How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Vinyl. When you stop worrying about all the imperfections, the true beauty of vinyl comes shining through.

Record cleaning is a rabbit hole - and a very expensive one to fall down, given that the Degritter 2 costs £2500. I've been cleaning vinyl for 45 years now and, at the age of 60, have finally found my ideal solution (literally). After some research I decided to buy 10mls of generic Tergitol. This cost me £5. Then I bought 4 microfibre cloths from Aldi (£1.99). After giving up on trying to get distilled water I just use double filtered and boiled tap water.Each of my 4 cloths has it's dedicated function (Wiping, washing, rinsing and drying). I then play the record, as this is part of the cleaning process, as some residue will be picked up by the stylus, depending on the condition of the record, cleaning the stylus after every 2 or 3 tracks. In all the process takes around 15 minutes per album (plus the playing time). Ok, it's a bit more hands-on than a machine, but not much.The other thing I will mention is the most miraculous of all. Stylus cleaning. Get yourself a Melamine sponge (I use Mr Siga, about £2 in hardware shops, also known in America as Magic Eraser) and gently drop your stylus onto it using the cueing arm. Do not scape it or move it around as this will damage the stylus. Just lift it up and down 2 or 3 times. Then play the record and prepare to be amazed. Of course, like everyone, you will not believe that this will work. No one does until they try it. I certainly didn't. But this little tweak has me using my 40 year old cartridge with it's original stylus (Ortofon ff15e mk2) on an LP12, and wondering why I considered buying a new one. My 45+ year old vinyl now sounds better than it ever has before and all for less than a tenner. Phew....

for what they charge for vinyl, everything should come in antistatic sleeves and be pristine !! cheap bastards out to maximize profits by bending over the customers !!

To maintain the quality of your vinyl records, it's essential to handle your brushes properly. Avoid touching them with your hands, as oils and dirt can transfer to the brush and, subsequently, to your records, affecting their sound quality. When using a static brush, ensure you touch the metal part during application to ensure an effective cleaning process. Before returning your record to its sleeve, use an antistatic device to eliminate any static buildup. I've found this method to be the most effective in reducing static, though I haven't found a record sleeve that completely eliminates it. With these practices, you can better preserve the integrity of your vinyl collection. Best of luck, and enjoy your music! - Robert

I have over 5,000 vinyl records and what I use to clean them very successfully is the German product called DISKO ANTISTAT II. I had a catastrophe where they were stored as a friends, (no names - TONY !!😁), ceiling collapsed in their Attic and they didn't know. Plaster dust and rain got into the records, but after getting some of the sleeves that were totally ruined off the records, I've cleaned them up to almost brand spanking new. All except for 23 outta 5.000. My record collection started in 1973. I recommend Disko Antistat II. It comes as a complete kit, trough, holding wheel, It has goat hair bristle brush & comes with sealing tool to protect labels (does 7 inch and 78s equally well too), 12 record drying rack & funnel and loads of filters to reuse the solution that comes with it. You can also buy the solution separately. Got mine from Amazon. Cheers, Clive - Spyda Music Productions 😎

You’re relentless “Pursuit” for improvements with well tested results is one of the many reasons I watch. Credibility through the roof. Watching your new Vinyl journey that started around the same time as mine has been a blast these past years. Great job Terry as always.

I'll never forget the sight of you cleaning the record while grounded.

Born in ‘55, I grew up with vinyl and used it consistently till CDs came along. But, I’ve held on to my collection, many of which are classics today. I recently decided to buy a new turntable and set up an audio component system in my home office and am enjoying those old records, pops and all, just reliving great memories of the greatest rock music ever made, just the way I heard it back then. Priceless!!!

I used to buy records back in the day, definitely don’t miss them. I changed over in the early 80s to CD as soon as it came out. I remember popping in my first CD and being shocked and startled when the music started. I had the volume high on my amp and hit play, but didn’t think anything happened, then BAM!! Music started. I was so use to the hiss from vinyl and cassettes. I was shocked how clean and quiet the CDs were, and the sound blew me away. It was so amazing. Never went back to vinyl. I’ll never forget that experience. Still the best way to listen to music for me by far. I still buy CDs.

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. But I will never understand people spending heaps of money trying to make vinyl sound as perfect as possible. Part of the fun is the clicks and pops... it has always just added to the experience for me. If I need to hear a song in perfect clarity it is surely available online somewhere. Putting on an LP is about watching that record turn and letting the imperfections in the medium create an ambience of its own. But to each their own.

Born in 1960 I grew up with vinyl and like most that grew up with it we hated it, most preferred the sound and convenience of tape. It was the greatest day in my audio life when CDs were invented.

