Do Not Use PVC Outer Sleeves For Your Vinyl Collection - Here Is Why with video evidence!
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- čas přidán 17. 05. 2021
- I have been collecting records since the early 1970s, first vinyl then a few cassettes and then CDs. Today I buy CDs and Vinyl Records. The CDs tend to look after themselves but as we all know Vinyl Records need a bit more care!
So the one thing that many of us do is invest in some sort of outer sleeve to protect the cover. I have always chosen PVC covers, the reason being they are sturdy, crystal clear and you can fit onto gatefold sleeves and still open the cover. Ideal...or so I thought.
Over the years older PVC covers have bubbled and become brittle and discoloured. I have simply replaced them with whatever was available at the time. This latest batch was from a well-known supplier and were extra thick and sturdy perhaps smelling more like a blow-up beach football than a record cover!
I had been reading a blog post about the dangers of PVC covers and how they can damage your records first with the covers and then even the vinyl.
This sent me down a rabbit hole trying to find evidence that this was not true. Instead, I found more and more people saying the same thing and I even found damming reports on the Steve Hoffman forum and the Times and Telegraph websites.
So for my own state of mind, I decided to go through my record collection to see if anything was amiss.
The first album I picked up was Pump by Aerosmith, I pulled it out of the cover and a small part of the sleeve came with it. Horrified I then spent hours going through every album. You can see the results in the video, I now have some albums which can never have their sleeves removed because of damage it will cause. I had to cut off some covers with scissors!
I have now removed ALL of my PVC sleeves, (it is amazing how heavy they all were and the amount of space it has freed up!) However, I now need to find an alternative outer sleeve solution for my records.
So what do you use?
Do you use PVC (please don't;) or Polythene or the resealable Blake type covers?
Please let me know in the comments
Thank you for your support.
Phil
Now Spinning Magazine
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This video should be sent as a PSA to anyone who is owning a discogs account. Everybody that owns vinyl should know about this. Thanks for spreading the word out !
Thank you for watching and I am pleased you found it useful. Phil
It is the oils inside PVC that will damage the artwork. It is indeed a good idea to use sleeves made of cast polypropylene. I use the products made by Vinyl Storage Solutions out of Canada. There is a UK based distributer as well. Very nice quality products and highly recommended.
I was sitting here just now thinking about the condition of my albums and thought I might do some online browsing for outer sleeves. I decided watch a video about this before anything, and I'm glad I did. Thank you for sharing this information.
You are very welcome 🙏
Interesting to find you covering this theme..... I collect exactly since 1970 and used the PVS covers since the initial days. 20 years later I discovered the same issues than you did and threw away my hundreds of outer sleeves. I did not use any other alternatives since then and my records are still in a perfect condition.
Thank you so much for that information.All my PVC sleeves will be binned and replaced with Polythene ones.
Hi Phil
I've been buying vinyl albums for fifty years, and only ever used plastic sleeves when the shop or record company provide them with the purchase. So, my LP covers aren't pristine, but my biggest regret was using the LP case boxes that were available in the seventies, which pinched and damaged the edges. Going back to plastic covers, I have a few among my collection, and as I store my records like you do now, I find the ones in the covers more difficult to put back on the shelf. The see through covers with the folded down glued flap are a pain too. Good to see you showing some (unintentional) love for Lee Ritenour, and Peter Frampton. Just add Jan Akkerman, Manny Charlton, and John McLaughlin and you have my top 5.
I use new types I found called Blake's sleeve from Holland, nice, tight and crystal clear with a flap.
I don't bother much with vinyl these days but I used to get these covers and still have them on my old vinyl records. I always left the original cellophane underneath so it prevents contact between the cardboard and the PVC. I've had them for decades and they all still look great.
I have used PVC outer covers for 40 years and have not had any issues. I transfer the vinyl into poly-lined inner sleeves which is then returned (turned 90 degrees) to the original inner.
Actually the pvc not only ruins the cover but the vinyl itself, the plastic reacts with vinyl and gives off a gas. It then clouds the vinyl unplayable and useless.
