I first bought a record player years ago when my intention was to maintain only a very small vinyl collection and not take it too seriously. however, things have not really turned out that way and so I’d like to start taking better care of it.
I don’t currently take any measures to protect/care for my records or player. what’s the minimum I should be doing?
I don’t have anything rare or valuable but would like to keep them all in good nick for listening to for as long as possible.
If you’ve not got one already then some kind of cleaning cloth or carbon brush is a good idea. That’s for keeping the records clean though, not the record player itself.
I always give my stylus a quick blow before i put it down to make sure there’s not any major dust on it. Audiophiles would probably gasp as there’s no doubt moisture from my mouth going on the stylus but… not bad is it?
There’s a good series of turntable setup basics that I think is good practice. Just makes sure you’re getting the most out of the player and that things like the weight are set correctly. You can skim through them here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhLgK9YvC4E&list=PL0ZjPeadgBuM3HyK7Y_SWitjoxwP3ug-K
Amazing what a difference it makes just giving your records an occasional clean.
For the stylus I use a gel type thing which lifts off dust. I have this one but there are other versions of the same thing.
I have one of those gel cleaner things for the stylus similar to the one already mentioned.
I also have an anti-static brush and cloth for removing dust/static before playing.
For things that need a deep clean, eg unloved charity shop purchases, I have a Disco-Antistat manual record cleaner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Knosti-Antistatic-Record-Cleaning-Finish/dp/B006IOJNNC/. I don’t use the solution that comes with it as it is expensive. Instead I used 1:4 part mixture of Isopropyl Alcohol and De-ionised Water (supposed to use distilled but it is harder to find), with a tiny drop of rinse aid.
For ultimate nerding out I have the Hifi News setup LP - Hi-Fi News Analogue Test Record LP The Producers Cut ( Test LP ) Protractor - 180g LP - SCOTT NANGLE AUDIO. Bought it ages ago but never actually got around to calibrating my cartridge alignment etc with it.
Always have loads of problems with dust and hairs with my records and stylus, think I have a static-y dusty house. Puts me off a bit from playing records if I am honest. End up just putting Spotify on because I cannot be bothered with it sometimes.
wet clean your records, dust them before play using a carbon fibre brush, and clean your stylus now and then. standard.
excellent, thanks everyone! think I’m going to treat myself to a nice all-in-one cleaning kit.
I should probably invest in some plastic sleeves too shouldn’t I
I’m in no way a vinyl expert but have a small - medium size collection and was after similar advice a while back - someone on here recommended Spincare for various cleaning products and they seem pretty good. I went for this bundle which was pretty good value and has given me everything I need for keeping care of things as a casual collector
I use this, too (when I remember to), plus the other bits toastboy said upthread
These aren’t cheap but always my first recommendation
I would also recommend an anti-static mat. This is the best one I’ve ever found
perfect, cheers!
A large proportion of the records I buy are used; if they come from a shop they’ve usually been cleaned, but if I get them from Discogs or eBay it’s a bit more hit and miss. I get decent results using a 20% alcohol:water fluid that I clean the records with using cotton wool pads. Generally clears up any dirt, fingerprints etc and evaporates dry quickly. The stuff I use is from www.vinylshelter.com but may be available other places.
Other than that I’ve got the gum pot a lot of people have mentioned for the needle, as well as a velvet brush which I give most records a quick once over with before playing. All of which makes it sound like I’m a lot more precious than I am about them, but it’s quick things that make the records and needle last longer.
Hey everyone,
I am planning to buy a record player as I have just inherited my grandfather
I am thinking about either to go for a crosley or a victrola as I need to keep it in budget.
Can anyone suggest which one is better?
Ps. I didn’t know how to create a thread, hence commenting here 
Thanks
neither. They’re both absolutely terrible.
Start with an audio technica LP60 as your bare minimum
(they do a bluetooth version too, and you can generally plug them straight into whatever speakers/soundbar/etc you already have)
edit: those records may also be a bit dusty and stuff. grab a record cleaning spray and cloth kit too
spring the extra £40 for an Audio Technica if you can, Crosleys etc look nice but aren’t very good sadly, so you’ll end up wanting to upgrade sooner rather than later anyway
Hiya!
If you’ve inherited a load of records and want to play them regularly, neither one of these is much good I’m afraid. Records are great and can sound much better than CDs but these two options are like listening to an old medium wave radio broadcast. They’re very cheaply made and can actually damage the records too.
As @Ilovetoast says, your best bet is to look at something like an Audio Technica LP60. You’ll also want some kind of hifi or stereo to plug it into. You should be able to get both for less than £200 - more than the £60 or so for a Crossley but you’ve got the piece of mind that it’s a decent setup and your records won’t get wrecked.
Disclaimer: this is a forum whose topic is music (even though many of us don’t look at the music board but that’s a topic for another time) so you’ll always get people saying ‘don’t go for the cheap option’. I know family members who have those briefcase record players and they enjoy using them once every few months. Might be fine for you but it depends how precious the records are and how often you’re listening to them.
Both Crosley and Victrola record players are not known for their quality. Due to their cheap price, they use very low-quality components, including:
I recently came across an article https://turntabletrends.com/victrola-vs-crosley/ that compared these record players, and it might be an eye-opener for you.
In your case, I recommend going for a turntable from Audio Technica. The AT-LP60 would be a great option for you; you’ll just need to save a bit more money!
You can also search online marketplace for used turntables, maybe you will find one good in condition.
Just don’t forget to replace the stylus before you play the records.
Cheers.
Plus one for don’t bother with a Crosley. I was bought one as a gift a few years back and it was basically unusable - would just slide across records.
I see a bunch of people recommending Audio Technica, but as an alternative I got a bluetooth Sony one to upgrade from the Crosley and have been extremely pleased with it 