Thanks! Objective data is always helpful...

Thanks for making this video it has most of the reasons I don’t have any interest in buying vinyl all in one video, to sum it up in a one word “inconvenient” 😀

Great video. Knowledge is power .

Love your approach, so much better than some others’ approach to cleaning. I’ve long maintained that having one tank with cleaning solution (whatever one you like, but preferably without rubbing alcohol) and one with just distilled water for rinsing is the way to go. There’s one KZfaqr who has a setup with circulation and filtration, but it’s the same water and cleaning solution. Fact is, whatever cleaning solution that’s used, there will be residue, which will gunk up the grooves and the needle. Sure, it’s not a lot, but with lots of plays, it will accumulate. I also appreciate your approach with real measurements. Well produced and well put together. Thank you for the awesome content and your effort and passion for the vinyl community.

I heard a few less ticks after the 2nd cleaning. What I have found is the lined inner sleeves, like the Mofi, actually charge the records with static electricity when they are slid in and out. A brand new record in the anti-static sleeve has such a high static electrical charge that I can hold the inner sleeve by it's bottom corners, with the open side straight down, and the record will NOT fall out. The lined inner sleeves they used to use in the British Decca pressings, to me, were far superior to anything we have now. Using several of the carbon type brushes, including those with metal handles electrically connected to the brushes, like you found, actually charges the records with static electricity. After brushing the records, I use a ZeroStat gun to neutralize the charge. Playing the record creates static electricity from the friction of stylus running through the grooves. When playing the other side of the record, you should zap it with a static-removing device. I use a VPI RCM to wet-clean and vacuum dry the records. As long as the record vacuums no more than 3 revolutions, static electricity is eliminated. Ticks and pops can be eliminated playing through a special device or like when I record to hard drive, as I do with all my records, a computer program will eliminate most of them . One of my pet peeves is the rubbing sound in the quiet or dead grooves of the records. To me, it was very prominent in all your sample. It can be cut back electronically, but then you will also lose some of the sounds you want to hear on the record. I am in the U.S. and it seems that the pressing companies here use a higher quality vinyl mix for premium quality records, compared to what I find in E.U. pressings. I believe that Pallas in Germany uses a vinyl mix as good as used in the U.S. The Optimal Media pressings are some of the noisiest.

when i look back to my teenage years...life was so much more simplier...buy a record..play the record, repeat...cleaning...never on the radar...stylus...never again on the oh i must get a new one.....move on 40 years...what the hell has happened...OCD about cleaning..paranoid about stylus..great video

Interesting stuff indeed! Well done. Jim🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🙂

Man, you're going up! Exclusive, expensive records, Bergmann and German Physiks!

Thanks for this. Has helped me to stop concerning myself with alot of the nonsense in the vinyl collection hobby.

Wow... color me extremely impressed. Your enthusiast+ (...pro-thusiast? haha, just came up with that) approach to addressing these issues is a breath of fresh air in a sea of "experts" and "audiophiles" bestowing us with their infallible knowledge. 🙄 It's about time someone with a sense of logic, good ears, and an enjoyable personality breathes some new life into exploring ways of overcoming these difficult to overcome issues that plague serious record listening. You said nobody would want to watch an hour-long video on this subject, but I hit the subscribe button immediately after this was over because I'm certainly looking forward to more of this!

I've been collecting vinyl since I was young courtesy of my fathers pub jukebox. I now have too many albums to count. Some vinyl are just poor quality, others come with imperfections, some are damaged through accidents, others have residue from the manufacturing process. I deal with them by separating all records that have finger prints, dirty or just pop. Next I clean them with a paper towel using IPA Isopropyl alcohol and finally clean them with my Degritter 2 machine. This works well in 90% of cases making even new records sound better. Over the years I've tried many approaches, but the above method has proven the most successful.