I have said this in threads for years because I had it luckily only on about 25 LPS out of 1000, but totally ruined!
I brought my PVC sleeves from Covers 33 and binned the lot!
After 42 years of collecting get the 520g poly sleeves they are the best.
You need to mention this also to your audience!
Good luck !
Hi David, I am talking to Covers33 now about this issue. Thank you very much for watching and your comment. I am sure it will also help others. Phil
You don’t have to throw away a record that has PVC fog. All my Kumi Miyasto records have PVC fog because they all came sealed in it and they still play. And there’s ways of getting the fog off. Even though it diminishes the sound quality and the value of it if it’s still playable here’s no reason to trash it.
How do you know if your sleeves are pvc?
@@eddiespaghetti54321 how did you get rid of the fog on these affected LPs? I’m a victim of these PVC sleeves and have about 100 LPs that has been fogged by the PVC gases over the years. I only just realized the damage it has done to my collection. I tried using ultrasonic cleaning machines and does not improve it at all. It still remained dull and had lots of noises while playing them.
@@davidgunalan7225 Unfortunately there’s no way to get rid of it other than using an abrasive paste. I just live with the fact that they have PVC fog and move on and try not to let it happen to anymore records.
Hi Phil I'm new to your channel, like just a few hours ago new hahaha. Enjoying the few videos I've watched so far, especially the DSOTM redux review and this one. I remember buying those pvc sleeves back in the 70s when i first started buying records but i sold my vinyl when cds arrived. Fast forward about 40 years and I've started buying vinyl again, along with cds mind. The sleeves i buy are polypropylene which are made by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, they're not cheap though, about £30 for a pack of 50, i also usually replace the inner sleeves with their Original Master Sleeves which are excellent, but each to their own, its whatever works for you and what you can afford.
Thank you for the warning! I wouldn't recommend the fold-out as it tends to stick to the record while removed.
Sorry about your "loss" with the Japanese pressings! I would be devastated, but hopefully it wasn't too many like that. I have always used Poly sleeves, but likely would have tried PVC if I had seen them for sale. Thanks for the warning!
Excellent Choice…
👍🏽 I got rid of all my PVC sleeves last year! I use polytheen sleeves now too.
Thank you for watching - Phil
This video explains further about the damage on vinyl from PVC sleeves
czcams.com/video/P_z5oa24cd4/video.html
Thank you for sharing
My heart sank watching you remove the sleeve from that album. So sorry to see that.
Thank you for the message.
Hi Baravas, thank you for watching. It was painful but I felt I had to share my experience to help others! Phil
They don’t just damage the covers , the also damage the vinyl , pvc lets off some kind of gas which puts a cloudy effect on the vinyl , which can’t be removed at all
you still get records off eBay with these horrid sleeves & you've gotta be oh so careful gettin it away from the record
I use polythene, as I was informed a while ago about what happens when the PVC covers begin to break down. Because of humidity or heat, the cover releases a gas that causes that rippling effect that can not only damage the cover but also the vinyl itself, rendering it unplayable. Since changing to polythene I have not had a single problem with my albums or their covers. Ditch the PVC. Replaced all mine and sent the PVC covers to my local recycling plant.
Very useful advice! 🙂
Thank you for that advice. 👍
Hi Phil, Thanks for your advice. I never thought that PVC could do such a damage. The only thing I say is that here in Australia, it is very dry and I have yet to detect such a problem. But surely I will avoid that in the future. (Captain Fantastic)
Hi George, thank you for watching. We have a lot more humidity in the UK so I think this makes it worse. Phil
An excellent public service announcement, and a disheartening one for those using PVV covers. I have always used Polyethylene covers. I always get rid of the shrink wrap which discolors and becomes brittle over time and is too fragile and difficult to deal with. So, the outer Polyethylene covers are a must for me. After decades of use I can confirm zero issues.
