Tried analog yet again after decades of digital

Zerostat will help with that.

There are tons of ways to deal with static electricity including but not limited to use of a long lasting commercial type spray on the carpet and other surfaces that could develop a static electric charge such as windows, bookshelves and clothes, a negative ion type room air purifier, even a coupla desk top devices would be a lot better than nothing, a tourmaline gun (that produces negative ions from heating the tourmaline) products such as Nordost Anti Static Spray and last but not least a humidifier to, you know, reduce the potential for static electrical charges generally.

Yes, there are other ways to deal with static. Most are hit and miss because vinyl is an insulator and pockets of static charge can get on the surface. Unless you contact that pocket directly, a brush or Zerostat will not be that effective. I have tried those ozone/ionizers that are battery operated and they are basically the same as a Zerostat, only better because they produce a flow of ionized gas and you don't need to keep pulling a trigger.

The one sure fire way that always works is dipping in a fluid like deionized water. It is the ultimate "humidifier". With a small amount (~2%) of IPA (iso-propyl alcohol) for wetting, it gets in the smallest nooks and grooves a brush cannot. Dries with zero residues if you use high quality DI water.

Would rather use pure water than any "anti-static" spray that could leave residues or contamination.

Vinyl had a very long run as the standalone medium without many contenders barking behind it. (I'm talking populist application here, not necessarily audiophile)  I started on 45rpm singles, graduated to 33 1/3, had an 8 track followed by a cassette deck in my cars, then a reel to reel in my home, onto the compact disc.  Whew.  Long trip. 

At the end of all this, this long and winding road, I must admit that my preferred medium is...(drum roll, please) the compact disc. (Ducking, cowering..)

I have spent as much on vinyl equipment as I have on disc, so I've been fair to either medium over the years. Fact of the matter is that either medium, as well as all of the associated equipment required to listen to both are...one and the same thing, artificial reproductions of musical information. Period. 

I have never in my life listened to an audio system that made me think the sound was live.  Never.  Never will, either; and I have spent some enviable coin over the years on my various setups. 

Vinyl to me now is more of a priveleged allocation of time, very amusing when a youngster's around and sees a turntable for the first time. I'm 59 so "youngster" is a fairly broad spectrum...

It's been a very long time since I've hosted a party and heard someone changing an LP while I was out of the room.  We all remember THAT sound,  don't we?

My preference for the CD,  or even downloaded music,  is derived from the simplicity of playback, of care, of maintenance.  I have what I think is pretty good equipment for playback so I'm quite doubtful I'm missing anything audible;  what's a few hertz here or there between friends, aye?

The youngsters I referred to earlier barely know what a compact disc is. I was rather surprised to be shopping in an office supply store last week when I spotted blank CD's for sale. Even I thought that was passè by this point.  Even for business purposes alone. Sheesh. 

I'm not letting go of my vinyl or turntable, nor my CD transport, DAC. Both have their place in my system, in my life, both also give me something tangible to physically appreciate unlike downloaded music.  The medium, the message, the listener.  Tin ears, golden ears. 

Good forum.  Holiday cheers to all. 

All things being equal--equal in the sense that all components are of the same price point or level of quality, my experience is that vinyl provides a natural and dimensional sound that cannot often be equalled by digital.
 In fact, I remember a vinyl to cd comparison with the high end DCS stack vs the top of the line Basis turntable at the NY audio show about 5 years ago with some expensive high end separates (I believe Burmester, but not positive). The purpose was to demonstrate how far DCS digital had come and to promote the DCS stack. I sat among a fairly large crowd of people whom I had never met. After a number of identical "mastered from original source" cd and vinyl selections were played, it was explained to us how we had just heard how digital has finally equalled or surpassed vinyl in SQ. In fact, many of us walked out at that point and joined in a conversation in the hall among audiophile strangers as to whether, in fact, the dealer was using some reverse psychology to sell the Basis turntable. Not one of the fellas in the hall thought the DCS stack was that close to the Basis in SQ. Of, course, the turntable, arm and cart (Lyra Titan at that time) was an expensive set up, but well short of the cost of the DCS stack.
Needless to say, that demonstration merely confirmed my opinion that existed prior and still does today.
However, if you never want to hear a tic, snap or pop in your music and do not cotton to the inconvenience of vinyl, I can surely understand trying to obtain the best digital presentation possible. Every year, the best digital gets closer and closer to the natural presentation of vinyl----maybe someday it will get there.