Hi Terry, Great video. Thank you for making and showing it on KZfaq. I also bought over a year ago now and use the FMX-003 Electrostatic Tester to check the static on my records. It's a great measuring and diagnostic tool ! I have a had the same experiences as you Terry regarding static on records even after I have cleaned my records on my Keith Monks Classic RCM (the one the BBC Archive Dept used to use!) using the Keith Monks Discovery Cleaning Fluids (when there is zero static directly after cleaning my records) and then putting them in Mofi Anti-Static Inner Sleeves. As soon as I take them out of the record sleeve I have quite a bit of static. So what I do to heavily reduce the static on the record is as follows; From the sleeve put record direct onto the TT platter (I have a Kuzma XL DC TT), clamp record to platter using the Kuzma screw threaded Spindle Clamp, then take my Milty Zerostat 3 gun and zap the record in four places at each axis 90 degrees to each other of the record with four slow trigger pulls and releases at each axis position. Then directly after this anti-static treatment I blow any settling dust with a 'Giotto' bulb blower (the largest one in the series), start up the platter and lower my stylus. Then take a reading with my FMX-003 Tester. This method always heavily reduces the static on the surface of the record. When I have finished playing one side of the record and take the record off the platter I can hear the static coming back, so I repeat the above process when I play the other side of the record. Then after I have played the record, before I put it back in it's Mofi anti-static inner sleeve, I give it a couple of zaps with my Zerostat gun and remove any dust with my 'Giotto' bulb blower. I have tried various so called 'anti-static' brushes but all of them have failed in reducing the static as soon as you brush the record with them and then check with my FMX-003 Tester. Either a manual bulb blower (like I use) or a canister of pure clean compressed air to blow away any surface dust is the way to go. I have also found especially in the UK winter that a humidifier and Ionizer helps in general dust and static in the air. I see by your TT in this video you have a DS Audio ION-001 ? Is it any good ? I was thinking some time ago in buying the CSPort IME1 ! It is very expensive though for what it is (like most things in the HiFi world I guess !) Also thinking of buying an Ultrasonic Record Cleaner to use after the pre-wash & main wash & rinse I do on my Keith Monks Classic RCM as even after using this RCM I still hear some crackles and pops on some records (especially the old & second hand ones, but also on some brand new records too ! as I am a critical listener i.e. mainly use my Headphone System - Hifiman EF1000 Amp with Susvara Headphones connected to my CH Precision P1 with X1 Phono Stage which is connected to my Kuzma 4Point 11" Tonearm fitted with an MSL Eminent Ex cartridge). Thinking at the moment the best path to take ??? i.e. buy a KLaudio LP-200T URCM (only gives 40kHz ultrasonic frequency but can be fitted with a 5 LP auto changer and a Silencer Cabinet which would also stop any dust in the room air entering) or the Degritter MK2 (only gives 120kHz ultrasonic frequency, no LP auto changer and no Silencer Cabinet - although guess I could make one for it) or the DIY route with an Elma Elmasonic Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Bath (gives dual 35kHz and 80kHz ultrasonic frequencies but Transducers fitted to the bottom of the Bath) fitted with the Kuzma RD Ultrasonic Cleaning Spinner Kit (to clean say up to 5 LPs together at any one time) and a cocktail of cleaning fluids (but this system takes up a lot of space if I go for two tanks i.e. one for washing and one for rinsing plus the filter and pumping systems for each tank etc. plus the maintenance of the equipment !) Also note that with Ultrasonic Cleaning, in order to get right into the bottom of the record grooves to clean them of debris, even 120kHz (from the Degritter) may not be a high enough frequency (bubble diameter still larger than the bottom of the record groove) and you need to go higher i.e. 200+ kHz ! However, after using my Keith Monks Classic RCM and I wanted a semi automated and of little fuss type of machine, currently the Degritter MK2 is the best choice on the commercial market due to it's 120kHz ultrasonic frequency, whereas the KLaudio with its 40kHz ultrasonic frequency wont be as beneficial after using the Keith Monks Classic RCM compared to the Degritter. Best current solution though would be to have both the Degritter and KLaudio URCMs along with my Keith Monks Classic RCM, but the cost is huge ! How are you finding the Degritter MK2 Terry ? Do you get good results ?

This was a very thorough review! I see no comments on the lead-in groove noise, but I heard only a very subtle improvement. That doesn't convince me to clean a brand new record unless I hear a problem beforehand. I've improved noisy LPs by cleaning them with a 2-step process by hand, so I know it can produce dramatic results. I would recommend an anti-static gun, which costs about 1/4 the price of the battery device Terry was using (it does not need to be used every time a record is played), plus a carbon fiber brush. My gun is still firing after 40 years of use! And yes, I buy more CDs than LPs these days.

Thanks for watching the video, I think I should have given a better summary, clearly all the anti static sleeves are better than any your records come in.

Watching this video made me realise how much time I spend on preparing my records before I listen to them. I wash once, put into the MoFi sleeve. When listening, I brush and zerostat the record. Happy days.

