The quest for the hot stamper or is it a myth

Tom Port's business is discussed here, Steven Hoffman and others.
Whether of not his copy of Steely Dan's Aja is worth $500, is up to the buyer. It's simplybusiness filling a demand. Does it sound "better?" Subjective, like the evaluating systems.

My neighborhood record store would get visits by his scouts for those pricey listings on his site.
I have plenty of "stamper" quality albums, purchased for a couple bucks. IMO, it just make sense to get as close to the source recording. Particularly, if you listen to music that
originally was released before 1980-90? Reissues and even period "greatest hits" have been off my radar for many years.

When I see a copy of VH's debut album listed for $200, I shake my head and roll my eyes. I have my $3.99 copy purchased in 1978, somewhere.

Ah, the hot stamper, the one thing the record does not reveal. But there's nothing mysterious about it.

Most record companies have - sometimes elaborate - information on the dead wax that will tell you what cutting engineer, lacquer, mother and stamper you are dealing with. But for the 'position' of a particular copy within each production run from the same stamper there's no way to tell. Except by listening, which is what Better Records purports to do. This time consuming and therefore costly service should provide you with the better samples from each pressing run. Presumably the first few hundred copies pressed from a fresh stamper, before the first signs of stamper wear or overheating.

But I honestly think that the sonic difference between the first and last copy pressed from one stamper should not be overestimated. With previously owned records - which is what we are dealing with mostly - the playing history of the record is of much greater importance. This is another unknown factor, except of course for obvious signs of frequent play (lack of lustre, sleeve removal marks, spindle marks, etc.) or misuse (feelable needle marks, etc.).

blue, you realize of course that "hot stamper" is a marketing label utilized by a dealer.  It is not an industry term.

This is not to say that some pressings won't sound significantly better than others.  Comments made so far support that and I expect anyone with a collection of any size would agree.

My issue is with those who argue for searching out low stamper numbers.  Would you rather have an LP which was the 900th stamped by S-2, or one which was the 4th stamped by S-12?  I'd choose the latter if I could.  But since we don't know the number stamped that becomes a moot point.