The Magic Touch
Can you fix a broken record?
Just low-key letting you guys know this voiceover is a proper trip 🤣🔥
Vinyl. That timeless, analogue sound. Warm. Immersive. Seductive. There’s so much detail in the music you’ll never want to stream again.
Superior soundstage. Velvety mid-range frequencies. Beautiful harmonic distortions.
And well… sometimes, those clicks and pops too.
Fear not, vinyl lovers. An element of surface noise comes with the territory. We have to learn to take the rough with the smooth. But this doesn’t mean we can’t do anything to soften the edges.
The format may be unforgiving, but vinyl lovers are resourceful.
So let’s crack on 👍🏻
First things first
The only truly unsalvageable case is a record that has actually broken. Like, literally broken into pieces.
Everything else is, at the very least, worth taking a look at.
If you’re careful and know what you’re doing, there’s a reasonable chance you might be able to fix or, at least, help the situation improve.
Word to the wise
“Worth taking a look at” doesn’t mean frantically rubbing things against the record surface. Please don’t do that. Remember the old vinyl adage: less is more. Especially with experimental methods. Consider yourself warned.
Before trying any of the methods I’ll outline below, and just generally as a matter of good vinyl practice: regular cleaning is essential.
Need a hand? Here. And here. Also here.
Honestly, though. Have a wash, man. 😅
Below are the main types of vinyl ailments and what we can do to address them safely.