I just love the way this topic just keeps going round and round 😂 PS: it’s a shame the ‘Degritter’ doesn’t dry and then play the record: an opportunity missed I recon. PPS: I’m nearly 70 and fortunately managed to move on from actually getting bothered by all this decades ago (I do look after my vinyl). Good thing too, otherwise my age related tinnitus would have me pulling what hair I have left out at the roots. PPPS: the surprises with the sleeve inserts you had might be due to humidity, both when the record is put in, when it is taken out and how much ‘rubbing’ of the plastic on the record as you do both (which includes the pace at which they are removed and put in and if the sleeve is folded over the vinyl as it rubs over the vinyl during removal) - this last just to prove I can do nerdy with vinyl 😅 PPPPS: Static is a physics thing due to rubbing (the electrons, say, are literally rubbed off). Rubbing = static. Some materials (the brush/sleeve/vinyl itself) -> more static per ‘rub’. A really good anti-static removal tool would have the properties of that battery powered hairdryer thingy which ‘neutralises’ the charge. If your brush was metallic (bristles + handle, and yes, I realise the issue) and earthed by a wire like the one round your wrist, that would remove static and would be cheaper (but more cumbersome) that your hairdryer.

Excellent information!! Thanks for putting this together very informative. Too bad records are so expensive as it is in a comeback mode you would think all interested parties would work to keep the prices in check but not so much.

This is a brilliant episode Thank you. Crikey albums used to cost £3.50 in Woolworths! I always preferred the early paper sleeves with no plastic liner these stopped static but when the plastic-lined ones came out then static became a big problem. In the 70's records were made of thicker and denser vinyl these records were not affected by static as much as the later thinner albums of the 80's which you could get quite a belt off!

Thank you! Love the scientific approach as so many vinyl process reviews are totally subjective. I've been very curious about the Furutech Destat but the price has been off-putting because I had no evidence it would do what it claims. Living in the desert SW of the United States static can be a real issue year round (just as it can be in the dry of winter elsewhere). Also loved the vid you produced about record cleaning using the microscope. I despise clicks and pops which deters my vinyl playback love. The dynamics of the sound etc... are great but the sudden inclusion of a click or pop really kills the mood!

Damn! Your Records are really really clean.

I loved the content because you put the woke into it and had the quantitive results. I've learned a valuable lesson from wife who isn't fond of house work and dusting. She has purchased air cleaners for her asthma and they have the wonderful effect of keeping my records in a better environment. The units she bought have an electrostatic system with a HEPA filter. (Multi -Tech). They work and the cost was 400 bucks and the cost of electricity to run them continuously. What a difference in the quality to your lungs and records!. The filter comes with a monitoring system light for cleaning the system. HEPA filter is washable.

4:09 4-9kV! I never expected this! You learn something new every day...

The Precision Aqueous Cleaning method is just oh so much better than any other cleaning method for removing both debris and static.

Thanks for this vid. Really interesting.

Back in the day, I used the discwasher brand. Sleaves , brush, cleaner, anti stat gun, then a hardener for the stylus, a anti vibration matt, a disc weight. It all worked well together.

Ive been using vinyl since 1966 because thats all we had .and its mostly excellent, because the family always looked after our records 😊

First things first: When a record is stuck in the sleeve due to static, breathe gently into the sleeve a couple of times, and be careful to not cough or spit unto the record or the sleeve. This will remove enough static for you to be able to get the record out with no accidents ocurring to the record (dropping it, grabbing the surface etc.). More humidity = less static. Please be aware that in the 'dry' (=cold) season, lots of humidity can disappear from the air, creating lots of static, and artificial carpets can and will do the same. Woollen carpets is the answer IMO. In this season of the year, house plants unfortunately require less water than they do in the summer. Watering your house plants could mean a difference in the indoors humidity level. Secondly: Plasma (arc) lighters can be just as efficient as antistatic guns, and cost only a fraction. A side note: My old records carry no static worth mentioning, only the recently bought ones. This tells me that I'd never spend money on a Furutech destat III, because with a little time, it's really no longer necessary. A last question: Can a mat carry static? Looks like it, doesn't it? Could be interesting to know which mat materials are the best/worst in that regard.

I still prefer my old Discwasher brush and anti-static fluid.44 years of use and still does the best job!

Wild enthusiasm for this craft, I respect that. I still use Gorilla wood glue, clean after with Nitty Gritty, and then a final distilled water wet wipe to remove any leftover impurities. It works great. And static? I literally hold a dryer sheet in my hands close to my turntable, lightly just touching the record. That works too. I’d like to get one of those static testers. Thanks for the vid.

Great informative video Terry, I love my vinyl journey and the rituals associated with better playback. The thing that bugs me is the poor pressings and sound quality right off the bat regardless of how much you clean or remove the static. It's got to the point now that I check out the pressing company and sound studio before buying vinyl. I've had too many horrible recordings that they only get played once then become wall art.

