Do you have ways to ease use of vinyl?


The reason for this post is to help some of the older guys here who recently said they gave up on vinyl because of its physical challenges. And at 66, I could not agree more. I used to have a two shelves rack for my turntable, which placed the top of the platter above knee height, at 25". To flip vinyl was either bend over and hurt my back, or doing it and one knee and hurt those.
Well, NO MORE.
Late last year I purchased a 4 shelves rack which puts the top of the platter at my belly button height, 40". Btw, I am of average height, 5'10".
What a difference! My back and knees will be forever thankful.
Here is another thing that greatly eased my vinyl experience.
I use an outer ring, center weight and brush my vinyl for each play. This was the process it entailed: Put on the center weight before brushing because I play my vinyl on a bare aluminum platter. Wait until the brushing was done before putting on the outer ring because I brushed the conventional way, finishing by dragging the brush outward to get rid of the dust. Once brushed, removed the center weight so I could install the outer ring and then reinstall the center weight and I finally could drop the needle. Ouf!
NO MORE!
Now I put on the outer ring first, then brush the record taking the brush INWARD instead, leaving the minute dust on the label (and I found out it does a much better job of brushing since the brush moves in the direction of the grooves, inward). Once brushed, simply put on the center weight and drop the needle. Voila!
Easier ten fold.
Another important pointer, the center weight, brush AND OUTER RING must be near the TT and at the SAME HEIGHT. Your back will thank you.
Those changes took me over 50 years to figure out and they have literally made my listening to vinyl experience a dream instead of dreading to flip those vinyl. 
Please share any tip you may have to ease up the physical burden that some older folks here may have about using vinyl. Thanks.

128x128baylinor

Showing 3 responses by millercarbon

Indeed. Now back to the subject at hand, there is an obvious solution. How audiophile it is will depend as usual on the details. But it will be hard to make record playing any easier - or more beautiful! - than this:   

https://youtu.be/OtzS-6GtfGg?t=38

So instead you stream, which is 100% noise. Sigh.

Speaking of Idiocracy, I think I found the chair you use.
https://youtu.be/smtSv3e04vM?t=52
Mine was on the floor - when I was young, and no money for a good rack. Soon as I built a proper rack it went up to convenient height. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367
A good light helps a lot. 

My VPI vac is right beside the table. Now though it is used only to vacuum the final rinse off leaving records perfectly clean. I never even use a record brush any more, other than once in a while if I see some dust that won't blow off. 

Depending on what you are doing, get a headlamp! 

I don't know what it is called, but there's this neat little table you can get that clips on the arm rest of your chair. Perfect for that adult beverage. Sorry, but once the records are clean and the brush is eliminated it is hard to think of much else than kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labor!