View Full Version : Stylus Cleaning / Stylus Life?
dantheman91
15-02-2016, 13:57
Hello Guys & Girls
Couple of quickies -
Whats the best form of cleaning your stylus mine is clogged up but cant seem to shift it by blowing , Stylus brush so whats the alternative unless this cartridge is worn but its not long been put on beginning of last year options and opinions welcome maybe my records need a full clean which is the best product for this too.?
I have gone back to my old stylus but has plenty on meat on it for the moment and ordered a new one i know it might appear as the wrong thing to do but its only £37 for a new one as i just thought it was good to have a new spare cartridge in question Ortofon OM Super 10 :) i quite like them...;)
Theirs is also the question on stylus life how long is the approx? I play 3 albums per day per week and more on the weekend up to 7 albums on vinyl a day depending on the day...any thoughts?
Many Thanks
Daniel
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SRM-TECH-STYLUS-CLEANING-KIT-BEST-AVAILABLE-/331771134542?hash=item4d3f19c24e:m:mK2r9EKmFbLAcfJ qO2R2Sxw
Ali Tait
15-02-2016, 14:14
These come up for sale secondhand fairly regularly-
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/audio-technica/at-637.shtml
For cleaning records-
http://maquinaphk.xpg.uol.com.br/models.html
And for fluid use this, it's better than anything else I've tried-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Right-One-Vinyl-Record-Cleaning-Fluid-500ml-/191690029044?hash=item2ca19db7f4:g:Is0AAOSwEetV9Zo 5
Simon_LDT
15-02-2016, 14:22
For me, I use a combination of stylus brush (quick brush after each side), Onzow zerodust (after each session) and 'Green paper' which is a very fine sandpaper which I use after about 10 sides. I'll never use any kind of liquid cleaner myself.
Ali Tait
15-02-2016, 14:27
Keep your records clean and that will help keep your stylus clean.
Ive a bottle thats about 9 years old. Still half full and 9t% of loss was due to a spillage.. Rarely use it now but is good stuff.As Ali says if you clean and vaccuum you records then you shouldnt need it
I usually give the stylus a quick wipe with a stylus brush after each side.
If you keep your records clean, the stylus will not get covered in sticky 'gunk'. Should it get dirty, a 10 second application with an electronic stylus cleaner will do the trick. I use one made by Goldring, which is very similar to the Audio Technica model cited. Whether you use any form of isopropyl alcohol based cleaning fluid or not is up to you: some cartridge manufacturers do not advise it - it can soften the glue used to attach the stylus to the cantilever.
As to stylus life, you should expect to get around 1,000 hours from your stylus, but it depends on the VTF, the care with which the cartridge has been set up (especially the azimuth and VTA) and the stylus profile. So playing 25 LPs a week is about 16 hours a week, or 800 hours a year, thus a life of about 15 months. It is a good idea to inspect the stylus every few months (or after a couple of hundred hours of use) to check the condition. Stylus microscopes are very cheap. LED-illuminated 60x magnification devices can be bought online for as little as £2 - 3; but to do the job properly you really need to use a magnification of 200x, provided by a microscope.
It is much, much better to err on the side of caution, than to expect too much and find you are damaging your records. Remember, if you can hear any stylus wear it is too late!
daytona600
15-02-2016, 16:58
Buy a RCM, & clean you stylus once in a blue moon
if you don,t have a RCM Dust Buster very handy
http://www.analogueseduction.net/user/safe_image.jpeg
Buy a RCM, & clean you stylus once in a blue moon
if you don,t have a RCM Dust Buster very handy
http://www.analogueseduction.net/user/safe_image.jpeg
Even with using an RCM and giving the record a 'wipe' with a carbon fibre brush before playing, dust will still fall on the record whilst it is playing and will accumulate on the stylus.
daytona600
16-02-2016, 08:40
Even with using an RCM and giving the record a 'wipe' with a carbon fibre brush before playing, dust will still fall on the record whilst it is playing and will accumulate on the stylus.
If records are spotless you never have a clean your stylus as no dust left on the record
only other source of dust would be commercial inner sleeves but replace these with after market inners
or fit a dust cover to your turntable
So you play your records in a 'clean-room' which is absolutely dust free? There is dust floating about in everybody's living/listening room and no matter how clean your records are and how clean the inner sleeves are, dust will still accumulate on the stylus after playing a few LPs. It is no trouble to clean the stylus with a stylus brush; after all you have already given the record a wipe a brush, zapped it with a de ioniser, fitted the record clamp/puck,... .