Very informative video regarding current items available to clean, store and reduce static for records. I was able to detect a slight difference between the no clean and twice cleaned playback. Just think the cost, time and inconvenience required to clean and check static level takes away from the simple pleasure of listening to them.

A quick reply. Thank you for doing this! So many people have opinions, but rarely based on real tests! Now, I'm going to try to find more affordable options to yours if they are available. The Degritter itself is as expensive as my turntable itself was ;) But it's so nice and so many people like it a lot....

I love that Norah Jones album its my Sunday morning chill out pleasure. I only have it on CD though i may have to try the vinyl because ive just got a Rega P3 turntable.

I've been collecting and listening to records since the 70s. My first album was Kimono my House by Sparks; I still have it and still love it. At the age of 13 I just slung it on the record player and enjoyed it. It still plays great. My point is you can get too hung up on listening to quality rather than just playing music and loving it. If your ears are scanning for pops and clicks you will hear them over everything. I now have a lot of records, I store them properly, give them a quick swoosh with a carbon fibre brush then lose myself in the music.

Great video! Regarding static, I'm hoping Part 2 will include a test of the Zerostat 3 gun, a less expensive alternative to the Furutech DeStat III that doesn't require batteries. Vinyl enthusiasts have been using them seemingly since the dawn of time. Since it's such a well-established accessory, I'd love to know how it stacks up against the other products you've tested here.

While I’m new to most of this, I chose the Nagoaka Anti static sleeves. Have not tested the actual results but I do like that form factor and they’re easy to use.

Great video!

Back in the 70's, the original Discwasher company made the D-Stat mat for your turntable and it worked extremely well to get rid of static electricity.

I use various felt/fibre brushes to remove dust; an original Zerostat to neutralize static; and the Parks Audio Puffin MAGIC feature to declick/pop, if necessary.

Very interesting video, I always learn things from these tests, thanks. So what about that DS Audio Monument that was seen on some parts of the video bombarding the record with magic green light and therefore eliminating static load as you play the record? I know it is the most expensive way but the question is how does it compared to the other process steps you tested?

Great video. I listened to my Super Audio CD in full while this video was covering all the cleaning required to listen to vinyl. 😂

My Audioquest Gold carbon fiber brush really seems to be working better than other ones I've had of that type. It makes a well-washed record sound surprisingly low-noise.

I inherited some very well loved records which were initially used by a radio station in the 70s. Played dry, they sounded kinda rough and screechy. I then cleaned them once with clear water and cleared the groove with microfibre cloth (I know, fibres will get loose, I didn‘t care. I then applied window cleaner directly from the pump bottle. The alcohol didn’t hurt the material as far as I can tell. I brushed it during playback. The window cleaner also leaves a thin film of parafine wax. You’ll have to remove the buildup every song during the first playback, but it will be just fine for the next maybe 5 or 6 listening sessions. Now, modern LPs might be more finicky, but my old stuff really improves with this low maintenance process.

I clean mine on a vac wash,then i put them into anti static sleeves, the biggest improvement was when i changed my turntable to a rega p8 with alpheta 3 mc, it seems to be less affected by pops etc yet the quality of the music is top tier

Back in the 80s when I still bought records, I used a great product, Permostat by Stanton. It was a liquid that came in a spray bottle. You applied it once before you played the record, and you didn’t have any problems with clicks and pops after that. I think it’s still available.

Listening to and loving my LPs for years, as a former FM radio DJ in the mid-seventies, proper sleeves and care are utmost. Even more important, no vinyl cleaners, brushes and machines that give your collection a spa day, just plain and simple wood glue on side A, let the LP sit for a day, peel off, flip to side B, repeat. Hope I haven't offended anyone.

Way back in the 70's I owned an Impulse Noise Reduction Unit. This unit plugged in between the TT and the preamp. It basically replaced the pop with a sample of the music being played.

Though my main source is digital, i still own a pretty good vinyl setup, Terry. I got rid of 95% plus of pops and clicks by using an almost industral ultra sonic cleaner fixed to a motor with 15 minutes runs - more if it's old. I use warm pure distilled water and a small amount of pure acohol. It seems to work.

Thanks for the comprehensive review! I use the Milty Zerostat 3 Anti-Static Gun, which works and doesn’t need batteries 👍

Great review. I would like to have seen you use the Furutech directly on the TT. I've been using the Thunderon antistatic brush on both the record and the platter mat. This method indefinitely dissipates static.

All You need Is a Sweetvinyl Sugarcube SC1 Mini, This will take away all Noise without touching the Music. I have had mine for the last three years, and It Is the best thing I have ever bought. And It Is up-gradable as well. Set the dial at no more than 5. If you have to set It more than that. Then best place for that record, Is the bin. None of these cleaners will get rid of everything. Good Luck, and thanks for sharing.