Hi David, thank you for watching. I wish I had followed your lead years ago. I hope this video continues to highlight this hidden problem for vinyl collectors. The other thing is the smell of the PVV that remains after you have removed them. Phil
This reminds me of old photo albums that my parents and grandparents had where you'd peel back the plastic sheet and stick your photos against the page. It had a sticky substance on it that couldn't have been good for the photos.
On rare occasions I’ve been known to go nude but on this particular subject for years I’ve used polyethylene sleeves by “Invest In Vinyl” and vouch for it.
I moved on all my vinyl last year (1,000+ LPs)... but kept those that were signed ... e.g. Bernie Marsden, Wishbone Ash, Nils Lofgren, Steve Haclett et al .... so tonight I have just removed from PVC sleeves my 2LP S'Naz (signed by Manny Charlton (RIP) when he played at the Tunnels in Aberdeen about 4 years ago) and Death Wish 2 LP signed by Jimmy Page ... thanks for video ... CMcG, Aberdeen, Scotland
Hi Calum, thank you for watching. Wow! You have some great autographed items there! Snaz is such an underrated live album as well. Phil
BCW Supplies Resealable 33 RPM Bags Snug (100 Count) (I get a little bigger ones for some gatefold covers)
Protect Collectible 33 1/3 Record Albums
Will hold either single or most double albums
Crystal clear, 2 mil material thickness
Resealable Strip on back
Exterior Dimensions: 12 5/8 x 12 5/8 x 1 1/2
A Top Advice👍...THANK YOU!!!
You are very welcome - Phil :)
Thanks for this info, cheers.
Hi Alan, thank you for watching. I hope you found it useful, I have discovered so many more albums that have been damaged since recording this. Phil
Sorry th heat about, thanks for the reply and all hope is good with the rest of your records
Hi Alan, thank you, I have found no others I just hope this little video helps others! Phil
always re-sealed...good protection and never damages the sleeves...in my experience anyway.
Have seen cases where the oils in the PVC actually leach their way through the cover and attach right to the vinyl record. Generally on mat finish covers. Impossible to remove.
I rarely used LP covers, although I did sometimes keep the original shrink wrap in place if it had one.
Hi Derek, I am thinking of doing the same as looking at them without covers looks pretty good and frees up a lot of space.
I removed all plastic covers a few weeks ago and I absolutely recommend it. The covers look and feel so much better with the plastic on them - I look at them much more while listening too; the spines look great on the shelf and you can find records because you can actually see the text. And less plastic - that's got to be good.
jeezuzqwrist, that's crazy! but I wouldn't even know where to get PVC sleeves, but what I do know old public library records where stored in these
Thanks so much for the heads up, I just leave mine in the plastic it came in, and some nude
That's the heat in the summer
In Cornwall ( where I live ) there is also a lot of humidity which does not help.
I use these Japanese resealable outer sleeves. Does anyone know which material those are usually made from?
Oh hell ! ----- now I've got to check all my records tho !
Hi rookie question here😅
What is the difference between pvc, polypropylene and polythene?
I have over 4,000 records and have had no problems with the sleeves I have used over the years.
Ahhh dude, I hope not many of your albums are affected. Thanks for the tip.
Polythene I use
Mylar sleeves with the resealable flap have a bad reputation for being a pain in the butt. However, if the glue strip is on the body instead of the flap like the ones Elusive Disc is selling now they are A-ok. Super clear as well. Supposedly they fit slightly loose with singles, doubles and thinner triples. My only question is how they will hold up because in the past, mylar sleeves came apart at the seam with little provocation. Nice video, and yeah PVC sleeves are the devil \m/
BTW, not affiliated with elusive disc or the sleeves, just contemplating buying some. Normally I use sleeve city ultimate 5.0 and the ultimate inners.
It’s a shame that PVC might not be the best sleeve for vinyl cover protection, I just like the look of it so much ☹️ But recently I came across a similar looking sleeve but claimed to be TPU materials which I find them not as common. Any idea if that is good?
