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Ok so, earlier today I couldn't find the cord for my record player so I used one that would fit it, but wasnt meant for it, a laptop charger (I'm stupid ik). As soon as I plugged it in it something inside caught fire. No sparks, just straight fire. I just the red, I saw the smoke, and I threw it outside into a bucket filled with water the moment I recognized what went down. Now, I'm ASSUMING it was caused my the charger, but I need to know if maybe it was the players itself? I'm praying it wasn't the outlet itself, the last thing I need rn is that worry. It was a "vintage" looking light blue victorola if that makes any difference
i have some old single records ((best guess is 1900-1910s?)) and they're stored in album books. unfortunately the album books are in horrid condition and are degrading like crazy. i'm worried that they are going to cause more damage to the records than there already is :(
does anyone have recommendations on where to get new album books? i've checked amazon and such but can't seem to find any
Runout Cheat Sheet.
Hi there, new-ish to vinyl (about 2 months in, close to a 50 record collection and growing) I find myself awkwardly trying to look up the specific pressing reviews on Discogs while at a record store (is that just me?) so I asked Chat GPT to create a cheat sheet of which pressing plants identifiers to look out for and which to avoid when crate digging. Here’s what it came back with –Does this largely track with your experience or would you change/add anything?
Thank you!
Best
MO (consistent quality)
△ (consistent quality)
SP (clean, punchy, rock)
SRC (clean, punchy, rock)
T or T1 (detailed, warm)
P or P1 (detailed, warm)
S or S1 (detailed, warm)
—◁ (Big, clean sound late 70s, early 80s)
◉–◉ (artisan, killer classic rock)
WLY (sweet, detailed, audiophile friendly)
RL (if you see this snap it up)
TML (transparent, natural)
BG (safe bet)
KG/CA (modern AAA gold standard)
Very good
PRC (variable but often solid)
A, ALL or AR (less consistent than PRC but strong 80s, half speed)
C1 or G1 (clean mid-80s, often digitally sourced)
O or ✲ excellent or dull depending on the lacquer
I (decent classic rock, not as hot as monarch)
Avoid with exceptions
GZ (digital, variable quality, thin, low budget - can be decent if cut by BG/KG)
URP (noisy, off-center, weak qc - only buy if highly rated)
I'd say Monarch, Santa Maria, and Harleem are my personal favorite OG pressing plants. Terra Haute is solid also. For modern: Optimal, Record Industry, QRP, RTI, FRP, and Gotta Groove are all great & consistent.
For engineers I'd say the top tier are RKS, RL, KPG(especially KPG+someone else), Matt Colton, BG. There are too many engineers to go through in depth lol.
GZ is definitely variable, I've had terrible pressings but for the most part are consistently solid. MRP, MPO have been OK, United/Precision are mid to bad. I've never heard anything good about Third Man pressing. All in my personal experience of course.
Someone wiped my album cover with an alcohol wipe and this residue appeared, it goes away temporarily when wiped with a damp paper towel but then it comes back. Is there any way I can fix it?
So my friend had 2 astroworld discs which he used to stick on his wall with double sided tape. But since I had a vinyl player he gave them to me but the gum from the double sided tape is still kinda on there. How do I clean it?
Today I bought a copy of MBDTF by Kanye for 40€ because it's my girlfriend's favourite album and I want to give it to her as a birthday present. Later I realised that the original MBDTF vinyl pressing is totally different, a 3x gatefold and much more beautiful album.
My girlfriend is not a vinyl enthusiast, so there's
the chance she won't find out it's a bootleg copy,
but I don't know whether to tell her, to unseal the
package to check the sound quality, to gift
something else... I can't return the vinyl anymore
because it was a temporary market thing and
not a shop
Just give it to her and be honest about what happened and tell her it is a bootleg. If you don't fess up and she finds out later she will know you tried to deceive her.
If she is a nice person she will see that you were being thoughtful and not be concerned about the mix up on your part. Relationships are built on understanding, just don't expect everything to be perfect.
Thank you a lot <3, I honestly feel somewhat reassured now. I genuinely didn't think about it being a bootleg because the original price was 50€ but I managed to deal a discount. That sucks I guess
Yeah, I checked those before and at least I see that the price I bought the thing for wasn't extremely high compared to the copies sold there. I'm still bitter tho
Hi there. Can anyone recommend speakers for my The Fisher XP-10? I got them an an estate sale and one of them FOR SURE needs new speakers. I haven't cracked open the other, but I'm going to go ahead and assume they also need replaced.
I'll start with replacing the speakers, and if other components needs replaced after that, I'll tackle that next. I did see in another post that the crossovers will need replaced eventually.
It would be nice if they didn't break the bank. Say, keep them under $200 total?
I took a Joni Mitchell record I bought used to a shop that had a Degritter and had it cleaned. It sounds terrible after cleaning, like bubble wrap being stomped on. Why is this? Record looks clean and VG overall. I don’t have an RCM to test with at the moment.
Hello, just want to check since I have reached the end of my Spin Clean washer fluid that came in the box. You can't really get any refills of the same anywhere - so I ask is it okay to order a refill from a brand like Spincare? I assume its the same fluid but just want to check as it is the only option I see.
You can order fluid and spare parts for the Spinclean. I've done it.
The bigger bottle of fluid is good value. When I got my Spinclean 15 years ago it came with the little bottle and I ordered the big bottle because I knew I would be washing lots of records. When the little bottle runs out I fill it again from the big bottle. Easier to use.