I am using the Huminguru to clean my records. It uses a 40khz frequency wich is recommended for cleaning the grooves. It is efficient. I am using the solution of Groovewasher for ultrasonic to clean my records and it is the first thing I do when I buy a record before playing them. This system is semi-automatic. You have to pour the water manually and it will be drained automaticly in the tank at the end. I have also invested on a second tank for the rinse cycle with distilled water. For inner sleeves I used those those of Vynilstorage solution. If you are canadian that company makes wondeful inner and outter sleeves and not that expensive.

22:45 That is essentially an ionizer. Some hair dryers come with air ionizers that can be switched on even when the dryer is on the cold air setting. I have never tired using a hair dryer on a vinyl record so if anyone does I'd be interested in the results. Of course you do not want to use a hair dryer on the hot air setting to remove the static from a vinyl record!

Used to use the Milty Zerostat gun. Very effective when in combination with quality sleeves.

Terry, I have a Mk1 Degritter and I to use a second rinse tank filled with distilled water. To clean records I usually use the longest cycle but after the first wash I press the button on the left which brings my machine back to the wash program and give it a second long wash straight away and before the record dries. That gives me two long washes before I have to use the rinse tank and it go's into the drying mode. It saves time and some hassle switching tanks, not sure if this is possible on the MkII but give it a try.

I highly recommend using a carbon record brush (remember to rub it on some earthed metal before use) and as others here have said, a stylus gel pot to clean your stylus frequently. Fun fact: a lot of decks don't have a grounded spindle. If it is grounded most of the static from the vinyl goes to ground and not through your stylus. This simple modification does make a real difference.

Humidity control in the room is very important and possibly earth grounding an underlying anti static mat so the static charge has somewhere to go. Room humidity above 55% will nearly eliminate static on any surfaces.

I’ve gone between using a carbon brush on the deck whilst it’s spinning and nothing but letting the stylus do its thing. Since occasionally having a record get stuck playing the same revolution due to crud deep in the groove and also creating scratches I feel it’s best to use a brush. Some incidents proved to be really difficult to shift the blob..I also use the Disco Antistat bath which makes records look good and static free but I’m sure it sometimes doesn’t get deep enough as the ball of fluff on the stylus proves. When I’ve used a carbon brush on my spinning record, I’ve found it charges the record-this saves money from having to buy one of those decks with an attached vacuum pump-it just means I have to peel my mat off the back afterwards. It’s an interesting subject that seems to cause confusion for most of us, me included. Vinyl is an insulator so placing it on a platter mat doesn’t necessarily cause it to totally discharge. I think with the platter mat you’re sort of creating a capacitor/ van der graff generator, with the hopefully earthed platter then the mat and vinyl as the dielectric and then yourself and brush as the other electrode charging it all up-The spindle is say touching the vinyl but it’s an insulator so most of the record won’t be discharged. I found out that you should have the platter earthed though as when I lowered my Rega RB300 arm by removing a shim I didn’t realise that unscrewing the nut underneath the top plinth , I caused the earth foil to fracture. I started playing records afterwards with regular discharges through the cartridge and then realised what had happened. I used some thin copper slug tape to repair the situation. Perhaps having either side of the vinyl earthed equalises the potential out-but leaves the charge still there on the vinyl. I’m probably talking a load of rubbish but I definitely need the platter to be earthed. I suspect the stylus charges the vinyl up as well with friction?

Other items for your journey. US audiophile label MA recordings has special record sleeves from Japan, similar to CD sleeves inside some MoFi gold CD's. Harder to slide in some cardboard record covers, but static free. If not DJ ing, 3M Dots (rated at 0.6 lb) from office supply store can prevent some platter mats from slipping and use the same glue as 3M Post it notes. As 70's Revox TT platters are not flat. From Australia is the Les Davis magic mat (imported into the US) and easily gotten from US Amazon is the Hibiki Carbon Fiber Slipmat from Vinyl supply Co. Can't afford the super cleaning machines, so have settled on the Hart record brush available from Ebay made in the UK to clean the record on the TT before playing in place of the carbon and felt brushes.

A simple cheap plasma arc lighter is quite good at eliminating static from records. You hold it a small distance from the surface about an inch or two away about the same as the Destat device. Mover it around the whole surface, pretty much the same as the Destat device going around the record. You can even do it while it’s spinning on the turntable without any problems. It’s cheap and easy and best of all it works well.

