I hit the stylus with a dry brush if needed, hit the record with 'Groovy Cleaner', brush off the muck, manually drop the needle and hope for the best...I do not have a anti-static toy (I remember when that static gun cost closer to $20 and was way overpriced even then)

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I hit the stylus with a dry brush if needed, hit the record with 'Groovy Cleaner', brush off the muck, manually drop the needle and hope for the best...I do not have a anti-static toy (I remember when that static gun cost closer to $20 and was way overpriced even then)

Since cleaning all my LP's on a VPI vacuum machine with my home made fluid I've had asolutley no problems with static charge. Maybe it's the rural climate I live in? Maybe it's the absense of any synthetic carpets in the listening room? Who knows. So, my 'rutual' is to check if I have a notation on my Excel 'LP spreadsheet' telling me an LP benefits from a pre-determined unusual VTA angle, adjust the VTA dial on my JMW 12.4 arm as recorded in the spreadsheet (only IF really necessary!), screw down the record clamp, brush the stylus with a dry brush, lower the arm and listen. Once every now and again my styli ( is that the correct plural?) get a treatment with an Audio Technica electronic stylus cleaning thingy with AT's own fluid.
I don't use any special LP inner covers having found these to be an unnecessary and absurdly expensive 'tweak'.

Paper liners shed little paper particles.

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Paper liners shed little paper particles.

So why do so many audiophools pay silly money for rice paper inners?
Maybe they plan on eating them some day.
I have to confess though that I've some ancient mono LP's with paper inners and I can't hear anything to suggest particles are getting into the grooves. Maybe they're so old they've done all the shedding they're ever going to do? Interesting one.

Assuming an already VPI'd clean LP is in the sleeve:

1) Look around for just the right disc for about 30 minutes.

2) Chose disc.

3) Place disc onto platter, reflex clamp put into place.

4) Turn on motor and use carbon fiber brush to remove any flotsam or jetsam that may have magically appeared on the vinyl.

5) Cue record into appropriate groove and wait until the first track starts...

....then go sit down once the song has started.

6) Spend first cut wondering if everything is still set up right. Was that just mistracking I heard? No, that's how that first trumpet parts just sounds.

7) Start to get the feeling everything is set up right. Hmmm, were the sibilants on that track right? Yeah, there's a part where you hear the singer hit the mic.

8) Pretty sure everything is set up right. Relax, start thinking about how great the next tune is.

9) Start of great tune, bask in glow of sound and music...then realize this is the second to last cut and I'll have to get up and change records in a few minutes.

10) Last cut, better pay attention to when it's going to end. It's getting close, maybe I'll go stand at the turntable.

11) Ends.

12) That was great.

13) Spend 30 minutes choosing the next LP so as to keep good continuity and mood going.

LOLZ!!! You read my mind!

When one has less than 50 records, the choice lag is much smaller...no more than 15 minutes...

After I play a record it goes in the back of one of my stacks of lps. I will then look at the stacks and unless I really want to hear something, will pick one in the front.

I might run a diswasher brush over it, but unless I am doing a needledrop, will just play it. I am not agonizing much when just listening.

Now if I had a P9 with a Lyra and a $2K phono stage I might do more than I do. At 63 I need to spend my time listening not worring about what "might" be in the grooves impeding my stylus.

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..................... but unless I am doing a needledrop, will just play it. I am not agonizing much when just listening.

Sorry Jim, I don't understand that. Neeldedrop? Don't you have to do that to play an LP anyhow? I'm missing something here.

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..................... but unless I am doing a needledrop, will just play it. I am not agonizing much when just listening.

Sorry Jim, I don't understand that. Neeldedrop? Don't you have to do that to play an LP anyhow? I'm missing something here.

Check stylus for clean, check record for clean, clean what needs cleaned, put LP on table if not there for cleaning already, play.

Yes you are. If I am doing a needle drop I will make sure it is cleaner than if I was just listening. Often when I am recording I am NOT listening, but doing something else. Most of it was a science project any way to see if there was a remarkable difference between redbook and 2496. And, yes there was.

