Is it worth starting to collect vinyl at 28?

[kittens]

If everything starts sounding a bit dirtier and crackly then you need to change it.

Yeah. Depends how much you use it dunnit.

sounds o.k. to me but what do i know. one of you will have to come round and tell me. (thank you for the advice)

[manticore]

On my first Dansette style record player in c.1977 you could flip the stylus over to one that would play 78s properly. I got confused and forgot which stylus was which and asked a man in a record shop if it matttered, and he said the 78 stylus would destroy the grooves on my LPs. In the end I went on playing them with the 78 stylus and I still have some of those records today and they sound fine.

I've heard people say they've played records so often they've worn the grooves flat and made them unplayable, and I've bought 2nd hand records to which this has obviously happened. But it's never happened to any of mine.

Nothing ever seems to happen to me.

[Cuntbeaks]

It has already been mentioned, but cleaning any vinyl you buy is an absolute necessity, second hand and particularly new. Even the entry level Knosti Disco Anti-Stat will do the business.

[Sebastian Cobb]

On my first Dansette style record player in c.1977 you could flip the stylus over to one that would play 78s properly. I got confused and forgot which stylus was which and asked a man in a record shop if it matttered, and he said the 78 stylus would destroy the grooves on my LPs. In the end I went on playing them with the 78 stylus and I still have some of those records today and they sound fine.

I've heard people say they've played records so often they've worn the grooves flat and made them unplayable, and I've bought 2nd hand records to which this has obviously happened. But it's never happened to any of mine.

Nothing ever seems to happen to me.

Usually they had a little tab sticking out the side that was visible with the number of it written on it.

But really when they're tracking at about 7 grams with shit ceramic styli both sides will fuck your records up.

I bought a copy of Bomb the Bass' Unknown Terrirory from an Oxfam for 2 quid. It looked in good nick, especially as it had a public library stamp with withdrawn stamped over it. Winter in July sounds like it's being played through a telephone though.

[NoSleep]

sounds o.k. to me but what do i know. one of you will have to come round and tell me. (thank you for the advice)

Just change it every one/two years. If you can't hear a difference, then leave the older one on for a bit longer; not that you want to wear it out by playing the records. When it's worn it will damage the records, so changing it beforehand is good.

[MoonDust]

I am glad I didn't go ahead and buy anything because now the urge to collect vinyl has gone.

Had a bit of whimsical week last week.

[holyzombiejesus]

It has already been mentioned, but cleaning any vinyl you buy is an absolute necessity, second hand and particularly new.

Bollocks is it. Just play the fucking thing.

[NoSleep]

It is worth getting one of those carbon fibre record cleaners and clearing the dust off of the record you're about to play, while it's spinning. Otherwise the dust gets under the stylus and starts skating about before you get to the end. People who just up the tracking weight to stop this happening are scum (and it will still sound shitty because you didn't clean the record).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acc-Sees-Antistatic-Carbon-Fiber-Cleaning/dp/B000OAD18E/cab-21

[Cuntbeaks]

Bollocks is it. Just play the fucking thing.

Yip, i had a similar attitude and i thought all the pops, clicks and static crackle was part of the experience. Bollocks it is. A cleaned record plays with significantly less of those unnecessary distractions and makes for an infinitely better experience.

[Sebastian Cobb]

It is worth getting one of those carbon fibre record cleaners and clearing the dust off of the record you're about to play, while it's spinning. Otherwise the dust gets under the stylus and starts skating about before you get to the end. People who just up the tracking weight to stop this happening are scum (and it will still sound shitty because you didn't clean the record).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acc-Sees-Antistatic-Carbon-Fiber-Cleaning/dp/B000OAD18E/cab-21

If that's happening quite a bit then your records probably need a good clean with one of those knosti's or something.

[NoSleep]

I make my own record cleaning fluid and use it when necessary (with a couple of Milty Duopads and microcloths), but it's preferable to avoid doing that unless it's essential.

[manticore]

Usually they had a little tab sticking out the side that was visible with the number of it written on it.

IIRC the tab thing had 78 written on one side, but I still couldn't work out which stylus it was indicating. Then again in many ways I wasn't the brightest of youngsters.

But really when they're tracking at about 7 grams with shit ceramic styli both sides will fuck your records up.

Okay for instance right now I'm listening to Entertainment by The Gang of Four, which I played endlessly in 1979 and onwards with both styluses on the cheap primitive record player and 39 years later it plays with no distortion, crackling or anything, including on the last track at high volume.

What can I say, maybe I got some special dispensation from Apollo in this regard.

[Brundle-Fly]

Okay for instance right now I'm listening to Entertainment by The Gang of Four,

Choice!

[NoSleep]

IIRC the tab thing had 78 written on one side, but I still couldn't work out which stylus it was indicating. Then again in many ways I wasn't the brightest of youngsters.

The correct one would be whatever was named, facing up when the stylus is in play. So when you look down and see that you're playing a 45 and you can see the number 78 on the stylus, you're doing it wrong.

Okay for instance right now I'm listening to Entertainment by The Gang of Four, which I played endlessly in 1979 and onwards with both styluses on the cheap primitive record player and 39 years later it plays with no distortion, crackling or anything, including on the last track at high volume.

If the 78 side was never used to play 78's it was probably less likely to cause any real damage. Usually that side of a dual cartridge was only sapphire rather than diamond, though, so it would have worn quicker.
The real test would be to compare a mint copy of the record to your own copy (scratches aside); the damage is probably a loss of some top end.

[holyzombiejesus]

Yip, i had a similar attitude and i thought all the pops, clicks and static crackle was part of the experience. Bollocks it is. A cleaned record plays with significantly less of those unnecessary distractions and makes for an infinitely better experience.