I don't do any of that. Just put the record on and cue it up. I've a pot of gunk you can lower the needle into to clean it, that must get used once a year if that. I've got a brush to wipe surface dust of the record but again hardly ever needed. In any case it isn't the surface dust that is a problem, pops and crackles are caused the crud you can't see, the stuff stuck down there in the grooves.
Some old records I have, like Led Zep 2, bought second hand in 1988, were terribly noisy, almost unlistenable. Over years of playing it cleaned up a bit by the simple process of the needle dislodging dirt in the groove. But how much did that reduce the life of the stylus?
Even then after 20 years the record was still so noisy that it would have any exponent of digital replay rolling around on the floor clutching his sides; a classic example of the drawbacks of vinyl.
One clean on the RCM and what a massive difference! But even now there is still some crackle, some rough, 'Geiger counter' type noise under the music. So it probably needs another, even more thorough go on the RCM to properly sort it.
That's how hard it can be to get a bad record clean. Rubbing a brush over it? Does nothing, don't waste your time.
daytona600
16-02-2016, 19:58
It is no trouble to clean the stylus with a stylus brush; after all you have already given the record a wipe a brush, zapped it with a de ioniser, fitted the record clamp/puck,...
yes it is a lot of trouble
remove record from sleeve & lower stylus & play ( 5-10 seconds )
never use a stylus brush or record brush or zerostat , no need to if your records are spotless
clean the stylus - next dirty record - need to repeat the process again
give record a wipe with a brush - just pushes the dirt deeper into the groove
zapped with de ioniser - only temporary effect if record is still charged , remove static at source
I never said an RCM should not be used - it should, even for brand new records. However one should not sit back and think that's all that needs to be done.
Unless you have sealed bare wood flooring, any carpeted room will have a certain amount of dust in the air. Some of this dust will settle on the record whilst it is being played and will accumulate on the stylus. After playing a few LPs, this surface dust needs to be removed with a stylus brush.
Of course simply wiping the surface of a dirty LP with a carbon fibre brush will not clean it - You need an RCM for that. But once you have clean records (in clean inner sleeves), it's simple 'housekeeping' to keep both it and the stylus clean.
Whats the best form of cleaning your stylus mine is clogged up but cant seem to shift it by blowing...l
Bad news, Danny boy - it shouldn't be like that! :nono:
As others here have said, the best way of keeping your stylus clean is to keep your RECORDS clean - 'source first', and all that!
I'm pretty much with Scott here. *Genuinely* pristine records, kept inside Nagaoka anti-static sleeves, and stored in a clean environment, rarely need brushing or 'treating' further in any way. Any small particles of dust falling onto the record, during playback, will simply be swept aside by the stylus, causing no issues whatsoever.
If you can see any fluff on the stylus, after playing a record, then simply blow it off. The key is in ensuring that records have been thoroughly cleaned on an RCM, in the first place (and that usually means more than a 30-second 'spin and polish' ;)), and ensuring that they are totally static free, thus when records are pulled out of sleeves, they're not being statically charged, and so predisposed to attracting dust.
The fact is, the least that you 'bother' your stylus, and leave it alone to do its job, the better it is ... Also, PREVENTION is better than any cure, so keep those records SPOTLESS! :exactly:
Marco.
Bad news, Danny boy - it shouldn't be like that! :nono:
As others here have said, the best way of keeping your stylus clean is to keep your RECORDS clean - 'source first', and all that!
I'm pretty much with Scott here. *Genuinely* pristine records, kept inside Nagaoka anti-static sleeves, and stored in a clean environment, rarely need brushing or 'treating' further in any way. Any small particles of dust falling onto the record, during playback, will simply be swept aside by the stylus, causing no issues whatsoever.
If you can see any fluff on the stylus, after playing a record, then simply blow it off. The key is in ensuring that records have been thoroughly cleaned on an RCM, in the first place (and that usually means more than a 30-second 'spin and polish' ;)), and ensuring that they are totally static free, thus when records are pulled out of sleeves, they're not being statically charged, and so predisposed to attracting dust.