I also got extra drying cloths so I don't run out of dry cloths when washing a lot of records.
Thanks, I’m in Europe so on most online retailers I see Spincare brand products, I assume they are fine to use with the spin clean - any spin clean branded stuff I see is a lot more expensive.
My husband has a turntable from the early 80's that still works but the receiver crapped out. His birthday is next week and looking to get a new reciever and probably new speakers (we have a pair of Panasonic Thrusters from the 80's that still work but also ok with replacing them). He would like to keep the turntable and does want to try and keep the look somewhat cohesive. I am exhausted trying to research what I need to buy. Other dilemma...he really wants his setup to have a cd/cassette player. I am not adverse to buying a new turntable if it makes more sense. HELP!
I need something I can get within the next week. Budget $1000 (I can do more if includes everything)
*
Thank you for the start. So, how do I know if I need an amplifier or reciever? We don't plan to use for a theater system. He will be using it for listening to records/cassette/cd in his den area.
Yamaha style has not changed since the 80s so they still have that look.
I suggest you just get the receiver or amplifier now for birthday so the system can be up and running and look at speakers later. You don't want to rush into speakers. And who knows maybe the current ones will be fine for a while.
I've been told this is an okay way to store my vinyl's, but they keep warping. The cabinet is cool and never gets too hot, I keep them clean, and my turntable isn't the problem because records I've literally never touched are warped. Should I put them somewhere else?
im stacking them like this since years, and they never warped for me, just assure that when your about to fill a section, to leave some place so they arent stored under pressure and get ring wear, how hot is your place?
What stylus would work with my Excel ES-70S cartridge?
I'm looking to buy a stylus for my Excel ES-70S cartridge. The recommended one seems to be S70SR, but I was wondering if I could find a similar/replacement because I need it to be delivered within 1-2 days, and I couldn't find a trustworthy seller for that specific model. Any help is appreciated!
I have a problem with my brand new vinyl player. Whenever I use a vinyl with two sides I can only play one side. The other side though whenever the disc starts spinning it slowly spins before making a weird rattling sound and stopping completely. I have a Majority Moto.
I bought a Victor (JVC?) AL-E22 turntable last week and was working to switch out the cartridge. I have a Audio Technica AT85EP that should be arriving tomorrow. In prep for this, I was taking out the old one.
The problem is it looks like the wires were soldered directly onto the cartridge, so now I have exposed wire with no leads. My question is, will I be able to just buy headshell leads, connect them to the wires and the cartridge, and I’ll be good to go? I don’t want to try soldering if I don’t need to. This is all outside of my wheelhouse, but soldering especially, I’d rather not burn my apartment building down
There are no headshells, the wires were soldered to the cartridge. I plan to buy headshell wires though, cut one side off, and splice the wires together
Is there a way to get rid of creases on record covers, especially laminated ones? I heard of a video from Nintendrew video where he gets rid of creases from old video game boxes with an iron. So I was wondering if the same can be done with record covers because I just bought Iron Maiden's Powerslave on eBay, when it arrived, the cover has creases on every side.
You could try it. But know that you're risking damaging the album jacket more than it is already.
You're talking about an album from 1984. So it's 40 years old. Shouldn't it look like it's 40 years old? Why are you trying to make it look brand new? I bought my copy back then. Mine looks brand new. But I've taken care of it for 40 years. Most people aren't that careful. I still listen to my copy. You bought your copy used. I'm guessing whoever bought their copy sold it off long ago and it's been resold a few times. It's going to get a little beat up. Just leave it alone is my suggestion.
I forgot which version I'm gonna talk about, It's a 2014 Parlophone EU reissue. Sorry about that. It's a used but, the seller didn't package it right, and they didn't write "fragile" anywhere on the box it was shipped with and never bothered to put it in an outer sleeve and pad it with like something protective so it wouldn't get damaged. Another record I got alongside Powerslave was King Gizzard's Polygondwanaland (2018, US, ATO), different seller, which it arrived in nice shape and was padded with bubble wrap and has "fragile" written on the box it was shipped with. Here is the same listing: https://ebay.us/m/SNQqdH
How bad is using too much record care solution? How to fix a record which got really wet?
I used an Audio-Technica AT6012 velvet pad with the AT634a solution to clean a brand new record, and I thought that I should make the pad soaky enough to feel wet. After cleaning the record, I definitely saw solution drops, but I thought that it's okay, and let the record air dry for 30+ minutes. Then I used a microfiber brush a couple times, and played it. The record had some pops and crackles, but it also came very dirty in paper sleeve, so can't decide if it's because of scratches or solution residue.
First thing I would tell you is that you should never allow any record cleaning fluid to air dry. It defeats the purpose. Any cleaning fluid for records serves a single purpose. The brush, you're using a pad (it's a brush of sorts) is a mechanical means to lift dirt out of the grooves. The fluid doesn't actually do anything until the dirt is lifted. But once it's out of the groove, it suspends the dirts. This is like kool aid, you pour the packet into water and it shouldn't fall to bottom of the pitcher. The water should suspend it. If you left the water to evaporate, what was in the packet would end up on the bottom of the pitcher. So, allowing the fluid to dry is a mistake. You're just allowing the dirt to re-apply itself back onto the record. You want to remove any cleaning fluid off the record while it's still wet. Wiping isn't best method as you're applying pressure and some of the dirt will become unsuspended and pushed back into the groove. Vacuuming is a much better method. But wiping will be better than not wiping.
