThese records, as you can assume are named for their diameter, which is 12-inches

These larger records will typically weigh anywhere from 80-180 grams

However, there are other vinyl records of the same size that weigh even more

180-gram records are slowly rising in popularity as they claim to have superior sound quality and durability12-inch vinyl records are often called LP’s, which stands for “long play”

This is because these larger records can store more songs than smaller records, which is why they will often contain an album or a larger collection of songs as compared to the 7-inch single

However, there are still a lot of 12-inch singles out there which simply contain a single, which allows for louder levels and greater dynamic range, typically used by DJs for disco and dance musicOne of the first iterations of the long play record was introduced by RCA Victor in 1931 and ever since then, they have remained a staple in the audiophile community and have even seen a recent spike in popularity despite the advent of digital technologyWhat Difference Does Weight Make?Sound QualityThere is a long-standing debate as to whether heavier records produce better sound quality

By this they often refer to sound features such as noise or resonance reduction, deeper bass, or more detailed grooves

The answer is actually that in many cases these ‘heavier’ records, such as the rise of the 180 grams records, will deliver better overall performance, but it is important to stress that this is not because of the weightVinyl manufacturers often choose to go with higher audiophile standards for specific records and in addition to this, they will go with heavier records such as the 180 grams 12-inch standard to add to the premium audiophile feel

The fact is it is not the weight itself, but rather the mastering, materials, and advanced manufacturing techniques that make the difference in the sound qualityDurabilityThe real reason heavier records are desirable is more because of the durability that comes with it

Since records that weigh upwards of 150 grams such as the new 180-gram and 200-gram “fatties” coming out nowadays are much more resistant to breakage as compared to lighter records

That means your records won’t need as much attention (however always make sure to maintain your record collection properly)

That means a standard 150-gram LP will be tougher than a 40-gram 7-inch single while 180-gram and 200-gram records will typically be the most durable

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Ever held a vinyl record in your hands as you get ready to place it on the platter, and wondered: How much does this thing actually weigh?

it with a few discs of varying sizes and weights, noting the different stated

weights of certain records and wanting to know why the weight varies between

A 12” vinyl record will normally weigh between

120-150 grams, with many modern-day pressings weighing 180 grams

discs can weigh as little as 90 grams and as much as 200 grams

record weighs between 40-50 grams

in weight between a 7” and 12” vinyl record is for obvious size reasons, but what’s

the deal with a weight variation of anything from 120 right up to 180 or even

And why do most modern-day 12” vinyl records now come in

The Progression Over Time in the Weight of Vinyl Records

Most of the records produced during the 20th century weighed between 120 and 140 grams

This was the standard normal range, although there were variations which saw the likes of RCA Records bring out their trademarked Dynaflex disc in 1969 that came in at around 80 grams, but which was discontinued by the end of the 1970s

Other records tipped the scales at as much as 200+ grams and were considered true audiophile grade pressings

In recent years a trend towards 180 gram pressings has been notable, although the audible benefits of this are debatable and widely considered to be largely insignificant

We’ll talk more about the 180 gram development, as well as the question of whether weight impacts the quality of a record and the perceived advantages of heavier discs, later on

Before we do, here’s a table that presents a selection of records from my own collection that I compiled, to help show the true variance and progression in the weight of vinyl records through time

I’ve tried to make the range as varied as possible in terms of record label and pressing year to give as representative a sample as possible

What Difference Does Weight Make?

logical question, because if there’s a variance in weight between records, it

When looking into this, I found there were two main areas of focus on the question of the weight of a vinyl record

The first tended to lean towards asking what kind of impact weight had on the sound quality of the disc, and the other went more in the direction of what mechanical factors drove the variance in these weights

Heavier Records = Better Records?