The fact is, the least that you 'bother' your stylus, and leave it alone to do its job, the better it is ... Also, PREVENTION is better than any cure, so keep those records SPOTLESS! :exactly:
Marco.
It is being laissez faire to assume that once cleaning an LP with an RCM is all that needs to be done. Also, so called anti-static sleeves are rarely effective. The Nagaoka ones aren't. The best and only ones that were completely effective were the 'Estat' graphite fibre-loaded paper sleeves distributed by Tannoy. Very expensive, but effective and sadly no longer obtainable.
Cleaning the stylus with a squirrel hair artist's brush in not going to "'bother' your stylus" any more than the thousands of g acceleration it suffers when playing a record!
It is being laissez faire to assume that once cleaning an LP with an RCM is all that needs to be done.
Au contraire, mon ami. It's got nothing to do with being laissez faire.
It's simply completely unnecessary for me to brush my records, when they come out of the sleeve, as they're pristine clean and static-free. And after they've been played, that situation remains the same. So why should I brush what doesn't need brushing?
Perhaps if you used a proper record cleaning solution, which genuinely DEEP-CLEANS your records, as well as removes static, instead of that home-made pish you make up, then you wouldn't have the problems you're experiencing? :ner: ;)
Also, so called anti-static sleeves are rarely effective. The Nagaoka ones aren't.
Well, we'll have to agree to disagree there. I find them excellent. But you have to make sure that records go into them pristine clean and static-free to start with.
Cleaning the stylus with a squirrel hair artist's brush in not going to "'bother' your stylus" any more than the thousands of g acceleration it suffers when playing a record!
Indeed, but as I said before, you don't need to clean what isn't there! :)
Marco.
Unless you have sealed bare wood flooring, any carpeted room will have a certain amount of dust in the air. Some of this dust will settle on the record whilst it is being played and will accumulate on the stylus. After playing a few LPs, this surface dust needs to be removed with a stylus brush.
The amount of dust floating around in even the 'cleanest' domestic environment is phenomenal and usually a fabulous cocktail of organic matter (including decaying skin and insects) synthetic fibres ... and oodles of abrasive particulates. Every time you move it all gets re-agitated; open a door and you fan a whole maelstrom of the stuff into action. Your huge sheet of spinning vinyl is a welcome home for every miniscule waif and stray in this dust storm looking for a groove to nestle in. The organic helps to bind the fibres with the abrasives - aided in no small part by the willing diamond crushing the amalgam against the groove wall as it passes .....
My advice - clean your records and transcribe them immediately to a lossless format for future enjoyment - and yes, brush the stylus clean gently before and after each use (as advised by most reputable stylus manufacturers)
I don't have any problems: I have transformed an unplayable record with my RCM and my "home made pish" to one that is now completely clean and silent between tracks.
My advice - clean your records and transcribe them immediately to a lossless format for future enjoyment...
Yes, and in the process impart an undesired sonically detrimental 'digital signature' onto your lovely analogue music signal (been there, done that), as well as lose all the FUN of playing your records and the tactile (and emotional) experience/connection you get from the process! :nono:
;)
Marco.
I don't have any problems: I have transformed an unplayable record with my RCM and my "home made pish" to one that is now completely clean and silent between tracks.
Just yanking yer chain, old chap. The point is though, before or after I play records, 99% of the time there's nothing for me to brush off of the stylus. So why am I getting that result and not you? ;)
Marco.
Just yanking yer chain, old chap. The point is though, before or after I play records, 99% of the time there's nothing for me to brush off of the stylus. So why am I getting that result and not you? ;)
Marco.
Because there is always dust floating about in the air that can settle on the record. What about the 1%? ;)
Indeed, but I only have to dust 'fluff' off of my stylus, after playing a tiny percentage of my records... What's your 'fluff percentage rate'? Oh, and not including the stuff on your belly button! :D
Marco.
Oh - probably about 10 - 15%, or after 6 - 10 LPs.
Yes, and in the process impart an undesired sonically detrimental 'digital signature' onto your lovely analogue music signal (been there, done that),
Marco.
