Ok guys

Mijo, where is your turntable situated with respect to your speakers? In my opinion the best way to cure acoustic feedback, which is what you seem to be talking about, is by careful placement of the turntable in your listening room. And other obvious measures. Not by using a thick or thicker dust cover. If you need a dust cover to prevent acoustic feedback, then you  need to think again  about your room and the equipment in it. By the way, I had to laugh when I saw your comment above that it is we (the no dust cover crowd) who are obsessed with static electric charge. From everything of yours that I have read, it is you who are so obsessed, not the “no cover” aficionados. But in the end, I think we can all agree that everyone should do as he or she pleases. This is not a religion. About your practice in relation to cleaning LPs or your stylus, have you looked at your stylus under a microscope lately? I am wondering what it might look like. I am sure you’ll say it’s immaculate.

thanks for everyone’s input I didn’t intend this to be a question of how much everyone spent on their turntable or entire system, could I spend more on mine yes but when I pulled my 80’s Onkyo turntable out of the garage and my boxes of albums out that I never thought would be cool again too it brought me back and I liked what I heard, I’ve always been in to audio equipment and good sound, so I don’t have a 6 figure system and that’s ok again, could I afford it, yes but I choose to spend my money on my car and my house. Thanks again for your responses

Leave it down if you like extra static.

The presence of a couple of small nocturnal predators necessitates the use of a dust cover.  A rotating platter would be an attractive nuisance for the beasts.  No point in tempting the devil.

This place is going to the dogs.