Luckily, I heard the warnings about PVC before I accumulated any of them. I use poly bags for all new purchases, and someday, I may sleeve all my old inventory, but I doubt it. A lot of records I buy come with the fold-over resealable ones, and I hate those not a little. As we all know, if we open them up and set them down, we can't put anything on top of the back surface, unless we are vigilant to fully reclose the bag, lest we risk the adhesive ruining some other surface. Gawd, I hate them!
Hi Bsg, thank you for watching and your comment. I have learned a tough lesson here so I just hope this video helps others. Phil
How can you tell if your sleeves are pvc?
@@damnwankers They smell like a beachball
Polyethylene is good, but I think the best is the BOPP material use by a company called "Clear Bags". the specific ones I use are the blpd2 which are 12 3/4 X 12 3/4 inch size.
Hi Margaret, thank you for watching and for your great advice. I will look those up and give them a go. Phil :)
It is a shame, they sell you something for protection and then it destroys, this should become a lawsuit, this is so wrong.
Class action lawsuit would stop this.
great vid !!!! could you suggest the best and also the best cheaper inner sleeves ??? :p
Thanks so much from Portugal
I use Spincare or Covers33 - thanks Phil
Very interesting Phil and thank you for bringing this to light. So frustrating! I have some cds that had foam inserts but they have gone brittle and scarred the cd surfaces - is there any best option to clean the remaining foam bits away or is it best to not play the discs? Any help much appreciated!
Hi, thank you for watching, I have heard of this problem. I will see what I can find out. Phil
I like to use the BCW Polypropylene sleeves, they are also crystal clear.
Thank you, that sounds like a good option. Phil :)
Thank you
Got a purchase link?
I just another video on this. I had no idea. I will change them :)
Wow thanks for the warning ⚠️
Hi, thank you for watching. It seems to be worse on USA and Japanese pressings. Phil
ooh crap, i got those pvc sleeves on all my records..
But the weird thing is i got like a big collection from a second hand and they had them all stored in these pvc sleeves and they where like that for a long time.
But they didn't and have still not any marks (misting) or this problem with the covers.
For so far i know almost all the times misting happens when you put your record out of the sleeve and with an innersleeve to the back of the record sleeve (to protect those fragile USA covers from splitting their spines) or when it's just in the sleeve by itself.
Now im looking for an alternative but those other sleeves just don't work that great because they move so easy.
And i don't like those open and close sleeves (with the sticky strip).
Anybody has any good alternatives?
Ooh and i live in The Netherlands, maby the climate is different here?
Anyway, thanks!
I’m pleasantly surprised to realize I accidentally got polyurethane covers anyway 😅
i use POLYETHELENE NOW. I had damage to my CONNIE FRANCIS US 45's and some of the 1970's UK LP's. Thankfully nothing rare was damaged and i am replacing them slowly. Check your vinyl as well, not just the covers. Cover wise i have no issues thank you. PVC outer sleeves should be discontinued!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a nice journey to the recycling bins should do. Greetings from Greece
Hi Roger, thank you for watching and also adding your further advice. That is very useful for vinyl collectors everywhere. Phil
@@NowSpinningMagazine by now i've replaced all and the pvc have gone to recycling bin. Fortunately no covers were damaged .
Hey Phil loving the ch, question: do you have any cleaning rituals when spinning brand new vinyl for the first time? I'm seriously going to have to look into this kind of care for audiophile concerns, thanks!
I have no ritual before playing a brand new album unless it has paper dust on it then I just use a normal cleaner. I generally just play it! Phil
Poly and some self sealers
Whoah is that Lee Ritenour with a Synthaxe?? I gotta check that out, I literally thought only Holdsworth ever used that thing seriously.
Hi Matthew, thank you for watching, yes it is and it’s a great album as well! Phil
you should go through your records too because pvc causes clouding on the vinyl record itself and spots from what ive read and thats y i never bought them even though they really illuminate the album covers,,
Are used polythene covers for my Records
Cant believe we are still discussing this subject. For the last 40 years there has been a known issue with PVC covers. Whether its sticking to covers or clouding the disc itself, its been well known. The sellers of these covers should be banned or at least required to show a warning noting the issues. Today I noticed that JB Hi Fi (in Australia) had a rack of the offending covers at a over the top price. Beware.