Not if you do it right :lol:
Nowt wrong with home made. Someone has to make it somewhere
Fluff wise mine is zero
Not if you do it right :lol:
Lol... I've done it right many times, with a variety of soundcards and digital recorders. The fact is, you can't stop digital 'being digital' any more than you can stop analogue 'being analogue' ;)
As soon as you 'digitise' an analogue signal (and thus mangle it in some ways), it's never the same afterwards. Oh yes, the resulting recording can still sound good, but some of the magic is gone.
Marco.
Nowt wrong with home made. Someone has to make it somewhere
Indeed, and I used to make mine up all the time, and have used (and experimented) with all manner of different cleaning fluid 'recipes'. The results were excellent, but still not as good as with the stuff Paul sells... ;)
*Nothing* I've used or bought before deep-cleans records of ingrained crud (and ensures virtual silent playback), like his stuff does. Therefore why persist on using something that's fundamentally inferior? I have a number of rather expensive audiophile pressings and rarities, which deserve nothing but the best cleaning fluid! :)
Marco.
Welcome to Jurassic Park:
http://www.micrographia.com/projec/projapps/viny/viny0200/vinfung1.jpg
dead silverfish on a record
http://www.micrographia.com/projec/projapps/viny/viny0200/vinfung2.jpg
fungus growth
Also an interesting read about stylus wear - wif pitchers ;)
http://www.micrographia.com/projec/projapps/viny/viny0300.htm
As soon as you 'digitise' an analogue signal (and thus mangle it in some ways), it's never the same afterwards.
Unless you do it right (i.e. without the mangling)
Oh yes, the resulting recording can still sound good, but some of the magic is gone.
'Magic' or 'Ritual' ?
dantheman91
17-02-2016, 06:44
Many Thanks guys for the info and tips....Much appreciated i have now cleaned the stylus in question it took about 5 mins of brushing , blowing and magnifying and all is well...So i now have to spare styluses for my trouble...:)
Im off tip hunting today to find more its amazing what you can find i found some early northern soul singles on the weekend...
My advice - clean your records and transcribe them immediately to a lossless format for future enjoyment - and yes, brush the stylus clean gently before and after each use (as advised by most reputable stylus manufacturers)
Why would you do this? Why not just buy the cd or the download in the first place?
Unless you do it right (i.e. without the mangling)
Mike, it doesn't matter how 'right' you do it, the "mangling" is automatic, and simply a by-product of the digital conversion process. You *cannot* get away from it.
I've carried out the process 100s of times, and trust me I know what I'm doing, and the resulting ripped version *never* sounds as good as the vinyl original; close when it's at its best, but never 100% faithful to the original. The soundcard/digital recorder used, to a degree, always imparts its sonic signature on the rip.
Don't get me wrong, the results can still be very good, and perfectly acceptable if you're not being really critical. However, the idea that the ripping process is 100% transparent, after digitally manipulating the (rather delicate) analogue signal in that way, I'm afraid, is wishful thinking and a complete fallacy.
Think of it this way: when designing a high-end phono stage, why do manufacturers go to great lengths to preserve the integrity of the signal, by keeping its path as pure and 'unmolested' as possible?
You would never ever complicate the signal path, in a similar way that occurs when ripping vinyl to digital, during normal playback of an LP, simply because you'd hear the sonic impact of that, so why would it be any different when doing a recording? The sonic degradation would still happen, and you'd hear it in the same way, like I clearly can! :exactly:
'Magic' or 'Ritual' ?
'Magic', in terms of the loss of fidelity (and what makes analogue, analogue), and 'ritual', in terms of the whole tactile experience and enjoyment of playing records. That's why even though I have 25,000+ albums, stored on hard drives, which I stream from and enjoy doing so very much, I'd NEVER give up my T/T or precious record collection! :nono:
If you truly want to faithfully preserve/archive your record collection and achieve minimal sonic degradation, then buy a quality R2R machine, and record them that way, thus keeping the whole process in the analogue domain, otherwise I'm afraid there is no 'free lunch'.
Marco.
Why would you do this? Why not just buy the cd or the download in the first place?
There are many reasons, mate. Here are a few (taken as a given that one already owns the music on vinyl):
1) To free up some space and do away with the clutter arising from having a large record collection (that's a BIG one).
2) To enable one to play the resulting ripped music with the same convenience as any other digital file, minus the 'faff' of records.
