The Hardest Naturally Occurring Substance on Earth

I did know that audiophile are using rough/scratchy records.

I was thinking even a MINT- copy considered rough by audiophiles who clean every record with vacuum cleaners before each play, especially those who would like to hear vinyl as digital.

I am surprised.
Personally, I try to avoid scratchy records, no reason to buy them and many reason to replace them with better copy sooner or later, if the record is really good one. Is it a problem to replace VG+ for MINT- and sell VG+ then ?

Of course, some records are very rare and hard to find or extremely expensive in higher grades. I have no problem playing the occasional VG or even a G+ of an album I love until I can source a better one. I did that with a G+ Metallica "Ride the Lightning" I found locally, until I pulled a VG+/EX off DiscOgs. Though to be fair my G+ mostly just had a very very high noise floor; it didn’t really have much in the way of banging loud pops. But some records are 99% clean and then have that banging loud POP or 2 out of seemingly nowhere. It happens. I’m not going to stop playing them - but I do try hard to keep them of the Koetsu Blue Lace. And of course I also draw the line at a groove jump/skip.

Again, I’m an advocate of enjoying the gear and keeping paranoia at a reasonable, cautious level. And I’m not the kind of audiophile to listen to Krall/Barber/Stanley/SRV/Dire Straits on repeat all the time, so previously "well loved" heavy metal albums get playback here. And I still prefer a great pressing in G+ or VG over digital copies most of the time. I don’t even have a digital source on the main 2ch system. And of course I prefer EX or NM, but I'm really quite happy with a VG+ if that's all I can get.

Yes Chak
Real enthusiasts and lovers of music will play less than mint records on their systems.

As already stated it may not be possible right away to locate a mint or EX copy or quite likely not financially viable!

I have a lot of VG/VG+ records that I have no qualms playing on my rig although none of my carts are to the order of Mulvelings but still a few 2 to 3k mc carts in the mix.

mulveling,

"...I’m not the kind of audiophile to listen to Krall/Barber/Stanley/SRV/Dire Straits on repeat all the time..."

You may be one of the very rare audiophiles that uses a turntable with a repeat ability.

...GK as Oscar Wilde...’revisited’....

Now That’s funny.....terribly obscure and potent reference...;)

But I will agree that the hardest substance is found between human ears.....not all, but often enough...