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To clean or not to clean?

I bought a VPI record cleaner but I have yet to use it or even take it out of the box. Many of my records are new or used mint and don’t seem to need cleaning. The ones that do are all old recordings and I am not inspired to break out the VPI. I am new to vinyl but have many, many inherited only records. I think many may be enjoyable and, maybe, good recordings. Just listening for a few weeks now, I am starting to run out of clean records. Have ordered quite a few new records (180 gram and Japanese) but should really start checking out all my “dad’s records”!
mglik
petg60
1,486 posts
 
Hi,
wet cleaning keeps records clean for longer periods of use even new ones. All you have to use in between is a carbon fibre brush. If you buy second hand is a must.
Manage few at a time if you are after a thorough clean. Important is the cleaning formula and the rinsing with distilled pure water afterwards so any residue of cleansing fluid does not stay in the grooves.

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,821 posts
 
New LPs may look clean to the naked eye, but aren’t necessarily. Plus, don’t you intend to get into buying used records? They REALLY need a deep cleaning. You may eventually want to get an ultrasonic cleaner to augment the VPI.
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
Send it my way!  How much do you need for the postage?
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
If you think your records look clean, try looking at them with a LED headlamp. You might want to be sitting down.
big_greg
6,646 posts
 
Take it out of the box and use it.  I've been surprised on more than one occasion when I thought I was playing a record that was already clean and it didn't sound right until I gave it a spin on the VPI.  It's not a bad idea to clean all records, including brand new ones.  It's surprising how much dust and crud can be on a brand new record.  Seems to help with humidity/static issues also.
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