atypical POPs on vinyl -confused-

lately I keep getting a lot of annoying popping while listening to records. it's not the regular 'pop and hiss' sounds- it's much more pronounced and happens randomly throughout the record (ie, when I spin a part back to where I just heard it, it won't be there anymore).

anyone know what the deal is? I checked the cartridge and connection to the tonearm and the needle seems to be fine. what gives?

static electricity maybe? are you rubbing your records with a cloth or something before playing them?

and is your turntable properly grounded?

@crossings: do you know how to get rid of it? some of my records are electrostatically charged.

peace

i'm no pro at this... but this article here might help:

http://www.squidoo.com/VinylRecordsAndStatic

ah, maybe it's this cloth I'm using...
I'll have a look at that article. thanks

Also bad connection with the speaker and amp.

I learned back in high school that you can discharge static on vinyl by running water on it and playing it wet or spray bottled water. I remember certain DJs used to lick the needles as well, never knew why but I guess to discharge the static.

Does it only happen with your vinyl, or is it the MPC maybe? My 2500 has static noise at the stereo outputs that occurs randomly. Just guessing tho...

it only happens with the vinyl- no MPC issues.

Ill-Green, I don't even have any speakers- just my headphones plugged into the mixer. I really think the issue now is just with the cloth I've been using. maybe wiping the records down with a damp towel or getting some of that speciality vinyl cleaner is what I need to to do.

Don't wear polyester pants while playing records.

Brother crossings beat me to it but here you go...Can Vinyl Records Last Forever?:

Cleaning and maintaining vinyl records

The most important aspect of owning and playing vinyl records is to keep the records clean. Due to the chemical nature of vinyl, they attract dust and dirt. This is caused by vinyl's tendency to build up static electrical charges which attract small particles of dust which land in the grooves. These particles will cause "pops" and "clicks" as the record plays.

The cleaning of records should be performed before and after playing. This will ensure the best possible playback, and also prepares the record for "dust free" storage. It's highly recommended that a record collector have on hand some sort of carbon fiber brush (there are many varieties of brushes available). Carbon fibers are used to help disrupt static buildup while brushing relies on the vibration of the almost microscopic carbon fibers to clean the grooves and remove dust and dirt. It's recommended that the turntable be running while brushing rather than holding the record in your hands because this will result in a smoother, more consistent cleaning motion.

Some people get so intensely careful about cleaning their vinyl records, they often forget about keeping the needle clean. Since the needle is constantly tracking in the groove of the records, it attracts large amounts of dirt and dust particles and must be cleaned. When not properly maintained, the needle may not vibrate fully and may not rest in the bottom of the record groove; resulting in decreased sound quality and other audio problems. Needle maintenance supplies are easily obtained, for instance, the aforementioned BagsUnlimited.com sells an inexpensive "Stylus Care System" which includes a special cleaning fluid and a dense nylon brush to maintain a clean needle.

Obviously the turntable surface should be kept clean of dust and static. Most newer turntables come equipped with a rubber or antistatic felt surface. A great way to clean both the needle and the turntable area and also keep the carbon fiber brush clean is with condensed air in a can, which is available at any electronics retailer; just spray the area before and after playing your records for a continued dust free environment for your audio treasures. Taking this one step further, BagsUnlimited has in stock a unique antistatic solution, as Dave Street explains:

"We carry a portable antistatic, ionizing air gun to use with the condensed air dust remover and it will significantly boost the ability of canned air to remove dust from static-prone areas. This ionizing gun effectively neutralizes static charges in vinyl, plastics, glass, films, Mylar and other items that hold static charges by creating a flow of ions that neutralizes static charges and releases clinging dust. The gun easily snaps onto any type of nonflammable canned air," explained Street.

There are many cleaning solutions that can be used to 'wet' wash a record and it really is a matter of personal preference as to which one to employ. In the old days, when record were made of shellac, they could be cleaned with a mild solution of regular soap and water (always use distilled water as tap water often contains too many contaminants) and this was the preferred way to maintain the old 78 rpm records. Never use the new cleaning solutions on 78's because they are alcohol-based and can dissolve shellac recordings and will ruin these types of records.

Speaking with Dave Street again, they sell several kits of various sizes to help keep record clean. "We recommend the 'Groovy Record Cleaning Kit' and each kit comes with micro bristled cleaning brush; cotton cleaning cloth, various sized bottles of GROOVY Cleaning Fluid which is Bags Unlimited's own Record Cleaning Fluid, and is specially formulated for its deep cleaning, antistatic, residue-free properties."

It's also recommend not storing the vinyl inside the record cover but instead slip the vinyl (protected by the inner sleeve) behind the cover with both protected by the outer sleeve, because storing the vinyl inside the cover may eventually create seam and/or spine splits. Over time the weight of the record could possibly cut through the binding.

The reward

This article was not written to exemplify how hard it is to maintain vinyl records; on the contrary, these are very simple tasks and often become mundane and second nature after time. But the reward is so great-the preservation of your prized collection and the coupdeville- the best possible sound reproduction that is humanly possible. With proper care and diligence, these historic audio treasures will last a lifetime or two, giving vinyl record owners many hours of listening bliss.