Frustrated with Vinly

Passing your biased opinions off as fact , doesnt make them facts. You insult owners..belittle anyones property that doesnt fit your idiotic direct drive biased drivel. There are many many good tables of all drives.
This is a hobby best made as inclusive...not exclusive based on perceived value. Which in reality Chakster..you dont have. Every choice has an opinion and a reason for and why....and it isnt because you say so or exclude them as owners of toys and all the other negative crap you spew constantly. The owner of the belt drive you negate brings a 100 times more than you do...its positivity and inclusivity...try it before your island is complete.....
And for the record...the only thing the cartridge can do...is what everything its attached right down to the floor allow it to do....funny , thats why some find those technics tables cold and digital like...but thats an opinion based on their ears and first hand experience....
How many of those NEW Technics tables do you own and for how long....oh...your just repeating what anyone else could read...then apply thick bias.....

@antinn

Oh, the cleaning, ok ... forgive me.
I do not blame you because you recommend Sota, cleaning records .. or because you’re living in America and prefer local products.

Being Japanese the Technics is very well represented in USA since the 70’s.

Most of out record made with Technics motor, because Neumann disc cutting lathe comes with Technics SP-02 motor.

So i think Technics was (and still is) much more important for the vinyl industry than any other small brands.

And using Technics no one will be frustrated with vinyl.  

Chaksterk 

If you you read the earlier posts of this thread, I provided a detailed cleaning process.  Otherwise, being sensitive and trying to read between the lines of what Jay's desire is, my recommendation would be a fine American product, the Sota Commet V,   https://sotaturntables.com/products/comet-v/.  It is in his budget, the design I would think, but I may be wrong, is compatible with his desires.  Its a  great product from a long standing supplier, that he can call on the phone and discuss, get go long term support, and they have an upgrade path to serve him on his journey.

This forum should be the exchange of knowledge and ideas, but when your individual opinion becomes so extreme that you are now forcing the other to defend themselves, its WRONG!

@antinn I do not force anyone, but trying to provide some facts, links, technical information, prices in comparison etc .. which is all helpful in my opinion, anyone can compile it together and make a decision.

But it is all based on my personal experience only, why not ?

If i am not in America does it really change anything ? It is only more difucult for me to buy anything that available in America in many shops, so living in America you can go to the shop to try those turntable and to compare them, i did that myself. I can not be you or anyone else to choose plastic belt drive for $2k instead of decent direct drive for $1.7k ... sorry.

Does it hurts your feeling each time anyone recommend Technics ?
I’ve been using mine since 1995 and it is still working like new (not in the main system now).

I love Technics, it is true, but not only this brand. However at the price point under $2k i can’t personally recommend anything else (apart from some better vintage direct drives). If you can do that please recommend your own choice of turntable on this forum and explain why, this would be helpful for OP to make a decision.

Otherwise i do not see your contribution in this thread or am i missed something ?

Let me do that again and you please tell me what is wrong:

-made in japan for $1700 (entire turntable)
-great tonearm, detachable headshell (easy to mount and swap cartridges without breaking tonearm wire clips)
-high torque, superb speed stability
-brand new direct drive servo from the most experienced brand in audio history (matsushita)
-high weight, heavy platter, adjustable feet
-pitch control
-RCA phono output
-easy to re-sell if needed

Who is Vinly and why should I be frustrated with him?

Chakster, 

I note from your profile that your origin is not America.  As an American Military Vet, and civil servant for decades, I have served based on the foundation that All persons are created equal endowed by their creator with life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  If happiness be digital great, if happiness be vinyl, wondetful, and if your feet are in both, all the better for your tolerance.  But, Jay came to this forum for help, and with courage, explained his priorty for happiness.  What he has received from some is analysis and criticism, to the point that he has had to defend himself - that is just WRONG!  This forum should be the exchange of knowledge and ideas, but when your individual opinion becomes so extreme that you are now forcing the other to defend themselves, its WRONG!. So myself being of the composition of See Something, Say Something, Do Something, this response is now presented, and Enough is Enough.  All ideas should be welcome, but lets try to be respectfull of one another.  If someone is having to defend themselves, then we need a gut check on the convseration, and maybe even an applogy.  Good evening and God bless.

