Again, great, Andy, and I'm happy to see folks are asking you tech Qs in your comments! They come to the right place! I loved your last paragraph! For all the hand-wringing obsessions we all have about our vinyl, at some point, we should just relax and enjoy! And, you said it! Thanks!
This one tugged at my heartwarming Daddy rememberies....again, he had 20,000 LPs & 78s (mostly in the jazz arena), and similar to other kids, whose Dad gave them their first fishing gear or first boots and saddle, I remember MY dad gifting me with my first soft, grey, dust-free, non-magnetic (you know what I mean...I forget what it was called) cloth with which to gently wipe (with the groove...and, there IS only one, which I know you know...there's a fun/funny/science-y article lying in wait there, I think!) before each play!
My problem was not doing it first, before placing it on the turntable! I probably was messing with the motor if I waited to lightly drag my cloth on a turning record instead of while still in my hand....but, hey, call me lazy! He also told me not to rub the gathering dust-ball off the stylus...and, he gave me a cute little brush with which to do THAT, as well!
I remember getting in "automatic record cleaners" into my record store in the late '70s: Stick the record in and a motor turns your record around, vertically, to get ultimately scratched up by, I suppose, otherwise well-meaning brushes within! I didn't TRY to sell those, and only wish I could've dissuaded folks when I saw them trundling to the register (till?) with one!
Again, great, Andy, and I'm happy to see folks are asking you tech Qs in your comments! They come to the right place! I loved your last paragraph! For all the hand-wringing obsessions we all have about our vinyl, at some point, we should just relax and enjoy! And, you said it! Thanks!
This one tugged at my heartwarming Daddy rememberies....again, he had 20,000 LPs & 78s (mostly in the jazz arena), and similar to other kids, whose Dad gave them their first fishing gear or first boots and saddle, I remember MY dad gifting me with my first soft, grey, dust-free, non-magnetic (you know what I mean...I forget what it was called) cloth with which to gently wipe (with the groove...and, there IS only one, which I know you know...there's a fun/funny/science-y article lying in wait there, I think!) before each play!
My problem was not doing it first, before placing it on the turntable! I probably was messing with the motor if I waited to lightly drag my cloth on a turning record instead of while still in my hand....but, hey, call me lazy! He also told me not to rub the gathering dust-ball off the stylus...and, he gave me a cute little brush with which to do THAT, as well!
I remember getting in "automatic record cleaners" into my record store in the late '70s: Stick the record in and a motor turns your record around, vertically, to get ultimately scratched up by, I suppose, otherwise well-meaning brushes within! I didn't TRY to sell those, and only wish I could've dissuaded folks when I saw them trundling to the register (till?) with one!
About how often do you change your stylus, and do you have recommendations for how to know when it's time to do so?