Dance In The Rain

How to make the most of your records in the time you are given

To use my favourite analogy, vinyl surface noise is like the air you breathe when you are at the beach. It’s the heart and soul of our beloved analogue sound.

But just like strong winds or heavy rain, excessive surface noise can be a pain in the neck.

With vinyl, we can hear more detail, which sometimes means hearing everything that may be sitting on the record’s surface.

Why not embrace digital? Audio bits, just a couple of samples… so you don’t have to deal with the occasional surface n…

While I can see the appeal of digital audio in certain contexts, vinyl is a way of life. I spin every day, several times a day.

Far from me to claim any sort of superior vinyl knowledge mysteriously bestowed upon me (for starters, I was born way too late to even get a chance to be shortlisted), what I can confidently say, without hesitation, is that I have a lot of daily vinyl experience.

Daily vinyl experience living a busy life in central London sometimes means spinning half-asleep or in a hurry. Cleaning with one hand and recalibrating your turntable with the other. Rushing through Piccadilly Circus to pick up orders. Dealing with all kinds of sellers (the good, the bad and the ugly). Knowing who you can trust.

Crucially, it means knowing what will make a difference when you have no time to spare.

I cannot promise you a scientific treaty on surface noise. What I will give you, instead, is a practical guide from my daily vinyl life so you can keep excessive surface noise at bay.

Photo by Benji Dalton on Unsplash

Music first

Different collectors will have different tolerance levels.

While it’s impossible to eliminate surface noise completely (beach air, remember?), the spectrum is wide, from a barely audible hum to constant crackle or the occasional skip.

My limit is when surface noise starts to overpower the music. The format is important, but the music comes first.

Gear up

Aim to get the best equipment you can afford within your compatibility ecosystem. You underestimate the difference a high-quality stylus, cartridge and set of speakers can make.

Ideally, you want your stylus to be accurare, and your speakers, rich, warm and forgiving.

I’ve noticed a significant reduction in surface noise, including on some very noisy records, when I upgraded to a microlinear stylus a couple of years ago.

As its shape mirrors the stylus used to cut original masters, it can reach deeper into those grooves. It gets less distracted by marks, dust or other unwanted objects sitting on the record surface.

Which speakers are right for you will depend on several factors. I swear by my Dali Spektor 2: small enough to fit on a bookshelf (just about!) but big enough to withstand the depth of my maxed-up bass.

Place your turntable on a steady surface, get a cork or rubber slipmat if needed, and experiment with moving your hi-fi components where space allows.

Arm’s length

The closer you are to the audio source, the louder the surface noise will be, just like you feel more wind when you stand close to the sea.

Vinyl sound works best when it has some room to breathe.

Photo by Stelios Kazazis on Unsplash

In terms of optimal spatial configuration, I swore to myself I’d never share in here the (in)famous audiophile triangle diagram. I’m a man of his promise, so I won’t share it, but if you’re curious, a quick Google search should do the trick.

Don’t sweat it, though. As I always say, do what you can with the space you’ve got.

If, like me, you occasionally enjoy professional studio headphones, expect to hear a bit more surface noise. At the same time, you will pick up more musical detail. Give and take.

Keep it clean

If your system is solid, and provided the record is healthy (more on this later), the usual culprits of surface noise are dust, dirt and static.

Clean your records. I’ve seen some collectors play records full of dust and then complain about the noise. Seriously, guys? Come on. Records are surface-based. If the surface is dirty, the sound will follow. (Need a hand with cleaning? I got you).

Proper storage. Use inner and outer sleeves to keep dust away. Sleeves may not look pretty, but you can remove them for pictures. Don’t store your records naked if you want them to sound their best.

Clean your system. Clean your stylus before and after spinning, and replace it regularly (check the frequency with your manufacturer). Clean your turntable at least once a week, and recalibrate as needed.

If you must choose between a deep clean once in a blue moon versus a quick clean more regularly, pick the latter.

Don’t be stingy

When buying second-hand records online, you should aim for VG+ upwards. If you don’t know the seller, play it safe and go at least NM.

(Need a grading refresher? Here).

Brick-and-mortar shops, for the most part, tend to have higher standards when it comes to grading/condition, including those records they put in their bargains bin. Don’t let your guard down, though, but it’s fair to say you don’t need to take as many precautions if you know the store well.

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Check it out

When inspecting records, hold the disc from the edges using the palms of your hands. Tilt it slightly so you can inspect it under good light.

Roll your eyes over the record surface, clockwise, mirroring a stylus (or anti-clockwise, depending on the angle). You want the surface to look smooth and the grooves unhindered. If the record is dusty, try to look beyond the dust (or ask the shop owner to give it a quick clean). Repeat on the other side.

You don’t need to spend ages inspecting the record if you know where to look. There are four main types of vinyl surface you may encounter:

Shiny and clean. Healthy (black) vinyl should shine. You should be able to see at least the outline of your reflection. The grooves look neatly defined, pretty much spotless, and unobstructed.

Slightly marked. Small scuff marks mean surface noise will be more noticeable, especially in silent passages and between tracks. Superficial lines, particularly when faint or light in colour, shouldn’t affect play (a click or pop here and there, perhaps). If your stylus is powerful, the noise shouldn’t interfere with the music.

Grimy. Parts of the record are covered with a dull, dry substance obstructing the grooves. The record doesn’t look as shiny in all areas. This is ingrained dirt, which can be a pain to remove, and means loud surface noise throughout. Buyer beware.

Treacherous. Record surface may look neat, but there is at least one small, deep mark. The difference between deep and superficial marks is in the colour and shape, not so much the size. If it looks like someone scratched the record with a needle, albeit tiny, this is a skipping accident waiting to happen. Pro tip: double check the inner grooves.

Photo by Andrew Dawes on Unsplash

Ride with it

The richness and depth of vinyl can help us establish a deeper connection to the music.

To quote the late John Peel’s famous words:

“Somebody was trying to tell me that CDs are better than vinyl because they don’t have any surface noise. I said, ‘Listen, mate: life has surface noise’”.

As a sound fiend, I have learned to appreciate the appeal and limitations of different formats in their own right.

It would be impossible for vinyl to replicate that organic and overall “live” feel without any surface noise at all. We would be depriving it of its very essence.

Smart spinning means knowing how to navigate, manage and control surface noise so we can make the most of our beloved format’s strengths and limitations.

I hope you found this guide helpful. And if you get caught up in a thunderous surface noise storm, remember: life is easier if you know how to dance in the rain.

Thanks for reading/listening. Happy spinning!