As a kid in the 1970's I always knew that when I finished playing a record from my own personal collection I had to take it off the turntable right away, otherwise my mom would just put it loose among their own record pile not in its cover. I did forget to do so on occasion with inevitable results. My parents were terrible with records like many others from that era.
@@soundmatters no she is not! No one is 🤣 My problem is I have a two year old that likes to dance next to my record player and makes my needle jump, so I have to listen when she is not there.
@@PJmusic1981 😂 - I have the same problem! I used some Soundeck Sound Damped Steel Isolation feet for a while, which helped a bit. Eventually, I found my Technics SL1500 was better for not skipping due to child antics and so the Pro-Ject X1 moved from the living room to the room you see in this video.
Heavy grade PVC outer sleeves. People think they are protecting their outer record sleeves when they are actually potentially wrecking their records. PVC record sleeves can degas in warm environments and you can get "Plastic Migration" the gaseous PVC can permiate to the record itself. The records surface becomes mottled and marked. There is no cure to repair this damage, as the gaseous migrated PVC from the outer cover binds and becomes part of the PVC of the record itself. Polypropylene or thinner Polythene outer sleeves are fine. Do the smell test. PVC sleeves have a distinctive odour. If your outer protective sleeves smell a little like fresh oil based paint or smell slightly of a solvent or chemical smell, get rid of them immediately.
All great suggestions. The one I hate the most is when "collectors" pinch the vinyl to pull the record out. They offer all kinds of excuses on why they do this...but the bottom line is poor handling of their collection.
It's not a question of changing the stylus every year, but rather it's the amount of playing time that counts. I don't know what cartridge you have, but mine is a high end unit that I've owned from new since the 1970s and the current price for a replacement stylus (not the cartridge) is around £340; so I have an incentive only to change when necessary.
I have the M44-7 Stylus, and 2 original back up needles to switch In a couple of years maybe. they also stop producing them in 2011 such a shame! Original needels if I finde one going up to 500 even more then that.
Generally good advice. If you use an expensive MC cartridge you would not be changing a stylus every year unless you play records everyday for hours on end. Audio Technica says the special line contact stylus on my ART9 MC can last up to 1000 hours if good system house keeping is observed.
I am guilty of pulling my records out by the edge but one of my biggest pet peeves is when I go to buy a record at an antique store or what have you and find a price sticker directly on the album sleeve.
Im new, how else do you pull a record out? Genuine question. I rarely order online but when i do the inner sleeve is sometimes so tight i question whether or not i have to cut the thing open! (Sarcasm but seriously) is there a better way of taking them out?
I am getting towards 70 and my collection of LPs are from the 60s onward. They are in fine condition (change your stylus early). In a listening session I NEVER stop my turntable. I have never experienced any problems, but have conserved the life of my turntable motors. Generally though, this is a very good video.
In my experience piling records up on top of each other doesn't lead to warping, however it can easily harm the playing surface. It's common sense really, records are heavy and any dust particles, mites etc can then easily cause damage from the sheer weight and pressure. I'm 66 and never got rid of my vinyl collection. I also collect CDs. My mantra? It's not about the format, it's about the music.
My hands have almost no oil. However my hands are dry as fuck from work. Cuts/scars etc. my hands can scratch paint on a car. I have to be super careful when I touch my records.
Good tips there, particularly for people who may not have grown up with LPs. I disagree though about the principle behind the wood glue cleaning technique which is sound. I wouldn’t use glue myself because there is a purpose designed product which does the same thing more reliably: Winyl (I have no connection to the company which make it btw). It’s great for really grubby albums which might not have been played for years. If your record is just noisy from dirt and NOT worn or scratched, I’d suggest this stuff is possibly better than many record cleaning machines (which don’t help with physical damage either) and cheaper if you’re only doing a few records. I’ve restored quite a number of LPs from charity shops, secondhand dealers and incredibly, our local recycling centre using it. I’ve been collecting vinyl since 1974 so some of my older albums have benefitted too. 'Freehand' cueing can be done safely with practice (The Aro Mk 1 - Naim what were you thinking 🙄 ?) but is a faff if you can avoid it and aren’t a DJ :)
Nice video! Some good info! I do make my own record cleaning solutions. I use 75% distilled water and 25% denatured alcohol in a spray bottle. I lay the record on a micro towel, spray, wipe with a small micro towel. I also use the same solution in my vintage Discwasher bottle with my vintage Discwasher cleaning brush. I got the cleaning solution recipe from a local owner of a record store. And sometimes I use a product called Novus 1 that comes in a spray bottle. Novus 1 claims to clean, shine, antistatic, and dust repellent on anything plastic and vinyl. I'm 65 and I've been collecting vinyl records for a very long time.
