I don't try to make vinyl sound better than digital. That is a fool's errand, sort-of like trying to make digital photography look like film (or vice versa).
So, for me, my phonograph-playing system sounds just like it should--and just like good stuff sounded back when it was the dominant distribution medium. I have a Thorens TD-166II, which is a modest turntable from a quality manufacturer. It is much easier to maintain and set up than the cheap Technics belt-drive turntable I bought in 1977. My cartridge is an Audio-Technica AT-440mla, mentioned above as needing all sort of this or that. I use Thorens's cables, and plug them into the (well-respected in its day) phono input on my Adcom GFP-565. If it's too hot in the top octave, I can't hear it (more accurately, I probably couldn't hear it even if it was). I probably have a total of 175 pF of capacitance, but I haven't measured it.
I did significantly rebuild the turntable and tonearm, and set up the cartridge with considerable care. I had a residual channel imbalance that I solved by departing a bit from the Thorens instructions on setting the anti-skate weight. That's probably the biggest audible change I have noted since buying that cartridge.
I did add a Music Hall Cruise Control external power supply. But I did not expect (nor did I notice) any sonic improvement, other than my ability to regulate the speed. But it creates a 16VAC power for the table at a frequency that allows me to use the larger 45RPM pulley on the turntable, and no longer have to use the belt derailleur in the unlikely event that I would want to change speeds. I think the belt will last longer and behave better on the larger pulley.
I do not clamp the record down, and have never noticed any slippage with a good belt. The Thorens uses a suspended subplatter, and I would have to change everything about how it is set up if I put a heavy weight on the platter. Whatever effect that has on the audio is not objectionable to me.
Thank goodness I haven't taught myself to hear and hate inner-groove distortion. If the music is good, I'm already listening through whatever sound limitations there are by the time it gets to the inner groove, and if the music isn't good, the album is already back on the shelf before I get to the inner groove.
True Nirvana for me in the usability department was adding a Cue-Up, so that I could fall asleep during soothing music and not worry about wearing out the stylus in the runout groove while I snooze.
On advice from an industry insider, I purchased a relatively inexpensive isolation platform thingie that was suppose to eliminate any effect of footfalls in the room, etc. It doesn't do any harm and wasn't that expensive. After doing so, I realized that footfalls in the room weren't a problem. I also bought Audio Technica adjustable isolation feet for my Technics back in the deeps of time, mostly so I could level the table easily and also because they looked cool.
When my records need deep cleaning, I wash them in the sink. Yes, I can do that without soaking the label. Then, I don't let them get dirty after that. The dust cover stays on the turntable, and the LPs stay in their (aftermarket archival and anti-static) sleeves.
All that reliably lets me enjoy listening to vinyl playback such that it sounds as good as it ever did. I usually record them to my computer on the first play or two after building my current system, mostly so I can have access to them in the car. I use a Benchmark ADC-1 USB for that purpose, in a tape loop of my Adcom preamp.
Rick "some records sound better than others" Denney