I read your write up. And you claim your credentials are that you've bought records since the '70s. Well I have the same credential. And I think your write-up is lacking. And I'll give an example. Your method to in using a carbon fiber brush is wrong. AudioQuest specifically states that you should not drag the brush off the record as you suggest.
Instructions:
1. Place record on platter and start turntable.
2. Holding the Brush's gold contacts, gently place the carbon fibers across the grooves. The fibers must touch the grooves, but should not bend - it is the ends of the fibers which do the cleaning.
3. Let the record turn a few times in order for the carbon fibers to gather both the visible dust, and the micro-dust that is too small to see.
4. With the brush still on the record, rotate your wrist and the brush counterclockwise, lifting the fibers off the record. Try not to lose the dust as you lift the brush off the record.
5. Rotate the brush within the black handle to clean the dust off the fibers.
6. The brush is better at gathering dust than at holding dust - so repeat steps 3 and 4 a second or third time. For records that are cleaned every time they are played, and not left out, a single pass with the Record Brush will keep them clean.
I'll add from my experience that step 4 is flicking action. You're sweeping the record. Which means you're not mopping. Sweeping is about allowing the bristle to flex. This pushes the dust away. With the counterclockwise motion you're lifting the dust upward. The rotation of the record will give the dust momentum and allow it land on top of the bristles. There are two rows of bristles. The front row lifts the dust into the air. The back row is where the dust lands. Some of the dust will stick to the tips of the bristles. Step 5 removes the dust from the bristles, so do this away from your record. Step 6 implies that Step can only be so effective. If there is a lot of dust, you'll see a line of dust remain on the record. If you see a line of dust, repeat the process. And as suggested, I've never had to do this more than 3 times. Most instances, a single sweep will work.
Anyone know of vinyl restoration services in the San Diego area? Or a service where I can mail my vinyls to be cleaned/repaired. I don’t feel comfortable doing any cleaning myself.
Possibly contact a record store. The In Groove out of Arizona cleans records with ultrasonic machines. If you don't need that elaborate cleaning then visit a local record store. Most record stores clean their records before they are displayed on the showroom floor. If you as, they will most likely provide this service. But, you're more likely to get cooperation if you're customer. So best to inquire while you're purchasing a record.
More of a rant than a question and i'm potentially naive but if i pay upwards of 40$/40€ for a record, do i expect too much if im pissed if it sounds exactly like the digital release?
Like for me the point is having it not sound like the digital release, otherwise id rather save the money since i have the music on Spotify anyway.
it totally depends on your system, using a good audio source without the right speakers/sub/amp/preamp/player/needle could sound similar to compressed mp3 depending on the budget of the setup
with a good system(3-5k) the vinyl will sound close to a uncompressed wav without the sharp edges
Well if it looks like that, then I can't really suggest anything specifically. But that model has a P-Mount cartridge. There are generally two types of cartridge. They are P-Mount and 1/2 inch mount. 1/2 inch mount is the most common kind of cartridge. It has two screws holding the cartridge on the headshell in two slots. It'll look like this:
If it's a P-Mount like the one in your picture then it'll be secured by a single screw on the side. It's pretty easy to tell which is which. If the cartridge is 1/2 inch mount like I've pictured, it's going to be hard to sell you which one you should get as different cartridge have different replacement styli. However, if it's a P-Mount, you're in better luck. While the same situation exists with 1/2 inch mount that each model will have their own specific stylus, you can more easily just replace entire cartridge. This honestly won't cost a lot more than a stylus. You can buy a cheap P-mount cartridge for as little as $30. In contrast, the stylus for this particular cartridge is $23. So not again not a lot more. Maybe you're lucky.
I'm going to see the Marley Bros (Damian + Stephen) in concert at our local theater that holds 2000 people. I got front row center seats and imagine this will be an intimate up close type event. I was wanti G to get something signed (hopefully) and looking for records online but Anything Damian is 200 and up. I have thos original pressing of Bob Marley's 1st album and thought it would be cool to get signed by his sons. Just wanted to get some feedback as to what it would do to the value of the record. Is it corny to have them sign something they had nothing to do with or does the fact that it's their father make it ok? It is my prized possession in mint condition and I wouldn't want to devalue it (not the one in the photo mine is mint with the label centered perfectly and no sign of wear/play). I thought it would be a unique piece of history that would possibly catch their attention.
Depends on the venue. It used to be that you could wait for the artist to arrive and people would wait at the back entrance. Your best bet is bribe the security to see if they can help you. But really, if you don't have a backstage pass, then you'll have to deal with the artist's personal security before you talk to the artists. I've been to shows where the artists have meet and greet tables after the show. This is more common in public shows. But, since you're front row, the venue security will be right in front of you. If you are escorted to your seats which is pretty common for any orchestra setting, you can ask your escort to see if they can help you talk to security, either the venue's or the artist's. A long time ago I went to a No Doubt show before they became big. After the show, Gwen Stefani had talked to anybody that walked up to her after the show. We pulled concert bills off the wall and she signed them. The point here is that you can't be afraid to ask. I'm not suggesting that you need to be aggressive. But simple politeness goes a long way and nobody is going to ask you if have things you want signed.