Thank you for watching. I agree with you. I confronted the manufacturer behind these in the UK who still sell 1000s of these per week and they said nothing is designed to last for ever! Phil
@@NowSpinningMagazine Yes Phil keep up the rage. The manufacturers response is typical of modern day behaviour, who cares about tomorrow. I have a large collection of vinyl accumulated over 50 years. They are in mostly very good condition thank goodness. I wonder if the current return to vinyl will see collectors in 50 years time have the same experience.
They also tried to blame me for having USA and Japanese pressings as they were not made the same. Thank you for comment - Phil
I have a huge record collection and most of my records are in PVC-sleeves. Some have been for more than 40 years, without any damage whatsoever. I did notice that the PVC sleeves stick to some glossy sleeves and also to sleeves which are in some kind of shrink (eg. japanese pressings which are often in a plastic shrink). So that combination must be avoided at all cost. I think it's important to point out the decisive factor, the humidity. I live in Antwerp, Belgium; my record collection is in a room that's always between 15 and 25°C and not humid at all. I think PVC sleeves are safe to use in conditions like that... and they look great on my records.
I agree humidity is a big factor in how PVC behaves. Phil
I have 3000 records half are in pvc never have problems except when the record company does a bad job with the high gloss varnish
I did work at the printing plant for Emi records and we had an old varnish machine that was rubbish and with did varnish the bulk with varnish that was immediately dried by UV lighting and that was perfect if the varnish was applied as thin as possible
I have 100s of original albums that have been in PVC covers for over 40 years with no problem. It was interesting that the problem ones shown in the video all appeared to be recent re-releases? 🤔
Hi Phil. Polyethylene or polypropylene which is better in your opinion? I noticed that Spincare have Crystal, Density and Clarity versions. I don't know which to choose. Any advice would be welcome.
I use crystal and clarity for gatefolds - Spincare are very good.
@@NowSpinningMagazine Thanks Phil.
@@NowSpinningMagazine I was very lucky that only one of my Zappa collection suffered from the PVC cover nightmare. And that was a previously water damaged copy of Sheik Yerbouti. Lots of Japenese LPs and Promo LPs were luckily still in mint condition.
For 90% of my collection I have Mo-Fi inner and outer sleeves. I really hate the Mo-Fi outer sleeves. They're too big for 99% of my album covers, and they're annoyingly cloudy. For new albums (post 2000) I use the same sturdy PVC sleeves as you. Never had a problem, but that might be because new album covers are less prone to sticking to the PVC than older ones. But I'll have to rethink my approach now... I've been meaning to check out the Canadian sleeves everyone's raving about, or get rid of them all together. I'm not in the business of selling records anyway, so I'm probably a bit too protective - it's the vinyl that needs the careful handling. I inherited my dads collection from the 70s ad 80s, and they were all VG+ to EX, even though he never owned a single protective sleeve in his life...
I did have huge problems with CBS album covers from the 70s (mostly made and printed in Holland). They are of low quality and there's no lamination or protection of the print surface, which means you have to be very careful when cleaning them. If you're not, the ink will come right off and the covers become very sticky.
Hi Prock, thank you for watching and your details comment. You make an excellent point about more modern album covers not having this issue due to the matt finish on the card used. Since making this video i have found more damaged albums. The one with a slight sheen or glossy covers are the ones most affected. I have removed them all now. I do not like the cloudy polythene sleeves thay are too big. I have now replaced them all with the Spincare Clarity sleeves. Thank Phil :)
I have a rare Limp Bizkit Chocolate Starfish vinyl I bought new way back in 2000 which was enclosed in a soft thick PVC sleeve for 21+ years. I recently watched a Parlogram Auctions video on the subject. I was stunned, luckily the Limp Bizkit LP was still good The PVC sleeve did have a chemical smell to it as well as the album cover which I left out in the open air for 1 week until the smell was gone. I turfed out that smelly PVC sleeve. I was relieved. Unfortunately I do have a few other rare Picture discs and a 1 year old limited edition Greta Van Fleet 2 green disc LP enclosed in original factory see through (suspected) PVC outer sleeves. the discs are all still good and the see thru covers don't smell (as of yet?) but I am concerned.
