Top Vinyl Accessories Every Record Enthusiast Should Own

[@pnichols6500]

Get a strong LCD turntable light (ikea) and you will be astounded how much more dust is actually on there, and how much you are missing. Then you'll ask what all the little lines are, they are hairs from your carbon fiber brush, put it in a drawer and give to a friend you don't like. Use a Giotto blower (squeeze bulb blower) to remove the big dust and lint, then use the felt pad a few revolutions, and a lens brush (camel hair makeup type) and blower for any remaining specks.

[@peterrech2307]

Ultrasonic stylys cleaner units are best for stylus cleaning. Best was the AT-637 unit, Flux of Germany make a good one but very expensive here in Australia. Hudson HiFi also have a Chinese made ultrasonic stylus cleaner which works well. The advantage of the ultrasonic units is that they leave no gunk on the stylus. I use the AT-637 unit which has worked faultlessly for 20 yrs.

[@tommywingate2220]

I love a comprehensive video that makes me feel as if watching 2 more videos isn’t necessary. Thank you subscribed.

[@sarahneedham]

I have most of those items in my toolkit 😌. I do however feel like the only person on the planet who does not bother with the pvc type sleeves. My vinyl has always been naked and a lot is quite scuffed now after moving from place to place with me over 40 years. Maybe I should have done that from the start of my collecting days way back in the early 80's but I didn't really think about it then. Just cannot be bothered sorting it now so I go for the 'rustic' look haha.

[@soundmatters]

Great! Yes, each to their own. The external sleeves can be a bit of a pain. So long as you're enjoying the hobby, I say crack on! :) Thanks for watching

[@richardtaylor8363]

1st - a turntable amp and speakers, there are a lot of vinyl collectors that never play their records they just buy em and stash away

[@soundmatters]

I know... I don't really get that. But hey, I guess they're nice items and not everyone love the vinyl format as much as you or I

[@jfs70ss]

Great Video, made me consider buying some of the products you mentioned. 62 yo Baby Boomer from the SF Bay Area Cali. Peace..!! NEW SUB

[@soundmatters]

Thanks for watching for subscribing! Glad you liked the overview. Happy spinning!

[@wetherby6774]

Lots of great ideas and fine products, though they might be different over here in the States. Good video, thanks for the talk!

[@soundmatters]

Thankfully, all of these are available in the US :) - happy spinning

[@xyanide1986]

The tracking force is a tricky one. I bought an analog balancing scale for it, but it's only so accurate around 2gr of force. If I adjust between 1.5 and 2.5gr it doesn't topple the weight that much.

[@utube4andydent]

Some great tips. My tip is to clean the electrical contacts in the head shell contacts if you have a detachable head shell. A good quality switch cleaner is good dry with a cotton wool ear bud. These contacts can tarnish if not gold plated. Cleaning can really improves audio quality I suggest cleaning when replacing styli.

[@soundmatters]

Great tip! - thanks for adding that

[@tonywilbanks3541]

Enjoy your informative videos! How about that round (colorful) cloth that you place your vinyl on for cleaning?

[@soundmatters]

Thanks Tony. The cloth is part of the GrooveWasher Mondo Cleaning Bundle

[@leon9021]

Record Brushes are superfluous to me, I use a rocket air blaster, no contact needed. Stylus brushes are essential however, with occasional fluid that the manufacturer recommends. I do not recommend the Zerodust since as you said its been under lots of critique recently, normal blue tack will do fine and is much cheaper. As for record cleaning fluids, Id recommend just leaving the records as they are until one can get an RCM or at least a spin clean type device instead of just rubbing fluid over the records.

[@MrDraven37]

I have about half or two third’s of the items featured.. have a cork mat on the way to try that out. But there is a bit of ‘how much $$$ can we wring out of these vinyl lovers’ with these ‘accessories’. Over here in Australia you see some companies asking over $100 for ‘special’ wooden record dividers.. it’s crazy! Glad I don’t use dividers at all.

