Static, how to get rid of it?

sombunya

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2012
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I use a Zerostat 3 and have had decent results, I think. I do notice that after playing one side of a 12" vinyl most of the time the felt mat on my Music Hall sticks to the disc when I go to turn it over.

A pal of mine suggested putting a dryer sheet or two under the mat as they are supposed to reduce static.

I have not tried this yet but I was wondering what others here do to combat this enemy of the LP?
 

sombunya

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2012
133
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I've considered that. I think 40% is ideal.

I'll ask an engineer pal of mine about this.
 

sombunya

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2012
133
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325
I just got off the phone with my buddy. He is an Engineer at an electronics mfg. company.

He says below 20%, static is a problem. 40% and it removes the "surface voltage", over 60% and you have dampness problems.

He also said the humidifiers have been running at his company. When I see him I'll find out more about low cost humidifiers, and how to apply and control it.
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
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The dryer sheet doesn't work. It doesn't dissipate static, it lubricates the clothes in the dryer so that static does not build up as much.

On a turntable with a metal platter, you can also ground the bearing to help. On the mat, a light spriz with a static dissipative spray like this: http://store.unitedesd.com/UltraSpray_Static_Dissipative_Hard_Surface_Spray_p/ultraspray.htm

Even in Singapore where we had 100% humidity, the felt mat sometimes stuck to the LP at the end of the side! Seems to me like diamond against vinyl generates static.
 

Shaffer

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Nov 2, 2012
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Personally, I'd ditch the felt mat ASAP. Herbies offers a good replacement.
 

DonH50

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Jun 22, 2010
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I gave an internal training on ESD last year that had tribology tables and more info... Might be able to dig it up but it targets other engineers, not audiophiles. It's at a pretty low technical level so might be interesting anyway.

I forgot to mention what a bad idea dryer sheets are -- the chemicals could leech into the mat and the record, besides what Gary said (no real help to begin with). I have no idea if antistatic spray would cause issues; Gary, do you know? Not something I have used. We use different static control measures at work, most not well-suited for home, although an air deionizer blowing over the TT should work wonders. Just not cheap. :)

Colorado is very dry so ESD (static) is a huge problem. Our lab targets are 30 - 40 % RH IIRC.

At home I just use a Walmart-bought room humidifier, the cold-air type (not a "steam" unit), with a cheap hygrometer/RH dial (part of a $10 clearance indoor weather gauge, from the same Fine Shopping Center :) ). In the past I placed an antistatic floor mat (available from any number of places) in front of my equipment rack (w/TT), with the ground wire attached to the (metal) stand and another wire from the stand to the safety ground of the outlet. The TT ground connected to the preamp, and I pulled the preamp's ground to the stand as well, creating a quasi-star-ground scheme. That actually helped quite a bit.

I decided I did not like felt mats. Not only are they more static-sensitive, but over time little strands/pieces break off as fine dust particles that can stick to your records. Mats are a source of endless debate, but I settled on a fairly soft rubber'ish mat that worked well for me.
 

AMP

Member
Feb 27, 2011
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I'm in a dry climate as well and although I don't use a mat I was getting a lot of ticks and pops from static (especially when the weather was cold). I learned two things which have helped significantly.

First, I use a vacuum record cleaning machine and I discovered that running the vacuum cycle for too long would increase the static build-up on the LP. Now I run it just long enough to remove the fluid residue.

Second, I keep a couple of clean microfiber towels in a sealed bag next to the table. These get folded over enough times to make them about the size and shape of a hot dog bun. Right before play I moisten the bottom surface of this "brush" with distilled water and use it on the LP (spinning on the turntable) as one would one of the old discwasher brushes. I don't get the LP surface really wet, but I do get it damp and then let the water evaporate while I get everything ready and cue the tonearm. The moisture kills the static on the LP surface and the process removes any airborne dust that has adhered to the LP. The process has been working very well for me with a couple of caveats.

1) Don't wash the towels, throw them away. Assuming you're starting with clean records and using distilled water it takes a long time before the towels are dirty. The towels in the bag will get pretty moist over time and this is a good thing for reducing static. Laundry detergent will not completely wash out of the towel and will adhere to the LP.

2) Check your LPs for lint using a bright LED or halogen flashlight after using this process until you find a towel that isn't leaving anything behind. So far I've found the best towels for this process to be the ones sold at the local autozone (I buy them in bulk so they are packaged in a plastic bag rather than the 3 packs which are open to the air and contamination). These are some of the crappiest microfiber towels made, but they don't seem to leave anything behind when they are new. The really thick, plush, and expensive towels sold by auto detailing supply houses work great on paint, but on an LP surface will leave behind very fine lint. In our detailing shop we wash new towels several times to remove the lint, but with an LP the detergent residue left behind becomes a problem.
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
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Don, that ESD training material might be useful/interesting here. The anti-static spray I linked doesn't seem to hurt and it even makes the felt mat not shed as much, but only a VERY light spritz. Static is not much of an issue here in Seattle though.
 

DonH50

Member Sponsor & WBF Technical Expert
Jun 22, 2010
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Ha! Most of the static you get is probably from all us WBF bums... :) The ESD training stuff might be a good tech article but it's too long, too many pix to be an easy paste here. I'll cogitate on it.

I started using the mat in MO, a very humid place but in the winter the furnace would dry out the house. Here in CO we have a whole-house unit on the furnance; it runs cinstantly and we are still too dry. Someone leaves a door open an hour and all the moisture gets sucked out. :(
 

audioarcher

Well-Known Member
May 6, 2012
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Vacuum based record cleaners tend to create static. Especially if you let it vacuum for too long. The Audio Desk vinyl cleaner does not have that problem because it blow dries instead. I have not had a static problem since I got mine. In fact records that have a static problem no longer have one after cleaning on the Audio Desk. Only draw back is the price.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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Northern NY
Vacuum based record cleaners tend to create static. Especially if you let it vacuum for too long. The Audio Desk vinyl cleaner does not have that problem because it blow dries instead. I have not had a static problem since I got mine. In fact records that have a static problem no longer have one after cleaning on the Audio Desk. Only draw back is the price.

any record I wash with the Audio Desk is static free when dry. With my vacuum cleaner previously, there would still be a bit of static with only 2 dry revolutions. I could never achieve 100% static free with vacuum dry.
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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The Clearaudio Double Matrix cleaner also does away with static. Last step in the cleaning process is to give the disc a couple of spins with the anti static brush. Completely removes static.
The Audio Desk does a great job too.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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Northern NY
The Clearaudio Double Matrix cleaner also does away with static. Last step in the cleaning process is to give the disc a couple of spins with the anti static brush. Completely removes static.
The Audio Desk does a great job too.

The CA looks like better build quality though...Still enjoying those speaker interfaces ?
 

Frank750

VIP/Donor
Jul 8, 2011
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The CA looks like better build quality though...Still enjoying those speaker interfaces ?

I've got the Audio Desk coming now too. Don't ask me why but I will soon have $8,000 worth of record cleaners.

The cables are great! Worth every penny. Next person who says there's no difference in cables should have their ears removed!
 

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