3) During the digitisation process, with the judicious use of appropriate software, one can remove every every single click and pop, contained on vinyl records, to achieve almost the same low noisefloor, on playback, of digital music replay.
4) To preserve the life of precious and/or valuable records, ergo if they're not continually being played, they'll remain in good condition and last longer.
It's a good thing to do, especially if you have a streaming network set up to take full advantage of the convenience, *but* as long as you realise that the only gain you'll get is the convenience factor, as it will never replace the original records, either sonically, or emotionally (if for example, you still have records you bought as a teenager, and cherish the memories they evoke when handling them). Count me in!
That's why, for me, music streaming (as good as it is in many ways) will always play second fiddle to the enjoyment of my physical music collection.
Marco.
I used everything I can to keep my records clean as I dont want to have to replace them. I have found using a VPI RCM makes a huge difference and after placing records in a nagaoka anti static sleeve they stay pretty quiet for 6 months or so.
I am meticulous with stylus cleaning using a combination of brush and a pot of gunk, I am sure this has let me use my 2M black for nearly 2000 hours with little degradation in SQ.
I also use an anti static fibre brush before playing.
Now all this sounds a lot of faff but in fact once your record is clean apart from static it seems to stay that way for a long period so really it is only stylus care that becomes a regular chore.
What does annoy me however is not matter how much effort and care I lavish I still get the occasionally small scratch or tick!:steam:
Indeed, Jim, and it's the same with me. I suspect the reason is that vinyl produced now simply isn't as 'robust' or resilient to damage, as it used to be at one time.
That's why, if you've ever noticed, you can often get away with buying second-hand vinyl, produced in the 50s/60s (say classical music or Beatles albums), which have light scratches on the surface, and not hear them on playback, yet simply looking at a new vinyl record the wrong way (I'm of course being mildly facetious here, but you know what I mean), can result in a very audible tick or pop! :doh:
Marco.
I used everything I can to keep my records clean as I dont want to have to replace them. I have found using a VPI RCM makes a huge difference and after placing records in a nagaoka anti static sleeve they stay pretty quiet for 6 months or so.
I am meticulous with stylus cleaning using a combination of brush and a pot of gunk, I am sure this has let me use my 2M black for nearly 2000 hours with little degradation in SQ.
I also use an anti static fibre brush before playing.
Now all this sounds a lot of faff but in fact once your record is clean apart from static it seems to stay that way for a long period so really it is only stylus care that becomes a regular chore.
What does annoy me however is not matter how much effort and care I lavish I still get the occasionally small scratch or tick!:steam:
:exactly:
My records are the most valuable item of my music system (that's why my first upgrade, made 18 months after buying a Garrard SP25 with Shure M3D cartridge, was to an SME 3009 with Shure M55E mounted on a venerable Collaro 2020 idler drive TT). Records cleaned using an RCM do not remain quiet forever, they need re-cleaning from time to time as you have found.
Congratulations on getting 2,000 hours from your Ortofon stylus, but I would encourage you to have it examined. Don't wait until you can hear a degradation in SQ, when you do it will be too late - you will quite possibly have permanently damaged your records.
Indeed, Jim, and it's the same with me. I suspect the reason is that vinyl produced now simply isn't as 'robust' or resilient to damage, as it used to be at one time.
That's why, if you've ever noticed, you can often get away with buying second-hand vinyl, produced in the 50s/60s (say classical music or Beatles albums), which have light scratches on the surface, and not hear them on playback, yet simply looking at a new vinyl record the wrong way (I'm of course being facetious here, but you know what I mean), results in a very audible tick or pop! :doh:
Marco.
Why is it that records of the '50s and early '60s, using nice thick and heavy vinyl, seem less prone to static than newer vinyl (even 120g or 180g pressings)? :scratch:
It was harder stuff too as it didnt scratch so much or so deep. Must have had something in the mix i guess
Hi Marco, I have noticed even the 180g so called audiophile pressings are often not as good as some older vinyl I have picked up so there is definitely something in this.
Today's quality is certainly not yesterday's quality! However there are a few exceptions like Quality Record productions, every record I have had from his company has been perfect.
I also notice much new vinyl comes with permanently pressed clicks and pops!
Barry, as a precaution I have now retired my 2M black. It still sounds ok but must be worn by now?
It was harder stuff too as it didnt scratch so much or so deep. Must have had something in the mix i guess
I'm pretty certain of it.
