What am I doing wrong?

[Zaimejs]

The past couple of brand new records I've purchased have been scratchy. I have a carbon fiber brush for dust. They are otherwise clean and fresh from the package. But they are scratchier sounding than albums I've purchased used from the 70s.

Is it me or is it something in the new processing of vinyl that prescratches them for me?

Help!!!

[Cabbage Patch Elvis]

Are you wet-cleaning them before play? A lot of folks here would recommend that. You'd be surprised at how dirty a "new" record can be.

[Zaimejs]

I ran the duster. I did wet clean the first one, and it didn't help with the minor static. I took the 2nd one back.. and the record store people argued with me before they finally gave me store credit.

I will try the wet cleaning again, but man... just so bad.

[Alec124c41]

I have bought new records (in the last few years) that had scuff/scratches right out of the package. If i can hear them, back they go.

Cheers,
Alec

[hezagenius]

How are you drying the records after wet cleaning them? When I first started wet cleaning, I had a lot of static issues. I realized that I was over-drying them with a microfiber cloth and was adding static back to the record. They were clean but still static-y.

[Cabbage Patch Elvis]

I typically use a clean microfiber cloth, but I don't think I get the static issues that you do, but I always use a carbon fiber brush prior to playback, which is supposed to address static issues.

[Audio_Man]

Simple they are faulty so return them to the seller and complain. New vinyl does benefit from cleaning (with an RCM) but it should sound clean out of the sleeve.