HIgh End AudioVinyl Record Playing

When it comes to vinyl, cleanliness is next to godliness

When you place a record on your turntable and drop the arm, the stylus becomes your microphone to the music. It wobbles and rumbles along the groove, capturing every subtle change, every bass note, and every drum beat. If you leave dust on your record, it’s like dragging the stylus through the mud. Dust clings to the stylus degrading the sound — kind of like wrapping a microphone in wool. It also adds everyone’s “favorite” crackles and pops. To make matters worse, dust is damaging to both the stylus and the vinyl.

Dust is the enemy

How about brand-new records? Yup, they need to be cleaned as well. When vinyl records are cut on a lathe in the factory, small shavings from the process are often left in the groove. Styluses have no more love for these scraps then they do for dust.

How should I clean them?
There are many options:

  • Record brushes, sprays and microfiber cloths, these are the first lines of defense and should be used with each play.
  • Manual baths. These cleaners are more labor intensive but can do an excellent job. You might want to consider using these for cleaning sessions.
  • Record vacuum cleaners. They may be expensive but they are easy to use and do an excellent job. They spray cleaning liquid onto the record then vacuum them clean.
  • Ultrasound cleaners. Just like the units used for jewelry, but scaled up. These are often considered the best, but you pay with time and money. Best for the audiophile or dedicated vinyl aficionado.