It is amazing how many people this video has helped. You were lucky to get rid of the PVC smell, a lot of mine still have it even though I removed the sleeves a while ago. Phil
Also it seems to have another issue too , something called gassing or plastic migration, that affects not only the sleeve and affects directly the record
Yes, that is a real thing. I have albums that really smell strongly of PVC years after I removed the sleeves. Phil
Kallax shelf. Respect.
Oh gosh I used to have my albums in PVC sleeves pretty much since I started buying things on a more serious basis. I'd buy an album and buy a sleeve at the same time. It was only about 5 years ago I changed completely over to Poly sleeves after 40 years or so. While changing them all thankfully I only had one sleeve stick which was on a UK pressing of Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic, printed by Shorwood in England so it's not just Japanese albums that get effected. I was still heart broken though (despite having it on vinyl in a couple of other box sets), it was only slightly on the bottom of the front cover and a little across the top - the rear was left unharmed. But while discarding those PVC sleeves you realise how badly they age.
Thank you for adding your experience that will be very helpful for other music fans. Phil
Wait till you see what PVC does to the actual records themselves even through card and paper sleeves, thanks to 'off-gassing' - I had my Eurythmics collection in newly bought bulk PVC sleeves for just under a year and saw warnings online and discogs. Took them all out and had no issue with the sleeve sticking - But every disc had swirly grey areas 'burned' onto the black vinyl from the two similar plastics reacting, and when I played them they had loads of hiss. Devastated. It cost me a tonne to buy the PVC sleeves as well. How are they allowed to sell something so patently destructive and say it protects your vinyl? I've given up collecting as I simply can't afford to replace my stuff. Heartbreaking. Please check your actual records you had in these horrible sleeves like those Japanese pressings you showed and research off-gassing damage.
Would outer sleeve covers made from Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene be ok?
Not sure - I use spincare sleeves
How do you tell if the sleeves are PVC or not? Where's a good place to find the poly ones?
In the UK I use spincare.co.uk. You can tell by the smell. PVC has a oilly - petrol type smell.
Hey do pcs count too cuz I have pcs vinyl outer sleeves are they safe for vinyls or there bad just like pvc Someone Please tell me🙏🙏
It depends on the humidity. If it is high it could create issues.
Hello
I just saw your very interesting video.
You are talking about PVC sleeves which must absolutely be avoided and replaced by polyethylene sleeves. Most of my records are protected by polypropylene sleeves. Is polypropylene dangerous for discs?
What do you think ?
Hi Tov, thank you for watching. Polypropylene is fine, I have heard no negative stories about this. Phil
@@NowSpinningMagazine Thanks a lot for your answer ! Regards.
Hi , you can removed the plastic sleeve with hot air with a dryer , the stickiness will go away and will not damage the lp cover
Take record out first!
Of course
Can I use acetate outer sleeves?
Hi Jose, thank you for watching. I am not sure what those are? I use these czcams.com/video/gMbe5SqLi1Y/video.html
Use polypropylene (PP) which is clear plastic. I don't like the polythene sleeves as these are cloudy.
Totally agree - Phil
@Now Spinning Magazine with Phil Aston after posting, I noticed you've made an update video recommending Spincare PP sleeves. I shall give them a try as the gatefold pp sleeves I've been using is one sleeve and you have to remove the album to open the gatefold which is a bit annoying. Cheers
Oh no I just bought a new record never been opened and it’s in a PVC sleeve, it’s a limited edition press and has been in a sleeve since 2016. I could have bought a used one for cheaper, looks like I’ll have to open my record and remove the sleeve. It’s the Mike Oldfield - Nuclear 7 inch Metal Gear Solid V, I wonder why the company put all the records in those PVC sleeves.
