How long do records last?


From the YouTuber:
"Lots of people talk and worry about vinyl records wearing out, but finally here is a controlled, long-term experiment to test how much audible wear actually happens to records played in real-world conditions on a variety of turntables. I highly suggest a quiet listening environment and good pair of speakers or headphones to observe the results."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZOj-eO8Mvw

128x128noromance

I have LPs that were pressed in the early 1950s that still play fine. Any that I have that are that old I bought used. I think the conclusion of the video is spot on- that dust is really the big wear issue.

Many of my current collection came to me from my father and my aunt.  Those were acquired by each of them in the 50s and early 60s.  Some have noise and some have some surface damage but the majority play well and sound very good.  They both were pretty conscientious about their album care.

@atmasphere "I think the conclusion of the video is spot on- that dust is really the big wear issue." how do explain all those turntables we've used that don't have covers that you can close during playback? Many are extreme high-end and the users aren't going out of their minds worrying about record wear and increased noise! 

@faustuss I think owners of such turntables are likely to also be owners of one or more RCMs.

Many are extreme high-end and the users aren't going out of their minds worrying about record wear and increased noise! 

@faustuss That's true. For years I did the same. I always use a carbon fibre dust brush before playing an LP side and I suspect many others do too. But it is nice to cover the platter when not in use to minimize dust.