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Records are getting noisy

I asked this as part of someone else's string last week, but I am getting a little more irated every day with this problem. Some of my new vinyl (bought within the last year) is starting to get lots of pops and cracks. Not scratches, not skips, just pops and clicks. Drives me crazy.

All records are cleaned with VPI 16.5(Walker method right now, and steamed if the problems doesn't get any better), machine and tubes are working perfectly. All records then get ZeroStat after cleaning and put into MoFi sleeves. Records are then cleaned with an Audioquest brush prior to playing.

I have even tried Gruv Glide, and no change on certain records. I am listening to one of my all time favs right now, Shelby Lynne "Just a Little Lovin" and it's driving me crazy. The record is clean, has always been well cared for, and now it's a crackin, poppin, annoying mess!!

What have I done, and how do I fix it???
macdadtexas

Showing 2 responses by dcstep

dcstep
1,518 posts
 
When you do the Zerostat, can you ever see static going out of the LP? The fibers on my micro-fiber cloth stand up until I hit the record (and cloth) with the Zerostat and then I see them relax. When you do the final blast with the ZS, make sure nothing is touching the LP.

Look for some sign that the ZS is working, like seeing if the LP will raise the hairs on your arm prior to application and not do so afterward.

Dave
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
The primary further advice I have is to consider the anti-static treatment that you use at playbck. The AQ brush does add a static charge that you need to release with something like Zerostat.

Be careful with the GruvGlide and use it only very lightly only on problem disks.

I use the AQ brush, follow with a micro fiber cloth and finish with the Zerostat. I don't know which part of Texas you're in, but when I lived in West Texas my static problems were as big as they now are in Colorado. In Dallas I had a lesser problem and mostly in the winter. In East Texas I suspect you'll have no problems with static.

Different styli do make a difference. Soundsmith's strain guage and top end moving iron cartridges produce less surface noise by raising the resonant frequency of the cantilever out of the hearing range. Stylus shape also has something to do with what you'll hear.

Dave
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