My only bad habit as a youngster was taking the record off the turntable while the turntable was still spinning. I had far more nimble fingers back then I never had any major mishaps but the thought of doing that today fills me with absolute terror and more than a little shame. Don't do it, kids!
Not keeping the listening room clean & tidy. People don’t realize how much dust can build up in a room or space. Especially with kids and pets. Regular dusting and an air filter keep dust down to a minimum. I found my records sound better because of it.
@@gonolith let me preface this comment with, I stumbled on this idea by accident a couple of years ago. Since then I’ve liked to results of doing filters. We bought a Rainbow vacuum cleaner, which has a water type filter. This particular kind of vacuum also has speed control (4 settings) and the lower settings can run and filter the air. We have a few cats, so it wasn’t uncommon to see dust and dander floating in the air. It was amazing how that all went away in about 24 hours. But that is very expensive (and maybe excessive), but effective. Since then we’ve gotten a Germguardian Hepa/UV air filter for other areas of the house . It takes a bit longer to clear the air but does a satisfactory job of clearing the air. Yep, I’m a nerd, so I tested it. It worked well and cost way less than the Rainbow. Though this newer filter has filters that need to be traded out periodically. I’ve also bought smaller water type filters that are even cheaper, but those take a few days to really scrub the air. But it will clean the air eventually. There are quite a few options out there and these are just the ones I’ve tried. Water type filters are just trading out the old water, but can be expensive on initial purchase. The ones with paper filters can be cheaper, but then you are buying the filters to replace the old ones Sorry for the long answer, but hopefully that points you in a direction you might want to consider.
Unfortunately, a tried-and-true record cleaning fluid does not exist. Or at least I have never seen one. An Isopropyl mix is as tried and true as any other commercial product. There is no Hi Fi accessory company that has the resources to come up with a reliable cleaning fluid. I would like a multinational company such as Scotch, 3M or Dupont who have more credibility and resources in industrial chemistry to come up with something that is safe and cost effective.
I totally agree with you. I've found pressing fluid into a record causes fine scratches and destroys it. If you look at the lead in and dead wax area under a good light you'll see what you've done. If you spray two shots of a 50/50 mix of isopropyl and distilled water into a microfiber cloth and wipe it on the record, that's all you need.
I use an original d4 brush and distilled water plus carbon fibre sylus and record brush (seperate items!). plus dont play them on anything that plays heavier than about 3.5grams. Cheap suticase and majority of radio gram turntables fail to do this.
Something I've learned over 60 years of record playing is, don't talk or cough when handling records, tiny drops of spittle will land on the surface and turn hard in the grooves. Obviously, never blow on the record. To take it to the extreme, wear a mask while handling the record, we're used to wearing masks!
As a kid in the 1970's I always knew that when I finished playing a record from my own personal collection I had to take it off the turntable right away, otherwise my mom would just put it loose among their own record pile not in its cover. I did forget to do so on occasion with inevitable results. My parents were terrible with records like many others from that era.
My sister plays records and leaves them out and it drives me mad. I clean them and put them away, they are only records from HMV but still 🤯
Oh boy! That must be annoying to watch. I bet she isn't allowed anywhere near your collection 😂
@@soundmatters no she is not! No one is 🤣 My problem is I have a two year old that likes to dance next to my record player and makes my needle jump, so I have to listen when she is not there.
@@PJmusic1981 😂 - I have the same problem! I used some Soundeck Sound Damped Steel Isolation feet for a while, which helped a bit. Eventually, I found my Technics SL1500 was better for not skipping due to child antics and so the Pro-Ject X1 moved from the living room to the room you see in this video.
Heavy grade PVC outer sleeves.
