2. tech-talk
  3. 1024530605

Talk About Static Cling...

..and, no, not from the clothes dryer! This is a frequent occurence to which I hope someone can give me a "why?" answer. Taking a clean LP, using a Zerostat gun and then applying GruvGlide, I supposedly would have eliminated static from the LP. After such treatment, the styrofoam test chip provided with the GruvGlide slides right off and no static appears present. After a one-side play, removing the record makes the hairs on my arms stand straight on end. So much static that if I don't "mute" the preamp, the built up charge will sometimes make the preamp "trip" and shut down as my arm passes in front of the cartridge. What is causing the static to build up so RAPIDLY, and what might I do to eliminate the problem. (MM cartridge, wall mount, no problem with cables crossing).
motdathird
Post removed 
lugnut
1,190 posts
 
Seriously guys, I'm telling you that some of my LP's are made out of voodoo vinyl.

Happy listening,
Patrick
herman
2,251 posts
 
I don't think you can measure a static charge with a scope. It will just drain away through the probe. The straps used to prevent static build up in manufacturing enviroments and by test technicians are just wire with a large value of resistance in series.

Could be wrong. Let us know what you find out Bob.

There are several devices that drain away the charge as you play the record. They look like a tonearm with a brush of some sort instead of a sylus that drains away the charge through an attached wire that is grounded. Picks up dust too. I believe Audio Technica made one as well as some others. George Merril had some for sale recently at Underground Sound.
motdathird OP
77 posts
 
Not sure abut voodoo Lugnut, but I know that my double re-release of Miles Workin' and Steamin'will pick up more static than any other I've ever noticed. POPS within the first two inches of play (AFTER Gruv-Glide and without coming within 15 feet of the TT), I "tripped" my preamp off twice before a side could be played through and am not using it at all until I get this issue solved. Relegated to listening to "Surry with the Fringe on Top" on CD - :-(
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Ya know, the anti-static treatment that RCA touted in their vinyl formula back during the 50's & 60's really does seem to work. Is there something missing from newer vinyl formulations that should be reconsidered? It does seem to me that my most susceptible records tend to be the more recent editions.

P.S. - BTW, Bob B, I have always considered raising the dustcover during playback to be the most problematic position for this necessary evil. If you play your music loudly, it can really be set in motion up there, and it's wobbling mass transmits straight to the plinth. Better to remove it and all it's attendent resonances altogether during play, but if you have a dust problem like I do, you may want to try my solution of damping the closed cover by resting the bottom edge in front on a couple of sorbothane-type 1/4" washers, and then damping the top surface, which I accomplish using a spare soft rubber platter mat laid on top. A closed cover does also have the theoretical virture of somewhat attenuating the music's SPL within the confines of the stylus's working environment.
More to discover