Brand New Vinyl Static and Pops

I should mention that I initially played the new vinyl several times without static or pops...

HTH

New vinyl is not clean vinyl. The stylus creates static when you play the record as well. What is the humidity in your room?

Humidity is unchanged since I bought the Technics 1500C which was recent.

I don't think that is the issue.

And as I mentioned I played the new lps several times (maybe 3 times each) with no static or pops.

Clean your stylus, if you have not already done so.

I have, but i'm using the brush that came with the cartridge.

Should I buy one with liquid?

TIA

I just opened a brand new virgin/unopened LP and there's no static/pops...

What do you think?

I never play NEW LPs w/o/cleaning them. I pull ultrasonic cleaned records & put them rite into a new MoFi sleave & when I pull them out to play, there’s dust from the air adheres rite to them. I just run the anti-static brush to them, before I drop the needle.

An anti-static gun is almost a must-have for LP owners. Just dusting the LP with a brush can create a static charge. The Milty Zerostat is acceptable, but the Furutech DeStat III is imo better. Not cheap, however.

My budget is $500.

jjbeason14

Could it be because I was spinning old dirty vinyl which made the platter dirty/dusty?

Yes. And has @flemke noted, a new LP isn't necessarily clean.

jj, if I may be familiar, this is your third thread on the subject. May I suggest you get your Humminguru and then proceed from there? I do mean this in the friendliest way, as you have had the advice of all of us several times over. There's little point in flogging a dead record cleaner.

Small Micron Dimension Particles are easily responsible for creating the interferences referred to.

All Ambient Air in a Industrial Environment will have many types of Particulate of this dimension suspended in the air and able to contaminate a surface and embed in the LP Groove.

An area that has a heavy burden of Traffic or a Local Railway, where there is Production Facilities will also have to contend with excesses of Metal Particulate suspended in the Air.      

Release Agents used on the LP during production are also most likely to have a Small Micron Dimension Particle suspended in the solution, this could also be a Metal Particle in a excessive quantity, depending on the siting of the production facility used.

LP's are 'not' made in a Laboratory Environment where Filtering of Contaminants is a vital control measure. 

The location of a Production Facility and the Quality Control measures followed during the production are most likely a cause of various levels on contaminant collecting prior to packaging and sealing.   

I have to wash some new LPs, other old ones in good shape can be dead quiet.

I wish I were a magical King Midas with the ability to summon every musician I have a hankering to hear to my listening room. The closest I seem to be able to get to this, though, is my stereo. I guess it'll just have to do.

I wouldn't argue that from a perfectionist point of view it is not a good idea to clean "new" LPs, but I do play new LPs right out of the jacket without cleaning them, very often, and I cannot recall a problem due to dirt (ticks and pops).  Sure, some are warped and some are off center and some are both warped and off center, but not dirty enough to cause mistracking or ticks/pops.  Just my personal experience.

@lewm I noted lots of modern pressings aren't that quiet and sometimes reveal surface noise and even deep warps.

I often find new records that are dirty right out the jacket especially if they have paper sleeves. Always clean a new record as most have a film on them that cleaning will remove. Never blow the visible debris off your record with air from your mouth as this will leave minute particles of moisture that will harden and cause problems. And do not forget to keep your turntable platter or mat clean so that dust or debris is not transferred to your records especially if you use a record clamp.

New vinyl is a crapshoot. That makes me buy CDs but mainly stream on Qobuz. Only bought two vinyl this year. By now I would have bought at least 20 in previous years. Nothing like moving on up with the times.

You wanted 2 cents? Here is mine. I ultrasonic clean new (manufacturing particles ARE in the grooves. I can hear the difference) and used. If you don’t have an ultrasonic then devise some kind of system of cleaning that leaves a minimum of residue so you can hear what’s in the grooves accurately. Finally, and I know some members will freak, but I clean my stylus after each side of play by lightly dragging a thin strip of magic eraser across it. That dislodges accumulated gunk. I then lightly wipe it with the Onzow zero dust stylus cleaner. I know it sounds like a lot. Some here will dismiss both. I wouldn’t do it if you have shakey hands or god forbid, been drinking or other mischievous behavior. Everybody on here has an opinion. Use your own judgement. This is what I have found consistently works for ME. But I have approximately 900 LPs that I play regularly. I rarely hear clicks and pops using a Microreach stylus on my cartridge. The few LPs that skip were bought used and had legit flaws. Take  care of your LPs and stylus and they will take care of you. 

