How to get the best sound quality out of your vinyl records

[donnyp1966]

I use70% IPA on my records with either a cotton ball or a makeup removing pad and I've never had any problems.

[OgGarcioVega]

This guy might as well be burning the dirt off.

[t3chn1cfr3q]

dipshit



[TheMyrjan]

waarom in engels en niet gewoon in het nederlands.

[RODALCO2007]

@TheMyrjan Hallo, dat kan, maar de Youtube taal is Engels.

[wtf66611]

Cleaning vinyl records are sometimes a real pain in the arse, no doubt. Thank goodness for CD's.

[negatyve]

@wtf66611 Fuck CDs

[HitchHikersBlues]

Seems good enough...

Dunno about the stylus on the record whilst cleaning, though?

[sixstringrock]

what a prick

[sladuni]

VERY BAD IDEA:

1. Never use pure liquid (water or alcohol only) on a vinyl - they are major ingredient of the cleaning liquids, but must be mixed (usually 3:1 to 5:1). The water must be distilled or purified.

2. Never play wet record - liquid lifts the dirt and stylus tills it with high speed on the clean groove behind damaging the record permanently.

3. Use carbon brushes only, not cotton balls.

4. Stylus will be permanently damaged because of the liquid.

Invest or DIY record cleaner!!!

[guywalker29]

@sladuni The best way to clean shellac or vinyl records is with ALMAY CANDLE WAX REMOVER. Almay leaves nothing behind and pulls ALL the grease and tobacco tar from records. It is available only from Almay which services churches. It is especially good for shellac. Wash your record any way you want and you'll see so much dirt comes off on soft cloth or paper towel after a few rotations with Almay that you'll blush. Do not push me if you haven't tried it, especially you 78 rpm people.

[sladuni]

VERY BAD IDEA:

1. Never use pure liquid (water or alcohol only) on a vinyl - they are major ingredient of the cleaning liquids, but must be mixed (usually 3:1 to 5:1). The water must be distilled or purified.

2. Never play wet record - liquid lifts the dirt and stylus tills it with high speed on the clean groove behind damaging the record permanently.

3. Use carbon brushes only, not cotton balls.

4. Stylus will be permanently damaged because of the liquid.

Invest or DIY record cleaner!!!

[ShitFromShinolla]

This is NOT the way to clean records correctly! Records should NEVER be covered with water while being played! You are wrong - and people like you are responsible for all the wars and earth quakes in the world! YOU ARE EVIL!

[cranie4]

This will most certainly ruin your cartridge over time in multiple ways and possibly the vinyl as well. Wet cleaning your records is a great idea but don't involve your turntable in the process. Invest in a VPI or Nitty Gritty if you collect or hand clean them if you only are an occasional listener. There's tons of how-to vids on here to follow.

[TimeMachine1984]

hoorde meteen aan het accent dat je nederlands moetst zijn haha, goede video.

[mycurse67]

water=rusty cartridge... whats this guy talking about...

[loger00]

How about if you spin the record and not playing with stylus?

[jasonmit]

Wow, bad idea! This may only work if you're planning on throwing away your record.

[farerse]

can i use scotch whisky for cleaning?

[PsychedelicVideos]

wont the water damage your cartridge?

[amanvisebre]

You will ruin your needle if you play it with water on the record. Dont even try.

[Lupus1]

@TheFRiNgEguitars

No. Try to use the purest form (denaturized, 70%) you can find... There's a higher grade availabe (90%) but that will probably 'eat' away the groove... Once done paying the record soaked... Use a paper tissue to allow to soak up the excess alcohol... That way you get an extra cleaning and when evaporated it will leave NO residu....

[Lupus1]

@TheFRiNgEguitars

Be sure to have a spare stylus around, because over time, the shellack with which the styles has been set in its cantilever might dissolve and then you'd lose your stylus...

[Lupus1]

Better use purified Alcohol! It degreases the groove and diminishes 'hiss'... Which improves sound quality remarkably! When done the Alcohol has evaporated, leaving you a dry, clean vinyl single or LP.

[RODALCO2007]

I try that, thanks for the tip.

[TheFRiNgEguitars]

When the alcohol evaporates, what happenes to the grease/ oil/ resin? Doesn't the pure alcohol become contaminated, then after evaporation leave a crusty "hard water" deposit that's even worse? (this has been my experience.. and the residue is so abrasive that it'll wear out the stylus fast)

[backindauk]

@Lupus1 pure alcohol will pull the plasticisers out of the vinyl causing higher surface noise and making the record more prone to damage. You only need to use a small percentage of alcohol (IPA, Ethanol) in distilled water to ensure things dry quickly (10% w.w.)

[TheIsraelPost]

better not play the record when it's wet.

my method is 1 wet and 1 dry cotton pads.

the cotton fibers cleans in to the grooves.

then i get it dry and the vinyl sound like new!

[RODALCO2007]

Thanks , I'm aware of different methods, This one works fine for me with no problems.

I will try your method and see how it works.

[TurntableMadness]

It's fine if you want to use water on 78 RPM records but if you use it on a 33 RPM or a 45 RPM it will gradually damage the record and stylus. I have had this problem, put water on a record and then i played it and i just heard lots of distortion, I've also had the problem with my stylus going rusty and eventually broke off and that was a £100 one!!

[RODALCO2007]

Never had heard of a rusty stylus, perhaps too much water got into the cartridge? ( sorry for my late reply )

[TheFRiNgEguitars]

The wet play has been practiced for many years in the industry to transcribe to vinyl reissue or CD. The wet play is a one time deal. Just a warning: if you want to keep your collection, or sell it, don't wet play. The residue will render your records almost unplayable in the future. And, always transfer on good equipment to preserve the vinyl, and to have a far better sounding transfer. Any high quality turntable with a MAGNETIC cartridge tracking at 2 grams or less will get the job done right

[dexwise]

If you play a record wet, you will slowly rust the stylus, not a good idea if you have an expensive player!

[RODALCO2007]

Never seen a rusty stylus. Most diamant or saffire styli are suspended from a brass attachement.

[Individuell83]

if you play it once wet you always have to play it wet thats true.

Because the water on the record dry and put the dusty deep into the rills.

If you wanna play it dry again you will need a total cleaning of the LP's from a record cleaner otherwhise it will sounds horrible

[RODALCO2007]

You can buy expensive record cleaners.

I have found this method works well.

At least you can enjoy your dusty records again instead of have them gathering dust.

[Individuell83]

yeah I heard of this procedure before

they also said destilled water some kind of alcohol

[doncirelli]

Now, once you play a record "wet", you always have to play it wet on subsequent replays, is that not true? I have heard that playing a record wet will cause any remaining dust to harden like cement inside the grooves of the record.

[RODALCO2007]

I have heard both stories pro and against wet record playing.

This method was used about 30 years ago in Europe.

Key is clean distilled water with no residue of calcium or other minerals.

Not sure about the dust stuck in grooves, the water lubricates and even cools the stylus during play. Try it out yourself on an old record which is very scratchy or dusty. The sound quality improves heaps.

A good dustbrush which followes the grooves is a great aid and a necessety.

[dollyandlorettalover]

Well my mom has some records that were in a flood when she was little, and I don't know what it is, it might be because of water but, There are little hard spots with some old dried mud on them....

[TheFRiNgEguitars]

Yes this is very true, and hastened by hard water and/or how dirty the record was. Once you play wet, the record may be wet cleaned, but there is no guarantee that this will be entirely effective for every record. The stylus tends to emulsify any dirt which dissolves in the water, therefore converting soft water into hard water. Therefore wet playing a record with soft water still leaves a hard water crust.