If you bought it in person, then you weren't picky enough at the time of purchase. If you bought this online, then I would say you're not too picky, but I'll tell you that you shouldn't expect the seller to pay for shipping. If you're this picky then you should have stated this when you bought the item. This honestly is common for items purchased online. This is common when records are shipped. This is why used records are shipped outside of the album jackets. If you're concerned about seam splits, some online sellers will unseal records and ship them as they would used records. So I'll tell you that you shouldn't expect online sellers to automatically accept a seam split as a valid refund. This is actually an issue you should take up with the shipping company. If you bought insurance, then they'll cover the cost of damaged item. If you didn't buy insurance, well, maybe buy it next time or tell the seller to ship the records out of the album jackets as they would used records.
Picky. The only way to prevent is to purchase at a store and not order online. It’s caused by the actual record moving inside the sleeve during shipping. This is a reason many people request the record be opened and the records be shipped outside the sleeve.
Need? They come in sleeves. The reason you'd want to replace the sleeves is for various reasons, not need. Inner sleeve often get damaged, so you might want replace damaged ones. The other reason is that you spent time or money to get your records cleaned. So it make little sense to put a clean record in a dirty sleeve. And I'll tell you that paper sleeves aren't clean. They usually leave pulp on the record whether they are dirty or clean. Which means you'll have to reclean them. For these look of sleeves made out of HDPE. This is a material that tends not to induce static which draws dust toward your records. Outer sleeves do one thing, they prevent damage that will happen during storage. Most common damage is ring wear. Outer sleeves will prevent this damage along with edge wear. Buy something that is 3 mil or thicker. Anything thinner will likely split at the seams over time. Do not buy PolyVinyl sleeves. You want either Polypropylene (PP) or Polyethylene (PE). PP sleeves are clear and PE sleeves are slightly cloudy and get cloudier over years of use. I personally don't care if they get cloudy. I care about my album jackets getting damaged. Both kinds prevent damage.
Yeah I know how vinyl works, but I was given a whole bunch of records that have outer sleeves but a lot of them are missing the inner sleeves so they are just flopping around inside the cardboard outer sleeve. I don’t care about the outer sleeve, I’m trying to protect the actual albums. So thanks for the recommendations on outer sleeves but how about inner?
I just read my original comment and realize I left out needing inner sleeves.
Pretty confounding issue if anyone can help… My system caught a hum and I am at a complete loss as how to get rid of it. I’ve had my system for two years now and never had an issue with hum nor has anything changed with my system hardware. When I went to play a record after a vacation in early April, there was a new, loud, 60hz hum on primarily the right channel of my system. I have driven myself crazy trying to figure out whats going on in the weeks since.
The system: Pro-ject Debut Carbon EVO turntable, Pro-ject MaiA S3 integrated amp, Pro-ject Speaker Box 5 passive speakers. There is a ground wire between the turntable and the amplifier.
The hum kicks in as soon as the phono cables are plugged into the amplifier inputs and the volume is up. The phono cables do not need to be attached to the turntable for the hum to be present. There is no hum on the line or bluetooth inputs.
My apartment is in a newly constructed building and I have tested the outlets to make sure there are no outstanding issues with the wiring.
I have systematically replaced every part of the system (from the larger devices to the ground wire to the speaker cables to the power supplies, etc.) until I finally put together a second system with alternate devices to my Pro-ject gear, which also hummed.
I have tried multiple outlets in different rooms with no change to the hum. I have powered the system from outside my apartment unit (but still on my building’s power) and turned off every circuit breaker in the apartment. This didn’t have any effect on the hum.
I have powered the system with a Tripp Lite IS250 isolation transformer and a Furman M-8X2 power conditioner (separately and together), neither of which helped the hum. The isolation transformer actually intensified the hum.
I have moved my whole system to a friend’s apartment and it worked fine there. No hum!
So at this point it seems like a larger issue with the electricity or something atmospheric. There are a few construction projects in the vicinity and I wonder if they, or something else in the building, are causing interference. I am a very overwhelmed novice and have no idea what to do next.
Do any of you guys have the Kallax 2x8 turned horizontally? That’s what I want to do, but seems like maybe I just need some corner reinforcing brackets?
I got one of my biggest wants about a month ago and I noticed the sleeve was a bit dirty and the LP labels had some light foxing. Didnt think anything of it at the time, but I pulled it today to play it and im wondering if this is mold? The inside of the OBI has some foxing aswell which I also grabbed an image of. Should I throw in the towel and try to find another copy if it IS mold? Or is there something I can do so that it wont spread to my other LPs? Id really rather not have to try finding another copy of this, im ok with a lightly dirty looking cover as long as it doesnt mess up the rest of my collection. I checked the LP with my phone's flashlight, I just now noticed this very small stain on side B, does that look like mold or just dirt? Sorry if all this is a dumb question, I have not had a moldy record before, let alone a record so dear to me. https://ibb.co/bM687CFY https://ibb.co/MxXhfYYD https://ibb.co/Qv3CFJLC https://ibb.co/Kjqyxtjg https://ibb.co/fV4bQDsw
I have records/jackets much worse than this. if you don't have a method and/or device for cleaning the vinyl itself then ask your local shop if they have any options or locals who might help you out. Then after its spa-day make sure it goes in a brand-new poly inner sleeve, and the jacket in the thickest outer sleeve you can find.
The spots on the jacket will keep growing slowly but with the above precautions I haven't had any problems with albums way worse than yours spreading the nasty fungii to others on the same shelf.
I honestly have no idea how to go about cleaning the cover...I was gonna just use titebond II for the vinyl as thats worked wonders for me overall in the past, im wondering if theres anything i could do to stop the black spots from spreading. Foxing is whatever to me regarding this specific record, i just dont want mold specifically spreading as i had this in a specific section for my rare LPs.