In short, audiophiles tend to agree that (heavier) weight alone does not correlate to a better sound quality on the record

Superior sound quality is mainly down to the integrity of the master source, mastering process and the equipment that was involved

Whether a record is lighter or heavier does not make the difference to sound quality on its own

The technical standard by which grooves are modulated and cut on a record is exactly the same on all records, regardless of their weight

A heavier record can change the vertical tracking angle of the turntable’s tonearm ever so slightly, but this difference is minimal and its impact on sound highly questionable

The impact could also be detrimental as much as beneficial to the sound, however small the difference

A heavier record weight has been championed by some for other reasons

The heavier a record is, the thicker it is, and thicker records have been heralded as being more robust and durable

It’s also been suggested that a heavier record can have a more stabilizing effect on the stylus and cantilever suspension, which can help to provide extra protection from vibration thanks to the damping effect the extra grams can have, but the effects on sound reproduction are micro and therefore negligible

Heavier Can Mean a Flatter Record Surface

labels, such as Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, developed technologies which

The flatness of the finished disc was due to the pressing die casts being designed in such a way as to minimize unevenness on the record’s surface, and while a flat surface does lead to benefits in the reading of the grooves, the overall relation with the finished weight of the vinyl record is dependent on too many other factors for the benefit to be credited to the heavier weight

The truth is, there are so many factors that influence the quality of sound on a vinyl record that its weight is just one of many ingredients in a complex mix

There are records that weigh 130g and far out-perform 180g pressings for sound quality, and vice versa

There are some myths associated with heavier vinyl too that should be dispelled, one being that the thicker vinyl on a heavier record means the grooves can run deeper

Oftentimes, the real reason behind the differing weights of records that have the same diameter comes down to two main things; the resin mix used to make the record, and certain pressing preferences and processes of the factory making the disc

We’ve discussed in another post the actual ingredients that go into making a vinyl record, and this has a massive influence on the final weight of the finished product

We’ve mentioned just two labels in this post who developed their own specialized formats of record pressing (MoFi’s UHQR and RCA’s Dynaflex), and while these two trademarked formats may not be in production today, it’s still a valid example of the vastly different pressing methods and processes that labels employ, and which result in a wide range of thickness and, by default, weight

What is 180-gram Vinyl and Is It Better?

So if weight doesn’t really make a difference to the sound quality of a record on its own, why has there been such a prevalence of 180g discs in the previous decade or so?

Back in the day, when 180g pressings were less common but still present, they were associated with a higher audiophile standard, partially because they were more costly to produce

The sonic benefits of noise reduction from heavier records that we looked at earlier were also presented as benefits, and the labels that pressed the more expensive 180g records were widely viewed as taking far greater care in all steps of the process, from mastering to the quality of resin mix right through to the pressing standards in place

Fast forward to the modern day, and while the same positive virtues about 180g records being stronger and more durable and therefore resisting warping a lot better remain true, the same rules also apply with regards to no discernible audible superiority in the recording that’s pressed onto the disc

What has changed is that with vinyl’s 12-year run of year-on-year sales growth (as per RIAA stats), it has become a marketing technique to use the 180-gram label as a means of stating a disc’s superior quality, irrespective of whether the material used in the construction of the record or the mastering process were themselves superior

With this weight of pressing becoming the standard, the perceived added value by a consumer spending anything from $25-$50 on a record at a retailer such as Barnes & Noble means that the slightly higher production cost of minting a 180g disc becomes a worthwhile one for the label

Have you sometimes been left wondering about what is the weight of a vinyl record these days?

Have you just as often wondered what the weight of a vinyl record might have been in the original era of vinyl technology, how this weight compares to records pressed in the new era of vinyl?

Then you are in the right place, for today we will be exploring precisely these topics, as well as some of hte more logistical questions that arise as a result of the weight of a record and why size and weight supposedly matter in this industry

The weight of a vinyl record in the industry today can vary wildly from distributor to distributor, so though you may have been hearing the term 180 grams floating around a fair amount with regards to how much a vinyl record weighs, this is not a ubiquitous weight for vinyl records

The size of a record is the largest dictator of the eventual weight the records weigh

A record collection almost exclusively made up of 7 inch records or 10 inch singles is inherently going to have a lower average record weight than a collection built up of 12 inch records

