Looking after vinyl in the Gulf

Keep records away from heat

Vinyl softens with heat, and a warped record rarely recovers. A car parked in the sun is among the quickest ways to ruin a record, so bring new ones straight indoors.

At home, keep your collection out of direct sun and away from anything that gives off heat, including amplifiers. A closed-up room can get very hot over the summer with the air conditioning off, so shelves on an inside wall are safer.

Keep the air steady

Air conditioning is a friend here, as long as it is steady. Records are happiest in a room that stays much the same, not one that swings from cold to hot every day.

Keep shelves and the turntable out of the direct path of a vent. A vent chills one spot more than the rest, and it pushes dust around the room.

Store them upright

Stand records upright, snug enough to support one another but loose enough to pull out easily. Leaning at an angle can bend them over time, and flat piles put heavy pressure on the records at the bottom.

Inner sleeves matter more than most people expect. Plain paper can scuff the surface and shed fibres, so many collectors use soft, anti-static sleeves instead.

Stay ahead of the dust

Fine dust finds its way into homes here, so close the dust cover when the turntable is idle. Hold records by the edge and label, because fingerprints leave oils that grip dust.

Before each play, give the record a light sweep with a carbon-fibre brush, following the grooves. When it needs more, use a fluid made for vinyl and a clean microfibre cloth, then let it dry fully before it goes back in its sleeve. Avoid household cleaners.

Look after the stylus and turntable

The stylus does the hard work and picks up whatever the record carries. Clean it gently with a small stylus brush, moving from back to front only. A worn stylus can damage grooves, so replace it when the maker advises.

Set the turntable on a level, solid surface, away from the speakers and from floors that flex when people walk past. A small spirit level will tell you in seconds.

If you would like to hear what a well set-up system can do, come and listen in our showroom.