I record full lp sides then come back and break them up into tracks. I don't do that many anyway as I will not digitize my lp collection. That, to me, is a waste of time.

A nedledrop is when you record an LP to your computer (and burn it onto a CD-R)

Quick check and brush of stylus, then the same for the album, setup the PC if I feel like recording the album, and let it rip.

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I record full lp sides then come back and break them up into tracks. I don't do that many anyway as I will not digitize my lp collection. That, to me, is a waste of time.

Jim,
Do you do your track split outs manually? I do. There are programs that are supposed to be able to it. But I like having more control of the cuts. It might be more time consuming, but it's a labor of love, right?

I like the sound quality of Sound Forge Audio Studio so much that I don't mind the slight bit of extra work. I can do an entire album side in under a minute. I just drag across the track, hit copy, hit open new, and paste. Hit save and title. I've gotten good at it...for the few I have done.

The new version of Sound Forge Build 10 goes to 24192. Once I upgrade my card I will add that as I can upgrade for $34.

I often do the same thing with live recording as one complete take and then come home and break it apart where appropriate.

In the 1st UWG recording I left all the saxophone quartet tracks as one, but decided that even those I needed to separate for clients to have easier access to individual pieces. It gives easier access on the DVDs as well. Just a small detail that needed to be addressed.

High end audio for my wife is her swell Altec sat sub system off her computer. I cringe! I actually had a HT set up in the room we have her computer and a 32" LCD HD TV she and Nick watch more than me. She could have cared less. I took it out and moved it downstairs with my Triangles.

I've given up the fight with them over quality audio years ago. She does have a decent Nakamichi CD changer in her Saturn Vue she does like...it is convenient, not about the sound quality.

First I load the CD into the tray. Then I hit "play".

OK, j/k. I enable the Remote app on my iPod Touch, then select "Artists", then "Roxy Music", then "Stranded". Music flows via Airport Express optical output to my DAC.

OK, vinyl. I use the Discwasher on the record and their stylus cleaner on the stylus. Then play on!

If it's brand new, or a used but cleaned record, I give it a few passes with a dust brush then sweep off the excess with a dry Swiffer cloth. Stick it on the platter, give it one last check for debris (damn cat hair gets everywhere!) then power it up and drop the needle.

I've been cleaning with the same LAST solution and brush kit since i got into vinyl about 6 years ago, but lately I've been disappointed with it. It seems to leave a lot of residue and sometimes makes records sound noisier than before! I dunno if it's my technique or not, so could anyone recommend another brush + cleaner set? I was looking at the MoFi kit on elusivedisc.com . What I'd REALLY like is the VPI cleaning machine, but I don't have the dough to drop on that just yet.

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Maybe it's the rural climate I live in?

nah, its just that your electric/animal sensuality cancels out any residual static charge.

hifi- the usual suspects on the 'net are selling this cool little unit for $80.00:

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/87625

Thanks, looks pretty cool!

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Maybe it's the rural climate I live in?

nah, its just that your electric/animal sensuality cancels out any residual static charge.

Flattery will get you anywhere.

The Spin Clean was $49 until a couple of months ago. The renewed interest caused the manufacturer to raise the cost.

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Maybe it's the rural climate I live in?

nah, its just that your electric/animal sensuality cancels out any residual static charge.

Flattery will get you anywhere.

Yes, indeed. It just went up $10 recently. Should have used my 10% off coupon when I had the chance!

http://www.garage-a-records.com/spin.html is offering free shipping, anyway.

Vacuum?

Take record out of sleeve.

If it's pretty dirty, clean it with my discwasher brush and homemade fluid.

If it's pretty clean, put it on the turntable and play it.
The rest of the stereo is always on.

If it's a new record I'll turn the volume down before lifting the record off; I find new records have more static than older ones.

en: you are right about new records with more static. i just opened a new reissue yesterday and it was like it was charged. crazy. i use a grounded record brush and after a few spins, it seems to be better.

tom