For reasons pertaining to sound quality, there is, as previously mentioned, a significant trend toward records produced at 180 grams, a weight which proposes a thicker weight and width, and which is said to subsequently offer deeper grooves within which to imbibe the vibrational data and, thus, better sound quality

In asking how much does a vinyl weigh, we are forced to ask the parallel question of whether the record weight matter, and (at least in the case made for heavier record 180 gram vinyl pressings) the answer is very much in the affirmative

Today’s landscape of vinyl production is, however, a rather different story to that of yesteryear, before the wide scale implementation of digital recording and production technology into the musical and home entertainment sphere

Before this, and before everyone’s vinyl record collection saw the underside of the local trash can, at a time when most records were seeing consistent use, the weight of a record was far from ubiquitous and would vary considerably from pressing to pressing

There was not really an industry standard, nor was there a precedent for one, and this can be seen in various charts available to see online, which detail just how varied the weight of an average record a few decades ago could be

Certain audiophiles have taken this kind of research and gone on to weigh their whole record collection so that they might get a whole net spread of data, many finding that the weight considerably varies as well

The older records tend to be the lighter records, meaning that the heavier records tend to be the newer ones so that all in all you can say that the heavier a record is the more likely it is to be a new one

However, this is not always the case, for there was such a lack of industry standard in the original vinyl era that the record weight could just as easily find itself in the upper regions, sometimes clocking in at around 200 grams, which almost seems like overkill to our contemporary minds!

Is it better to have an industry standard as we do now so that a consistent level of quality can be assured?

Or, is it better that certain recordings are given certain thicknesses of vinyl to accommodate the varied tonal complexity of the music?

Back in this original vinyl era, just as today, there were salesmen ready to capitalize on the relative popularity of something that seems to wring the popular cultural zeitgeist by the neck

There were many such gimmicks that flew past the people at high speed, ever churned out to get the attention of the listening public so that they might purchase a certain brand or style of record player over another

There were, for example, certain children’s books that would include a vinyl record as part of the listening experience, so that it might be listened to alongside the reading or that it might even read the book aloud itself while the child listened and read along

These records would have made to a considerably lower standard of manufacture, and as a result would likely have been pressed to thinner vinyl, meaning that they would have weighed less overall

These pressings would inevitably have been made from thinner vinyl of a lesser quality since they were being manufactured purely for mass distribution of an ideological advertisement

Giving away a bunch of records of thicker vinyl almost seeks to belie the original purpose of giving away the records in the first place, losing whichever company a whole bunch of money as a result

There is ever contention over the topic of a record’s overall weight, and yet it can be easy to remove oneself from the argument and ask why the heck it matters

This is largely the domain of the audiophile, the avid collector and sonic spectrum enthusiast, those who will tell you that the weight of a record is going to vastly and dramatically the sounds imbibed and pressed within the grooves

If you lay out all the information on the table then it makes sense as to why a record’s weight would have such a measurable difference to the overall audio quality

If the sounds of a record come about as a result of the turntable’s cartridge transmitting the sensitive vibrational data from within the grooves out towards the speakers by means of preamplification, then it stands to reason that the thickness will play a part in the sound

A thicker record will theoretically encourage thicker and wider grooves, which will mean a bigger and more nuanced sound response as a result, especially when paired with an elliptical stylus

This is also a matter of shipping, however, especially in this day and age, when a collector is far more like to purchase a record through an online vendor like Discogs than go to their local record store and support a local business

In this business, the veritable weight of a record is everything, and will greatly affect the total price of shipping for a record as well as the feasibility of transporting a package that contains more than a dozen records

They might not look or feel heavy alone, but their weight adds up!

Just why are record companies so intent on plugging upon a record’s plastic wrapping that it is pressed onto 180 gram polyvinyl chloride?