The SOUND is not belt drive or direct drive, the SOUND is mostly the cartridge, but the belt drive are inconvenient, slow, not stable in terms of speed, cheaply made toys (not all of them for sure, but those mentioned by the OP are definitely not the best belt drive turntables at all and very expensive for a belt drive). I’ve checked the price for a Dr.Feickert belt drive for example and it’s over $7000 (at least it’s easy to swap the arms on this one and it's a good looking table).

Many people never heard of Technics, never tried it, all their life they thought it was made for DJs only (the biggest mistake), i assume they never seen an SP10mkII , SP20 or top of the line SP10 mkIII, and speaking of very expensive belt drive (that might be good too, but at much higher price) even brand new reference class SP-10R is still cheaper being the best new DD available today.

Like it or not , looks are important to each individual owner and their own preference. As well and more importantly that the outdated unattractive looks many feel the new Technics tables are,
No matter how much an individual advocates the purchase of something he doesn't own himself....the simple fact remains many many do not find its sound that appealing at all. 
Regardless of what some may rant about the Technics as the best and be all end all of turntables and shade all belts as toys....it would appear many many prefer the sound of those belt drives. An important reason to chose your option.
Thats the beauty of choice, it's personal , no matter how some try to make theirs the right or best choice for everyone else...

@jay73

You have nice gear. I am assuming you the Technics GR also, if so, what cartridge are you using or would recommend for it?

Thanks, on GR you can use wide range of cartridges, this is a medium mass tonearm (pretty good one), any cartridge with MID COMPLIANCE is a perfect match, "mid" is something like 20cu @ 10Hz. But don’t worry, almost any MM/MI cartridge with 20-30cu compliance figure (measured at 10Hz, not at 100Hz) is nice for this arm. Audio-Technica cartridges are mid compliance, most of the modern MC are mid compliance too. Some killer vintage MM are high compliance (30cu) and can be used too. I would not use any low compliance cartridge on this arm, but some people use them with higher mass headshell and technics subweight.

In the Pic, the GAE does look nice with it’s finish. The GR looks a little less shiny but it is half the cost, so I get it.

Yeah, exactly, the GAE is Limited Edition, the equal to GAE is "G".
For half price is "GR" in silver or in black.

By the way, what is the pitch control for? Is that geared more towards DJ’s, what benefit would it have for a someone like me?

Most of the Japanese direct drive have a pitch control, but normally it is rotary knob (very little), Technics made it like a fader. You can simply ignore it. But it’s a nice bonus to tune pitch when needed. If you’re musician (with a perfect pitch) you can actually hear it as a pitch of instrument (tonality), Technics explained it somewhere in details. If you’re not a musician you can just use it to make a tempo of the record a bit faster or slower (whatever you like).

When the pitch is in ZERO (locked in the middle) your record does not affected.

You have to try this turntable in some audio shop in your area, it’s really unbeatable, like a tank!

And i think this is best buy option if you want new for under $2k

Technics turntable provide superb speed stability, the highest torque you can imagine (immediate start on constant speed, not like those slow belt drives). This is a top class machine and the brand with strong reputation. 

It is MADE IN JAPAN

The 1500 looks less DJ!

@chakster 

You have nice gear. I am assuming you the Technics GR also, if so, what cartridge are you using or would recommend for it?

In the Pic, the GAE does look nice with it's finish. The GR looks a little less shiny but it is half the cost, so I get it.

By the way, what is the pitch control for? Is that geared more towards DJ's, what benefit would it have for a someone like me?

I do appreciate your input.

Thanks

First of all i hope you understand that Technics is a NEW turntable and completely different internally from the old technics model discontinued long time ago.

The "GR" (available in balck and silver) is not a DJ turntable, but a slightly simplified version of the $4000 "G" and "GAE".

