Vinyl material - best record composition

[Barry]

Hey friends, out buying records and found several marketing positioning pieces boasting differing plastics. Any opinions on best record material, or what to look for besides "digitally remastered ".

 

[sterling shoote]

Yeah, don't look for digitally remastered.

 

[Bucknekked]

Hey friends, out buying records and found several marketing positioning pieces boasting differing plastics. Any opinions on best record material, or what to look for besides "digitally remastered ".

I think you could perform your own A-B benchmark test. Find an album you like that just happens to be available on old school vinyl, and has been re-issued on the new 180g vinyl. Give them a home audio test in your own space and see what you think. Give us a report.

I'm going to wager that if both surfaces are in good repair, and come from similar masters, they will sound pretty much the same. I haven't read anything that says the new 180g vinyl is "better sounding" although it may be a touch more durable. The old school and the 180g pressings are still made of the same stuff: the newer ones just are a bit heavier and have a touch more durability.

Try it out........return and report

 

[sterling shoote]

Here's how vinyl makes me feel in one word, "betrayed". All I expect is that the record will lay flat on the turntable's platter; and, it will play all the way through without producing a pop. But, apparently, what I expect is too much to ask for, as less than 2 percent of my records are defect free. The worst of my most recent LP purchases are 2 Diana Krall albums. No more of Diana Krall on LP for me. At any rate, even my MoFi records are not free of defect, so what can one do? Send the record back and demand your money back is the only remedy that I see, or just take it in the ass I suppose.

 

[3db]

Here's how vinyl makes me feel in one word, "betrayed". All I expect is that the record will lay flat on the turntable's platter; and, it will play all the way through without producing a pop. But, apparently, what I expect is too much to ask for, as less than 2 percent of my records are defect free. The worst of my most recent LP purchases are 2 Diana Krall albums. No more of Diana Krall on LP for me. At any rate, even my MoFi records are not free of defect, so what can one do? Send the record back and demand your money back is the only remedy that I see, or just take it in the ass I suppose.

I agree that buying vinyl is a bit of crap shoot. I've been lucky as most of my purchases have been good. A lot of the pops are caused by static buildup on the album. I bought a zerostat gun and it made a noticeable difference in my room/setup.

 

[Bucknekked]

I agree that buying vinyl is a bit of crap shoot. I've been lucky as most of my purchases have been good. A lot of the pops are caused by static buildup on the album. I bought a zerostat gun and it made a noticeable difference in my room/setup.

describe this zero stat gun you speak of. I am intrigued.

 

[Bucknekked]

Here's how vinyl makes me feel in one word, "betrayed". All I expect is that the record will lay flat on the turntable's platter; and, it will play all the way through without producing a pop. But, apparently, what I expect is too much to ask for, as less than 2 percent of my records are defect free. The worst of my most recent LP purchases are 2 Diana Krall albums. No more of Diana Krall on LP for me. At any rate, even my MoFi records are not free of defect, so what can one do? Send the record back and demand your money back is the only remedy that I see, or just take it in the ass I suppose.

your experience is simply the living proof that many of us learned growing up with records on plastic. mostly, they provide good music. but, if you are listening in critical listening mode, they are imperfect and they piss you off eventually. the new crowd of folks who simply adore "vinyl" manage to overlook that somehow. after a while, it just bugs me too much to put up with it. I'll spin a record on the TT because its fun, then I'll get pissed about a skip or a pop, and I'm done for another couple of months.

 

[Mikado463]

How do you guys care for your records ? How do you store them ? Do you use the standard paper sleeves ?

 

[lovinthehd]

How do you guys care for your records ? How do you store them ? Do you use the standard paper sleeves ?

While most came with the various paper sleeves, some with label cutout, some not....some came with plastic sleeves. Over the years I've converted most of the paper sleeves to the Mo-Fi plastic anti-static sleeves...did use a Zero Stat gun way back when but it died....

 

[3db]

Never in paper sleeves. That can scratch it and is a dusty medium to begin with. I purchased plastic aftermarket sleeves.

 

[sterling shoote]

I agree that buying vinyl is a bit of crap shoot. I've been lucky as most of my purchases have been good. A lot of the pops are caused by static buildup on the album. I bought a zerostat gun and it made a noticeable difference in my room/setup.

I'm using the MoFi sleeves; but, I have not had a zerostat gun for years. I'll make it a priority to get another one.

 

[sterling shoote]

your experience is simply the living proof that many of us learned growing up with records on plastic. mostly, they provide good music. but, if you are listening in critical listening mode, they are imperfect and they piss you off eventually. the new crowd of folks who simply adore "vinyl" manage to overlook that somehow. after a while, it just bugs me too much to put up with it. I'll spin a record on the TT because its fun, then I'll get pissed about a skip or a pop, and I'm done for another couple of months.

One bit of good news, I bought a Sonny Rollins album the other day and so far no poping. It is remastered from original analog tape mix from 1958. That was when stereo was new; and, this album seems to want to demonstrate stereo by positioning drums on the left and sax on the right. It sounds like dueling banjos. There's nothing mixed to the middle of this album; but, I still have enjoyed it.

