The Same But Different

A three-way romance story with a very happy ending

Photo by Anthony Jacobson on Unsplash

One of my many quirks growing up was refusing to own more than one tool of the same kind.

So, for example, if I was already the proud owner of a perfectly adequate pencil sharpener, and another happened to come into my possession, I had to choose between the two.

Interestingly, I had absolutely no problem —in fact, I worked towards— owning different editions of my favourite records. But tools? Gadgets? No, thank you. The thought of carrying more than one of the same kind has always stressed the hell out of me.

So when I saw some collectors rave about the Audio-Technica dual-action record cleaner, I had mixed feelings. I love Audio-Technica, but I was already in a happy, stable, monogamous relationship with another brush.

Photo by Daniil Zameshaev on Unsplash

My old Pro-Ject Brush IT is still what I like to call a splendid yet completely unassuming record cleaning powerhouse. Simple, straightforward and refreshingly uncomplicated, it takes the meaning of good, pretty and cheap to the next level.

Criminally underrated, this brush is my ultimate no-nonsense vinyl companion. I’ve tried and tested other brushes over the years, and my Brush IT has always won hands down.

So, as you can imagine, much as I love Audio-Technica, I had my reservations.

Now, before we go any further, some of you may be thinking—

All this fuss over a brush? Seriously, man? Are you okay?

I know how it looks, but hear me out.

As a vinyl lover, you can’t really underestimate the importance of a good brush.

Brushing is typically the first step in the cleaning process (first and last, if you go by my method), but it’s also, admittedly, the absolute bare minimum when time is tight. No point sugarcoating it—if you’re going to do one thing…

Mad as it sounds, a good brush can make a huge difference to the overall sound and long-term health of your records.

There’s a constant flurry of new vinyl cleaning products and solutions out there to suit every taste and budget. I tend to keep a healthy distance from absolute truths, but in my opinion and experience, a good brush is your essential, sine-qua-non, ride-or-die vinyl buddy.

Hence my dilemma. Should I remain faithful to my old companion? Or should I try something new?

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

I do have a soft spot for Audio-Technica after all, so I finally bit the bullet and bought their damn brush. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.

I asked my Brush IT if we could open the relationship. I got a yes.

Part of me would like to tell you that my two brushes fought for my love and attention and that they beat the shit out of each other’s bristles (Dramatic much? It’s all in the stars).

But no. Not at all. In fact, it all flowed naturally and, eventually, I decided to keep both.

We are now in a happy, polyamorous relationship. A throuple, so to speak.

I know I’m clinically insane, but there’s a good audio tech tip down below

Long-time readers will know I tend to gravitate towards old pressings, but I also buy newly-issued vinyl from time to time.

I’m ultimately after the best sound quality I can get without breaking the bank. While older pressings generally sound better, there are always exceptions. Remember this thing about keeping a healthy distance from absolute truths? Method to the madness. Never assume. Never judge a book (or a record) by its cover.

Having a rather diverse collection in terms of the age of my pressings, I am exposed to a wide variety of issues in the vinyl ecosystem. Chief among them are dust and static, which will inevitably lead to excessive levels of surface noise, and may damage your records and/or your system in the long run if left untreated.

A brush with long bristles, like my Pro-Ject companion, is great at removing dust, a nuisance typically found in old pressings. My new Audio-Technica brush incorporates a velvet pad stuck in between short bristles, ideal for combating static, which affects newly-issued vinyl most.

They are both great at cleaning and keeping static at bay, but each just happens to perform better in their respective specialist departments.

So why choose when you can actually have the best of both worlds?

Photo by Brendan Sapp on Unsplash

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a date with my two lovers. The theme? A raunchy (yet squeaky clean, static-free) spinning session.

They say three’s a crowd. I say teamwork makes the vinyl dream work.

I’ll let you be the judge.

Thanks for reading/listening. Happy spinning!