Many will candidly pontificate that a record’s weight has nothing to do with the overall quality of the sound, and if we are take their meaning completely literally then they are not wrong

The weight alone will not have a direct impact on the overall fidelity, though it might have an inadvertent effect on other aspects pertaining to the quality of the sound overall

An audiophile inversely inclined would have you believe that a thicker record that weighs more is going to sound better

This is, however, not to do with the weight itself, but rather what a thicker disc means for the depth of the grooves

As previously suggested, if the sounds of a record come about as a result of the turntable’s cartridge transmitting the sensitive vibrational data from within the grooves out towards the speakers by means of preamplification, then it stands to reason that the thickness will play a part in the sound

If we follow this logic to its natural conclusion, we are left to surmise that a thicker record will theoretically encourage thicker and wider grooves, which will mean a bigger and more nuanced sound response as a result

The deeper the grooves, the more nuanced and varied the frequency response is likely going to be when paired with a turntable, cartridge, amplifier, and speakers that are willing to put in the work and do the sound justice

Sometimes, the old debate between CD vs vinyl is a done deal, when a record can offer a listening experience unmarred by the exaggeratedly sequential technology of digital recording which seeks to measure sound in snapshots

Hopefully your curiosity around the various questions relatings to the weight of a vinyl record have been somewhat satiated and that you are feeling more knowledgable on the subject as a result, ready and willing to chat to fellow audiophiles and record collectors about precisely these issues, as well as to inspect your own collection for these tell tale signs of pressing plants gone by and eras now caked in the dust of time’s passing

How much do vinyl records weigh in pounds?

If we are to take the broad industry standard these days for vinyl production to be around 180 grams, then we can convert that into pounds pretty easily, leaving us with around 04 pounds of record

How much does an average vinyl weigh?

Though there is not one ubiquitous weight amongst all records, particularly as there are still two or three vinyl record types that are more or less widely distributed, with regards to 12 inch records, the overwhelming majority are these days produced and pressed onto 180 gram polyvinyl discs

How much does a vinyl record weigh shipping?

This will vary from package to package, particularly as there are two or three major record sizes which are still widely distributed which will vary the weight considerably depending on which size(s) being sent

One of the most important things to remember of how to ship vinyl records is to include the weight of the entire package, including both the product and the packaging

It might not seem like much, but all things have to be weighed and taken into account for the overall price, something that can cause a whole load of hassle at some point along the line

Lord knows I have had to wait a while for certain packages and had to pay more on the other end as a result of this

How much does a vinyl record weigh grams?

If we are to take the broad industry standard these days for vinyl production to be around 180 grams, then that is around how much a vinyl record will weigh, excusing the sleeve and such

Surely all gathered here have seen the backs of vinyl vendors at a local record fair break under the immense pressure of their polyvinly load, born barren for us

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Records have become considerably more popular in recent years with many people beginning to get into the collection or enjoyment of this old media format

Vinyl records sound great but one of the biggest downsides of any physical media is that it requires you to store it somewhere and it can be quite bulky and heavy

If you are looking to store your record collection on some shelves you will want to make sure that they are durable enough to withstand the weight of your collection

But what exactly is the weight of a record?

Modern 12-inch records will typically weigh 180 grams (635 ounces) without a sleeve and 265 grams (935 ounces) with a sleeve

Older 12″ vinyl records will weigh around 120 grams (423 ounces) without a sleeve and 205 grams (723 ounces) with a sleeve

It is important to keep in mind that the weight varies a great deal because no two records are exactly alike

It also depends on the size of the records as a larger twelve-inch record will weigh more than a seven-inch record will

Records are not always to the industry standard either, especially those from what is called the Golden Age of Vinyl (older records)

However, there are only so many ways to make a record, so there are some general guidelines and so the approximate weight of 635 ounces for a 12-inch vinyl record should be quite close most of the time if shipping a modern record while older records will weigh approximately 423 ounces

It should also be noted that the above weights do not include the cardboard sleeves

A typically 12″ cardboard record sleeve will weigh 3 ounces so you have to add this to the weight of the record if it has the sleeve

To make it a little bit easier I decided to make this helpful table so you can see not only how much a vinyl record will weigh in general but also how much different sizes of records weigh with their sleeves and without them

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Current Vinyl Record Industry Standard Weight

As mentioned above there are some general industry standards (180-gram records) that most modern records that are produced will follow

The most commonly known industry standard is one hundred eighty grams per 12-inch single

Does that mean all new records have this standard weight?

