Price: $20 Best for: Audiophiles who want a proven classic that works Key Features: A trusted choice among vinyl enthusiasts for decades Deep-cleaning velvet pad reaches into record grooves ...

In each case, the only cleaning I did before the first recording was with an old carbon fibre brush, just to remove loose dust. And of course, I cleaned the stylus after each record playing.

Back in the day, one of the few reasons to prefer compact cassette tape to vinyl was the fact you could record it at home in very good fidelity. Sure, if you had the scratch, you could go out and g… ...