Advice for crackling/popping
I have an Audio Technicia AT-LP3 with the stock stylus and cartridge. I’ve tried cleaning my records by spraying them with distilled water and then drying them most of the way with a microfiber cloth, then air drying them on a rack (I use an electric handheld fan to speed up the process). I’ve also tried spraying them with a record cleaning solution first, drying that with a microfiber cloth, and then doing the exact same process I explained previously. In both instances, I used an anti static record brush to try and swipe off any dust/debris before starting the cleaning process, and I also use the brush immediately before playing any record. I use a gel stylus cleaner every now and then (after a handful of record spins or so).
The microfiber cloths just get washed with all of the other laundry and have been used to clean some pretty dusty and somewhat grimy surfaces, maybe they’re not clean enough?
I’ve attached a video to this post to show the crackling, It seems to get slightly better after playing the record a couple times, but still not as good as I’d like. I’ve listened to sound tests of the exact same turntable on YouTube, and the crackling & popping doesn’t sound as bad. Any advice or suggestions at all would be greatly appreciated, thanks!