Do you clean new vinyl before first playback?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by aakko, Mar 15, 2018.

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  1. DPM

    DPM Senior Member

    Location:
    Nevada, USA
    Yes. Records aren't made in clean rooms. New records can have a surprising amount of dust/dirt on them.
     
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  2. wgriel

    wgriel Forum Resident

    Location:
    bc, canada
    No, I never clean new records.

    I’ll clean used records, of course, but I’ve never seen a need to clean a new one.
     
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  3. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    No, new records have always played wonderfully IME, so I have no reason to clean them. Any stray particles on the surface can be blown off with a can of air, or a humidified discwasher brush. I do not clean before each play as my records are clean tight out of their audiophile inner sleeves. I believe there is such a thing as over-caring for records.
     
  4. Tanqueray

    Tanqueray Forum Resident

    Location:
    CA
    Indeed Yes.
     
  5. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Yes, I run it through the Spin-Clean before playing it, and often switch out the inner sleeve if it's paper.
     
  6. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    Always new or old...
     
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  7. joshm2286

    joshm2286 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
    I don't clean old or new vinyl I get since I don't own anything to thoroughly clean my records. Most records I buy just need a light carbon fiber brushing before going onto the turn table. I'm thinking about getting a Spin Clean though.
     
  8. Tartifless

    Tartifless Forum Resident

    Location:
    France
    before each play or only first play ?
     
  9. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    repost:
    I do not clean new records as they have always played wonderfully for me. I am OCD about cleanliness. A clean record not only plays quietly in my experience, it plays with better fidelity, lower distortion. There will be sometimes a few particles on a new record. But these are not deep in the groove, and can be easily blown off with air, or lifted off with a humidified Discwasher type of brush. A clean record removed from a new audiophile sleeve should be ready to play.

    Lessons from experience:

    My first collection was purchased new, way back in the early 70's. All of them played quietly and produced beautiful sound. There were no such things as record cleaning machines as we have now, only the Discwasher system which really did not get the records clean. Sometimes it made a record worse, and gummed up my stylus. But I over-cared for them, cleaning before every play. (they were stored in orig paper sleeves, not good) I used a dust bug, and soon had more and more ticks and crackles. Dissatisfied, I sold these with my first system to help pay for books and expenses. I do clean used records on my spin clean, and selective on condition. These being clean, do not require the ritual of cleaning before play, a lesson learned early on.

    I believe there is such a thing as over-caring for records.

    The not nice truth: :cry:
    If a record plays noisy, or the entire collection.. and it's well cared for, often the owner blames the record. But usually you are to blame. The cleaning regimen is wrong, and should be changed.

    Keep em spinning, rock on! :cool:
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2018
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  10. E.Baba

    E.Baba Forum Resident

    Recent brand new record had a big greasy hand print too.
     
  11. Wes_in_va

    Wes_in_va Trying to live up to my dog’s expectations

    Location:
    Southwest VA
    Can I vote us *and* no?
    I try to. Really, I do. And I’m successful about 30% of the time. I know it’s a better way to do things.
    But dang it, sometimes I’m just too excited and I it’s that puppy on the table and let ‘er rip.
     
  12. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    First play. I don't clean them again unless it looks like they need one.
     
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  13. quicksilverbudie

    quicksilverbudie quicksilverbudie

    Location:
    Ontario
    Always>:angel:


    sean
     
  14. octavius

    octavius Forum Resident

    Location:
    Slovakia
    I always clean before playback. When I buy some old LP´s I always wash them in Knosti disco antistat. I change inner sleeve too.
    I wash also new LP´s for sure.
     
  15. drmoss_ca

    drmoss_ca Vinyl Cleaning Fiend

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    Always, using a Loricraft PRC Mk4, homemade solution (PhotoFlo, isopropanol, distilled water) then a distilled water rinse. Then a new sleeve marked with a 'C' and play.
    Old records get the same treatment, and since I'm working my way through a dozen boxes of LPs inherited from a deceased colleague, and I clean as I play, I need to know if it's been done already. If a bit noisy from the previous owner, I might sink as low as trying some Gruv Glide. The inner sleeve gets marked with a 'G' if GG used.
    If I were honest with myself, the Loricraft has made more difference to sound quality than many other components bought over the years, but where's the fun in honesty of that sort?
     
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  16. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Do you really think we use a record cleaning machine to clean them before every play?

    That's...incorrect.
     
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  17. McGuy

    McGuy All Mc, all the time...

    Location:
    Chicago
    I don't know anyone, other than one friend who's kind of weird, who cleans before EVERY play. There should be no need as long as you store your albums correctly so there's no dust. The only thing you should do is use the anti-static brush before play, at least in my opinion.
     
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  18. nosliw

    nosliw Delivering parcels throughout Teyvat! Meow~!

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON, Canada
    Correct. After I wet clean my record with my RCM and store them in a good anti-static inner sleeve (i.e., from Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs), I never have to wet clean them again and just use my anti-static brush before play.
     
  19. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    Same here. Cleaning, while very beneficial, is still a physical interraction with the record. Depending on what cleaning solution you use it could be doing much more damage than good to clean every time, especially if its a highly concentrated alcoholic based one. There is just no reason for you to do it either, records dont get dirty after every play, not the grooves at least.

    Spend more effort keeping your records from getting dirty instead of cleaning and it will cause less wear overall.
     
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  20. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    Guess what folks? I said everyone must clean their records on a record cleaning machine before each play! This guy said that's incorrect! Thinking he's right.. ummmm don't do it! :bone:
     
  21. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    Wait Im confused FRiNgE, are you suggesting one should or should not clean with a machine after every play?
     
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  22. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    Should not! If a record is already clean, and stored in a new audiophile sleeve, why clean it? it should be ready to play. The ritual of cleaning with a brush before play isn't necessary, IMO. Funny, because that reply above isn't what I said! :unhunh:
     
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  23. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Huh?

    What you said is that cleaning the record before every play is "over-caring."

    What I said is that NOBODY CLEANS THEIR RECORDS BEFORE EVERY PLAY.

    You clean it once, and if you've done it right and you take care of it from then on, there is literally no reason to ever clean a record a second time, much less "before every play."
     
  24. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    Well, @McGuy seems to know one such person.
     
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  25. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    no.. you said this, quote: "Do you really think we use a record cleaning machine to clean them before every play? That's...incorrect."
    Are you ok? maybe you need to take a break!
     
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