Wow.., just came across this.. Now I can’t wait to check my collection next week.. I have bought a lot of quite expensive PVC outer sleeves. This looks scary.. After how long this can occur?
It depends. The very thick PVC sleeves seem better, but the smell of the PVC can penetrate the sleeves / vinyl very quickly. The really tight fitting ones can stick to the artwork. This is especially true for USA and Japanese pressings. Phil
@@NowSpinningMagazine thanks a lot Phil for your reply. Next week going to check it all.. maybe in meantime a large order for the polyethyleen ones.. unless the pvc I have are of excellent quality
One last thing Phil, how about the cellophane sleeves? (Thinner but crystal clear)@@NowSpinningMagazine
I have covered these in a another video. I love these and highly recommend them.
@@NowSpinningMagazine thanks! Will look for that video ; )
Always thought the reason not use them was because they make the vinyl sweat
I've got friends that have sworn by PVC for years, but I've never gone for it. My entire collection is sleeved, but I don't use any PVC thankfully
I was one of those that swore by PVC, never again. Since I made this video I have found more albums ruined by these covers. never again. Thank you for watching - Phil
I’m confused; I’ve used PVC for over 40 years but I’ve never had a problem. I suspect that this is because I don’t have any Japanese or US imports. However, as polythene is cheaper and everyone seems happy with them, I may buy those. Polythene is UV safe but not as protective as regards bumping etc. but I’m super careful when I handle them anyway. Interesting video though
Hi James, since I created this video I have done further research and it depends on the PVC quality as well. Some of my older sleeve bubbled up or split but did not damage the covers. More recent covers were very thick but made the albums smell of PVC. The damage was more on Japanese imports or sleeves with a glossy cover. I also think humidity could play a part. Phil :)
I recently removed all my albums from their PVC covers. They are all fine, but some of them definitely had a faint plastic smell to them.
Hi Joseph, thank you for watching, good move! That aroma should fade - Phil :)
also acid leaching which destroys the vinyl.surprised u didnt mention that . i went thru 3000 of my parents old records and about 30 had vinyl cancer from PVC covers
Hi John, I not that familiar with that, thank you for commenting. I have removed all my pvc covers.
@@NowSpinningMagazine bizarre isnt it .? A friend told me years ago and i replaced all mine .
i am a 50 year old vinyl user , never joined the digital revolution , i use nothing to protect the outer jackets , i dont assign any major value to my records either , i play them and put them away , wear is a process , it happens to all things , as long as the record in the sleeve is in good playable condition . my personal view of "the vinyl resurgence" is people getting far too concerned about record collections , to the extent of market over inflation , keeping in mind that for over a decade , records were considered obsolete junk . i have many records in pristine jackets but the records are semi trashed through being played with damaged , misaligned , or worn and dirty styli . look after the record and let the jacket wear. thats my thoughts on it .😘
I am actually quite close to you in my approach. I can have an evening playing records and usually select specific tracks I want to play and by the end of the evening there are albums every where! If I cleaned each one and put them back in their outer sleeves I would hardly get to play anything. Phil
This explains when record companies release picture disks they don't use a traditional cardboard album cover. They just insert the vinyl directly into the PVC outer sleeve. The image is always safe it's placed between the clear vinyl.
Hi and thank you very much for watching! I had not thought of that and that makes a lot of sense. Phil :)
Never ever ever leave a record 'naked' in a PVC sleeve...PVC off-gasses over time and you'll be left with an unplayable record that has a 'film' stuck to it, that has insane surface noise. I only have 1 12 inch single that I left in PVC and it happened to mine. The record company only cares about shifting units and showing off the cool picture disc not about if your vinyl will spoil in 5 years time
So most picture disc sleeves are PVC?
