Ask Mikey

Great info here.  I am having the same problem on my LP12.  The winters in Southern CA can be pretty dry.  However, I am suprised that it is still happening during our summer right now.  I will have to try some of these fixes.  

I have been having the problem here in Southern CA in the past week myself... will look into some of the options listed.

I have had pretty good luck using my old R2R bulk tape erasers on discs that seem to have a huge amount of static. I hold the disc well away from my tables and holding the disc at the ends swirl the eraser around the disc surface as close as I can without touching a few rounds and pull it away before turning off. I don't seem to  be hurting anything by using them. It does help. I don't do it every time I play one, though. 

I am convinced that some is in vinyl that is not 100% virgin and other are some groove wear.  I use a Spin Clean which helps quite a bit, I do plan to buy a VPI at some point. 

You might find the bulk erasers off Ebay or a thrift or pawn shop. My 2nd one I bought off Ebay for $8 plus shipping.  

I ran into a similar issue in foggy San Francisco.  Static pops that are very much louder than simple dust.  Vicious, in fact!  Scary loud!  I reasoned that the diamond, dragging along the vinyl, was creating a static charge.  So I attached a wire from the bearing sump on the turntable to the phono stage using the same screw that the tone arm ground wire attaches to.  This arrested the issue completely.  I can't say that the records always leave the table static free, but I can say that static pops are a thing of the past.

Looking at a triboelectric series makes me think that static buildup may not require a diamond to rub the vinyl.  It may be sufficient for the record to simply move though air!  See, http://www.siliconfareast.com/tribo_series.htm  Note the relative positions of air and vinyl.  

I use the Mobile Fidelity record sleeves too, they are great.

I haven't found static to be a huge problem, although the humidity in Zürich in winter goes through the floor. The hygrometer in my room starts edging toward 20%.

I've found washing the records, putting them in the MoFi sleeves seems to work fine.

Some modern HVAC systems (love love LOVE my Carrier Infinity) will report indoor humidity right on the thermostat control, and even permit adjustment of it irrespective of the temperature setting --- which should really be independant of whatever's going on outside, mostly. Right?

Meaning, your A/C removes moisture in the air by definition of its basic functionality, but it could be removing too much depending on how the system is designed and setup, causing a static electricity issue.

From my other post here you'll all notice this hasn't helped me, however. :)

I ‘m feeling very cheap, there is a bounce sheet (those drier anti-static things) between my platter and mat on my TNT 3. Poke a hole in the thing.  It works in the middle of a Canadian winter. It’s a dry cold.

Cheers!

All good advice.  I also live in Oklahoma.  Definitely hot and most definitely not humid ( we have been in a drought for a couple years).  One more thing that seems to help is to go barefoot and make sure you touch the arm or spindle to make sure you are discharged before touching the record.  Now Houston or Tampa thats hot and humid.

There is a brush made by Mapleshade that works wonders for eliminating sound degrading static.  I have used this product since it was first offered, and would not think of playing a record without it!  The brush uses very fine stainless steel bristles.  It is one of the softest brushes I've used.  It is grounded and does an amazing job of eliminating static on the record surface.

http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PHONO-BRU

I upgraded my VPI Scout platter to a Classic aluminum/steel platter.  Since then I have had LP static issues off and on until last weekend.  I always use a Zerostat to remove LP static build up prior to play.  The static built up, and related crackles/pops, occurred while I played the LP.  Last weekend I remembered the original Scout platter bearing collar had a hole drilled through it and a small screw inserted.  I think it was to there to provide additional help with grounding "hum" problems.  It also worked well in preventing LP static build up during play.

The Classic bearing collar does not have a ground screw.  I removed the bearing nut (only sounds painful) and washer, wrapped the exposed end of a ground wire around the portion of bearing below the plinth and re-attached the nut/washer.  I attached the other end of the ground wire to the ground screw on my amp.  I have not had static build up problems since. 

I have a VPI RCM which as you noted can create a lot of LP static.  My Zerostat usually takes care of that static problem.

I have two systems. The one upstairs has no static issue. The turntable in the second system in our as yet unfinished basement builds up trememdous static that discharges loudly during removal after play.... crazy static pops so loud I have to turn the volume down. Some records don't build up static at all - certain labels seem to use better vinyl formulations than others.

I have a dehumidifier set at 50-55% humidity running intermitently most days. On days when we'll be listening intently, I leave it off. The table is a Sumiko Perspective Anniversary Carbon. It's got an acrylic plinth and aluminum platter. The arm and bearing are not connected and the bearing is not grounded... I suspect so as not to diminish the sleek look of the clear acrylic base.

I've tried attaching a ground wire to the bearing...  there's very little area on which to attach an alligaor clip. I have not tried to ground the arm as yet.

Some of the static can likely be attributed to our ceiling being covered with plastic sheeting. I imagine that this might be midigated once we sheetrock.

Just FYI, running a wire to an outlet screw won't *necessarily* do anything. First, your house must be wired with ground (many older homes are not). So the outlet must be a 3 prong outlet, and the wiring must include a ground wire. Second, the ground wire must actually be grounded to the outlet (depending on who installed the outlet, this step is often missed.) It's easy to unscrew the outlet cover and see if the ground wire is present and actually attached.

RE: "What do you use to control static pops and clicks on your records?"

Has anybody mentioned the purchase of a CD and CDP ?
(Or am I too late to this party ?) lol

pj

(Oh, or you can consider, was it the SAE "Click & Pop Eliminator" from the early 1980's)

All kidding aside, I do enjoy analog. In fact, I recall vividly (circa 1989) doing a digital/vinyl A/B (for a few 3-5 listener's)with a Grace Jones' single (on vinyl) and the same CD. The turntable destroyed it musically. It was no contest.

The table was a entry-level P-mount Kenwood ($109 w/catridge, CA$), against our best CDP at the time, a Cambridge/Arcam maybe -$2K.
The young guy who prompted the comparison was stunned into submission when he realized that it was the T/T yielding the far superior sound. It really was no contest. (BTW; vinyl was a 12" 45 RPM. Unfair comparison ? lol)

My experiences let me believe that newer bearings are quieter but groundless because they do not use metal to metal contact anymore.

I've setup a guitar string lightly touching the platter's pin so any static building in the platter finds it way to the turntable ground despite the groundless bearing. Since this, it is a rare event.

The rare events let me discover that some 45 RPM 12" produced more static than other 45 RPM 12" so vinyl formulation may get involved as well as the speed. The more friction, the more likely static buildup.

Wondering if some cleaning liquid could help reduce static ?

Monkey Mart: Newer bearings may seem quieter without metal-to-metal contact, but this belief lacks basis. I've placed a guitar string lightly on the platter's pin to redirect static to the turntable ground, despite the bearing design. This has reduced occurrences significantly. Certain 45 RPM 12" vinyl records produce more static, possibly due to formulation and speed. Increased friction tends to amplify static buildup. Considering if a cleaning solution could mitigate this issue.