[Mateo Sanboval]

You don't even use outers for chrissakes. And that's just the tip of the blade. Some cat named after my great aunt was never gonna slow you down.

[static14]

@Tim is another one who prefers his records like Bill Belichick likes his hoodies. :)

[ScoJo]

Raw dogging all the way, ma frens. For the full sensation.

[tim28212]

Here's an interesting change in my set up. My cat loves to chew plastic, in particular tape, he's a weirdo and we usually have to keep plastic away from him. Over the last few years he's occasionally taken it upon himself to chew on the corner of record sleeves, usually it's just the loose plastic and that's it. I never really cared. But over the last year I've noticed he's started to get a little more aggressive when he chews them. With the recent reorganization and moving of all record storage into the living room it's gotten worse. He's began to ruin a lot of record jackets. So I decided to try something new, I bought 12x12 acrylic squares, put some hinges on them and attached them with heavy duty 3m double sided adhesive. We'll see how this goes, I really don't want to go back to boxes that slide into the shelves but I may have to if he figures these out.

A cat helped me get Madonna's Bedtime Stories promo on pink vinyl at a very reasonable price. Bites on the sleeve but the vinyl was mint. :)

In every cloud, a pink lining.

Always

[tim28212]

@Tim is another one who prefers his records like Bill Belichick likes his hoodies. :)

[static14]

:) sleeveless

[Hatter313]

I'm semi-sleeveless, i keep them on diecut sleeves and some more "valuable" records, or sleeves that need. little extra support, but i used to have sort of thicker poly sleeves on everything and one day i decided to take them out and i swear there was a full expedit cube of space that opened up.

i kind of like the VERY thin crystal clear ones on some records.

[Dollarhyde]

No outers is the main culprit for ringwear I've been told.
I don't have all my records in them but try to use them as much as possible.

[ScoJo]

No outers is the main culprit for ringwear I've been told.
I don't have all my records in them but try to use them as much as possible.

The key to tackling ring wear if you are going 'raw dog' style is to not stuff your shelves - I don't fill any cube more than 4/5ths so there is no undue pressure on the precious. Seems to work out ok.

[Hatter313]

No outers is the main culprit for ringwear I've been told.
I don't have all my records in them but try to use them as much as possible.

The key to tackling ring wear if you are going 'raw dog' style is to not stuff your shelves - I don't fill any cube more than 4/5ths so there is no undue pressure on the precious. Seems to work out ok.

Thats another lesson i needed to learn, i like to leave enough space for about 6-12 records in each cube which leaves room for new arrivals and also for breathing space

[Dollarhyde]

No outers is the main culprit for ringwear I've been told.
I don't have all my records in them but try to use them as much as possible.

The key to tackling ring wear if you are going 'raw dog' style is to not stuff your shelves - I don't fill any cube more than 4/5ths so there is no undue pressure on the precious. Seems to work out ok.

Makes sense I guess, I was told each slide on and off the shelf causes micro abrasions that build up over time.

You don't want to see my shelves, pulling out a disc is currently like pulling teeth, literally 😁
Seriously need to squeeze another kallax in some where.

[ScoJo]

No outers is the main culprit for ringwear I've been told.
I don't have all my records in them but try to use them as much as possible.

The key to tackling ring wear if you are going 'raw dog' style is to not stuff your shelves - I don't fill any cube more than 4/5ths so there is no undue pressure on the precious. Seems to work out ok.

Makes sense I guess, I was told each slide on and off the shelf causes micro abrasions that build up over time.

You don't want to see my shelves, pulling out a disc is currently like pulling teeth, literally 😁
Seriously need to squeeze another kallax in some where.

Indeed! Though again, I would counter and defend the au natural approach by saying that, with roomier shelves, it's easy to 'part the waves' around your chosen platter and pull it safely without undue scuffery ;)

[Bezulsqy]

No outers is the main culprit for ringwear I've been told.
I don't have all my records in them but try to use them as much as possible.

The key to tackling ring wear if you are going 'raw dog' style is to not stuff your shelves - I don't fill any cube more than 4/5ths so there is no undue pressure on the precious. Seems to work out ok.

Makes sense I guess, I was told each slide on and off the shelf causes micro abrasions that build up over time.

You don't want to see my shelves, pulling out a disc is currently like pulling teeth, literally 😁
Seriously need to squeeze another kallax in some where.

I have the same issue... And I am sort of out of space to place more cubes in my listening room.

[Dollarhyde]

@bez

Exactly. I share your pain.

[ScoJo]

Lose the 'album condoms' and job's a good un, @DH!

[Hatter313]

Lose the 'album condoms' and job's a good un, @DH!

Seriously, I’m not kidding when I say I easily “created” at least half a Kallax cube by ditching outers for all but the most necessary records

[inksb]

Lose the 'album condoms' and job's a good un, @DH!

Problem is that good ol Dollar has a shit load of albums with obi's and those don't just slide on the shelf next to others with out ripping and tearing. Those outers are very necessary ;)

[Dollarhyde]

@inks, didn't really think about this but yeah with Obi's I guess outers are a necessity, unless you ditch the obi of course. :0

[Dollarhyde]

Lose the 'album condoms' and job's a good un, @DH!

Seriously, I’m not kidding when I say I easily “created” at least half a Kallax cube by ditching outers for all but the most necessary records

Wow, didn't think it would make such a difference.

[Hatter313]

It really depends on volume but yeah, I was also using the slightly thicker poly sleeves but I’ve got about 25 cubes filled so if you figure two or three of those poly sleeves is about equal to one average record sleeve, maybe 3-5 of them to be safe, and a cube hold what? 70-80 records give or take comfortably. Figure that’s about 1800-2000 records, all stacked up you could be looking at quite a bit of space being filled with just thin plastic.

Now obviously the obi thing is a different issue, I still have outers on anything with an obi, Anything with a die cut, anything with a signature or considerably higher value just in case I ever need to sell, and anything that’s in rough shape and needs the support. So I’ve probably got about 20-30 sleeves here still that aren’t making a huge difference, but when it was like 1500 of them...yeah it was a thing. I do like the super thin ones that are more like book mylars. (And I am VERY obsessive about book mylars as opposed to record outers, but that’s a different conversation)

[havershaw]

I am in desperate need of some more space (again), but I feel like I really need the outers to get records on and off the shelf easier. All of my Capitol Hi-Q are in generic sleeves and I tried removing the outers on those (because what's to protect there?) but without the glossy outers, it was harder to get records off the shelf. Too much friction when pulling a record. (of course, overcrowding on the shelf might be partially responsible, too.)

[inksb]

My MP-200 has finally shipped, still probably won't have it for 3-4 weeks since it's coming from Japan but I'm very excited.

I'm not excited to set it up though. I wish I was better/more confident in it.

[static14]

@ink watch some youtube setup videos. You’ll get the hang of it.

[inksb]

Question for everyone. Records arrive in various states of filth, even new records come from pressing plants covered in dirt, dust & debris. Do you guys do a light cleaning before playing them? Or do you throw them right on the turntable most of the time? I'm so impatient that I usually throw them right on but I feel like with my more expensive cart coming, maybe I should take better care and give them a cleaning before they ever touch the table. Thoughts?

[static14]

If the record is used I almost always clean it before listening to it. New stuff I’ll give a listen usually before giving it a clean. Nothing gets put on the shelves until it’s been cleaned though. :)