What is the first thing you do when you unwrap a new vinyl record?

@grislybutter Ha, so how do you power the chip on your shoulder?  Blood-static pressure?

@richardbrand I used to have sky-high blood pressure, now it can't power an airtag...

Sounds hellish.

Then I listen for pops and clicks and skips. Then a few days later, I listen to the music.

I just hit it with the AQ dust and static (using myself as the static ground) brush and listen to it. I recently bought the re-mixed Band Stage Fright album (just the vinyl, not the box set pile) and it sounds amazingly clean and excellent...my original version has been played a zillion times so there's that but the new one is some amazing vinyl.

@noromance On 1st play, I look for those tiny hairs being curled up from the stylus.

Passing that, I consider the age of the LP in my hands, a few of which are 50+ and deserve to have their foibles...

I did consider posting a sign next to the TT:

"If you're F'd up already, don't make me negatively add to the condition."

It was the rare soul who'd consider attempting to deal with a tangential arm anyway...too alien, too weird....*L*