A big factor too, was the ubiquitous use, back in the day, of 100% virgin vinyl, whereas now, out with of the most expensive audiophile pressings, it's generally recycled, which is bound to impact on quality, coupled with the fact that I doubt the whole production process is as meticulous as it once was, and staff in production plants aren't handling or storing the vinyl properly - all of which combines, in general, to produce an inferior product.
Marco.
Records cleaned using an RCM do not remain quiet forever, they need re-cleaning from time to time as you have found.
Yup, I completely agree.
That's why, upon examination, I'll sometimes give my records a quick spin on the RCM, before playing them (as I have mine set up in the room, ready to use), if I can see that they're not as meticulously clean as I'd expect them to be, because undoubtedly, during use and storage, some dust/dirt, etc, will have accumulated on the surface and perhaps also embedded itself into the grooves.
However, here, that situation can take many months to occur, and up until that point, there is no need whatsoever to brush fluff from my stylus, after playing records [or indeed brush records beforehand, for that matter], as there is 'hee-haw' fluff to remove... ;)
Marco.
I store mine in plastic covers and then in aluminium flight cases to help alleviate dust but it gets in eventually lol.. It does help though rather than having them in open racks
Yup, I'd go with that, but it's a bit difficult to do, with around 3000 of the buggers!
Plus, as you well know form other, erm, 'life situations', easy access is always preferable to having barriers in one's way... :eyebrows:
Marco.
Cant beat easy access with plenty room to get it in and out without any damage:eyebrows:
I still don't get it.
Either buy the vinyl and play the vinyl or buy the cd/download and play that. Making digital copy of the vinyl that may not be as good as the CD version and playing that whilst stashing the original vinyl away for posterity just makes no sense to me at all.
And if the record was released after about 1979 it has almost certainly been through the ADC of the cutting lathe so its 'analogue purity' has already been despoiled.
[QUOTE=Macca;731040]I still don't get it.
Either buy the vinyl and play the vinyl or buy the cd/download and play that. Making digital copy of the vinyl that may not be as good as the CD version and playing that whilst stashing the original vinyl away for posterity just makes no sense to me at all.
Agree with that totally Martin.
I still don't get it.
Either buy the vinyl and play the vinyl or buy the cd/download and play that. Making digital copy of the vinyl that may not be as good as the CD version and playing that whilst stashing the original vinyl away for posterity just makes no sense to me at all.
Quite straight forward really - if you already own the LP and the means to transcribe it then buying CD or download is a pointless waste of money (and often inferior quality). My TT weighs 12.5 kilo so simply playing a track in any other location than the room I have installed it in would be a ridiculous enterprise. Why would I bother farting around like that when I can make a high quality transcription I can play pretty much anywhere where I have a digital file player; it's called a 'no-brainer' :lol:
You would have a better argument if all CDs were created equally - unfortunately they're not. I have some pretty damn good ones (such as 'Solid Air' and 'Dummy') but also plenty that are downright abysmal and only worth space as coasters. Also there is a presumption that everything that has been published on vinyl is available in other formats - again, unfortunately not the case.
Lol.. TT,s dont track well in the car:D
Mike, it doesn't matter how 'right' you do it, the "mangling" is automatic, and simply a by-product of the digital conversion process. You *cannot* get away from it.
Marco.
.. the choice of the word 'mangling' highlights what you are doing wrong perfectly ;)
Lol.. TT,s dont track well in the car:D
:rfl: :rfl: :rfl: :rfl: :rfl: :rfl: :rfl: :rfl:
Quite straight forward really - if you already own the LP and the means to transcribe it then buying CD or download is a pointless waste of money (and often inferior quality). My TT weighs 12.5 kilo so simply playing a track in any other location than the room I have installed it in would be a ridiculous enterprise. Why would I bother farting around like that when I can make a high quality transcription I can play pretty much anywhere where I have a digital file player; it's called a 'no-brainer' :lol:
You would have a better argument if all CDs were created equally - unfortunately they're not. I have some pretty damn good ones (such as 'Solid Air' and 'Dummy') but also plenty that are downright abysmal and only worth space as coasters. Also there is a presumption that everything that has been published on vinyl is available in other formats - again, unfortunately not the case.