For one thing, it will depend on the size

Even modern records come in three sizes and the one hundred eighty grams per record is for the twelve-inch size

The seven and five-inch records will not weigh as much, due to their smaller size

So the vinyl weight will vary depending on which size of record you have

Vintage Vinyl Record Weight

Vintage vinyl records, those made before most musicians switched to digital music, is another story

There really wasn’t an industry standard for these old records

There was a weight range, and it can be seen in many different charts available online

The average weight for older vinyl records is one hundred twenty grams per record which translate to about 423 ounces

However, that doesn’t mean most records weighed that all of the time

By far the most common weight was lower

There is a website from an audiophile who weighed every single one of his vinyl records

This additional weight has to do with the record’s grooves, the thickness of the vinyl itself, and how the record was made

The older the records are the bigger the variation in the weight will be per record

It should be noted that these weights are for 12-inch records

So if you have an older 10-inch record it will weight less (as shown in the table above)

Novelty Records Weight

Records were made out of many things, and not all of them were vinyl

There were also gimmick vinyl records

The record wasn’t as heavy as some of the others available during that time frame, due to the weight of the book

Finding an exact weight for them has proved to be quite hard so if you don’t have standard records then the weight listed above could be quite a bit different

Salesmen also saw vinyl records as a good gimmick

Mass producing and giving away heavier vinyl would not be cost-effective so these novelty records can even be under 3 ounces per record in total weight

There is a good reason for all of the fuss over how much a vinyl record weighs

Aside from industry standards, many audiophiles believe that the weight of the record has a significant say in superior sound quality

If it’s too light or too heavy it changes the sound quality dramatically due to changing the vibration of the record

So if your record is heavier it might have better sound quality than a lighter record

However, just because a record is 180 grams doesn’t mean that it is an audiophile-grade record

Many companies know that 180 grams is the gold standard so they produce lower-quality records with that weight

Most modern vinyl records weigh in at precisely one hundred eighty grams

That is now the industry standard

Stars make sure that it states the record weight on the front label to entice fans to purchase them

There is another aspect to weight

Shipping costs are based in part on how much something weighs

This is true whether or not it’s a stamp for a letter or a vinyl record

This is true whether it’s a modern vinyl album or a vintage one

When making purchases of vinyl records you will need to know how much it will cost you to ship them

You will also need to take into account the weight of the mailers, cardboard sleeves, stickers, bubble wrap, and anything else that is used to pack the record

Many sellers will handle this aspect for you so you don’t have to worry about it but if you are buying directly from another collector knowing the exact weight of the record will be helpful for you both

Another reason for wanting to know how much records weigh is also a part of figuring out how to move them properly

Whether it’s from one side of the room to another or it’s from your current address to a new one, how many can a single person lift is greatly affected by the total weight

This question may not occur to those who are just now discovering the wonders of vinyl recordings

However, when the number of them exceeds two or three hundred records that you need to move it will be a question that you are likely to have

Animal food bags such as for dog food will normally only weigh 30-40 pounds so 100 vinyl records will be around that weight

With the extra bulkiness that those records offer it could be quite difficult to handle more than 100 records at a time

According to one website, the weight of the record doesn’t have anything to do with the sound quality

However, these records may, in fact, sound better than ones with non-standard weight

If it’s not because of the weight, then what is causing the difference?

A lot of these records do have better sound, higher highs, and lower lows

It’s not necessarily because the record weighs one hundred eighty grams, it’s probably because when they made the master they made sure it would be perfect

This is also where vinyl records differ from digitally recorded music; vinyl is analog and the soundwaves follow a curve

On a graph, the one-hundred-eighty-gram record will show curves and the digital recording will show steps

As mentioned in the beginning, how much a vinyl record will weigh is dependent on many different things

These are the era they were produced, the size of the record, and the quality of the product

Does it matter for sound purposes?

Probably not, however, it is a lot harder to break a heavier record than a lighter one

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