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Do you have ways to ease use of vinyl?

The reason for this post is to help some of the older guys here who recently said they gave up on vinyl because of its physical challenges. And at 66, I could not agree more. I used to have a two shelves rack for my turntable, which placed the top of the platter above knee height, at 25". To flip vinyl was either bend over and hurt my back, or doing it and one knee and hurt those.
Well, NO MORE.
Late last year I purchased a 4 shelves rack which puts the top of the platter at my belly button height, 40". Btw, I am of average height, 5'10".
What a difference! My back and knees will be forever thankful.
Here is another thing that greatly eased my vinyl experience.
I use an outer ring, center weight and brush my vinyl for each play. This was the process it entailed: Put on the center weight before brushing because I play my vinyl on a bare aluminum platter. Wait until the brushing was done before putting on the outer ring because I brushed the conventional way, finishing by dragging the brush outward to get rid of the dust. Once brushed, removed the center weight so I could install the outer ring and then reinstall the center weight and I finally could drop the needle. Ouf!
NO MORE!
Now I put on the outer ring first, then brush the record taking the brush INWARD instead, leaving the minute dust on the label (and I found out it does a much better job of brushing since the brush moves in the direction of the grooves, inward). Once brushed, simply put on the center weight and drop the needle. Voila!
Easier ten fold.
Another important pointer, the center weight, brush AND OUTER RING must be near the TT and at the SAME HEIGHT. Your back will thank you.
Those changes took me over 50 years to figure out and they have literally made my listening to vinyl experience a dream instead of dreading to flip those vinyl. 
Please share any tip you may have to ease up the physical burden that some older folks here may have about using vinyl. Thanks.

128x128baylinor
kellyp's avatar
kellyp
104 posts
 
We pull a lot of vinyl out at a time to play an assortment of stuff.....so to ease repetitive motions and save time.....

Filtered air and humidified with D/W and super clean records means no dust or cleaning needed before play.  Ridiculously clean.  Absolutely no noise.  If dusting is needed I use air compression (Industrial compressor in the basement and run a hose up) on a remote switch.  So much easier and more effective than brushing. 

Used to ionize the air but not needed anymore. 

I use a remote desktop program to control the audio computer as the TT goes through the D/A converter.  

CD resolution is too low.  Most LPs that are any good are recorded at 192-24.

Changed the chair height.  A few inches helped a lot.

unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
981 posts
 
I would think that this is pretty easy.

For 45 years, since I was 22, my table has rested on a cabinet that’s bolted to a brick wall. The cabinet height is about a standard 36 inches. The turntable surface is 41.5" high. When I am holding an LP, I’m standing straight up, my arms are bent almost to 90 degrees but slightly up. Clamping is a breeze. I don’t bother with a ring. I never clean or brush a record on the table: I do that at the record cleaning machine, which is about an inch higher.

tablejocke: my room is not 100% dedicated, but all that’s up here are my books, my records, audio system, my computer and my dog. The room is semi-anechoic, by design.
unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
981 posts
 
sokogear:
I have had a VPI HW for 35 years, the MK IV version for 15.
I clamp.
The sweet spot chair is 10 ft from the table, easy to get settled into before the music starts.
prof
3,474 posts
 
Interesting thread topic.

I try to keep my vinyl as accessible as possible, in open shelves.

My turntable is atop one of my equipment racks which puts it at chest height, which I find the most ergonomic both for back/arms and also for easily seeing the record label, and the record grooves when placing the needle.
pindac's avatar
pindac
2,864 posts
 
A Cantilever / Stylus is a Sacrificial Part of a Cartridge and Obviously very very fragile.

My TT started out in Life mounted at a Height of approx 30 inches, I have previosly Stated I have worked with a TT in the recent years at mounted lower than 18 inches.
My TT's at present are Mounted for use at 48 inches.
From all recollections the 48 inch Mount Height offer the most assured handling of the Tonearm, as the Haptics and Visual elements of the operation carried out in a setting where Good Balance is Maintained and the Visual is very accurate when when using Judgement for aligment of the Tonearm.
No More going onto one knee to eye the Stylus to the Groove and no short cuts by Trusting the oversail from a down view and after mistakes made being over compensating.

The Downside of the assured accuracy that can be achieved when a TT is raised to a Mount at approx 48 inches is that the Outer Grooves will let the listener be aware of how much surface noise is being produced.
When Over compensating the Tonearms oversail is used,                          the Track usually starts with a Stylus engaging a Groove beyond any intro's and the Outer Groove is not coming into contact with the Stylus.

Another point of interest would be to learn, if there is a difference in the numbers of Cantiver / Stylus Handling Damages occuring, due to handling a Tonearm on a Low TT Mount vs High TT Mount.

I ask this, as there are always a story to be picked up on,                          where another experienced HiFi Enthusiast is reporting on the unwanted moment, and a Damage is done.    
  
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