Getting Better Sound From Your Vinyl Records..... For Free!

[Intelsucks]

I've been reading audiophile magazines for well over 20 years, and I've never seen this mentioned even once in any of them... Yet, I run into this problem quite often...

You place the record on the turntable platter, lower the stylus into the groove, and the damn tonearm sways from side to side because the spindle hole is not exactly in the center of the record.:mad:

This happens with old vinyl, new vinyl, domestic, import, you name it. About the only ones I can think of that never have this problem are the audiophile 180-200 gram pressings, and Japanese pressings (the finest in the world). Things get really interesting when one side is fine as is, and the opposite side of the record is off-center after you turn it over. The 13th Floor Elevators record I was listening to last night was just fine on side A, but side B was way off center.

In order to fix it, find a visual reference on the record label that is in line with the point where the grooves drift to the outer-most point as the record rotates. The more beers you've had, the more difficult this can be.;-) Remember where that reference point on the label is, take the record off the turntable, and etch away tiny bits of the vinyl with a pocket-knife on the same side of the center hole as your label reference point. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERDO IT! You may have to do it twice, or three times before you get it exactly right.

Once you've finished, you should be able to tap the edge of the record, and push the newly etched edge of the center hole up against the spindle, and the grooves will no longer drift from side to side.


I have no idea why I wrote this... I guess I'm really bored.

[nuxvomica]

1. Absolutely fascinating

I will never do this but I appreciate that you took the time to actually write this out. ;-)

[a_random_joel]

2. I'm a DJ

I've never had exactly that problem.

But we like "tight" records (sometimes the spindle hole is too big) which helps keep the needle from jumping, especially during scratching and stuff.

The easy solution is a sticker or tape placed over the spindle hole on the opposite side of the side you want to play. You just punch the spindle through the sticker, and that gernerates enough tightness to keep the record where you want it. Best part, it's cheap, and you can do it over and over again if you have to.

[Intelsucks]

3. Never heard that one... Great idea!

n/t

[INTELBYTES]

4. If you want great music sound, here's a neat trick!

Buy CD's! There much higher quality than those old petroleum by-product fossils!

[Intelsucks]

5. Didn't you forget to say that Pebbles and Bam Bam want their stereo back?

n/t

[INTELBYTES]

6. Sorry, but vinyl went out with the beatles.

Time for you to move into the new millenium.

[a_random_joel]

7. Wrong!

Vinyl has made a very popular upsurge in "the new millenium."

[Intelsucks]

11. Yes. They're going re-issue crazy these days.

There is a ton of stuff coming out on remastered, re-issued thick vinyl all the time. People who don't buy vinyl would probably be surprised to see how much stuff is still released on vinyl today.

They all think vinyl is "dead". Vinyl is very much alive.

[MadHound]

9. Sorry, but there's lots of stuff on vinyl that youcan't get on CDs

Something I've noticed over the years is that when the recording industry switched from vinyl to CD, they took that oppurtunity to delete a lot of "contreversial", odd, and just plain different stuff from their libraries. An example; how many of you ever heard of the stoner humor albumn called "A Childs' Garden of Grass"? Great funny stuff, but I have yet to see it on CD. Same with Nina Hagen, Lene Lovich, Frankie Eldorado, The Fabulous Poodles, and on and on. And although CDs have become much more improved in the past twenty years, albumns still have that warm, analog, real music feel. CDs, especially older ones can still come across as stilted, digital and cold.

That being said, I am transferring all of my vinyl onto CD. You really should play that old vinyl only when neccessary, they're not going to make any more. My vinyl collection is an investment thirty five years in the making, and I'm going to protect it.

Speaking of new millenium, you want to know what the state of the art is in electronics? Hybrid digital/vacumn tube amps, recievers, equalizers, etc. Pretty cool eh? Perhaps if I keep my old radios around long enough they'll come back into style.

[no name no slogan]

8. Vinyl sucks-- stick with 8-track, you'll never go wrong

I'm kidding of course!!!!

Yeah, I've got several piles of vinyl in my attic, too. That's some very cool advice, and I'll certainly put it to good use-- once I get some $$ together and get a turntable worth using.

[Demonaut]

10. speaking of vinyl, the artwork is worth hanging

Just got the special edition Sgt Peppers album, the one that came out in 1978 that has the Beatles on the vinyl, should look good on my wall