Do I 'Hafta' clean a brand new audiophile LP?

Absolutely, you 'Hafta'.

Trust us.

The record making process sometimes leaves crud in the grooves that you can't see, but it is there. Playing the record, even just once, will push the crud in so you can never get it out. Plus, the crud coats the stylus.

The "Yes" sentence. Sorry if I was vague.

Jb,

Clean the damn record or send it to me and I'll clean it for you! Roy ain't gonna sing "Pretty Woman" with crud in his throat.

:>) Regards, and yes do clean all your records, they'll last longer.

I'll echo the other responses, clean it! What? You think these things are clean when they come out of the presses? I even go so far as to put new albums into a new sleeve after I have cleaned them. Just take a look at a new record with mold release compound stuck to it and you'll see why.

Enjoy the Roy tunes!

Not only 'hafta' but 'sposda'