14 Tips for Maintaining Vinyl LPs
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Here you will find 14 important tips to maintain your vinyl properly! For tips on cleaning LPs: See here
- Always place your turntable on a firm surface. Not near a heat source or in direct sunlight.
- Make sure the turntable is completely horizontal. Adjustable feet are available for this purpose.
- The platter must not show any upward or downward deviation during rotation and the speed must be completely uniform (33 1/3 or 45 RPM)
- Stereo LPs can only be played with stereo needles. If you don't, you risk damaging your LPs.
- The needle force should not exceed 2.0 grams (elliptical needles) or 3.0 grams (conical needles)
- A diamond needle is more expensive, but much better for your LPs! They also last much longer (1500-2000 hours)
- Do not play LPs with a worn or damaged needle, this is fatal for the grooves.
- Protect your records from heat from all possible heat sources. Sun, heater, radiator, amplifiers etc....
- Always store your LPs vertically! If you store them flat in a big pile, you run the risk of them warping.
- Be careful not to put your fingers on the grooves.
- Before playing, clean the record with a record brush!
- Clean your very dirty records with a Knosti Record Washer (recommended)
- Clean your needle regularly (for example with this)
- LPs are best protected in a plastic-lined inner sleeve