 

[3db]

Here's the link on the zerotat gun.. I want to add that I use the zerostat first and then a dry disc washer brush afterwards. I figure loosen the dust held by static cling before trying to pick it up with the disc washer brush. It still surprises me how much dust there is on a brand new album coming right out of the sleeve.

https://www.needledoctor.com/Milty-Zerostat-Gun

 

[highfigh]

I think you could perform your own A-B benchmark test. Find an album you like that just happens to be available on old school vinyl, and has been re-issued on the new 180g vinyl. Give them a home audio test in your own space and see what you think. Give us a report.

I'm going to wager that if both surfaces are in good repair, and come from similar masters, they will sound pretty much the same. I haven't read anything that says the new 180g vinyl is "better sounding" although it may be a touch more durable. The old school and the 180g pressings are still made of the same stuff: the newer ones just are a bit heavier and have a touch more durability.

Try it out........return and report

I'll take that wager and raise it by $500.

The master is only part of the equation when buying an album- the stampers have a huge effect on sound quality and some records that came out of the pressing plant were made from stampers that were used for far too long. That's because the record companies wanted to squeeze every penny out of their investment. The vinyl, which is just PVC, has carbon black added to make it black. Unfortunately, it also makes the vinyl incredibly abrasive. It's the same material that makes tires black.

I don't know if anyone has experimented with other materials, but I wish they would. The abrasiveness is one of the reasons LPs are noisier than they should be.

There's a bit of bad info about what 180 gram vinyl is- it's not the type of vinyl, it's the mass of the glob used for the album. The material itself is called 'virgin' or 're-grind'- virgin is pure material with no foreign matter (to the extent that it's possible to prevent anything getting into an open-topped hopper) and 're-grind' is albums that didn't make the grande for some reason, so they go into a grinder before going into the hopper. That means labels and sometimes, part of the cardboard box they were in. I have or had at least one album with a chunk of cardboard that was over 1/8" across and visible from one side, or both.

Unfortunately, we don't get a choice in the vinyl most of the time- usually, it was only when someone came out with an 'audiophile edition'.

If an LP sounds bad, it needs to be returned.

 

[highfigh]

describe this zero stat gun you speak of. I am intrigued.

https://www.amazon.com/Milty-5036694022153-Zerostat-Anti-Static-Blue/dp/B0033SHDSS

Holy crap! $72? I don't think they were more than $20 and the patent is done, or it was bought from Discwasher.

 

[3db]

https://www.amazon.com/Milty-5036694022153-Zerostat-Anti-Static-Blue/dp/B0033SHDSS

Holy crap! $72? I don't think they were more than $20 and the patent is done, or it was bought from Discwasher.

Yep, its expensive but it lasts a long time and it does work.

 

[Mikado463]

Here's the link on the zerotat gun.. I want to add that I use the zerostat first and then a dry disc washer brush afterwards. I figure loosen the dust held by static cling before trying to pick it up with the disc washer brush. It still surprises me how much dust there is on a brand new album coming right out of the sleeve.

https://www.needledoctor.com/Milty-Zerostat-Gun

I never play a new record without first cleaning. Along with dust, mold release agents can still be present on the record. Presently using a VPI 16.5 RCM. Wet brush my cleaning solution followed by a distilled water rinse and then vacuum. I then treat all my LP's with LAST and date the record sleeve. My pre-play routine is one with my 2+2 brush which is comprised of a carbon fibre brush and a chamois type material.

Pops and such are minimal if at all with this procedure

 

[3db]

I never play a new record without first cleaning. Along with dust, mold release agents can still be present on the record. Presently using a VPI 16.5 RCM. Wet brush my cleaning solution followed by a distilled water rinse and then vacuum. I then treat all my LP's with LAST and date the record sleeve. My pre-play routine is one with my 2+2 brush which is comprised of a carbon fibre brush and a chamois type material.

Pops and such are minimal if at all with this procedure

Neither do I. I never play an album without cleaning it period, new or used.

 

[lovinthehd]

Anyone remember what the original detail on one of these sets was? I'm thinking somewhere around $40? Still have mine. I tried to fix my gun at one point, almost got it, but couldn't keep it adjusted correctly.

 

[Mikado463]

Anyone remember what the original detail on one of these sets was? I'm thinking somewhere around $40? Still have mine. I tried to fix my gun at one point, almost got it, but couldn't keep it adjusted correctly.



View attachment 24929

That's actually the last offering of that kit so I'm guessing mid to late eighties perhaps ? The original Zerostat gun had a much different muzzle. Regardless, it was pretty good marketing genius since their brush offering was basically junk. A wooden handle brush only helped in the build up static making you more impressed with the Zerostat gun. But it still was far superior to the 'record cloths' we used back in the sixties !

I had an original set and can't remember the price, 40-50 bucks sounds about right.