Love the video so far! I'm pausing after the static sleeve test. I was wondering if maybe you were struggling to get the same static reading and not getting those high numbers because maybe different LP manufacturing plants might use different vinyl recipes? Also, were all the records the same weight? Perhaps the static readings/retention changes depending on composition or thickness? It's hard to be sure I guess? finished watching! and SUBSCRIBED!

Great! Thanks! I really appreciate someone showing how/why they have an opinion about a process or a product rather than just expressing their opinion like so many other people. My next question is how much you actually need to waive that antistatic device over the record in order to dissipate the static. I'm betting it only needs a fraction of a second within range of the record rather than multiple passes like you did. But that's just my guess. It would be nice to know if you were going to do Records 🙂

Hello, Appreciate your work! Nice to hear fresh outlook. I've been on vynolium since a kid. Always used Nagoka and Tonar half round type for ultra-scratchy cardboard sleeves and Goldring Poly-lined-Paper to replace scratchy paper. Good to see the performance differences! Nagoka Carbon Fibre Brush - Never Touched Bristles with greasy fingers (tut tut) lol Not done much cleaning but have an ultrasonic cleaner ready to convert one day... Static meter insightful. Who makes it? Brushing an insulator = Van de Graaff Generator but removing dust a must... Führertech Destat looks a superb cure! (Curious to see if £65 Zerostat works). Interesting, Blue vynolium compound seems to hold higher charge than black. Maybe the black is dyed with carbon... Also, wonder how an industrial anti-static gun (chynaa £70) or industrial desktop air ioniser compares with £400 fürershaften? PS. Love how savvy poster found cleaning solution for tenth price. Always read ingredients... Confucius said: Never confuse Führertech Brush with makeup brush...

i like the pops and clicks. reminds me its analog.

Paper inner sleeves -- which is how virtually all LPs were packaged (some classical titles aside) until fairly recently -- are more than just stat-icky dust magnets. They shed little bits of fibrous debris that can muck up your record. I prefer MoFi-style vinyl and rice paper inners, which I find easier to handle because the rice paper stiffens them a bit. (The all-vinyl ones tend to cling to the records, and I don't like the rounded-bottom ones because there's less material you can grab onto and they are more likely to move around inside the cardboard jacket.) BTW, I dig that linear-tracking turntable you have. I've never seen that brand before (but I'm in the US).

Great video, Terry!! Vinyl prices are just getting really ridiculous..And the quality control from certain pressing plants dotted around the globe leave a lot to be desired... >>.P. (in Japan* ex-Scotland)

Terry, you must try to get hold of a SweetVinyl SugarCube SC-2 Plus to play with - would make a great video too!

Very informative video, thanks! Would be interesting to see the same video using cheaper anti-static solutions like Milty's Zerostat 3 gun versus the over-the-top Furutech Destat III.

I use a Karcher jet wash works a treat!

This is a quite comprehensive review of up-to-date record care products. New collectors should start here. Of course it should be mentioned that paper sleeves are to be avoided - especially if the paper is bleached - and cardboard sleeves are simply the devil! I very much look forward to the record mat episode. What a great idea to do a review of such products" The last thing remotely resembling something of this sort that I can recall must have been a record mat review/endorsement in What Hi-Fi back in the nineties!

I'm plagued by static, have tried everything - particularly unimpressed by the Milty anti-stat gun. But the Furutech Destat III really does look like the magic ingredient, more important than anything else. If you had a limited sum to invest and could choose between upgrading from vacuum to Degritter, or buying a Destat III it seems the latter is the obvious option. I wonder if I dare take the plunge. A very stimulating video!

I use the Milty Zerostat 3 antistatic gun. Does the job.

In the '80s there was a disc player prototype with laser pickup instead of stylus. It was sold some years later, in small batches and at high price.

I'm in my late 60's, I knew and experienced all this 40 years ago. That's why I eventually got rid of my vinyl albums and never looked back; I had hundreds of them. I'm a musician and don't need the "ritual" and the extra baggage, just the music please. Most of this tendency towards any medium is what you are playing the music on and your listening preferences. If you do vinyl, every damn cartridge, speaker, and everything in the chain changes the sound dramatically; same for digital depending on the DAC and other variables. So ultimately who's to say which actually sounds better with so many playing and listening variables? So to me it boils down to avoiding the things you cannot change like ticks, pops, and other distortions. Those are the things in vinyl that's part of their sound that I don't like and refuse to live with. All I want to hear is the musical performance and nothing else. To me as a performer it would be like being on the stage and adding tics, pops, and warbling to my music. I don't think the audience would appreciate that; not with jazz or classical anyway.

