Preserving And Perfecting Your Record Collection

In those stolen moments one can find to enjoy the clean, warm sound of a vinyl album, the crisp highs and thundering lows can transport a listener to a musical nirvana - and we're not talking about the band. And while those precious minutes are what music fanatics and audiophile the world over live for, are you getting the best sound possible from your vinyl collection? All it takes is a few simple steps to ensure you hear the music the way it was meant to be heard.

The key to preserving your vinyl album collection is to take the best possible care of your records by keeping your albums cleanly stored to avoid distortion. Your vinyl records should be kept vertical and in a stable, climate-controlled environment. Both will prevent warping from pressure and severe heat. Routine maintenance on your turntable is also recommended, including a thorough inspection of the weight and condition of the stylus. Staying aware of these apparently trifling conditions will keep your collection sounding like brand new vinyl records for many years to come.

In order to maintain the fidelity of new vinyl albums, it's particularly significant to thoroughly clean the albums. Although a lot of people will debate the best and most efficient means of cleaning your albums, all will agree that some form of cleaning is necessary in order for your records to sound the best they possibly can. Not taking care of your new vinyl albums and playing the records when they are dirty is one of the easiest ways to damage your precious collection.

While dusting is a need, take caution also: There are many materials that can cause damage to your new vinyl albums. This includes oils that can gather from fingerprints, air pollutants, grease, soot, and of course ordinary household dust. Dust is widely considered to be the most common source of damage to new vinyl albums. The dust can work its way into the grooves of your records and cause distortion in the sound of the rock vinyl or jazz vinyl, or any vinyl album. Dirty records will produce the irritating ticks and pops so common on abused older vinyl albums. Experts strongly recommend that you clean new vinyl albums before every play. To utilize a circular motion in the same direction as the grooves is the most effective way to clean an album.

Other cleaning methods include using a cleaning brush while you play your new vinyl album on your turntable. To buy vacuum machines is yet another method for a thorough cleaning.