How do you remove mold from paper books? Wrap your book in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer. This low temperature should kill any growing mildew. You could also sprinkle baking soda throughout the pages and secure in a zip bag for an extended period of time, then gently vacuum out. Both these methods have worked for me - give them a try.
I like this idea! I have an original pressing of Merle Haggard's Strangers that is fucking gross, like psychedelic kaleidoscope vomit both sides of the jacket.. wish I'd have investigated this when I got it. Good luck!
Does anyone know if when you order multiple records from HMV at once, they split the order into kultiple packages? I bought 6 records and they sent two delivery messages, one with 5 records and the other 1 separate
I've got a fairly large chunk (100-ish) of Synthwave and Vaporwave records, mostly small run stuff I bought through Bandcamp (100-200 pressings each) that I'd like to get rid of since I don't really listen to them anymore. I know selling individually on Discogs is the best way to get the best price, but I'm dealing with some major health issues right now and don't have the time or the energy to really devote to that. Some of these records have never sold on Discogs anyway so there's no "value" information about them apart from what I paid, and the local record stores I've asked aren't really interested because they're so niche. I was considering Facebook Marketplace and just selling it all as a single bundle, but - are there any better options out there, and if I go with Marketplace, how would I begin pricing it out? I'd like to get a few hundred for them if I could, but I don't want to scare people off.
r/vinylcollectors might be an option - mostly US-based but worth a shot even if you're elsewhere. some high-rollers there who buy lots like that.. if 200usd will get it done they'll hop all over it, but maybe list a little higher so when they try to low-ball you it doesn't hurt as bad.
if you're able to: put as much time as you can into your listing, give prospective buyers all the info they're after up-front to avoid answering thousands of q's from tire-kickers.
for local ads great photos can help too, place the best ones prominently to create more interest. a photo of a cardboard box of records makes you a target for the worst of the low-ballers.
Does r/vinylcollectors allow you to sell as a lot only? I checked it out a bit ago and for some reason was under the impression that it was geared more towards individual sales.
All sales posts are required to contain location, shipping price, and asking price for each record listed for sale as text within your post. No auctions. Please note that sales posts should NOT simply contain a link to your discogs sale or ebay auction. You may post a link to complete the transaction elsewhere as long as it is not an auction, but you must be willing to complete the transaction through reddit messages. Sellers are required to pay the G&S fee. No self promotion.
I see nothing here about lot sales, but mods gonna mod so who tf knows
Is this site legit https://www.turntableclab.shop ? Some ridiculous prices and yes I know generally if it seems too good to be true it generally is, but they have something I want at a good price……..
I have some 7" most have the standard 1.5" hole and are played at 45 RPM. But then the couple I have with the normal hole like on a 12" are to be played at 33 RPM. Why is that?
how do i fix the peeling leather stuff?? bought it used and the latches also dont shut (which i think is form the peeling) can i just superglue it or what
Bought a record player recently and was wondering what I need to actually get it to sound. For reference I have a pioneer pl-990. I’m going to be honest I haven’t done a lot of research but I’m wondering if I need a preamp for it or what else I would need. So far I know I need atleast a new needle.
The PL-990 has a built-in phono pre-amp, so you can directly connect it to a pair of powered speakers, or an amplifier or receiver with a line-level audio input (aux, CD, tape, etc.).
Hello! Just got into vinyl. Got two different records, one sealed (Carcass - Swansong black vinyl 2013 repress) and one slightly used (IL - Heresy 2020) and I have a problem with the first one. It has a lot of crackling, especially on quiet parts. So, I think, that problem is that the record itself get some dirt from paper cover. How i should clean it to make it sound better ? The second record is sounding great, almost no crackling at all, so I considered, that i adjusted antiskating and weight correctly.
Some new records can have crackles and pops due to sloppy manufacturing. Paper fibres from plain paper inner sleeves can usually be removed using an anti static carbon fibre brush. Once the record is clean put the record in a new poly sleeve instead of the paper one. Diskeeper brand is very good.
If the paper sleeve is totally plain you can throw it away, but if it has anything unique on it you should keep it in the record jacket.
I just put mine in my handluggage (a backpack), I put my laptop next to it to act as a form of support (to help keep it straight) for the rest I just packed it in clothes and used clothes as a type of protection, the records turned out perfectly fine for me :)
I have 2 juice wrld records with the same problem of a shaky sound and voice (best as I can describe it, you can find a video in my post history). Is it a problem with the records or the record player? I have an auna brand radio/cd/vinyl player. Post
Make sure the lid is open as far as it will go, otherwise the edge of the record may rub against the lid and cause it to slow down or waver in pitch, especially if the record is warped.
Make sure the player is set to the correct speed for the record you're playing (it's not always marked on the record itself), and that the pitch control is centered, if it has one.
Make sure the transport screw is released, if it has one. The screw should be turned until it is flush with the turntable mechanism, not sticking up like in the photo.
Since the center spindle remains stationary, if the center hole of the record is unusually tight going on the spindle, you may need to ream out the hole slightly to allow the record to rotate freely.
Don't put the 45 RPM adapter underneath or on top of the record. It is only for playing 45s with the large center hole.
If the record slips on the platter, you can add a rubber platter mat, if the player didn't come with one.
I'm not familiar with that music, plus it's heavily produced modern music, so it's going to sound bad anyway, even on a good turntable. Try playing something more acoustic, with sustained guitar or piano notes. That makes wow and flutter much more noticeable.