Try VSS sleeves they inc up to 4mm inner sleeves, and recently clear one for coloured vinyl, sold by Mint in the UK

One thing that isn’t usually talked about is pops and clicks from damage to the vinyl itself. You can run your record as many times as you want in any record cleaning machine of your choosing. But if the vinyl’s damaged, nothing will get rid of the clicks and pops. The other thing that usually isn’t mentioned is dirt on the stylus. This too can produce pops and clicks. What people need to remember is that when you clean your records, you need to clean your stylus as well. It’s best to get into the habit of cleaning your stylus not only every time you clean your records, but every time you play a record as well. This will not only improve the sound, but your records and stylus will last longer and damage to the record can be mostly avoided as well.

Love your channel. A suggestion. When you reference prices could you also mention US pricing? Thank you.

Fortunately for me, Cassette technology was such that I basically purchased vinyl, played once or twice to record on Cassette tape, and kept the vinyl records "filed ". This kept my records clean. ( I did spend a bunch on MFSL inner sleeves and vinyl outer sleeves)

If you havn't tried the Black Ravioli Record ground i would highly recommend it, instant results from the first drop of the needle

I tried skincare’s and moved to Mofi inners too, but I’ve now settled on Vinyl Storage solutions which are a Canadian company, in UK they’re distributed by Mint Sleeves. They’re the same concept as the mofi and same quality BUT, the rice paper is 3mm thick so doesn’t crease and crinkle like the mofis. VSS also do what I’ve found to be the best outer sleeves as well. I’ve seen amazing things about the destat 3, definitely want one but they are pricey.

I am using analogis wash`n`play, one bottle mixed in 5 liter destiled water, it really removes antistatic from the records

I’ve watched hours of videos on this topic, and yours is one of the clearer ones I’ve viewed. Could be a bit better though. I would consider an ‘outline’ approach. Identify the challenges (dust, oily dirt, static). Describe the tools (Dry Clean = brush or cloth; Wet Clean = Plain Bath, Electrically Aided Bath; Static = Wand or DeIonizer). Then report methods used and results achieved. You could probably use much of the same footage, just frame it a bit better. On the other hand, your conversational style, and your passion, came across quite well, too. So maybe don’t mess with what works for you.

The sound has a lot to do with the listening experience but there’s more to it than that. There’s something about vinyl that just feels more organic. It seems like there’s more of a human element that draws a younger crowd like myself. It’s sort of a brief escape from the digital realm. Also nostalgia. As a kid I spent hours with my dad’s records on a decent system back in the early to mid eighties.

CD/SACD for me every time great sound quality with decent gear.

It's quite simple. Take two spray bottles, in one put just demineralized water, in the other one the same but with a drop of dish soap. Spread the one with soap evenly on the record so you have a thin layer of water, and play. You'll soon see pretty much all the pops and cracks are gone, the stylus will nearly never skip anymore, the noise floor will be lowered and high detail will be improved. Once done, wipe it off with some kleenex, and apply a bunch more of demineralized water to wash away the tiny amount of dish soap left over. This is a very old hack which some DJs used to use decades ago. I learnt this from an old speaker engineer with over 50 years experience. Sometimes the simple solutions are the best. This costs barely anything and is pretty much a perfect solution. I use this when ripping all my records and I have never heard any better rips If you want to make your records permanently anti static, simply use a Diso Antistatt with some Tonar QS vinyl cleaner solution. It's been years since I started doing this and I've had no records develop any static buildup since

I washed my old Jimmy Swaggarts with bottled water, dishwashing liquid and a spongy. Old Jimmy needed a wash. Plays well.

I'm glad I gave up my vinyl addiction 25 years ago. No matter how hard I worked at it, always hiss and pop.

Terry, I’m amazed at the lengths to which you go to find these solutions, so well done for effort. Here’s what I do: 1 clean the record once before first play on my Pro-Ject VCE using the Pro-Ject fluid diluted using distilled water, per the instructions. 2 play the record without using any so-called anti-static voodoo devices or brushes with the lid down on my record deck. 3 put the record in an MA Recordings dual fibre sleeve, available from Russ Andrews in the UK. Result: absolutely no dust whatsoever accumulates on my records. They never need cleaning again and they slide effortlessly out of the sleeve every time I wish to play them. To clarify, I use a Linn LP12 turntable which has a full contact metal bearing mounted on an alloy sub-chassis. The sub-chassis is earthed to the phono pre-amp using the separate earth lead on the interconnects. It maybe my regimen of cleaning and the MA sleeves or it may be the static on the record is draining away through the spindle. Either way, if there is static present I can’t detect it and it’s certainly not attracting dust during play.