All what pops clicks and crackle? What's with you people and your infinitely better listening experiences? My favourite record is an old 7" of Telstar and it's Benn chucked around and probably handled 'incorrectly' for the best part of 60 years and it sounds fucking great. I'm not taking some fucking carbon fibre brush to it, at best I'll give it the odd wipe with the corner of my shirt.

[holyzombiejesus]

What kind of freak insists on cleaning a brand new record? Fucking weirdo.

[Delete Delete Delete]

You can get a lot of paper dust on new records.

[holyzombiejesus]

You can get a lot of paper dust on new records.

*screams*

[Cuntbeaks]

What kind of freak insists on cleaning a brand new record? Fucking weirdo.

New records are riddled with static and production chemicals. The devil is in the detail.

https://www.yoursoundmatters.com/why-should-clean-new-vinyl-records/

[manticore]

New records are riddled with static and production chemicals. The devil is in the detail.

https://www.yoursoundmatters.com/why-should-clean-new-vinyl-records/

There should be a label for this kind of neurosis. When's the next edition of the DSM coming out? Is this social contagion?

New LPs sound FINE! Second-hand LPs in good condition sound FINE! With maybe the odd wipe they go on sounding FINE!

........................

OTOH one thing I had to learn the hard way as a youth is that if the inner sleeve is made of some kind of card you should get a paper inner sleeve, preferably polylined, or the record will get rather crackly.

[Cuntbeaks]

There should be a label for this kind of neurosis. When's the next edition of the DSM coming out? Is this social contagion?

New LPs sound FINE! Second-hand LPs in good condition sound FINE! With maybe the odd wipe they go on sounding FINE!

........................

OTOH one thing I had to learn the hard way as a youth is that if the inner sleeve is made of some kind of card you should get a paper inner sleeve, preferably polylined, or the record will get rather crackly.

Meh. Fortunately i only care for my own opinion/experience. Every new record I buy is staticky as fuck and sticks like a cunt to the inner sleeve as i take out. Every, single, time. I doesn't take a genius to work out that this is going to effect playback. Clean the vinyl and not only does it slip into the sleeve unhindered, but it plays with little or no surface noise.

We all have standards that we apply to elements of our lives, this is one of mine.

[Endicott]

If the 78 side was never used to play 78's it was probably less likely to cause any real damage. Usually that side of a dual cartridge was only sapphire rather than diamond, though, so it would have worn quicker.
The real test would be to compare a mint copy of the record to your own copy (scratches aside); the damage is probably a loss of some top end.

Another thing to consider is that as a person one gets older your ears lose some of their top end ability.

I'm 54, using this test going through my hifi speakers which are rated as going up to 20kHz, I can hear 12kHz but not 14kHz.
http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2009/03/can-you-hear-this-hearing-test/

I'm ever so slightly shocked. But music still sounds the same to me.

[NattyDread 2]

the sound of some of the 12" singles with their wide gooves and 45rpm speed is the best reproduction I've heard, especially thinking of some of the reggae 12"s of the late 70s and early 80s with their extended mixes. Wonderful bass and a feeling of immediacy, as if the music was inhabiting your body and spirit.

I second that emotion. Disco 12"s too.

[Ferris]

Okay for instance right now I'm listening to Entertainment by The Gang of Four, which I played endlessly in 1979 and onwards with both styluses on the cheap primitive record player and 39 years later it plays with no distortion, crackling or anything, including on the last track at high volume.

What can I say, maybe I got some special dispensation from Apollo in this regard.

I bought a vinyl copy of this in a Scope years ago because I liked the cover. Only realized circa 2012 what a good purchase this was.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Another thing to consider is that as a person one gets older your ears lose some of their top end ability.

I'm 54, using this test going through my hifi speakers which are rated as going up to 20kHz, I can hear 12kHz but not 14kHz.
http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2009/03/can-you-hear-this-hearing-test/

I'm ever so slightly shocked. But music still sounds the same to me.

Nearly every speaker says that, but what's important is how linear they are up to that point. Also some of those online tests are bollocks, I've seen some that claim to go over 22khz despite being standard .wavs which must make Mr Nyquist turn in his grave.

I wouldn't be surprised if you're around that. I wandered past the back of a CRT Television monitor and was surprised to hear it whistle (~17khz) and realised I hadn't heard that in a while, I used to be able to hear them through doors etc. It could be that I've just not been near a CRT in ages as well.

That is one of the ironic things about committed audiophiles; by the time they're old enough to afford all their very expensive equipment they're probably too deaf to hear it.

[Z]

I'm 28, I've never gotten why someone in my age range would collect vinyl. I thought everyone our age was utterly horrified by the idea of owning more possessions than you can fit into two bags, especially when there's a digital alternative.

[manticore]

I'm 28, I've never gotten why someone in my age range would collect vinyl. I thought everyone our age was utterly horrified by the idea of owning more possessions than you can fit into two bags, especially when there's a digital alternative.

You do have a case here. I'm twice your age and the lifetime's undergrowth of thousands of books and records that crawls over my little flat weighs on my soul sometimes, especially at the thought of having to move at any stage.

Still, books records do furnish a room.

[Delete Delete Delete]

I am getting rid of lots of records (cheap = 2 x £5) this Sunday at The Craufurd pub in Wolverton, Milton Keynes on Sunday from 11am - it's even free to get in!

It was fucking manic in there mate. Reminded me of this.



Nice to meet a certain Garnder of Heads, a true gent. I will enjoy playing my Spice Girls record.

[Head Gardener]

Cheers DDD, you can always make a profit on it when they tour next summer, easy money