Maybe you have to see it in the real life, not on the picture, touch it and compare to the plastic belt drive toys from Rega.

Have you seen a Technics in real life in the shops ?
Here is a better images of GAE, the finishing is simply amazing, and none of the DJ turntables for Technics have such luxury finishing. The GR is very close for half price.

My advice is to stay away from the belt drive turntables, it’s inferior technology and what they are offering even at $2k is a rip-off (imo).

Turntable for DJs in the new Technics line is much cheaper "mk7", but not the GR, G, GAE.

The motor of G and GAE is simply the best direct drive servo available today in this world. Matsushita is huge, they made millions of Technics tunrtables and this is the only reason why their price is not 10 times higher like from small manufacturers.

Compared to $1700 they charge for brand new GR all those plastic Rega and related belt drive must be $300 max.

So belt drive for $300-500 might be ok, but belt drive for $2000 is rip-off.

If the look is more important for you then any vintage turntable is much better to look at in my opinion. 

This is my ex vintage Technics SP-10mkII that i bought for $1200 injcluding shipping in mint condition without plinth and tonearm. And this is what i bought next (Luxman PD-444) for less than $2k. 

@jay73,. Sometimes, when cost is a issue, looks are IMO far down the list of considerations. BTW, one of my MyMat customers (who is a repeat customer) has that Technics tt. He's now enjoying two MyMats as a sandwich, with a KAB poly mat in the middle. I told him to throw away the stock rubber mat.

@chakster 

Hi,

I know you have recommend the Technics 1200GR. I have no doubt it is a good and exceptional TT. But my only gripe with it is the looks. I mean it does look nice but too DJ for me.

As I said earlier somewhere, for me, looks are important too. When I am not listening to records, I want to look at my player and say, wow, that is a beauty.

Now, I know you're probably thinking, I am going to pass on a great player simply because it might not be as pretty as some other players and that probably doesn't make sense. I get it.

But what can I say, that is me. If I get a new table, it needs to perform well but also look good to my eyes.

Thanks for the suggestion, I am still kind of looking at it and it is still somewhere in my mind, so you never know.

Thanks

Background hiss and crackles (not to mention limited dynamic range and the endless aggravations of cleaning) were never acceptable to me that’s why I stopped buying vinyl in 1983 and have never remotely considered going back.

Then the next generation jump into the game, i start buying vinyl in 1995, sold all my CDs quickly in the mid 90’s, and can’t stop buying vinyl ever since.

I can’t hear anything like background hiss and crackles that louder than music, so i don’t care. And i don’t clean records with special devices. My first serious turntable was Technics SL1210 mk2 and now i have many top quality vintage direct drives like Denon DP-80, Victor TT-101 (two of them), Luxman PD-444 (two of them)... my old Technics still here and still working without service.

Vintage vinyl is my passion, original pressings

Digital is so boring compared to vinyl.

Vinyl forever!

I want to remind people that even on live shows we’re not alone in front of the band, people make some noise around us, this is life. At home even with digital setup we can hear some sounds coming from the open window, from the neighbors etc ... this is life.

It is not necessary to be in the submarine, in the bunker on in the space to enjoy the music.

Silent background is not what we have in the real life

The overload margin of the phono stage is a critical aspect of the noise issue.  The noise sources have a very fast rise time, and even though the RIAA curve turns them down, the feedback loop of the phono stage can get quite upset.  Also, a cartridge with a rather high tip mass can crash around when it hits a boulder in the groove making more noise than it should.  Finally, the Decca guys used to point out that a cartridge with a 3gm tracking weight and a low tip mass will be a lot kinder to the grooves than a high-compliance unit with a high tip mass.
The overload margin was one of the features of the original Naim amplifiers and went a long way in making them more satisfactory than their competitors.

Each to their own. But what Uberwaltz says is true. At a certain level of system synergy, vinyl has a magic all its own. If you've never been there, you can never know.

You vinyl guys mystify me.

