Caring for your Vinyl!

The vinyl record has surprisingly made a comeback in select listening circles in recent times. Fans don’t seem to hesitate to do research on vinyl, and sales are on the rise in this domain. For the uninitiated, vinyl records are the most stable physical sound recording format, developed till date, you may debate it! Unlike tapes and CDs, they can last for 100 years in a controlled environment!

- ANSHUMAN GHOSH

Despite being one of the most durable physical music formats around, neglect a vinyl collection, and you risk introducing surface noise, scratches, even warping. With these perils in mind, let me outline how to store a vinyl record collection properly, ensuring your vinyl has a long lifespan.

STORING RECORDS

Which would be the best ways to store vinyl, when not playing? Ideally, its best to avoid extreme temperatures and humidity. Avoid warping the record. Warping bends the record out of shape, which often renders the vinyl, unplayable! There are methods of unwarping, prevention is always the best cure, so keep them away from direct sunlight and high temperature.

Another way your records can warp is by stacking them, so store them horizontally. Compared to other formats, vinyls are pretty heavy, so the weight and pressure will eventually warp them over time. The more vertical the record stands the better. While on the subject of weight, you’ll want to make sure whatever they’re standing on is sturdy.

An average 12” record can weigh somewhere between 140 and 220 grams, bear this in mind as the collection grows. There’s plenty of specialist units and storage racks you can get for storing your vinyl too.

HANDLING VINYL

So we’re stating the obvious here, but seriously, be nice to your vinyl! Always handle them at the edges or by the inner label marking at the center. Much like how it’s sacrilege to touch the data side of the CD, the same applies to the vinyl. When you touch the playing surface you’ll transfer oils from your skin into the grooves, which will attract dust to settle and affect the sound quality. You’re also running the risk of scratching the grooves with your fingernails.