New budget vinyl setup, questionable sound quality

[TubeHiFiNut]

14 minutes ago, No.4 said:

Right now it is set at the max recommended weight. I am planning on bringing it down to the actual recommended weight and adjust from there.

Been a vinyl addict since the early 1970s.

 

In my opinion, running the tracking force close to maximum is better than trying to run too light. You want the stylus firmly seated in the groove. Mistracking will cause far more record wear than running your tracking force at the maximum suggested by the manufacturer.

 

Sounds like your records have been with you for years. Cleaning them properly should make a very noticeable difference - less noise, less "hash" in the highs. If you do not have a record cleaning machine, you can wash them by hand (being VERY careful to keep the labels dry) and use a dish rack to dry. There are many articles, posts and videos out there detailing the "how to" of washing records by hand.

 

After a good wet cleaning, using a good record brush that gets down in the grooves before each play will knock the loose dust out of the way.

 

You have already discovered the benefits of a clean stylus so no need to go over that.

 

With a little care, you should get great enjoyment out of your vinyl set-up.

[joessportster]

On 1/13/2019 at 5:45 PM, No.4 said:

I tried the magic eraser trick to clean the stylus and it definitely made a difference. I listened to several records this morning and had better results. Not perfect, but better. I used a dry microfiber on the records before I played them as well. It took care of the dust on the surface, but I’m not sure how far down into the grooves these get. I probably need to invest in a good record cleaning device and a brush for the stylus. 

 

I also watched a few videos on setting up and adjusting a deck. The tone arm on this deck is pretty basic. The adjustments can be made, just not in fine increments as far as I can tell. I will keep reading and try to get the most out of this deck, but I need to remember that I bought this to see if I liked vinyl, not as the only player I will ever own. I do like it, so I need to start researching the features and prices of what is out there. Maybe VPi will take a kidney as payment?

Get a paint edge pad (3.00) at Lowes, add a drop or 2 of dish soap to the damp pad use that to scrub the LP rinse with your choice of water (Most will advocate distilled, My well water works fine) lay the freshly scrubbed LP on a towel and use your micro fiber rag to dry it in a circular motion following the grooves.  I recently cleaned some LP this way and they sound better than new very little if any background noise. and cheap  Win  Win  

[No.4]

56 minutes ago, TubeHiFiNut said:

Sounds like your records have been with you for years. Cleaning them properly should make a very noticeable difference - less noise, less "hash" in the highs. If you do not have a record cleaning machine, you can wash them by hand (being VERY careful to keep the labels dry) and use a dish rack to dry. There are many articles, posts and videos out there detailing the "how to" of washing records by hand.

 

After a good wet cleaning, using a good record brush that gets down in the grooves before each play will knock the loose dust out of the way.

 

With a little care, you should get great enjoyment out of your vinyl set-up.

 

55 minutes ago, joessportster said:

Get a paint edge pad (3.00) at Lowes, add a drop or 2 of dish soap to the damp pad use that to scrub the LP rinse with your choice of water (Most will advocate distilled, My well water works fine) lay the freshly scrubbed LP on a towel and use your micro fiber rag to dry it in a circular motion following the grooves.  I recently cleaned some LP this way and they sound better than new very little if any background noise. and cheap  Win  Win  

I went back and forth with diy methods of cleaning my LPs, Ultimately I decided to purchase a spin clean. I have been cycling albums through periodically throughout the day today and yesterday and I have to say it get them really clean. It also seems to remove any static. I have been cleaning mostly albums I am familiar with, but I have also found a few Gems that I have never heard. If I clean and listen to at least one side of each LP as I go it may take awhile.

 

I also bit the bullet and picked up a Onzow stylus cleaner. It works perfectly.

 

I am listening to benefit by Jethro Tull right now after a good cleaning and with a clean stylus and it sounds awesome 😎 

[glens]

Do they use anything as a mold release agent when pressing disks, and if so, do they wash it off before applying the label?  Just wondering if even a brand-new LP would benefit from a thorough cleaning.  It's been decades since I've spun one and don't recall what if anything I did prior to a "first play."

[No.4]

On 1/20/2019 at 12:32 PM, glens said:

Do they use anything as a mold release agent when pressing disks, and if so, do they wash it off before applying the label?  Just wondering if even a brand-new LP would benefit from a thorough cleaning.  It's been decades since I've spun one and don't recall what if anything I did prior to a "first play."

I did clean my new LPs. Couldn’t hurt.

[Schu]

You should clean your new vinyl... always

[No.4]

During a listening session last night I finally took the opportunity in between records to check the alignment of the stylus. Using a Hudson hifi alignment mat it was obvious the stylus needed some adjustment. I did a quick  “in the field” adjustment, and the results were promising. A great deal of the distortion was gone, but not quite all of it. After work tonight  I pulled the table and brought it into the diy lab. I made a fine tune to the alignment under sufficient lighting and utilizing a magnifying glass. It was actually pretty close. I then adjusted the VTF to 1.75g (actually 1.72) feom1.95 ish. Rechecked everything else and took the table back to the listening room. I’m happy to report the distortion is gone and I am getting very clear sound! I am planning on experimenting a little with the vtf to get a better sense of the true range of this stylus, and see if any more improvement can be had. This has been a good learning experience for me. Apparently great sound from vinyl does not come easy. Or cheap. It appears to be worth it though.