@@kgatlw9134 I'm in total agreement with you! The worst thing in the world for picture discs are the PVC jackets they sell them in! If you own any of them, get them out of those sleeves! If you collect old 45's don't store any records in those old 50's plastic carrying cases (The ones with the pony-tailed girlie pictures on them). Lots of old 45's have dull spots on them that make noise when played as a result of being stored in them! The old metal cases are the best as they don't retain humidity.
Polypropylene (PP) mainly
The Amazon page for the sleeves I purchased say polyethylene and polypropylene mix but considering Amazon has a lot of scams it could be pvc.
I doubt it. PVC is thick and smells oily. They are very distinctive.
I've never used PVC covers. Always used poly bags.
Hi, I really wish I had done that! PVC, looked great but was a disaster! Thank you for your comment - Phil
Are there any exceptions? All of my vinyl is inside a box and not exposed to anything, and they are in sleeves...not sure of the composition. Perhaps you could 'cool' the PVC to try and reduce this from happening?
Hi, thank you for watching. There are always exceptions but I do feel PVC should be avoided. I spoke to a manufacturer of PVC covers for records and he said they are not designed to last for ever. Although I understand forever is a long time, they seem to deteriorate faster than the covers they are supposed to protect. Phil
@@NowSpinningMagazine Thank you kindly for your reply Sir.
@@smallfaucet your welcome. If your vinyl is inside boxes and not exposed to anything perhaps you don’t need any external covers? I live near the sea and the humidity is quite high so I do need to protect the sleeves more. Phil
@@NowSpinningMagazine Makes perfect sense, don't want the paper to stick together! My records don't come out very often, but I have been adding to my collection quite a bit this year. All sorts of things have been getting pressed from the 90's that never were before! Cheers.
What about 3mil polypropylene sleeves?
They are fine :)
@@NowSpinningMagazine Thank you!
Nude! Ha, ha! I have thought that I would put my records in one plastic or you say it should be pollythene (sp.?) and the sleeves in another! I worry about ringwear! 😲
Ouch!
I know! At the moment I am looking at my vinyl collection with zero outer covers and quite like it. I also have room now for an extra 100 albums ! Thank you for watching- Phil
yes Poly sleeves are way better , but they dont look that great quite cloudy Not sure you can get 100% clear sleeves
🤔😢😢
PVC will destroy a COIN collection too.
Naked. I use half moon poly sleeves for records. They right inside inner record sleeves.
I don't use any plastic sleeves for my LP's. I am a fan of music not a collector of anything!
If you respect your physical media and enjoy the music it provides there are no problems.
Thank you for watching and your comment. I have a mixture now of some ( all none PVC) and some without. It is all the about the environment you keep your records in and how you look after them. Phil :)
I guess I am lucky that I live in a dry environment. As a teenager, back in the day, I used to sleeve all my LP's and in the long run it seemed to do more harm than good.
That's why I've never used them on my own records. Saw this happen back in the 70's to many family and friends albums with those PVC covers.
They were the worst on tip on album sleeves and the ones that had the thin plastic coating over them that would begin to peel off pretty quickly if exposed to too much sunlight.
Thank you for watching, I hope this video helps others so they don’t make the same mistake as me. Phil
I don't use them. The PVC ones have chemicals in them. Here is a video from Frank of Channel 33 RPM in Canada. It is about new types of sleeves that can be used. It may be of interest Phil.
czcams.com/video/YhGNdRwClx0/video.html
Everything in the universe has chemicals in it! Water, air, lemonade, and wood are all made of chemicals!
My friend has a much better record collection than me, So i gave him all my PVC sleeves to protect it 😆
Let’s hope he doesn’t watch this video ! Phil :)
@@NowSpinningMagazine Of course i didn't 🙂
Nude for me. I have had a couple of hard lessons from PVC sleeves. A very good second hand store in my city stores all the vinyl stock in polythene sleeves.
I think more modern albums can cope with PVC, although I will never use them again! Older vinyl with shiny covers seemed to come off worse.