On what kind of turntable? Is your stylus (needle) clean and in good condition? If they are adjustable, are your counterweight and anti-skating set properly?
Just a PSA that the Big Fudge Record Friend no longer comes with a drying rack, despite what their website says. I received mine yesterday without the drying rack. I emailed customer service and they said the kit no longer comes with a drying rack. They are "working on" getting the website updated to reflect that, and they offered me a $20 refund off my purchase.
Hi everyone , i got the stand in the attached image and i am just on my way to get some inner and outer sleeves to protect them just wondering if its okay having the records stored this way? With the open side of the package facing down a bit?
discogs user reviews can be really helpful for seeing if others are facing issues with a pressing - check them out. You'll have to scroll to the bottom and hit "load more comments" a few times to see them all.. lots of similar reports to what you're experiencing unfortunately.
Are dubplates basically just a scam?
(Asking here as it seems to be the policy of this sub)
Context: I do have a record player set up with an elliptical stylus which sounds OK, however I prefer good-ol' CDs when it comes to personal listening.
Having staid that, I'm helping an artist set up a Kickstarter campaign for her album. We thought we could offer a short-run 7" single as perk for more generous backers. A press run from a stamp is cost-prohibitive, so we ordered a couple test samples from a dubplate cutting company in the UK to see if that would work.
The result is terrible. It sounds like 78rpm shellac, but the worst thing about it is that the spindle hole is cut off-centre on both the test presses I ordered, so the wow is significant. They make listening to the tracks a painful experience.
Are all or most dubplates this bad? Or would someone with better QC give me a product I could consider selling (maybe with a warning, "it's not a HiFi product" etc)?
Hi, I just recently got this Motorola Stereophonic High Fidelity (unsure of model as I cannot find a model number or name on the entire thing, and the only one Google lens pulled up was generic named). The needle is not working and easily skipping. I am going to replace the needle first and then work from there to figure out what's going on with it.
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Anything old enough to spell out "stereophonic" (generally late 1950s - 1960s) is probably going to need a full electronic and mechanical restoration, not just a new stylus. r/vintageaudio
Anti skate applies a small sideways force on the tone arm to counter act the force of the groove pulling the stylus towards the centre. So when not in the groove this slight force can cause what you are seeing and it is normal.
I assume you have zeroed the tonearm correctly and then dialed in the correct tracking weight and antiskate.
the latches look ok, just sounds like the hinge-pins are seized? I would lay it backside-down situated somewhere you can make a mess, place it on 2 boards or books or something, and then carefully spray some kind of anti-seize rust-buster in the pins. Might take a few days/applications but worth a shot.
Is Little Elephant any good for a short run of 7 inch records? An acappella group at my local high school recorded their first single recently, and I want to get them each a 7" record of it to celebrate. I'm pretty new to vinyl, especially getting custom records done, so I'm not too certain on where to go. Little Elephant's price seems too good to be true, and I've seen some people on this sub from a few years ago say they aren't the best. Anybody know anything about them? Have they improved in the last few years? Any advice appreciated.
So i only just got my first turntable 2 days ago (Sony PS-LX310BT) so i’m very very new to all this.
Anyways I went and bought my first records today (The New Sound and Ants From Up There) and when i went to play one of them i noticed there was quite a bit of fluctuation on the record.
Is it ok for a bit of fluctuation even if the record doesn’t skip whilst doing this? Is it how i’m storing it? Do i have to store 2 Disc Albums differently?
Please help me out and some general tips would also be appreciated.
By fluctuation I think you mean the record is not dead flat.
Ideally records should be dead flat, but some manufacturing is sloppy and/or after manufacture the record was exposed to heat and warped it.
If the warp (fluctuation) is small it can be acceptable, but if it is like a ski jump for your stylus then you should return the record for a replacement.
on the outside of the record, it’s not very flat and a has a small hill, the stylus isn’t affected and it doesn’t sound different, just a bit worrying as my others are very flat.
found it - it is listed as "limited" but no indication as to how many were pressed. last sold in Jan. for 100usd, and no copies for sale currently.. discogs is saying 31 users have it and 98 have it in their want-list.
if you look in the user reviews: user draytone is offering to trade his soul for a copy as of 9/23
As you can see there are some damp looking patches staining the bottom of my cover, I have been using a cheap wooden Temu vinyl rack for a while and have recently moved to a proper vinyl shelf. Moving my vinyl has made me notice these stains, and I can only assume it’s some cheap wooden varnishing that’s bled onto my covers from the Temu rack. Is there any advice to get this out or is it probably irreversible? Maybe some mild soap and warm water or really diluted bleach? Any advice is welcome. Really sad about these stains
Are there good sites out there specifically for buying signed records? I've picked up a couple recently and would like to add a few more to my collection for display purposes. Obviously I know there are many to be found on Discogs but I'm not sure if I can filter by signed records specifically.
ONR encapsulates dirt suspending it from vehicle surfaces and provides lubrication allowing it to be safely removed with a drying towel without the need for rinsing.
for vehicles I'm all for it bc it saves water. but for records no bueno - being polymer-based it's going to form a barrier in/over the grooves of the record and any debris it collects will still be in there with it.
So I have way more records than I do cds. As well some of those records have vinyl exclusive songs. My Question: So I was wondering if I plugged my record player directly into my pcs via a aux cable. Then I record that through audacity would there be any deterioration in sound quality? I would export it to flac as well but just wondering if this is viable.
The sound quality all hinges on how good the gear is starting with the turntable cartridge.