People think they are protecting their outer record sleeves when they are actually potentially wrecking their records. PVC record sleeves can degas in warm environments and you can get "Plastic Migration" the gaseous PVC can permiate to the record itself. The records surface becomes mottled and marked. There is no cure to repair this damage, as the gaseous migrated PVC from the outer cover binds and becomes part of the PVC of the record itself. Polypropylene or thinner Polythene outer sleeves are fine. Do the smell test. PVC sleeves have a distinctive odour. If your outer protective sleeves smell a little like fresh oil based paint or smell slightly of a solvent or chemical smell, get rid of them immediately.
Great point added. Those PVC sleeves have ruined countless records
All great suggestions. The one I hate the most is when "collectors" pinch the vinyl to pull the record out. They offer all kinds of excuses on why they do this...but the bottom line is poor handling of their collection.
Indeed!
I don't understand that either! It's a form of touching the paying surface even if it is only the run-in groove.
@@pip5528 - This is why the first few seconds of vintage records are often the noisiest!
i've always said this! use the label instead.. it's why it's there
It’s mainly big deal to new collectors. It’s not really an issue. How else do you pull out a stubborn record?
It's not a question of changing the stylus every year, but rather it's the amount of playing time that counts. I don't know what cartridge you have, but mine is a high end unit that I've owned from new since the 1970s and the current price for a replacement stylus (not the cartridge) is around £340; so I have an incentive only to change when necessary.
I have the M44-7 Stylus, and 2 original back up needles to switch
In a couple of years maybe. they also stop producing them in 2011 such a shame! Original needels if I finde one going up to 500 even more then that.
It's rough not having the cue lever on my 60's Garrard, especially if shaky from shrooms
Generally good advice. If you use an expensive MC cartridge you would not be changing a stylus every year unless you play records everyday for hours on end. Audio Technica says the special line contact stylus on my ART9 MC can last up to 1000 hours if good system house keeping is observed.
I am guilty of pulling my records out by the edge but one of my biggest pet peeves is when I go to buy a record at an antique store or what have you and find a price sticker directly on the album sleeve.
Im new, how else do you pull a record out? Genuine question. I rarely order online but when i do the inner sleeve is sometimes so tight i question whether or not i have to cut the thing open! (Sarcasm but seriously) is there a better way of taking them out?
Leaving records in direct sunlight or in a hot car will warp them fast.
Ugh I remember that, when I was a kid I left a record in the hot car and when I returned to get it it pretty much looked like a warped tostada lol 😆
I am getting towards 70 and my collection of LPs are from the 60s onward. They are in fine condition (change your stylus early). In a listening session I NEVER stop my turntable. I have never experienced any problems, but have conserved the life of my turntable motors. Generally though, this is a very good video.
In my experience piling records up on top of each other doesn't lead to warping, however it can easily harm the playing surface. It's common sense really, records are heavy and any dust particles, mites etc can then easily cause damage from the sheer weight and pressure.
I'm 66 and never got rid of my vinyl collection. I also collect CDs. My mantra? It's not about the format, it's about the music.
My hands have almost no oil. However my hands are dry as fuck from work. Cuts/scars etc. my hands can scratch paint on a car. I have to be super careful when I touch my records.
Good tips there, particularly for people who may not have grown up with LPs. I disagree though about the principle behind the wood glue cleaning technique which is sound. I wouldn’t use glue myself because there is a purpose designed product which does the same thing more reliably: Winyl (I have no connection to the company which make it btw). It’s great for really grubby albums which might not have been played for years.
If your record is just noisy from dirt and NOT worn or scratched, I’d suggest this stuff is possibly better than many record cleaning machines (which don’t help with physical damage either) and cheaper if you’re only doing a few records. I’ve restored quite a number of LPs from charity shops, secondhand dealers and incredibly, our local recycling centre using it. I’ve been collecting vinyl since 1974 so some of my older albums have benefitted too.
'Freehand' cueing can be done safely with practice (The Aro Mk 1 - Naim what were you thinking 🙄 ?) but is a faff if you can avoid it and aren’t a DJ :)
Nice video! Some good info! I do make my own record cleaning solutions. I use 75% distilled water and 25% denatured alcohol in a spray bottle. I lay the record on a micro towel, spray, wipe with a small micro towel. I also use the same solution in my vintage Discwasher bottle with my vintage Discwasher cleaning brush. I got the cleaning solution recipe from a local owner of a record store. And sometimes I use a product called Novus 1 that comes in a spray bottle. Novus 1 claims to clean, shine, antistatic, and dust repellent on anything plastic and vinyl. I'm 65 and I've been collecting vinyl records for a very long time.
