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How many plays can you get out of a good record?

I haven't seen this question posed in the Audiogon forums, but I have seen many answers on generic audio sites, that say a record can be expected to last for "hundreds" of plays before any sonic degradation is noted, if well cared for. 

I'm wondering if they might last even longer with modern audiophile styli / styluses, which track at around 1.8 grams.  Does anyone have any real experience or knowledge about the longevity of records in such a scenario?  (If records only last 100-200 plays before some degradation, then this means that playing a record once a week could be at least partially deteriorated in two to four years, which is a real shame.)  

drbond
lewm
13,110 posts
 

There are so many subjective judgments and system specific elements to your question that it is impossible to answer with any degree of statistical certainty. The first point is who is making the judgment that the record has deteriorated sonically? Each of us will have a different sensitivity to that. And then of course there is the question of what cartridge are you using, what is the vertical tracking force, what are the errors of set up, What tonearm are you using? And the fact is that the answers to those many elements that go into determining record wear will change over the lifespan of an LP. I have LPs that I have owned for 40 years and more.. During that time they have been played on many different turntables with several different tonearms and several different cartridges. All I know is when I listen to them now I can say they sound good or not so good. I try to concern myself with how the LP sounds in the here and now, with the turntable tonearm and cartridge I am using right now.

edcyn
1,876 posts
 

Back in the 1960’s and 1970’s, worn or badly misaligned needle/cartridges did do damage to a fair amount of the 33’s and 45’s in my collection. In particular I wonder if my meticulously set up but lousy tracking Denon 103 carved a few little nasties in my inner grooves. But in the past 30 years or so my high-end turntables/tonearms/cartridges have done essentially nothing to my precious vinyl. Sure, an occasional click or pop will show up. But gone are the days where hashy string sections or spitty sibilants would eventually make an unwelcome appearance.

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,820 posts
 

I have used Last Record Preservative since it was introduced almost forty years ago. My LP's are still in like-new condition, some of them bought new and now fifty-five years old. I have also always used the best record cleaners available at any given time.

My LP's and my drum collection (all vintage, some of them dating back to the late-1920's).are my most-prized possessions. Girlfriends and wives come and go, but records (and CD's) and musical instruments are forever. ;-)

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