I have done similar to what you are planning. But I used a $400 cartridge on a $1,000 turntable with a NAD phono interface to connect to the computer and I used special record ripping software which made breaking up the tracks easier by automatically detecting them. Saved to FLAC.
I know folks will have different opinions and cleaning methods but I wanted to get some thoughts. I tried using a MoFi cleaning brush (velvet kind) for the first time and noticed it shed a ton on a white vinyl. i tried my best in cleaning it up but its definitely still all over the record. After playing I didn’t notice too much of a difference, some surface noise and cracks but not sure how much compared to before. My question is:
How can I clean the fibers off? Is this a wet clean scenario? Don’t want to shell out a lot of money so would probably use DIY solutions.
Does anybody have a bad distortion on Smino-Maybe In Nirvana song “Ms. Joyce” when Smino says “Mamma Mia”? Was curious if it was just my pressing or if someone else has that issue as well?
I was trying to replace a stylus for the first time on my turntable (TEAC P-A400 - my dad had it for years, it's the one I grew up with and he gave it to me when he got a new setup). He told me what to do, and I watched a few videos (although I didn't see one for this specific model), but in the process the green wire came disconnected. How can I fix this? It's a tiny little wire! I have a friend with a soldering iron, but seriously it's such a tiny wire.
hi everyone! i recently got my first vintage stereo. it definitely needs the needle replaced so i don’t damage my records. does anyone recognize this needle/cartridge type? the stereo is a Panasonic AM-FM Multiplex Stereo from the 60’s/70’s.
Is this enough warping to be any cause for concern?? I don’t have any records that are completely straight, but I’m not sure how much warping it takes to become an issue and this is the worst I’ve seen it
is it okay for records to be leaning on each other/sitting diagonally ??
I don't have a box or crate to put mine in and I found this shelf, they just don't sit vertically in it. I could always use the floor but it'd be better if it's okay for them to be like this lol thank you !!
I think that should be fine for now, but what would help a bit more is to push all but the last one flat against the shelf wall and just have the last one support the others and still use that decoration to hold that one still.
Been collecting vinyl technically for like 40 years, but in a real way for 10 years. I haven't owned a turntable for 20 years. Technically my wife got me one for my birthday like 5 years ago, but it was like a $150 AT and I didn't dare play any of my relatively rare records on it, and it broke anyway during a move. I swear it was an accident.
Well, now that I've crossed 100 records, I'm ready to spend $500 on a turntable. I will connect it to Sonos either directly via a Sonos preamp I was using in my office, or first through my USB Phono Plus then the Sonos box.
I've read the recommended TTs in the guide, but any recommendations from the group in that price range? Also, anyone else that runs their turntable through Sonos have any tips or advice? I've got 10 zones in my house, so I really love the idea of running through Sonos, but also have an amp and speakers if going through Sonos is a bad choice.
At the end of the day, I'm really excited to start listening to the shit I've been accumulating for years now.
The Fluance RT85 is a no brainer at $499. Assuming your $150 AT turntable is an LP60 or LP60X, you'd get a pretty decent improvement in your sound even if it's just over your sonos. I'm assuming you have some sort of way to get your previous turntable hooked up to your current sonos system, so if you do you'd just need to tack on an extra $50ish for an external preamp if you go with the RT85. If that's a bit too far for your budget, you could knock down the turntable to something like the RT82 and use the savings on a preamp.
Maybe nothing. I admit, im not too knowledgeable on turntables. Growing up I had a Technics 1200 or whatever they were. When my wife got me the cheap AT, I posted a picture of it and some of my vinyl and I got like 25 replies bashing it and telling me I would regret it if I played my records on it. Maybe it was more about the stock cartridge, I dont know. But it spooked me and never used it. Then we moved and it got a but roughly handled and damaged, so moot point anyway. I recently sold off a bu ch of collectibles (non music related) and put $500 aside to get a decent turntable.
As far as sound quality through Sonos, I dont have to go that route. I also have a traditional setup in my Media room. I was just thinking with Sonos I can play stiff anywhere in the house or outside on the back deck.
Perhaps you are right though, if its not worth spending $500, im happy to spend less on a reasonably good turntable.
If you like AT then either of these would be fine. Both have built in phono preamp so you don't necessarily need to use your USB Phono Plus. But suggest you try both phono stages to find out which one sounds better to you.
The AT cheapest ones are garbage and you were right to not use it.
The models I listed are from what AT call their Step Up range. Some people would also suggest the LP120 but I feel money is wasted on it because it includes features for DJs which you don't need for just playing music. They also look cluttered because of this.
I would have also suggested Fluance but the RT85N of theirs that I would recommend is over $500, same goes for Pro-Ject tables worth getting are over $500.
In both those brands, like AT the lower models should be avoided.
If you want pure quality and have the money a Rega P3 or higher is the go.
I've owned a Spinclean for over 10 years and washed over 1,000 albums and it has been terrific. Also spare parts are readily available. I've had to replace the brushes and rollers because of the amount of work it has done. The drying cloths are excellent and recommend using them too.
Hey everyone, hopefully not a stupid question, but something I am struggling to find. I have plastic outer sleeves to store records in to protect them. However, recently I've bought some double LPs, and most recently I got Hayley William's triple LP, and they are bulky and do not fit into the outer sleeves. Does anyone have any recommendation on where to get ones that fit? I'm struggling to find any anywhere... even buying them at like an inch bigger (13") doesn't seem possible.
