snap, crackle, pop

[denti alligator]

I LOVE vinyl. It's richer, fuller, more alive. Sure, maybe that's just distortion, but I like it.

But I get frustrated with surface noise. Even with brand new vinyl, it's there. So I clean my records pretty thoroughly with my VPI 16.5 But I still hear surface noise. It's better, but still there. How much? Depends on the record, but usually a pop or crackle every few second near the beginning of the side, then every 10-20 second after that.

Is this normal? Am I just getting a bunch of bad pressings? Am I not cleaning well enough? Should I rinse twice, maybe?

[johnsonad]

It could be a few things. One is your brushes on the RCM, do you wash the velvet with soap and water? I do every few records or so, sooner if the pressings are visibly dirty and after every washing session. Second, is your brush length adjusted to the start of the record? You can move the clear plastic wand in and out for full coverage.  Third, is the clear wand angled correctly? If unsure, refer to your manual or the VPI website.  If the angle is off, you can leave dirt when you lift the brush the final time. Fourth, worn records are worn and you can't fix past damage, just clean it up and hopefully get a few more plays out of them. 

Lastly, part of it could be your cart. Some carts are prone to picking up surface noise more than others. 

I hope this helps a little.

Aaron

[denti alligator]

Thanks, this helps! My 12" brush actually does not fit right, now that I look closely. The slit at the bottom goes off the edge of the record, which I'm assuming makes for less powerful suction. But if I adjust it to fit right it comes awfully close to the center label and the hole at the top of the brush wand appears. Is this normal?

[jaggy]

Take a look at the record surface right after you clean and when you start hearing pops.  I have a bright little LED lamp right next to my turntable that's handy for this.  I found pops I was hearing were caused by static-induced dust buildup (even after a recent cleaning) on the surface of my records.  For me the cause was dry air, but I have heard over vacuuming can contribute to excess static buildup, too.

I added a Zerostat to my routine and it has worked great for me (especially in the winter!).

[johnsonad]

Sam,

It depends on the pressing. I adjust the wand so that it is to the edge but not over the edge. Sometimes my labels get a little wet at the edge depending on the LP but not too often. Get the angle right and you should notice very little residue if any left over.

How are you washing by the way? There are many ways to do it but here is mine. If there is a visable layer of dirt I wipe it first with a soft damp cloth. Then to the VPI and apply the record cleaner and work it in with the brush mutiple times in both directions leaving hopefully an even layer and let it set for a minute. Second, vacuum it off. Third, apply water with a brush only used for water in the same method as before and let it set for a minute. Fourth, vacuum it off. Flip and repeat. If it's a moldy record or if there are persistent pops, I appy a mold treatment after the wash but before the rinse. The record is then placed in a new anti static sleeve.

Jaggy has a good point on the zerostat. When it's dry, I apply anti static wrinkle guard spray to the floor in front of the turn table and use the zerostat before play on each side. This and keeping your house fairly dust free will help keep those discs cleaner longer. I also play records with the lid down on my player.

Hopefully some of this helps.

Aaron

[Grainger49]

Sam,

Just looking trough here today I wondered what kind of stylus do you have?  The line contact are reported to have lower noise because it traces a different part of the groove.  If I get off my ass and install the HOMC SAE cartridge I bought I will be able to attest to this or not.