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To clean or not to clean...

Brand new spanking vinyl. When one receives a  brand  new never played album. What is the consensus?
To clean or not to clean?

I  have leaned toward not cleaning until after numerous spins. This may be more out of  hope that conditions at the pressing faculty are on par with a semiconductor factory. Overall  I have not had issues, but once in a  blue moon you do  get that annoying pop that make you cringe and think" I should've cleaned this one".

Or am I simply guilty of the lessening of a mundane task.
idigmusic64
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
@terry9 , @jperry  Certainly, all used records should be cleaned.
I do not buy used records. Not my thing. I never clean new ones. I have never worn out a stylus and I examine the stylus at intervals. The cartridge is usually retired first. I rarely have to clean my stylus. Maybe once a month I'll use Lyra stylus cleaner. Because I use a sweep arm and dust cover I almost never have to remove dust from the stylus. Dust is the most prevalent enemy of sensitive machinery and records.  
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terry9
2,354 posts
 
@mijostyn 
I have seen postings from people who claim to have worked in pressing plants. Some of them claim that they used mold release compound. Some claim that it is a residue from the pressing process. Some claim it does not exist. Others claim that it depends on the plant.

I suspect that I have seen an oily substance on newly pressed records. So I clean with an US cleaner and a good lab grade detergent, and rinse heroically.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
I took some records out last night and played them. At the end of the evening as the system was powered down the records were a little bit dirtier, the heat death of the universe a little bit closer.
audition__audio
1,626 posts
 
I always wet clean records new or used the first time I play. Then I use a record brush for the next 3 to 5 playings and then wet clean again. 

I would think cleaning a new record would be critical. Been thinking about the new ultrasonic cleaners, but I have heard several have reliability problems. 
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