Anyone else ever experiment with wet playback?


From time to time I will get back into this. Wet playback vs. dry is night and day. Talk about "liquid smooth"!!! One caveat is ALWAYS true, however: once you have wet-played a vinyl LP you can NEVER dry-play it.
gaslover
I have had good results w/de-ionized water. Bear in mind the LP has a natural "trough" - the recessed playing area originally designed to prevent scratching from stacking LPs on a changer. This holds the liquid nicely. You may experience a bit of trouble at 45rpm, however, from centrifugal force. I simply drag a clean hand towel across the surface as the turntable runs for clean-up. Let air dry do the rest. Bobburda, please bear in mind this will change your life one way or the other. Wet play is like an addiction. It is guarranteed you will hear a vast improvement. Remember also that you are using water in close proximity to electricity and act accordindly!!
Only for 78rpm records and with a few drops of Sunlight liquid dishwashing soap added.

coneflap.
A better wetting agent is Photoflo; it is non-detergent. As used in photographic developing. Talk about cetrifugal force... 78rpm????
Imagine the micro world of cartridges. The V grove is filled with liquid , the debris accmulated from manufacture to the home enviroment deposits in the V grove. Liquids give the appearence of "less friction" but the soup you create is filled with all sorts of micro stuff that impose limitations on the stylas. Just because we can not "see" the restrictions doesn't mean that a they don't exist, thats what microscopes chart-out.

Of course , all depends on the cartridge stylas size, and lots of of issues that can put you sleep. Depending on the cartridge the drag will be higher or lower but all have an effect on playability. Again, if you talking 78's and 6-12+gr. arms whats the difference- you need all the help you can get just to play the side. In todays world, carts are made to play @ 1-2 grms. You want to play wet go ahead, twenty-thirty years ago I did the same, but I have a feeling you could change your feelings when the Lps groves begin to fill with even more gunk as the years roll on. Cheers, Charlie
And alas, that gunk accumulation is the reason you cannot play a previously wet-played LP dry again. Back in the days when I could take home as many Sheffield Direct Discs, MFSL's, Wilson Audio LP's etc. as I pleased hot off the press, I would earmark one of each for wet play. I realize most people involved in this hobby never had that luxury! Indeed I do count my blessings.... Cheers and Happy New Year to you