Playable LPs

I rarely encounter records used or reissues that I ever have issues with noise or poor sound quality. All the vendors I deal with will immediately accept a return for replacement or just send me a replacement disc with no exceptions asked. Likewise with all the brick-and-mortar establishments I deal with whether the record is new or used. New unsealed usually only require a light dusting and a pass with a silicon roller to play perfectly and maybe a new inner sleeve if the one it came in was a paper or printed one.

Used records get a pass through the Spin Clean following the manufactures instructions to the letter and using the cleaning solution with distilled water and the cotton rags that come with the product and 99% of the time that's all they need other than a dust and silicon roller before play. I also use LAST liquid stylus cleaner and their carbon fiber stylus brush before every record played.

I believe this is all compounded by the fact that I have exceptional playback equipment and use cartridges that use fine line or Microline stylus geometry and that I keep them clean. I would like to find a quieter copy of The Carpenter's A Song for You though, which I'm currently pursuing.

Hah! I posted about this about a month ago. I stated that the 7k invested in a turntable and artridge, phono pre amp was not worth the mediocre and unpredictable quality of the ever expensive records I invested another $1500 in at at least $30 per album. And now it seems vinyl’s average price is approaching $35 easily- for no reason other than a price gouge imo. If I have 50 carefully researched and purchased 180 gram supposedily "audiophile" recordings, I estimate that only 15 are truly really good and the rest range from crappy sounding to just ok. I continue to stream- endless music, instantly change songs/artists, no cleaning, prepping, changing sides, no static, no pit in my stomach after opening a new $35 album and hearing the first song and regretting the purchase. 

I have around 3k vinyl, virtually all are playable, minor surface noise has never been a bother for me. Virtually all my vinyl purchased in 1980's through early 2000's, many used from record stores, record shows others gifted to me. Mistracked vinyl is what bothers, usually this on inner tracks and due to albums having been played on inferior or misadjusted turntable setups.  Generally, speaking, I was nearly always able to get rid of much surface noise with thorough cleaning with specialty vinyl cleaning products and VPI record cleaners.

They say video killed the radio star, streams and cd rips killed the vinyl in my case.

Which brings us to today, I can't recall last time I listened to vinyl with my wonderful vinyl setup. I have probably 500 albums in my listening room, these are the albums with my favorite music or most likely to be played, the other 2.5k are stored in closets all over the house. Funny thing is my entire vinyl setup at the ready, and yet I don't play albums, seems ridiculous when I write this down!  Logic would dictate I sell off the entire collection and equipment, yet it remains. I suppose nostalgia has a large roll in my reticence to sell, I love looking at my albums and vinyl equipment, guess I'm a hoarder to some extent. Determining fair value for my albums is always an impediment as well, in  going through a small sample I've found some hot stampers, worth far more than your typical later generation stampings, how many hot stampers I have is a mystery that won't be solved till I go through entire collection. 

Wh

I've never had more than 1000 or so at a time. I cull frequently. I'd say most.

over 3000 records, all in nice inner and outer sleeves, all gone through a 3 step cleaning including a US bath. 

Since upgrading my table, also getting a micro line stylus, there is almost 0 surface noise. Of course some thing sound better on vinyl over streaming, and some streams sound better. 

In my collection, there is around 1000 records that sound incredible,  1800 ones that sound good, a few hundred that are just ok. Maybe 3-4 that are just bad. Just picked up a new reissue of BB King with jimmy Hendrix, was so excited for it!! Sounds like someone had a cheap cassette recorder next to a cheap handheld radio. It's so bad! 

Lately have been listening to vinyl less, buying much less as cost are going through the roof. When I want to chill, listen to some loved tunes, it's always vinyl.