If I had to explain it, you wouldn't understand 🙄🙄

"The nature of vinyl is minor background hiss and some light crackles (depends on condition of the vinyl)."

Background hiss and crackles (not to mention limited dynamic range and the endless aggravations of cleaning) were never acceptable to me that’s why I stopped buying vinyl in 1983 and have never remotely considered going back.

You vinyl guys mystify me.

Seriously, $2000 for a lighweight belt drive like this which looks like another $500 belt drive toy ? When the real deal is just $1700 for heavyweight unbeatable Japanese made Direct Drive with better tonearm, better motor, better cabinet, better sound etc ... people are strange. 

Actually for $2k so many vintage direct drives available on the market. 

@allenf1963,
Thanks for your suggestions, the Rega Planar 6 is on my radar too.
I have not found much info on the 148 besides the website and a few quick Youtube videos. The only thing that concerns me on that TT, is the cartridge. Might have to upgrade the cartridge but the table is already at $2K as you mentioned.

Here is the honest truth from me

I am getting an itch to upgrade to a new TT but currently my Denon is running great and overall, sounds good to me. I do enjoy the LP's that I am playing on them and sometimes think, why upgrade.
But,  from my perspective, what really is good, right? I mean, I have not heard (within my system) a better TT yet. So until I have another table to compare it to, I won't really know what I am missing. After I do, my assumption of good might turn into, "What was I thinking!"
For me spending upwards of $2K is really maxing my budget (I have a humble entry level system). I also wonder if it's worth getting a very expensive table for it. I don't listen literally everyday, maybe a few times a week, simply because sometimes I too tired when I get home from work.
With all that said, the tables that I have on my radar are:
- Rega Planar 6 (have heard people have issues with hum with this table, so not too sure about it)
- Mo-Fi Studio (either with the Master Track cart or maybe a Hana MC)- Mo-Fi Ultradeck with Master Tracker (really above my budget but if I am crazy to get to that price point, then going all the way with the Master Tracker Cart)- Music Hall mmf-7.3 (I like the looks of this one)- Marantz TT15S1 (Would have to get some kind of cover for this one)- Thorens 148a (really like the fact that it is automatic and looks nice from the pics at least but wonder about the quality of the cart included)- Goldnote Valor 425 Plus (looks really nice from the pics)
One other thing that is important to me is looks/aesthetics and I have habit of sometimes wanting things that are not as common or popular.
Hence the interest in the Goldnote, haven't seen much talk about that one.

But the Marantz, I have read so many good reviews and people stating that it should cost more because of the cart and arm that it comes with. It definitely is looker, that's for sure.

So this is where I am at right now, ha.
Thanks

jay73, 

I wonder if I'm the only one that read all the posts, especially the additional posts you made.  From what I have read, the Thorens 148A is a very nice Fully Automatic Turntable.  If you are looking at spending up to the $2,000 range (the price I have seen listed several times for a brand new Model 148A), might I suggest that you take a look at the Rega Planar 3 or Planar 6.  Two fantastic turntables from one of the top of the line British audio companies.  Just a suggestion.  Enjoy shopping!

Thanks for all suggestions on the cleaning machines.
Some of them are unfortunately quite pricey for myself.
As I stated before, hopefully I can get out to the audio store that I mentioned and try our their machines to clean and see how they do.
@davidgwillett,

The get togethers that you have done, have they been at someone's home? I am assume, a different person's home each time?
Also, how big is your group and do you all bring some equipment with you to test out and demo?
Thanks

Chakster, I'm with you on minimal care required and if there is no static any sleeve will do although the paper ones do get crappy after a while.
However the issue of new vs vintage vinyl is extremely variable. I have many old European classical records that are just unbelievable and dead quiet. But I have some older rock and jazz records that were terrible mixes probably because the monitoring equipment being used was sub optimal. I have new releases, one that comes to mind is Weather Report's Sweetnighter which is fabulous in all ways but some of the newer rock reissues are awful. My original copy of Roxy Music's Avelon out performs any of the digital or vinyl reissues I have. 
So, it is a mixed bag. If you really love the music and the reissue is being done by a company that has pride in it's product it is perfectly legitimate to get the reissue. 
I do find it odd that people buy records purely for the sound quality and not the music.  

