Podcast #1072: Tips to Clean Your Record Needle to Improve Your Experience

This week we spotlight some huge “desktop” speakers from Monoprice and take a look at why NFL fans want Youtube or Amazon Prime to pick up Sunday Ticket. We also give you some tips to keep your turntable in tip top shape. All that plus your emails and the week’s news. News: This Year’s Cheap Mini-LED 4K TVs Are A Dream Deal, Except For One Problem Broadcast And Cable TV Viewing Didn’t Equal Streaming in September TiVo is making its case as a smart TV platform Other: Toronto audiofest Monolith by Monoprice MTM-100 100 Watt Bluetooth Powered Desktop Speakers Product spotlight  The Monolith™ MTM Desktop Speakers (MSRP $499.99 direct from Monoprice) deliver stunning audiophile performance for your desktop! These speakers feature an accurate frequency response, exceptional sonic clarity, punchy, powerful bass, and present a spacious, and musical soundstage. Set up is a breeze: Connect easily through analog RCA and 3.5mm inputs or through the optical or USB digital inputs. Pair your device wirelessly using the Bluetooth® with Qualcomm® aptX™ HD Audio for high quality, CD audio level Bluetooth performance. A headphone jack adorns the front, allowing you to easily switch between the speakers and headphones. The Monolith MTM powered speakers are a perfect, great sounding addition to a home office, gaming, or bedroom system. 50 Watts per Speaker Flat Frequency Response (50Hz ~ 20kHz) Dual 4" Woofers per Speaker 1" Silk Dome Tweeter 5.25" Passive Radiator 45Hz-20Khz Frequency Response +/- 3db Bluetooth 5 with aptX HD Toslink Optical Input USB-C Input RCA & 3.5mm Inputs Subwoofer Output Front Headphone Jack Remote Control Dimensions (each) 6.3" x 14.0" x 7.9" (160 x 355 x 200 mm) Survey: Fans Hope YouTube or Amazon Win the NFL Sunday Ticket Bidding War Nearly two-thirds of NFL fans said they are most likely to subscribe to Sunday Ticket if it lands on either YouTube or Amazon Prime Video, according to a survey by The Streamable Full article… How to Clean a Record Needle for Perfect Playback We have talked about listening to music on vinyl lately and this prompted long time listener Stan  to send in an article about cleaning your record needle for perfect playback. And with the Holliday’s quickly approaching some of you may be thinking about buying a turntable for yourself as a present. So if you currently own a turntable or are thinking of buying one, we  thought this may be of help to you. The following was taken from the Pro-Ject website.     How a Dirty Turntable Stylus Impacts Sound Quality  Clean record player needles help prevent playback issues. When dust interferes with the stylus reading the record grooves properly, you will hear a slight scratching or  popping sound when you play the records. If you hear these sounds, it’s time to inspect your record player’s stylus to see if there is any visible build-up that’s removable.  When a stylus is dirty, you are more likely to hear the needle jump as it navigates the turntable. This is referred to as record skipping, and it can affect the sound of the music.  Dust and grime will also cause additional wear on the stylus tip, which will be heard as you play your music. If you don’t keep your stylus clean, it will wear down more quickly. In effect, a clean stylus will help you save money because you won’t need to replace it as often.  Tips to Follow when Cleaning a Turntable Needle Cleaning a record needle should be done once a week. If listening to records is somewhat infrequent, you will be able to clean the needle every other week instead.  Most record player needles last for about 1,000 hours, so the first time you hear static during playback, it most likely only needs to be cleaned. When using a brush to clean the tip of the stylus, make sure that you brush in the direction that the record spins. This helps to ensure that the cantilever is not damaged during the cleaning. Even if your stylus looks clean, before playing a record, whether it’s new or used, use an anti-static record brush to ensure no dust is hidden in the grooves that will transfer to the needle. When cleaning your stylus, use a cleaning solution to get a deeper clean when using a stylus brush. If you are uncomfortable using a stylus cleaning brush on the tip of the stylus, try using a stylus cleaning gel pad. This method may cost more, but it’s an option that many feel is    less abrasive than the brush bristles.  You may have also read forums about cleaning record needles with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. To start, gently place a small piece of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on the platter. These sponges can be purchased at any hardware store. It needs to be an all white pad because the blue ones are a bit more abrasive and could cause unwanted damage. Lower the tonearm down to touch the pad, and then raise it back up. Do this process about two to three times or until the debris is removed. Vinyl Records Cleaning and Proper Storage Helps Even if you clean your stylus every time you use your record player, there is a good chance that dust will transfer from your records unless you have clean vinyl as well. Cleaning records revitalizes them and gives you better sound during playback. We’ll discuss cleaning records next week.