I agree with a couple of the other comments - clean ALL records in a US cleaner before playing - even new ones - you have no idea what gunk is on there from the pressing process. I am still amazed at the junk on the bottom of my US cleaner after cleaning a bunch of new records, and even records that have already gone through the US cleaner. More stuff comes off. I also clean the stylus before and after each play with an Onzow Zerodust. I may purchase a Furutech device per another comment. My two cents..... thx

I bought MOFI Micheal Jackson Thriller, brand new sealed and when I spin for the first time, Billy Jean and another track skipped many times. When I spin the 2nd time, it skipped lesser, lesser on the 3rd and it spin without skipping when I spin for the 4th times,
New n expensive vinyl can be dirty too, our needle will pick up those dirt and we need to clean the needle.
Some new vinyl give humming sound....This is the world of Vinyl.
Its best to clean every vinyl that come by either with the expensive Ultrasonic cleaner like Degritter/ KLAudio etc or some manual effective cleaning system. I use the cheap "ManualSonic" with  Audio Technica record cleaning kit. Not bad.  
It sound great still.

@jjbeason14 

At a $500 budget buy THE FURURTECH DESTAT lll

You won't be disdappointed

Once the real (for some) issue of static has been successfully addressed, all we are left with here is another cleaning fetishists fest.

@dmk_calgary  Better get all that gunk at the bottom of your US cleaner analysed to check it's not vinyl.

I probably have 20 albums unopened and purchased over the last few months.  When entering my listening room, I prefer to listen to music and I always ultrasonic clean a new record.  So, new records get cleaned in batches when I’m not listening to music.

I said dirt not static electricity. Static is not inserted at the factory. The culprit is us .

@baylinor 

Funny ... my thoughts exactly!!

@re-lar-kvothe +1

I US clean new records with a Degritter. 
 

However, playing the vinyl will cause static buildup.   No different than rubbing a ballon to get static buildup.   Some records do have an annoying amount of surface noise. Others very little. 
 

I use the Destat III to accomplish two tasks. First use the Destat to reduce static. Then use a carbon fiber brush to remove any dust particles.  Static can cause the dust to want to adhere to the vinyl.  Using in this way the dust and particles wipe right off. I’ve noted since using this method, there is almost no dust accumulating on the cartridge or stylus. 
 

If your record played without noise the first play and notice noise with additional playing, it must have to do with dust or static.
 

I’ve noticed that moving and fixed coil cartridges seem to be less susceptible to popping from static.  I believe that removing the static to allow the dust to be easily removed will benefit any vinyl playback regardless of setup  

YMMV

Surprised no one mentioned the 2 products that are said to remove static while playing the LP. I have no experience with them but after much investigation they seem to be worthwhile. Yes above the OP price point but just thought I'd mention them.

It does seem crazy the expense that one will go to, for a Mechanical Means to Clean a LP. There is nothing to suggest prove the method is improved over a Manual Method using Purpose Produced Solutions.

Where the Mechanical Method has its most significant support is purported by the users as a convenience.

I wear the PAVCR Manual Cleaning Method with Solutions that can be produced in the UK.

In the UK the Starter Kit along with a few other accessories beyond suggested recommendations can be acquired for approx' £150, which is a life times worth of Chemical to produce a Cleaning Solution. Distilled Water may need to be re-purchased over time.

I would suggest the same Starter Kit can be acquired for a cheaper cost in the US.

Either Way Thousands of LP's are able to treated when the Starter Kit is in place.

I have US Tank Cleaning and do not use it, the PAVCR Manual Method has superseded the US Tank Method.

The methodology I have put in place for the Manual Cleaning enables myself to clean 10 LP's in an hour, with the first few cleaned LP's being ready for re-sleeving prior to the hour being used.

The impact of the Manual Cleaning Method using the Cleaning and Rinse Solutions as advised, has left me with the description worthy of being used to explain the impact of the cleaning processes. Is that the LP's are Purified.

I certainly do not need any other method at hand, with the result being achieved.        

My ritual for a new albums.is;

Holding the album on a table standing up. Razor the shrink wrap pressing down on the cover now bowing the album so that the album cover bows outward.You should notice the record sleeve clinging to the album.

While the sleeve still inside the cover. Using a Zerostat gun placing the nozzle into the sleeve between the record and the sleeve at one corner of the sleeve and SLOWLY pressing the trigger, move the gun toward the other corner of the sleeve.

You should hear 2 clicks as you travel, timing the the pressing of the trigger to the end with a full press.This will release a POSITIVE stream of ions. Alternate to the other side of the album 2 or 3 times per side should do it. You'll know you're finished when the record sleeve has released from the album. Both the album cover and sleeve should be bowed outward away from the album. Now pull the sleeve out.