Vinly is swell!
He is doing great since he ate his rice crispies
Snap, Crackle and Pop!

How is vinly doing??

You can make your own Ultrasonic Record Cleaner for less that $400, I did and it works excellently. So will sell my VPI RCM soon.

Why not buy a db power amp program for under $50 rip all your CDs to 8 highest flac file rip  or download Hirez music from HD Trax and buy a great Vacuum tube Dac like the very reasonably priced Lampizator Amber 3 for $2800 beats dacs 2x + this . Buy the best USB cable a Final touch audio most natural Analog cable out there under $1k. And also stream through
your computer JRivers media 26, down load the Jremote app on your iPad ,even tidal and Roon  no more headaches just pick what 
you want to hear ,and you can tune your dac by upgrading rectifier tubes,as well as the 12au7 signal tube to nos vintage tubes to your 
systems balance or taste and sounds excellent.

Not to be (too) repetitive, but obviously, the better your equipment, the better opportunity for the awesome sound of vinyl to be enjoyed.  That being said, a better system will naturally expose whatever flaws may be on your records, including dirt.  Cleaning ALL (including brand new) records prior to playing is essential for maximum pleasure.  After doing extensive research I recently purchased a Clearaudio Double Matrix Sonic (not ultrasonic) cleaning machine.  I believe it to be the best in the world.  The results have been astounding, far exceeding my expectations.  40 year old records (with 40 years worth of dirt, complete with pops and background noise) sounded (and looked) pristine after a single cleaning.  The machine cleans the records by automatically spinning the discs forward and backward multiple times, and while doing that, secretes cleaning fluid, to both sides simultaneously, and vacuums several times during a single process.  There is also a manual setting so that you may customize the process for a deeper cleaning, if necessary.  Once the cleaning is completed, the user then swings an antistatic arm over the disc and after 2 or 3 revolutions all static electricity is gone.  Then place the record into a Mobile Fidelity sleeve for safe keeping.  Putting the record back into the paper sleeve which is full of dust (and worse) defeats the purpose of doing the cleaning in the first place.  There are videos on You Tube available to see the process in action.
By the way, the reason for sonic, rather than Ultrasonic, is that ultrasonic's powerful waves may cause the loosened dirt to crash into the grooves of the record, causing damage.
The ClearAudio Double Matrix is a very expensive machine, so that may be a non starter, but if you can swing it, you will be thrilled with the results.  Plus, it's REALLY cool to watch it work and it's built like a tank!  The retail for the machine is $6,000(!), but I bought mine on AudioGon for (only!) $3,300.  It was an open box, but never used. 

Get used to it.  I have stopped buying new music on vinyl.  Digital is consistently better and most of it was digitally mastered anyway.  Adding a DA, cutting lathe, pressing plant, and a phono cartridge to the playback chain is not going to increase fidelity.  New vinyl is a complete crapshoot when it comes to surface noise and SQ.  Most records are being pressed on antique machinery by people that don't have the experience of times past.  In it's heyday all new records were quiet.  Now, as the OP said, some new pressings sound like used records.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F161402849405

This and a 6L ultrasonic tub is the most cost effective way to properly clean records.  1 Gallon Distilled water is perfect fill level which cleans about 30 albums depending on how dirty they are. I don’t use any addictive although many do. 
Good listening
Peter 

The issue is probably the phono stage.  I found this out personally, since when I changed from several phono preamps that I owned to the Manley Chinook, all my records became far quieter.  Even friends notice that you rarely hear pops, clicks or scratches on my system.  

Do a search on AGon for Atmosphere and Phono Stage, and you'll read descriptions from analog expert Ralph Karsten on why this happens.  Bottom line, it's about static that is created in the process of the needle dragging across the vinyl, and how the phono preamp can become unstable for a variety of reasons.  A better phono preamp will make a huge difference.

