Are 45RPM 12" Records Superior in SQ To 45RPM 7" Records?

Forgive me if this may seem like a stupid question but in regards to the SAME recording is a 45RPM 12" record superior in sound quality to a 45 RPM 7" due to perhaps more space for the groove information or am I totally off base here?

 

Yes. At least the hand full I've compared. Also the vinyl quality is usually better.

 

I don't have many where the exact same tune is present on both 7inch and 12inch
But one good example of the 12 inch besting the 7 is
OMD's If You Leave. Both US contain the b-side La Femme Accident (US Remix Edit)
Long tracks suffer tremendously on 7 inch for obvious reasons, the US Wally cut 7 inch of Duran Duran's Rio, Hold Back The Rain is a good example

 

12" 33 1/3 singles even are far superior in sound in every case conceivable. They just allow more level in mastering and the track can utilize just the outer radius. Even spinning 35% faster, the 7" single still has a lower tangential speed groove.

Top 40 7" singles also are generally made of injection-molded styrene instead of hot-pressed vinyl. A process regarded as inferior but higher production.

I have several 7" and 12" singles of the same title, and could needle drop some examples. The 12" always wins, so I don't think I'd even have to look for 45 rpm 12".

 

Assuming that the mastering takes advantage of the extra groove space at a wider radius afforded on a 12" 45, then the 12" will almost always sound better than the 7".

John K.

 

12" 45 is practically as good as it gets!

 

Agreed if you have a choice, however some 7 inchers can sound fantastic.
Not bad digital to digital

 

45 RPM 12" singles are in the vast minority, but for your listening fun, I found a 45 RPM 7" single, and a 45 RPM 12" single that had the same cut on it. The 12" single has the single's version as the second of two tracks on one side. I played one and then the second right after, and cut similar one-minute samples out:

Pretty Poison - Catch Me I'm Falling - 7" single sample (8MB)

Pretty Poison - Catch Me I'm Falling (radio mix) - 12" single sample (8MB)

 

In the UK, and probably in the USA, the majority of 12" singles contained different extended mixes of tracks and therefore one was actually buying a significantly different product.

As a mobile DJ I'd normally go for the 12" if I wanted the extended mix but otherwise I'd go for the 7" version for weight and space reasons.

Also, my disco equipment was loud but it was certainly not true hi fi. Instead the speakers traded quality for efficiency. Therefore there was no huge benefit accrued from some 12" pressings.

What I've found is that 12" pressings of 7" mixes tend to be a bit cleaner with more dynamic range and better bass and treble than the 7" pressings but equally what that extra resolution can also do is to shine a light on the fact that the 7" mix isn't always aimed at the hi fi market at all but is, instead, aimed at sounding good on radios and cheap equipment. Therefore they occasionally just shine a light on the mixing and EQ-ing decisions that were made for radio play more than for audio satisfaction.

 

Most UK 12" (or 30 cm) singles were cut at 45 the very best of which do sound magnificent.

 

Something else I noticed - 7" single 45s - the sound can change dramatically by the end of the song.

It's not an illusion that this recording of a 7" looks like it's getting quieter:


When you cut out the middle, and compare the start to the end, there's a marked difference in the sound:
Madonna - Express Yourself (7" single), start vs end (8MB FLAC)

The same thing applies to 12", which is why some radio transcription discs play the second side or second disc from the inside-out, so there isn't an abrupt quality jump when changing the disc.

It's hard to say records sound better than CD when they can't even sound as good as themselves...

 

In the past I bought some rock and roll 12 inch 45's. And some classical.
Best regarding dynamics and noise, some unbelievable.
Absolute top is Buddy Holly Peggy Sue on one side, It puts to shame every original 45, 33, or CD reissues.
They left dynamics untouched. You should hear it for yourself how good recording was in the fifties.
Some 45's with the then disco music disappointing, sound oke, but dynamics compressed as you know right from the microphones on, missed chance.
Goes for CD's too, dynamics compression the standard for all music, even fifties and classical.

 

Kinda like this? I see this all the time per side. Track one is the loudest to grab the attention of listeners