2. analog
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Is that record dead yet?

I'm just curious to know if there is some point where folks decide 'this record is too beat to play'? I picked up two potentially really great finds this week that are in less than primo condition. However, some of these deep grooves from the fifties will track fine after having been run over by a truck and such is the case here. The two records in question are Lou Donaldson - Swing and Soul (BN West 63rd) and Red Garland w/Trane - High Pressure (Prestige White Label Promo). On the later, I've seen sandpaper with less gloss, but it plays through and aside from a lot of pops it actually sounds OK.

I tend to lean more towards listening to music rather than my system, but I'm also met guys who won't put a scratched record on the TT. Just curious to see how people feel about this.
grimace
grimace OP
624 posts
 
I have heard good things about the Disc Dr. system. An RCM is not in the cards for while so that might be a good alternative for the time being. Currently I'm using a very fine automotive dust cloth for lint,dog hair, etc., especially for new records that really don't need to be cleaned. For actual cleaning I'm using D4 and the old fashioned courdoroy brush, which I know a lot of folks frown on, but its better than nothing.
grimace OP
624 posts
 
I have also been thinking about building an rcm, but I'm wondering if it won't be as expensive an just buying one.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
01-20-08: Grimace said:
"I have heard good things about the Disc Dr. system. An RCM is not in the cards for while so that might be a good alternative for the time being. Currently I'm using a very fine automotive dust cloth for lint,dog hair, etc., especially for new records that really don't need to be cleaned. For actual cleaning I'm using D4 and the old fashioned courdoroy brush, which I know a lot of folks frown on, but its better than nothing."

Actually a micro-fiber cloth is very near the best that you can do. Given that you can buy a bag of them at Sam's Club or Wal-Mart makes it a very cost effective and high quality solution.

I combine that with a Carbon Fiber brush and a ZeroStat remove static. I get the "big chunks" off, then the micro-fiber cloth and then a zap with the Z-Stat.

I don't clean new LPs with Disc Doctor unless I get some noise on the first play. Most used records get a cleaning with D-Dr before they go on the TT. Some people say that you need to clean all records, but I say, "let your ears guide you."

Dave
grimace OP
624 posts
 
I just got the Disc Dr. in the mail along with a carbon fiber brush. These records aren't as dead as I thought. On that old DG Prestige I was surprized at how much gloss came back after a good cleaning and how reduced the pop and ticks were. On the other hand, I have what looks like a really really clean looking six-eye that is still pretty noisey, which I'm kind of at a loss to explain. Maybe I need to do it more than once. I'll play around and see.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
Some used records will have groove damage due to poor maintenance. Unfortunately there's little that you can do for those and it's not easy to know the cause until you try cleaning.

Dave
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