[@peterrech2307]

All of the gel stylus cleaners and gel record cleaners use the same base compound. This compound will leave residues on records and build up a hard surface on your stylus. If using CyberClean type product on any surface including records, I recommend you wear silicone food grade gloves because if you use the goop with bare hands you will find your hands very dry when finished...... where did your skin oil go,.....into the goop and onto the record leaving oily residue. Best option, in my opinion, is not to use them.

[@soundmatters]

Yea, I certainly wouldn't use one on my records

[@johnholmes912]

that is not my experience, cyberclean has salvaged previously unplayable records

[@peterrech2307]

@@johnholmes912 I am pleased for you that it has worked for you without problems.

[@peterrech2307]

ZeroStat units work well when they work. I have found that the new blue ones, made in China to be expensive and unreliable. Three units lasted no more than a month each. Bought some Electronic candle lighters from Amazon for 15aud (ZeroStat are well over 150+aud in Australia), my candle lighter works as well as ZeroStat and has worked faultlessly for past 8 months. At 15aud, its a bargain.

[@soundmatters]

Interesting. I wonder if they're having consistency issues. I bought mine a few years back now. When did you first notice the issues?

[@peterrech2307]

@@soundmatters I bought my original red unit, UK made about 30 yrs ago worked perfectly until this time last year when a05KG oaf (me) stepped on it and destroyed it. Bought new one in April last year it worked for two weeks then stopped, sent back to store, gave me new one, within one week it failed, took it back, showed store owner how i used it, he said that's how it works, he replaced it (I am a regular vinyl customer there, I buy about 50 LOPs per week from him) he gave me new one, I told him to use it as per normal, it stopped working. I got refund and bought more records. Went home, pulled apart the broken one, als0 pulled apart a new electronic candle lighter and found internals were similar. Put it back together went back to store and tested it against a red and blue Zerostat and found they put out same amount of ions . using the candle lighter now. spoke to the store owner and he has had a number of other zerostats returned. we came to conclusion maybe it was bad batch. who knows.

[@plasticsoundwavecult]

I noticed that you didn’t run the carbon brush over the spindle. The reason why there are two rows of brushes is to run the center area over the spindle. This completes the circuit connecting the turntable to the person and grounds out to the floor. This also cause the the dust to leave the record and be attracted to the brush. Since vinyl is not a very good conductor, not touching the metal spindle doesn’t ground out the charge nearly as well. Now I get that you had record weight on there, so there you just gently touch the outside (if it’s metal) of the weight with the metal part of the brush. Very informative video. A pleasure to watch.

[@marcelmischeaux2099]

No matter how many records you want to show off always buy the frames for them or make them yourself. Myself I would never hang them on the walls without protection. I do protect them in frames but I would not place them on any wall in my house. So where would I show them off? Send a comment and I will explain - thanks (from 976-CREOLEMAN).

[@markmalasics3413]

Wait a minute..WAIT A MINUTE!!!! 5:55 A record weight "basically tightens up and focuses the sound."???? LOL, people will believe ANYTHING!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 And that's not all!! LOL...THEN he tells us, completely with a straight face, that because of his LED lamp over the turntable he can "see more clearly." WHoooooaaa, I had NO idea. 🤣😅😆😄 9:40 THEN we have to balance the tone arm to make sure it's tracking force is 2.62 grams and NOT 2.63 because that will ruin the record and cause all kinds of distortion and terrible listening conditions. 😛😛😛 Coming up towards the end we are now told we need a "now playing" so we don't forget WTF piece of vinyl is playing, because identifying it by it's unique and distinctive audio sound is never good enough. 🙃🙂🙃🙂🙃 Then finally, the magnetic record frames that hold the album covers to the wall, with or without disc, just like magic. Yes indeed, you need EVERY ONE of these incredible items to make your rap and hip hop distortion listening session even more enjoyable.

[@jeffspicoli6172]

You should use #2 on your hair, wow! I thought I had bad hair in the 80's.