Now bowing the sleeve {with gloves if you like} SLOWLY grip the album ROLLING the album out. DO NOT STRAIGHT PULL the album! This will only reload the album with a static charge.

Then I clean the album with a cleaning machine. I also use Gruv glide.

I have one particular album that has only 2 pops on a side and NONE on the other side. It has worked for me every time.

That’s vinyl! It’s part of it. A while ago I purchased an Audio deske system ultra sonic cleaner. I only expected it to really clean my records but it improved the sound and quieted the discs so much that it’s really noticeable. I’ve tried other methods, brushes, cleaners, grounding, but this is the only thing that really made a difference. 

Has anyone got a Dynagroove brush? There’s a strip of polonium built in near the fibers that emits both positive and negative ions. You use it as a brush like the Audioquest brush. They were taken off the market because of the mildly radioactive polonium. I think it works for me just prior to needle drop but because static charge is so idiosyncratic I dare not swear by it.

lewm

Has anyone got a Dynagroove brush?

Hmmm, Dynagroove was an RCA "innovation," no?

There’s a strip of polonium built in near the fibers that emits both positive and negative ions. You use it as a brush like the Audioquest brush. They were taken off the market because of the mildly radioactive polonium

That sounds like StaticMaster. It’s still available.

http://www.company7.com/staticmaster/products/staticmaster.html

@jjbeason14 This is just a start:

Do you play your records with the TT dustcover open, off or down? Dust is the enemy! Some purists wouldn't dream of ever playing records with the dustcover on or down. I might be inclined to do the same if my sound system was in a laboratory clean room. Dust is everywhere, no matter how OCD you and/or the maid are!

Make sure your TT platter, matt, etc. is/are clean (i.e. no dust). If you insist on playing records with the TT dustcover off or up then, at least, keep the dustcover down when the TT is not in use and/or covered in some way. Personally, I keep the dust cover down AND have a special dust resistant cloth type thing (e.g. one of those old cover type things used to put over office equipment like computers, printers, typewriters, etc.) I cover the entire TT with when not in use. I use a similar cover for my amp, when not in use, in order to keep dust out of the vents & louvers.

Use some sort of LP cleaner BEFORE you play ANY record, EVEN NEW ONES. This need not be done every single time before play (or even before and after play, if you want to be that compulsive), unless you have something like a Degritter, which would make doing something like this feasible. Ultrasonic is really the way to go. Check out products at The Last Factory and at CleanerVinyl. I recommend Last Record Preservative, after a thorough record cleaning.

Use a good anti-static record brush before AND after every play. Something like the AudioQuest Anti-static Record Brush would do the trick. Some folks don't believe in record brushes or anything going into the record grooves after a good record cleaning and use air puffing or blowing devices, instead. One way or another, try to remove as much of the dust, as possible, off records before playing them.

Get rid of those cheap paper record sleeves that generally come with most records and store your records AND albums in good quality anti-static poly sleeves. Check out Music Direct. They have good ones.

Check with your cartridge manufacturer and see what they recommend for a stylus cleaner and how often to use it. Some recommend use before and after every play. Personally, I think this is overkill and, in some cases, risky, as this pertains to possible cartridge damage. I've been using an Onzow before and after every play and a safe liquid cleaner every now & then. The Onzow has a built-in magnifying glass type thing that helps you examine the stylus in order to check for dust & crud accummilation. However, there are better loops or magnifying contraptions on the market that will help you get a much better look. Examining your cartridge and stylus, now & then, is a good idea.

Finally, store your records properly (e.g.  cool, dry place out of the sun; etc.).

Apart from investing in a good, effective ultrasonic or vacuum type LP cleaning machine, these basic steps should be well within your stated budget.

Cleeds, the laugh is on me. Staticmaster not Dynagroove. I can’t even imagine how I came up with that name. Anyway in my experience it works better than anything else I own to eliminate static charge. Mine is wider than the one in your image, and I was going on received information when I claimed it was discontinued. Could it be they took the polonium out of the product to permit sales? Anyway if you have one don’t eat it. Further reading suggests polonium is still used.

lewm

... the laugh is on me. Staticmaster not Dynagroove. I can’t even imagine how I came up with that name ...

Perhaps an inner cranial static discharge. It could happen.

... if you have one don’t eat it. Further reading suggests polonium is still used.

NOW you tell me!

Had similar issue with Neil Young Harvest pressing bought brand new from Amoeba in Hollywood CA.  Took it back but they wanted to only allow me another copy of the same.  After negotiation I was able to get a credit instead and found a clean older used version.

