How fragile is a vinyl record?

How fragile is a vinyl record?

Vinyl records are not incredibly fragile to break into pieces however, they are quite easy to damage. Make sure to take proper care of your records by handling and storing them carefully as well as cleaning them on a regular basis.

Does touching a vinyl record damage it?

If you touch the record’s surface, you increase the risk of getting dirt on the record and damaging it unnecessarily. To avoid these risks, some vinyl enthusiasts will protect the record’s sound quality by using cotton gloves that protect the records from fingerprints.

Why is vinyl so delayed?

Marksberry added that the increase in demand for vinyl from the music-loving public now means that “the capacity has reached breaking point”, with many factories either unable to increase their capacity or unwilling to until they “know that this is a long term trend and not a bubble,” especially with increasing staff.

Is it bad to leave the needle on a record?

Most of them involve damaging the record, the player, or the stylus/needle. You should certainly not leave a vinyl record on your record player for long periods of time unless by accident. It is a good idea to make a habit of always putting the record back in its sleeve and putting it away after every use.

How many times can you play a vinyl record?

A well-cared for record can be played more than 100 times, with only minor audible sound degradation. If carefully maintained the same disc could be played many hundreds of times in its lifetime. A record played on poorly set-up equipment can be destroyed in just one spin.

Is it bad to let a record spin?

Never place or pick up a vinyl record as the turntable platter is spinning. This will quickly scratch the underside of a record. Always wait for the platter to come to a complete stop before doing anything with the record.

How much does it cost to press 1 vinyl?

Rates usually depend on the length of the record per side. This can range from $150 – $230 per side ($300 – $460 per record) with the average being around $200 per side ($400 per record). We looked around at a few different pressing plants to get a ballpark figure of what a vinyl run costs.

How much does it cost to press 12 inch vinyl?

Item Price Quantity
12″ Master disc (per side) $ 55.00 2
12″ Reference disc (per project) $ 65.00 1
12″ Vinyl Master Disc Cutting (per side) $ 185.00 2
Metal Processing / Plating Electroplating transforms the master discs into metal stampers. Prices include materials and shipping.

How long will vinyl records last?

Your vinyl records can last anywhere from a year or two and up to well over 100 years. If you’re aiming for the latter, it really comes down to how well you care for your record collection.

Why is new vinyl so expensive?

A shortage of supply to make records, a diminished demand to press records due to high costs, and a frenzy of people buying records with little to no regard for the price. Sales of records online have never even been close to what they were in 2020 when they increased 30% in one year (this is unprecedented).

Why is there so much demand for vinyl records?

Demand for new vinyl records outstripping supply is a common theme when the topic of quality control rears its ugly head. And while some pressing plants are clearly better than others, there is a general feeling that many well-meaning pressing plants are running flat-out to meet demand.

Are there any vinyl records in perfect condition?

Some records are so rare a copy in perfect condition does not exist. Some records – especially early heavy vinyl (180-240gm) , can have a virtual skating rink of surface imperfections and still sound great, as the groove wall runs deeper than the scratched surface.

What causes fine scuffs on a vinyl record?

The presence of fine “hairlines”. These fine scuffs are very common, and are caused by records not being returned to their protective sleeves after play, rubbing against other materials. On a heavy pressing (180gm+) these will probably not sound, but on a thin record with a shallow groove cut, occasionally they do.

What causes a vinyl record to spin off center?

A record pressed off-center – meaning the spindle hole is not central to the grooves stamped on the vinyl – is perhaps the worst culprit of them all. This glaring pressing error will result in small speed discrepancies as the disc spin causing audible wow and flutter pitch drift.