I've done 5 Audiophile group get-togethers in SoCal since September. We have 2-3 good DACs (and 5-6 not so good) several TTs, lots of amps and speakers. 
One of our guys brings an ultrasonic cleaner. That does make a difference on good/or new records, but on some, nothing helps.  IT take about 15 min and he has some brew he uses.  That gets the stuff out of the deep groves and for some new records it brighten's them up a bit. 

  

There is one Vinyl that always sounds best. There are 2-3 that we all debate. The Vinyl guys prefer the records. Then that are many many records that just are not that good. The same/or similar track on DAC is better.

I t was mentioned that M/C cartridges might mask tics and pops. Could this be from a heavier traking force.  I am going to play with thjis idea by adjusting mine.

I also always hated a dirty stylist.  They get too much grease in your hair.

Ability to NOT HEAR normal amount of Static is Acquired, allows involvement without disruption. Ticks and pops are disruptive to enjoyment.

Played LP's from 1960 until CD players cost became reasonable. Teenager, cheap equipment, no care of lps.

Played CD's, Holy Crap, no noise, for life, Nirvana.

Inherited Thorens Heavy Platter TD124 with SME 3009 arm, bought Shure V15V.

Tried Vinyl again. Noisy.

Had to re-acquire the brain's ability to listen to the music and the brain to ignore static. Once acquired, realized, CD was a trick, Analog is the real deal.

Realized, many of my old LP's were beat up, so began acquiring new or very good used.

Cleaned on the TT Platter, with squirt and brush and wait to dry. Waiting to dry disruptive to enjoyment.

Just upgraded to Dual Arm TT, superb heavy plinth, better arms, new cartridges.

Better equipment does a better job of revealing problems, i.e. my dirty records.

Bought one of these, (like chackster recommended)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GSSQ1MN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

the primary advantage for me is the drying rack, clean 10 at a time, play them later or tomorrow. (chacksters has the drying rack also, it is just not shown, it stores inside the base.
..........................
repeat, IF New LP's are too noisy, it's more likely cartridge alignment/stylus condition, New LP should need a simple swish with dust/static brush, and sound great.

I agree with Johnread57 above. I have hear the sugar cube unit in operation and it works great. It is a little pricey but not a budget buster.

For a different solution try this: https://newatlas.com/sweetvinyl-sugarcube-sc1-click-pop-removal/55832/

I own a Loricraft and have used it for well over 3 decades.
Contrary to Chakster's claim that new records don' t require cleaning based entirely on his opinion they don't,...they most certainly benefit from and should be. The Loricraft like others easily shows in the waste jar just what was in the grooves of that "new" lp.
The poster who brought up working in a clean room I bet most certainly knows record pressing plants are far and away at the other end of the spectrum realistically. Apparently some here think they are , to feel cleaning isn't needed or the paper sleeves still used aren't an issue to worry about. Yet the forums are littered with complaints of new vinyl is noisy no matter how many times some read the guy who isn't complaining cleaned his first...and .... more importantly rinsed well.
You will never know how a record was handled when packaged after pressing....or how it was handled by previous user (s) if used ....
You only know how it is handled in your posession.
Besides the cost of the vinyl itself, we pay considerable sums for cartridges these days. Proactive it seems makes the few minutes cleaning new , or new to you vinyl and the visible crud suspended in the vacuumed cleaning fluid jar to me, beats opinion based on opinion...

I am an old fart, so take this with a grain of salt as I am also a first time poster who is nowhere as learned/experienced as those on this forum which I have shadowed and learned from for many years.

I started with a Discwasher kit in the 70's (still have it although pretty worn out). From there, after a hiatus from vinyl in the 90's, I went to a VPI-HW17 (excellent machine), which I still use to this day. Than in 2019 I get a killer deal on a  Audio Desk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner PRO. I now use the VPI to do an intial distilled water cleaning than on to the Audio Desk and back to the VPI for another distilled water pass. I have been pleased with the results of this process.

