With the resurgence of vinyl in recent years, record sales are on the rise as music lovers across the world eagerly build their collections.
As record lovers embrace vinyl, they also know that it takes more than keeping your record in its sleeve to ensure your growing collection stays in mint condition.
Read on as we explore how you can keep your vinyl spinning for years to come.
Cleaning Vinyl
Playing a vinyl covered in dust and grime will ultimately damage the vinyl and negatively impact the sound quality in the long run. This is important to keep in mind when purchasing vintage vinyl that may have been mishandled by a previous owner. In order to extend the life of your records and styli it’s best to properly clean them.
The AT6012 Record Care Kit will help keep your records looking and sounding their best. The kit comes with a cleaning solution that is scientifically designed to gently remove dust, dissolve fingerprints, and eliminate static electricity. Cleaning is not a cure all, however. Cleaning cannot repair damaged records, unfortunately sometimes the vinyl is too damaged to salvage.
Cleaning the Stylus
Regardless of how well you clean your vinyl, your turntable’s stylus will pick up bits of dust during play. This accumulation of dust is often visible to the naked eye. Make sure to remove this build up before playing a record, as the stylus won’t rest properly on your record’s grooves, leading to skipping.
Over time your stylus will inevitably wear down and need to be replaced. To replace your stylus with ease we’ve put together two helpful guides, one for the AT-LP60 line of turntables and another for the ATN95E phono cartridge.
Handle With Care
One of the easiest things you can do to protect your records is handle them properly. Avoid touching the surface of your records, as the oil on your fingers acts like a magnet for dust and grime. Always pick up the record by handling the edges and center hole. When you’re done enjoying your vinyl immediately return it to its respective sleeve. Leaving vinyl sitting out can result in them accumulating dust and getting scratched.
Keeping Your Turntable Dust Free
It’s imperative to keep your turntable free of dust and static. Every Audio-Technica turntable comes with a slip mat included; if this surface gets dusty it can damage your records while playing. Make sure to protect your turntable by keeping the dust cover closed when the player is not in use.
Storage
As your collection grows you’ll want to make sure you are storing your vinyl in the correct manner. Always keep vinyl records upright, never stacked on top of one another as this can result in damage. Invest in reinforced shelving or specially made storage boxes to keep your records safe.
Keep your collection in a room where the temperature is consistently cool, leaving them in a location that gets hot and damp will likely result in warping. Therefore, garages and basements are often not ideal locations for your vinyl.
Hopefully these tips will help keep your collection in mint condition for years of enjoyment!