I tend to agree with atmashpere on this without even paying attention to the engineering jargon. I've heard enough different variations of carts/tonearms/phono stages to hear the difference in how some combos play quieter than others. My RCM also sits unused most of the time.
I don't think cleaning is a waste of time, but I'm sorry, a ten step cleaning process or cleaning each side before playing takes all the joy out of it for me.
Like others have said, get a good pressing, get a hardware combo that plays quietly, get a brush for removing dust, play, and enjoy. The better vinyl setups will push the music forward and the noise to the background.
I don't think cleaning is a waste of time, but I'm sorry, a ten step cleaning process or cleaning each side before playing takes all the joy out of it for me.
Like others have said, get a good pressing, get a hardware combo that plays quietly, get a brush for removing dust, play, and enjoy. The better vinyl setups will push the music forward and the noise to the background.