Now that I have shared my record cleaning history. I would highly suggest you go to the Pro-Ject VC-S2 ALU machine or any of the VPI's, Okki Nokki or wet/vacuum cleaning machine which, IMHO will do a way better job than a Spin Clean or any other hand cleaning method that I know of. 

I clean all records, new and used. Cleaning technique may vary between new and used, but new or used they need to be cleaned.

When I am away from home and buy LP's, I clean with an Allsop Orbitrac 3. When I return home they go in the VPI & Audio Desk.

I also clean my stylus between each side on a LP with a brush and a  Onzow Zerodust.

I have been told I am somewhat anal retentive.

Anyone here ever try a Loricraft record cleaning machine?

@jay73 I haven’t heard the Thorens. Current models are not great like the old TD125, 160, 124 etc. 

If I like the results, then I might invest in a cleaner.
Thing is, at the moment, I have probably have about 50 or less records.

This is really all you need, cheap as chips.
Invest in vinyl instead and buy yourself a proper cartridge and turntable first, this is much more important.

I'm pretty sure you don't need to clean NEW records  

Check the website of "TODD THE VINYL JUNKIE" Claims to have a cleaner that will do what other cleaners don't Only other thing needed is a good record vacuum system after his chemicals have had time to do their work. I haven't tried it yet but he hasn't steered me wrong in the past. Also, there is a new ultrasonic by KIRMUSS AUDIO. A little expensive but claims it will work where other systems don't. Can be seen at AXPONA.

poko3 posts01-18-2020 6:59pm

Got a spin clean - which drove me crazy and made me want to walk away from records and cut my losses. The SC seemed to make more noise than it took away.  

Had the same issue with my Spin Clean, noisier than before I cleaned the record. Bought a used record Doctor vacuum RC, haven't looked back since.

I will say from experience that the right phono preamp and cartridge has reduced clicks and pops significantly. I switched to a slightly higher output cart and somewhat lower gain from the phono pre. I wasn't really looking for the quieter result but somewhere along the line just noticed the records were quieter, by quite a bit actually.

There's a audio store in Pasadena, CA, Audio Element, which has record cleaners available to customers. You just need to buy some record cleaning solution to utilize their cleaners as much as you want.
I think I will take a couple of my records that I seem to be having some issues with, clean it there and then also play it there and see how they sound.
They have a bunch of turntables you can check out and play on, so I will probably do a before and after and see how the results are.
Since I do not have a higher end record cleaner and don't know anyone personally who is into this hobby, this will have to be the way to test out the records.

If I like the results, then I might invest in a cleaner.
Thing is, at the moment, I have probably have about 50 or less records.
I also won't be able to buy or keep hundreds of them simply because I do not have the room, so I will need to be very selective of what I want on the LP format.
I hope I can get out there on one of the coming weekends.

Thanks

As far as reissues vs original pressing is concerned it is a crap shoot. Can go either way. 
As far as gunk in the groove of new records is concerned, there isn't any. Nada, nothing. I once played 15 new records in a row under a dust cover using a conductive sweep arm. At the end there was nothing on the stylus under a microscope. Nothing, not even any dust (all on the sweep arm.) 
Yes, you can digitize your record collection. Get Channel D's Pure Vinyl and you can download it to the computer in real time at 192/24. You don't need a reel to reel machine. I have pure Vinyl and have down loaded several records and they do sound fine but I decided not to do it. There is something traditional about playing a record that I like. I have records that have been played many times without any audible wear so I do not feel the need to download them to save the collection. Channel D makes phono amps that have no compensation in them. The RIAA correction is done by the computer. So Pure Vinyl actually plays the record. I have not tried this yet and do not know if I ever will. Some people think it is an improvement. Analog junkies do not like digitizing their music. 
Good rice paper record sleeves that will not hold static are a must but they have to be well made and heavy or they just fold up when you try to put them back in the cover.

Darn it Lewm.
I had managed to resist that from post #1 ..... LMAO.