As already stated by many, I clean (Pro-Ject Record Cleaner) all new vinyl just in case, but some new may just be defective.  You could see a pattern and color difference in the part of new vinyl I returned.

I also, clean my stylus regularly as even with clean or new records some micro debris can build up.  I used a Pro-Ject acrylic platter cover and have no issues with static.

A lot of new vinyl is noisy - moreso on average than back in the heyday of vinyl - in my experience.

Awesome Guys!

Lot's of great info here.

👍

Just about every new vinyl purchase needs cleaning when first opened.  It’s like the packaging plant is dusty or something.  Clean before you play.  

@oldaudiophile 

Sorry, but you're showing your age.  Most turntables these days don't have a dustcover, particularly at the high end.  I exited my last table with a dust cover, a Linn, in the mid-80s.  For a while I used to put a sheet of newspaper over the turntable when not in use but pretty soon I didn't bother.  I have no problem with static or with dust.

It occurs to me it is possible that cleaning fetishists create static on LPs with all the cleaning.  I only clean a record if I hear noise - Nitty Gritty, not US.  I then put it in a fresh Nagaoka inner so I know it's been cleaned.  I almost never have to clean it again.  I have c.3000 LPs and have only bought a few 100 Nagaoka sleeves, so I haven't had to clean many.  Most of my collection is second-hand but I am VERY careful to buy only records that look pristine and little played.

You're right, clearthinker! I am showing my age. I've been spinning vinyl since 1959; mostly 45s in those days, on my parents' early 1950s Grundig console. You'll probably have to look that one up.

In cany case, as my love of music grew, I got more sophisticated about my stereo equipment starting in 1972. Since then, my vinyl spinning has been virtually exclusively LPs. My collection, or library, if you will, consists, mostly, of well cared for LPs that I purchased new in the early 60s through to the mid to late 80s. A handful of them are considered collectors' items; some worth serious cash. The large majority sound as good today as they did when I purchased them. I have, recently, been buying new good quality LPs to add to the collection/library and some to replace a few all-time favorites.

I trust that you are probably correct about super high-end TTs not having or coming with dustcovers. Although my home and sound room aren't particularly dusty, and I don't have much of a static electricity issue to worry about, even if I were fortunate or wealthy enough to have a super high-end TT (e.g.  Continuum Caliburn; TechDas Air Force; etc.), I would still endeavor to protect it from environmental dust, especially when not in use. I'm sure you eventually discovered that a sheet of newspaper was probably not the best idea in this regard.

Keep on spinning!

I certainly agree with cleaning all your records--new or used.

But, "static" or noise in general can also be caused by less than optimal table set up. (table meaning=the whole shebang.) My experience is that there is a lot to be said for truly nailing the setup. It takes time, experience and the right tools--or the right person (with all of those things).

Bottom line: don't underestimate how perfectly your stylus is getting into the groove. (And even then, clean your records!)

@oldaudiophile     Thanks for the reply.

Well I'm not far behind you.  From 1962 I was using my father's mono rig, a Goldring turntable, big old pre-war valve amp and Goodmans speakers, starting with the Beatles of course.

In 1965 I got my own stuff Garrard transcription, Rogers amps and two speakers I borrowed from my father, a Wharfdale and another Goodmans (OK they're not the same!).

I'm on LPs too but I have most of the early Beatles and mid 60s Dylan 7 inchers.  I don't play them now but it's something to look at 'She Loves You' and 'Like a Rolling Stone'.  I bought quite a few rock 12 inch singles from the 80s.  With more space for generous cutting, most sound better than LPs with loads more dynamic range.  Played loud they're around the best sound you can get.

And I agree with you about sound quality of old LPs.  I have handled them carefully and no way do they need cleaning all the time.

@jpan 

Noting your coinage 'table', Simon Yorke likes to refer to a 'record player'.  He has described it as a machine for playing records.

Just got back from the Record Store where they cleaned some vinyl using the Humminguru and there was discernible difference...Still static.

:Frustrating!!

Same result as the Spin Clean.

Yikes!

There was NO DISCERNIBLE DIFFERENCE!

Correction!

Bump.

Seems it’s either a vinyl problem or a static electricity problem. 
New vinyl is not clean, it benefits from a good cleaning- ultrasonic works best.  Static electricity can also cause pops n clicks - best to try to eliminate. While many products try to lower static prior to playing, the CS Port and DSAudio  seem best as they eliminate static “as the record is being played”

Do your pops and clicks occur at the same song locations? If so, it’s likely not static which would be random.