As a vinyl DJ I abused my records and equipment daily. Did all these things and still do. Fux it. Except stacking records that's for horders.
Bad habit to avoid: vinyl.
My only bad habit as a youngster was taking the record off the turntable while the turntable was still spinning. I had far more nimble fingers back then I never had any major mishaps but the thought of doing that today fills me with absolute terror and more than a little shame. Don't do it, kids!
Haha! Yes, best avoided unless you want to live dangerously...
Smoking around stereo equipment and on the record player.
Not keeping the listening room clean & tidy. People don’t realize how much dust can build up in a room or space. Especially with kids and pets. Regular dusting and an air filter keep dust down to a minimum. I found my records sound better because of it.
Great point added and tip. Thanks. It's amazing how dust builds up, thats for sure.
Any suggestions on what kind of air filters to use? Thanks
@@gonolith let me preface this comment with, I stumbled on this idea by accident a couple of years ago. Since then I’ve liked to results of doing filters.
We bought a Rainbow vacuum cleaner, which has a water type filter. This particular kind of vacuum also has speed control (4 settings) and the lower settings can run and filter the air. We have a few cats, so it wasn’t uncommon to see dust and dander floating in the air. It was amazing how that all went away in about 24 hours. But that is very expensive (and maybe excessive), but effective.
Since then we’ve gotten a Germguardian Hepa/UV air filter for other areas of the house . It takes a bit longer to clear the air but does a satisfactory job of clearing the air. Yep, I’m a nerd, so I tested it. It worked well and cost way less than the Rainbow. Though this newer filter has filters that need to be traded out periodically.
I’ve also bought smaller water type filters that are even cheaper, but those take a few days to really scrub the air. But it will clean the air eventually.
There are quite a few options out there and these are just the ones I’ve tried. Water type filters are just trading out the old water, but can be expensive on initial purchase. The ones with paper filters can be cheaper, but then you are buying the filters to replace the old ones
Sorry for the long answer, but hopefully that points you in a direction you might want to consider.
Bad habit to avoid: Playing records on a Crosley
Don't loan anyone your albums!
Unfortunately, a tried-and-true record cleaning fluid does not exist. Or at least I have never seen one. An Isopropyl mix is as tried and true as any other commercial product. There is no Hi Fi accessory company that has the resources to come up with a reliable cleaning fluid. I would like a multinational company such as Scotch, 3M or Dupont who have more credibility and resources in industrial chemistry to come up with something that is safe and cost effective.
I totally agree with you. I've found pressing fluid into a record causes fine scratches and destroys it. If you look at the lead in and dead wax area under a good light you'll see what you've done. If you spray two shots of a 50/50 mix of isopropyl and distilled water into a microfiber cloth and wipe it on the record, that's all you need.
my biggest sin has been those standard paper sleeves
Loaning the album to someone
who knows nothing about records.
Changing the stylus once a year - - wow never heard that one before ?? That seems way too frequent to me...
Conical or elliptical styli last a a maximum of 500 hours. Micro line can go 1000 hours. All depends on cleanliness of records.
Not so, Jimbo.
@@johnb6723 I think I will stick with every few years....
Hi all, does anyone know what's the best gloves to stop natural oil from hands to stop making marks on vinyl or sleeves.
I’m surprised the product called “ Sound Brenner” has not complained about how close your symbol is to theirs.
Never heard of them. But then again, I'm sure a lot of logos use sound wave representations in one form or another.
@@soundmatters Soundbrenner is a vibrating metronome that uses haptic feedback to keep musicians in time. They have been out for awhile.
Not sure changing my £4K Ortofon cartridge annually is necessary or fundable.
Not touching the record surface is actually a good habit, no?
Good common sense advice. Thank you for sharing.
I use an original d4 brush and distilled water plus carbon fibre sylus and record brush (seperate items!). plus dont play them on anything that plays heavier than about 3.5grams. Cheap suticase and majority of radio gram turntables fail to do this.
That’s Everything I already do ! I was looking for more tips and tricks.
Something I've learned over 60 years of record playing is, don't talk or cough when handling records, tiny drops of spittle will land on the surface and turn hard in the grooves. Obviously, never blow on the record. To take it to the extreme, wear a mask while handling the record, we're used to wearing masks!
mishandling the album cover.
Don't do it!