Anyone Collect or Still Listen to Vinyl?

[samsonlonghair]

Wouldn't a damp, soapy sponge suffice? I've gently cleaned a couple of old records this way. It seems to work fine for me.

[AppleQueso]

I hope to those listening to vinyl understand the merits more than just having it be a fun "old school hobby". For example, anything pressed from digital is usually a waste of time (the only benefit would be for a different mix; perhaps one that's not brickwalled).

In a nutshell, they're usually closer to the source material than CD reissues of back in the day if it was from analog tapes. Requires quite a lot of investment in playback equipment and the like to gain the auditory benefit, though.

Vinyl imparts a nice particular sonic characteristic to stuff, even digitally recorded stuff. I don't think it's a waste of time at all.

Also I find the whole "the masters tend to be better" argument is kinda incidental and doesn't really do much to convince me of vinyl's "superiority" as a format. Not that you're necessarily making that argument, but it's one that's commonly made.

[Ziggy]

Wouldn't a damp, soapy sponge suffice? I've gently cleaned a couple of old records this way. It seems to work fine for me.

A vinyl brush would work better, since it can reach into the groves easier. This might be necessary for second hand records, since most of the ones you find are in piss poor shape.

[marurun]

What about an extra soft/sensitive toothbrush to scrub? There's a new kind that uses really fine-point bristles.

[Ziggy]

That would work fine. You can use whatever, so long as it doesn't scratch or otherwise damage the vinyl. A toothbrush is only like 1 square inch though, a vinyl record brush will cover more area allowing you to clean the record faster and easier.

This is, of course, only a concern for DIRTY records. The condition you'll typically find in thrift stores, garage sales, used record shops, and Aunt Bettie's basement. If you store and handle your own records properly, the most you'll ever have to do is clean off whatever dust and pet dander was in the air when the record was out of its sleeve. That can be done with a simple wiping using one of those velvet record brushes (or any kind of cloth that'll give you the same effect). Cleaning with a tooth brush and some kind of cleaning solution is only needed when there's more than just dust on the record. That's why you always hear "only handle the record by the edges and the center label". The oils from your hands will lock in dust, dirt, etc and you wont be able to simply wipe it off. And yeah, storing records in a basement or whatever wont help either.

[Nemoide]

I have a Spin Clean and think it was totally worth it; it really does a great job of cleaning discs. Before that I used the D4 record cleaning brush/cleaner and would make my own cleaning-fluid using a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and rubbing alcohol. The D4 would help but it wasn't as effective as the Spin Clean. I still use it from time to time if I want to just play a single record and it's maybe a little dusty.
But that Spin Clean works wonders! Just *VISIBLY* I'm amazed at how much filth it can get off of records.

I'd be curious to hear a comparison of DIY solutions though.

[Bremaine]

I have always wanted to start purchasing vinyl, but I haven't even bothered to do it it. Maybe one of these days when I have enough money to spend.

[skate323k137]

I have always wanted to start purchasing vinyl, but I haven't even bothered to do it it. Maybe one of these days when I have enough money to spend.

Dollar bins man, dollar bins. If you're lucky enough to have local vinyl shops, the bargain bin is a great place to start.

Re: cleaning, for dry/occasional dusting I use the DAK brush. That thing is amazing. For a wet solution whatever floats your boat... I wish VPI's weren't so god damned expensive. I've been thinking about making a ghetto one using an old turntable and a shop vac. Having a cleaner that vacuums off the cleaning fluid is amazing.

[Ziggy]

Yeah, vinyls are dirt cheap (usually because they come with dirt on them). Search for record shops in your area. The few that I've found had a TON of stuff at great prices.

[Nemoide]

A lot of used book stores also have vinyl. If a public library runs a used book store, there's a good chance they'll have vinyl too.

I think 45s are the most fun format when I'm not looking for something specific. They tend to represent an artist's best work (back in the day, sometimes their ONLY work). Plus they're almost always dirt-cheap.