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new vs. used vinyl, pops and clicks.

After 8 or so years of audiophilia I am finally getting my first decent turntable. I of course had one when I was younger and bought a lot of records then that I still have and want to play. I ended up getting the Whest Phono stage and a Nottingham Horizon with RB 250 arm and Dynavector 10x5 cart. I am also getting a VPI 16.5. If I really like it I'll probably move into a better table and cart.

I was over at a friends who has a table (VPI 19something mk 3?) and plenty of records and was intrigued and sometimes disturbed at the surface noise on some of the records. Question is, how common is it to buy used vinyl and be able to make it pretty much clean and pop free sounding? He didn't have a wet machine and uses a carbon fibre brush, as well as meticulous care of his records. I brought along a new record I purchased for my impending delivery of my setup and it was pretty darn quiet, but found most of the records he played to have quite a lot of pops and clicks. I am really hoping to find a lot of used vinyl to build up my collection, but a little concerned after hearing how noisy some of my friends records sounded. I know my collection has got to be filthy compared to his. Any advise or comments are appreciated.
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dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Ditto most of the responses above.

At least 80% of our 3,000+ LPs were bought used. With proper cleaning the large majority are as quiet as any new record. Some are quieter. New vinyl isn't perfect either (and new records must be cleaned as diligently as used ones.)

You must take care while buying of course. Dealing with reputable sellers means that prices are higher, but it's worth it in the long run. Don't expect to find many high quality used records for $1 at flea markets or thrift stores. You may get lucky once in a while, but IME you'll waste alot of time and usually be disappointed.
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pbb
1,140 posts
 
I only buy new vinyl. The cleaning machine fancy may be a good thing, but once those surfaces are damaged no amount of cleaning will undo the damage. As tantalizing as those stories of the wonders wrought by ever more expensive cartridges and phono sections on surface noise are, there is no circuitry of any type in that equipment to differentiate between a musical signal and clicks and pops. At that point it's mostly all in the mind, I'm afraid...
justin_time
100 posts
 


Audiophilia? Sounds like a disease and perhaps it is.

With thousands of dollars invested in LPs, it just makes sense to invest a few hundred dollars on record cleaning machine and fluids.

While RCM & RCF can work wonders, don't expect miracles from them. Some surface scratches and imbedded dirts are just impossible to overcome.

Have fun!
4yanx
1,576 posts
 
Yes, the differentiation between damage and filth would seem obvious, but it is a real consideration. Those indicating that there is nothing that can be done about groove damage are correct, no amount of cleaning can reverse careless treatment or scratches. On the other hand, it is amazing how much better an otherwise fine, but dirty, record sounds after cleaning. Sad are the time when one stumbles across a seeming gem, only to clean it up and find there is groove damage.

Funny though, and it may seem heretical to some, but my son was down from college last week and I was playing a couple of old jazz favorites that have a pop or two and some “fuzzys” between tracks. I apologized that I didn’t have a better copy and he said that he often finds that part of the charm of older records and it didn’t bother him in the least. A romantic notion, perhaps, but he and I still enjoyed listening VERY much!
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