Vinyl foibles

I haven't learned how to use my static gun. I have an anti-static brush I used when I put a record on, It also sweeps off dust. I don't know if I really hear static coming through my speakers. I don't really know what to listen for.

I haven't found that static is audible, generally.  The main problem with it is that it attracts dust to a record.  I use Zerostat guns and have always found them quite effective, but the humidity in my home is about 50%; maybe they don't work as well in lower-humidity rooms.  It is necessary to zap the record before and after play, even when flipping to the other side.  I suspect the friction from the stylus induces static on the record.  I have also reduced static by cutting inner sleeves on two sides so they open like a book, reducing the sliding of the record, which generates static.  LAST record preservative also seems to reduce static some, especially the older formulations; I'm not so sure about the current formulation.

I second others' advice to clean records before playing, even new ones.  They have mold-releasing compound on them which can supposedly reduce sound quality, and which can be cleaned off with certain cleaning products.  I don't know if an US machine does that; I use a vacuum RCM.

@drmuso 

I'll use the Zerostat gun before playing records. Cleaning, on the other hand, takes about five minute on the shortest Degritter cycle. I work while I listen and want to move along with my work, so I won't clean with the Degritter, although I bruch the record. I always clean new records before playing. Again, when I was using Audionet's PAM 2 and only had the turntable grounded to it, rather than also grounding the PAM 2 to my Venom power supply, static became so bad the stylus was skipping tracks. Something about the Audionet, although it sounded brilliant, built up static. 

Another of the endless topics about vinyl, what kinds of interconnects do you folks use from your turtable to your phono preamp? I picked up a pair for a few hundred dollars many years ago. My VPI Fat Boy tone arm is wired with Nordost and I wonder if I'm defeating VPI's purpose by having inexpensive interconnects. Although, I never have blown the budget on interconnects and speaker cables. Mid-level Audioquest is my speed.

"I wonder if I'm defeating VPI's purpose by having inexpensive interconnects.'

If you're satisfied with SQ-No. But you won't hear the difference unless tried. 

You want to be audio neurotic- a used Nordost Frey/Heimdall can be found for "reasonable" cost. That's how I've been able to go  Nordost wall to speaker. Frey on my VPI.

I tried the Nordost Heimdall and had insurmountable poor-grounding hum.  The Heimdall did provide high-frequency response that was comparable to high-quality digital sources.  I borrowed a few cables from the Cable Co. and wound up keeping the moderate-cost DH Labs Silver Sonic.  It didn't match the high-frequency response of digital, but it was quiet.  So now I have the choice of digital sources with the extended high frequencies or analog with a more rolled-off and pleasant sound (and closer to what live music sounds like; microphones and mic techniques used in recording can exaggerate high frequencies beyond what live music sounds like).