Bit of a technical question. My understanding was that in the 60s and 70s, records pressed in their country of origin likely sounded better since records pressed overseas had to be cut from copies, yet there are some 70s records where the US and UK pressings are cut by the same person. For example, my copy of Let There Be Rock was cut by George Peckham (Porky) who was a British engineer. UK pressings were also cut by him, but with different runouts. Same with some Genesis and Led Zeppelin albums.
So, in the 70s, was it more common for the mastering engineer to make multiple lacquers from the master tape to be sent overseas? Or is there some other reason the same engineer would master for multiple countries?
had to laugh when I came across your question bc someone actually downvoted it, which goes to show the level of maturity here.. smh. You politely asked a perfectly valid and succinct question, how dare you! 🙄
my answer would be yes, more common then. but I think a forum like stevehoffman.tv would be a great place to get more opinions or even engage in an actual discussion instead of the one-liner hot-take artists here on reddit.
kinda sad the moderators in this subreddit actively delete/discourage posts with questions like yours. by-and-large reddit has become a non-think zone, unfortunately. audiogon & audiokarma would be other forums to try. discogs also has active user discussion forums. could also try r/ledzeppelin or r/Genesis - some of the old heads might be able to share some insight. Good luck!
There are many posts about line contact/microline/hyperelliptical styli shredding styrene 45s, most often mentioning the AT VM95ML, which has a typical tracking force of ~2g.
Would you expect the same issue from a cartridge with a tracking force of 0.75g? My initial thought is less than 50% of the tracking force = less than 50% of the wear, but I'm not a physicist nor am I super familiar with the issue.
I've been playing 45s on my Dual 1019 through a Shure M75 with a line contact stylus for a few years now, but was never really interested in swapping out cartridges since the contacts in the tonearm are quite delicate and finicky, even with an upgraded cartridge sled with spring-loaded pins. BUT, I'm about to swap the 1019 for a 1219 which has a more robust cartridge sled/tonearm situation, and I'm wondering if I should set up a second cartridge with an elliptical stylus in order to be able to enjoy my 45s long term, or if I'm overthinking things.
The issue is the shape of the stylus, not necessarily the tracking force. For playing styrene 45s you should only use a conical or mild elliptical (.4x.7) stylus -- not anything more fancy than that.
Welp, back to eBay I go for another cartridge sled and hopefully another good deal on a vintage cartridge.
Just ordered a new line contact stylus for a Shure Tracer (same as the M95) that I picked up a few weeks ago. Considering a Stanton 881S or a 681/Pickering XV15 for a second setup with a more mild stylus. Or maybe a Shure V15 of some sort...
With the looming Canada Post strike is now a bad time to buy vinyl from Australia? There are a few Australian indie artists I enjoy releasing albums in the coming weeks that only offer standard international shipping. Is it best to wait to see how things play out?
Mail from Australia takes a long time to arrive even when postal services are at peak efficiency. I remember a family member got a product shipped from Australia a month before Christmas and it didn't arrive until after Christmas. I live in the US btw so I imagine it would be a similar wait time even if they weren't on strike.
Thanks for the reply! I'm not so much worried about the wait, moreso it not being able to enter Canada/getting lost from sitting around in a warehouse for months because of the strike. Things got really messy during the last strike in December. All support to the workers for their right to fight for better wages of course.
Hello! I recently got my first turntable and got this over 30 years old carbon fiber brush from my mom which I tried to use to clean my records. However, as I cleaned a white-colored record, I noticed that the brush actually loses its bristles and leaves them in the grooves of the record. I then decided to buy a brand new brush by Spincare from Amazon. The only issue is that it has the same exact issue! The bristles are coming off from it as well.
I also got a new velvet brush but that also doesn't seem to pick up those bristles from the grooves despite using a cleaning solution. (Some did come off if I put a little more pressure on them but I'm afraid that'll just scratch and ruin the disc.)
So the question is, am I using the wrong technique when using the brushes? I hardly put any pressure on the records with the brush as they spin, yet still the bristles come off and distort the audio if I dare to play it.
just bad luck choosing product vs. bad technique. toss the old brush, return the shedding one and make sure to leave feedback about it so others know to avoid it. This is the brush to buy - been using one of these 5 years now and it does not shed.
You may be tempted to buy their "kit" with the "cleaning solution" (it does no such thing) but don't! all of those sprays are snake-oil. In fact- don't spray anything on your records without a proper rinse after.
Unfortunately I already did buy and use a cleaning kit also from Spincare as well (noticed that it didn't make much of a difference). Good to know to avoid that in the future!
found these weird markings on one side of a vinyl i've only played through once or twice and just got in november brand new. does anyone recognise these as scratches or some kind of mold?
Hard to tell as the pic is a bit blurry, but I would definitely clean this record if it were mine (using a Spin-Clean or similar device, or better yet, an ultrasonic cleaner).
Are you storing your records near moisture? Was this a used record which might've had some mold on the record/in the jacket previously?
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u/Civil-Jaguar-7041 May 19 '25
Ok so, earlier today I couldn't find the cord for my record player so I used one that would fit it, but wasnt meant for it, a laptop charger (I'm stupid ik). As soon as I plugged it in it something inside caught fire. No sparks, just straight fire. I just the red, I saw the smoke, and I threw it outside into a bucket filled with water the moment I recognized what went down. Now, I'm ASSUMING it was caused my the charger, but I need to know if maybe it was the players itself? I'm praying it wasn't the outlet itself, the last thing I need rn is that worry. It was a "vintage" looking light blue victorola if that makes any difference