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Topic: To get into vinyl, or not? (Read 38097 times) previous topic - next topic
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To get into vinyl, or not?

Reply #50
I have an idea, instead of bickering at each other; how about everyone turns this into positive efforts of finding the best quality brush, for the best price! 
..because I would like to get a brush.

OK, good idea. I have personally experienced a sample of two. The Decca was no good: it shed fibres. The Goldring (seemingly identical in appearance to Engelestaaub's and the Audioquest one previously mentioned) has been fine for over 20 years.

We might perhaps conclude that you should go for the type with the pivoted flange. But I see on the UK Amazon site a review of the Milty brush which says it sheds fibres - and it again looks exactly like my Goldring.

So it seems that it could be a matter of pot luck. Perhaps that Decca brush I had was just a bad sample and there was no inherent design flaw. Not much help to people looking to buy a brush, of course. I reckon you will just have to buy one that's reasonably priced and hope for the best. It may be a good idea to buy one with a well-known brand name rather than a generic one, since they might have better sample quality control (even if the basic design is the same).

To get into vinyl, or not?

Reply #51
Mine has a plastic flange, so I would actually prefer your Goldring by virtue of the materials it was constructed with

I believe as long as one pays a modicum of extra attention, any such fibres should be noticed. Perhaps I've made a bigger deal of it then what it would be in reality. I've never noticed more than one occurrence in my own personal usage. I'm guessing that carbon fibres would not cling to a vinyl surface. Perhaps simply shaking the record would get one off rather quickly? They certainly should be less problematic than lint or other unwanted foreign matter, or else (I admittedly assume) they would use a different material for the bristles of a record brush.
The Loudness War is over. Now it's a hopeless occupation.

To get into vinyl, or not?

Reply #52
I've had two Goldrings, bought from the same shop, both now over 20 years old. They looked identical, but the earlier one had much softer outer fibres. The later one had harder fibres - these would visible mark an LP if dragged across it in the wrong direction. But I'd wrecked the older one by trying to wash the fibres, after unfortunately using it to clean (what turned out to be) a greasy record.

Cheers,
David.

To get into vinyl, or not?

Reply #53
One thing that might be worth mentioning is that many techno records are solely released on vinyl... never mind the audio quality debate.

To get into vinyl, or not?

Reply #54
I have one of those with plastic pivoting flange (no brand) bought some 25 years ago and still in good conditions (used daily for about 15 years) and I remember the difference in cleaning ability with the velvet one I used before was quite remarkable. Never noticed shedded fibers.
I also remember back in the day they sold a version with a thin cable attached to the metal handler, intended to be connected to amp ground pin to discharge static from record surface.

By the way: what about those little brushes meant to clean the stylus from dust and other debris? I have one also, but resorted to use only very seldom (and very weakly).
... I live by long distance.

To get into vinyl, or not?

Reply #55
...

By the way: what about those little brushes meant to clean the stylus from dust and other debris? I have one also, but resorted to use only very seldom (and very weakly).


Mine looks like an eyelash brush and I refill the bottle with 91% isopropyl alcohol. I use it gently after I play each record. Perhaps that is too often and a bit hard on the stylus? I'm not certain.
The Loudness War is over. Now it's a hopeless occupation.

To get into vinyl, or not?

Reply #56
I use it gently after I play each record. Perhaps that is too often and a bit hard on the stylus? I'm not certain.

Cleaning a stylus with isopropanol should be perfectly safe, when you consider that Linn used to recommend sandpaper!!!
Honestly, I'm not kidding. You could buy expensive green stuff from them and the technique was to gently drag it from back to front each side of the stylus. As far as I could make out, their green stuff was something like 1000 grit wet-and-dry.

To get into vinyl, or not?

Reply #57
I use it gently after I play each record. Perhaps that is too often and a bit hard on the stylus? I'm not certain.

Cleaning a stylus with isopropanol should be perfectly safe, when you consider that Linn used to recommend sandpaper!!!
Honestly, I'm not kidding. You could buy expensive green stuff from them and the technique was to gently drag it from back to front each side of the stylus. As far as I could make out, their green stuff was something like 1000 grit wet-and-dry.


Thanks for the advice, cliveb.

I would like you to know that, based on your many unbiased contributions here and elsewhere, I greatly respect and appreciate your point of view regarding vinyl and audio in general. In fact, more so than anyone I know personally/offline.
The Loudness War is over. Now it's a hopeless occupation.