-My confusion then. I took it from your previous post where you said
'My advice - clean your records and transcribe them immediately to a lossless format for future enjoyment -
that you were making a copy of the LP and then stashing the vinyl away never to be played again. Obviously making a copy to play in circumstances where no turntable is available makes perfect sense.
I had a pal at school who would copy each new LP he bought onto cassette and then never play the LP again because 'they wear out'. I thought that crazy then and I think it's crazy now.
With some of the dansettes it was true. Some were closer to cutting lathes
.. the choice of the word 'mangling' highlights what you are doing wrong perfectly ;)
I'm not doing anything wrong. The fact is, it doesn't matter *what* you do, digitally produced audio carries an inherent 'sonic signature', the same as its analogue counterpart, although the respective signatures are different.
Yes, the choice of word is perhaps a trifle 'sensationalist', but it gets the point across, which is that digitising an analogue signal results in something afterwards that is fundamentally flawed/tainted.
Ok, replace 'mangled' with 'detrimentally manipulated', and you'd be nearer the truth :)
Marco.
I still don't get it.
I thought I'd already explained it, daftee. Ok, let's try again...
In my situation (and others who have a well-sorted streaming network set up at home), when ripping a vinyl album to a digital file, I can place said file into a spare (named) folder on my NAS drive, reserved solely for rips of CDs and vinyl (from my collection), and thus at a touch of a button on my laptop (or a Smartphone), play 100s of albums, through my system, which I otherwise don't have stored as files (perhaps stuff that was only ever released on vinyl), without getting up off of my chair.
Furthermore, with the use of a Smartphone, I can access my 'Personal Cloud' (i.e. music stored on my hard-drives at home) from anywhere in the world, including of course those vinyl rips. Therefore, if I'm on holiday in a hotel in the south of France, and I fancy listening to, oh let's say, an obscure ambient album I've ripped from vinyl, then I can listen to it through the earbuds connected to my smart phone.
It's a rather novel use of technology! :)
Also, as Mike says (and he is 100% correct here), if you know what you're doing and use the right equipment, you can create CDs of vinyl albums (perhaps for playing in the car) that sound WAY better than commercial releases of the same album, mainly because at the recording stage, YOU are in control of the levels (not some dweeb in a studio who's been told by the record company to make the recording as loud/compressed as possible), thus completely ruining the dynamic range - and the sonic gains are significant!
Quite often, the vinyl version (although still digitally produced), of a commercially released CD, isn't recorded as 'hot' as the CD version, and you can take advantage of that when producing your own CD.
Get it now, muchacho? :cool:
Marco.
As I said before I mistakenly thought we were talking about copying the LP so it could be archived, never to be played again.
I understand all the other applications, even though I have no personal use for them :)
Indeed, that would be silly, not to mention jolly bad manners.
Marco.
Interesting thread Well worth reading .. Looong though.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analogue-source/284561-hypothesis-why-some-prefer-vinyl-douglas-self.html
Interesting thread Well worth reading .. Looong though.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analogue-source/284561-hypothesis-why-some-prefer-vinyl-douglas-self.html
Yes - some interesting ideas discussed there. But it is long, and I only read 10 of the 79 pages of posts.
AudioFreak
28-02-2016, 20:14
I have tried many methods to clean the stylus over the years and they all have their pro's and con's. I stay clear of anything that contains alcohol, as as mentioned before can weaken the adhesive used for bonding some styli. I do not like using carbon based brushes, as I feel carbon is a very hard material and although diamond is much harder it would still wear the tip quicker than say a nylon type. I have tried using Blu-Tac/White-Tac and this I have found works very well and is cheap as chips, although I don't use it any more as I have a VP Dust Buster and I feel this is the best for general cleaning routines.
If after careful inspection using a 200x microscope I find there is any build-up of black crud that sometimes sticks to the stylus, I use L'art Du Son cleaning fluid diluted and carefully clean with a soft dabbing action, before resting on a soft micro-fibre cloth on the turntable to remove residue fluid.
As said before the proper cleaning of all your records is essential in vinyl hygiene, but it is inevitable that some dust and other airborne particles will get onto your stylus over time, unless you have your Hi-Fi in a controlled clean room, then stylus cleaning will become necessary and this cleaning will prolong the life of your stylus. Just my view. :)
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