Turntable trouble..

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Do all records crackle a bit? even when playing my new vinyl from the beatles, floyd and coldplay i get a bit of pop and crackle. The sound is good and lively, is this common with all records? Do i need to clean the records? Help...
 

matengawhat

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depends on what you call a bit - most of my new vinyl sounds perfect no noise - my old vinyl deoes crackle but some of its 30 years old so you kind of expect it - my copy of American Idiot by Greenday has a costant crackle for half of the first track can't rem which side but then disappears although guess this is a faulty pressing although returned first copy and second the same.
 
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Anonymous

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Most of my stuff is new and only two of them (both on the Secretly Canadian label) have crackle on the first track of one (or possibly both sides).

When i asked in a shop regarding how can i tell if the needle's starting to go I'm sure they said crackle, among other things, was one of the signs. I might be wrong there though
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew Everard:Can be caused by static electricity, which this is designed to counter.
Do they work?
 

John Duncan

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yes, pop and crackle is to be expected, it gets better as you get better turntable and cartridge. However, I would strongly encourage wet cleaning [insert usual plug for Knosti Disco Antistat here], which can help a great deal, using Nagaoka inner sleeves and destat-ing records with a carbon fibre brush (or Andrew's gizmo above) before playing.
 

Andrew Everard

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The one I had yonks ago seemed to help, but I have't tried this latest version. Seems like much the same device, though.

John Dnucna's suggestion of a carbonfibre brush works well, too, as does investing in anti-static inner sleeves
 

John Duncan

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Andrew Everard:
The one I had yonks ago seemed to help, but I have't tried this latest version. Seems like much the same device, though.

John Dnucna's suggestion of a carbonfibre brush works well, too, as does investing in anti-static inner sleeves

I see what you did there.
 

chebby

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Good quality carbon fibre brush (don't use any pressure otherwise your spindle bearing may protest.)

If you have a felt mat, shake dust out of it before and after an LP listening session.

Check whether 'crackling', pops etc happen more when you are using the lid if you have one.

Only ever use a clean, slightly dampened, soft cloth to clean a lid. (Those blue 'chamois' style cloths to clean LCD screens are ok but only moisten slightly with a spray or two of water.) Buffing a lid with dry dusters etc. is guaranteed to raise static.

Ensure you are tracking at (or very near) the top of the recommended tracking force/weight range given by the cartridge manufacturer. Make sure this is accurate by use of a Shure or Ortofon stylus tracking force gauge. Obviously the anti-skate/bias should be set to the same number as the tracking weight.

Only use fluid/paste/facemask solutions with extreme caution and test first on your least favourite record first. (Or buy some 20p record in a charity shop to test it on before using on cherished rarities!)

The only exception to the above is a Keith Monks cleaning machine (my local record shop has one and charges a quid a side). KM cleaning is totally safe when done properly. There are other similar cleaning systems around from £300 up to many £Thousands but that is not really appropriate unless your turntable and LP collection merit such an investment.

Good quality inner sleeves as recommended already.

Good quality, nude elliptical, fine-line, Gyger (etc) stylus profiles dig a bit deeper and, on a good arm/turntable, will force some irritant noises into the background but there are limits to this.

Extremely unlikely this one, but if your listening area has very low humidity, this can effect static build up. So put some potted plants in the room and keep them well watered and keep the room well ventilated.
 

Tear Drop

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A problem with modern records is that many are made from recycled vinyl and this means that you may well get noise due to the impurities, which you can do nothing about. Quality control at pressing plants is also an issue. These are but two of the reasons why you will often pay a premium for 'virgin' vinyl, and further premiums for 'audiophile' pressings. All of the solutions mentioned thus far do work (except for the record brushes, I always found them to actually cause static), BUT, some LPs are just noisy!
 

Tear Drop

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fast eddie:Andrew Everard:Can be caused by static electricity, which this is designed to counter.
Do they work?

They work BIG TIME! If you own vinyl you absolutely need one.
 

Tear Drop

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JohnDuncan:Tear Drop:(except for the record brushes, I always found them to actually cause static)

I've found not if you make sure you earth yourself (usually by the centre spindle).

Now that you mention it I have seen cleaning brushes with an 'earthing' wire attached to them. Wet washing and the Milty Zerostat are enough for me though.
 

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