Record Cleaning Machines

[treitz3]

I have a 25th anniversary Edition Dual sided Nitty Gritty RCM with the smoked cover and the beautiful Jatoba finish. In combination with the Shark, I feel no need for any solution. Just distilled water and the same process I have used for years. I clean each side before play whether it needs it or not and even on new LP's with great results. That said, RCM's have many deficiencies and IMO there is a need for much improvement.

Tom

 

[Tonepub]

I'm with Mike Lavigne, I've tried the Nitty Gritty, VPI, Clearaudio and currently have a Loricraft, which is excellent and after reviewing the Keith Monks, cleans records every bit as good as the Monks for a lot less money....

But the Audio Desk Systeme gets records cleaner than anything I've experienced. Two of the people on my staff have one as well, and I really like the ease by which it works. The Loricraft does an excellent job, but is kind of messy and you do have to babysit it. Still an excellent machine.

And for really dirty records, you can queue up multiple clean cycles.

My records have never been quieter. Very happy with the purchase.

 

[garylkoh]

I was discussing this with a couple of friends from Asia, and one of them told me that someone did an experiment with distilled water and leaving the record overnight with it running. The next day, there was a layer of black dust at the bottom. They thought that it cleaned so well that it took vinyl off as well.

Anybody else has tried it? If it takes out pops and ticks, it may be shaving tiny bits of vinyl off. I like my records quiet, but not at the expense of detail and resolution!!

True or just a legend?

 

[NorthStar]

Can always google it and find out. :b

 

[Soundproof]

I second Lavigne's recommendation of the Audio Desk. Simply brilliant, does deep rinse and hands you a dry record ready for use.

I had two Decca original Loussier live-in-Paris LPs that both had very noticeable surface noise, which I put down to the grade of vinyl. Cleaned them several times with regular rcm's, and different solutions, without the noise disappearing. After a full cycle in the Audio Desk I had new records in hand, with no surface noise. Sheer miracle. The Audio Desk has already paid its way in enhanced listening pleasure, more listening time and in ensuring that my LPs are at their best.

 

[MylesBAstor]

I was discussing this with a couple of friends from Asia, and one of them told me that someone did an experiment with distilled water and leaving the record overnight with it running. The next day, there was a layer of black dust at the bottom. They thought that it cleaned so well that it took vinyl off as well.

Anybody else has tried it? If it takes out pops and ticks, it may be shaving tiny bits of vinyl off. I like my records quiet, but not at the expense of detail and resolution!!

True or just a legend?

From what I understand Gary, the US can damage the record. Supposedly the designer worked on this issue for quite a while ending up with the current machine. So the question is: is this an extreme sample of using the Audio Deske Syteme?

I haven't tried the AD but in my experience, the VPI Typhoon is the best out there. Records are noticeably quieter and sound much better! Again, much of this has to be laid of the feet of the cartridge being able to track better.

 

[Fred]

I love the concept of the AD system. One of the reasons that I put off cleaning my lp's is because my 16.5 needs my full hands on attention.

 

[Soundproof]

I was discussing this with a couple of friends from Asia, and one of them told me that someone did an experiment with distilled water and leaving the record overnight with it running. The next day, there was a layer of black dust at the bottom. They thought that it cleaned so well that it took vinyl off as well.

Anybody else has tried it? If it takes out pops and ticks, it may be shaving tiny bits of vinyl off. I like my records quiet, but not at the expense of detail and resolution!!

True or just a legend?

Over in my part of the world, vinyl enthusiasts have been using ultrasound long before the Audio Desk system appeared. A test was set up, with long term exposure of vinyl to ultrasound and studies using microscopes, to try to ascertain whether the cavitation harmed the vinyl. It doesn't. No trace whatsoever - LPs were exposed 50/50, fully with rotation, with the ultrasound running for days, etc.

 

[FrantzM]

Over in my part of the world, vinyl enthusiasts have been using ultrasound long before the Audio Desk system appeared. A test was set up, with long term exposure of vinyl to ultrasound and studies using microscopes, to try to ascertain whether the cavitation harmed the vinyl. It doesn't. No trace whatsoever - LPs were exposed 50/50, fully with rotation, with the ultrasound running for days, etc.

I would be interested in a system that uses Ultra sound but is much less dear than the Audiodesk ... $3500 to clean record appears to me as a very stiff price ... I wouldn't mind some DIY or links thereof

 

[MylesBAstor]

Over in my part of the world, vinyl enthusiasts have been using ultrasound long before the Audio Desk system appeared. A test was set up, with long term exposure of vinyl to ultrasound and studies using microscopes, to try to ascertain whether the cavitation harmed the vinyl. It doesn't. No trace whatsoever - LPs were exposed 50/50, fully with rotation, with the ultrasound running for days, etc.

Don't you think choosing power and intensity is critical and if not properly selected, could harm the LP? I can ultrasound cells in suspension for ages but with the right frequency and intensity, disrupt them in seconds.

There also is a heating component to using ultrasound too. With the volume of water using in the AD system, that would probably have a negligible effect of raising the fluid's temperature but smaller amounts might. (remember ultrasound is used in cancer therapy to heat and kill tumor cells).

 

[garylkoh]

Perhaps the designer at AD found the right frequency and intensity of ultrasound in the fine balance between good and evil? I remember going for ultrasound therapy in Singapore to "blast" my kidney stones. I understand that therapy was discovered to cause more harm than good? There are also a lot of cheap ultrasound jewelery cleaners available in the market, but if the frequency and intensity are wrong, then it would definitely harm the vinyl.

I hope that this doesn't turn into a food fight. I love my vinyl, but I haven't gone for a AD because of my (may be irrational) fear.

 

[Soundproof]

I definitely don't see this as an irrational fear. I was quite cautious, some years ago, when these began appearing as DIY projects, and looked thoroughly into the cavitation issues with the ultrasound. Then the DIY-enthusiasts carried out the stress-tests to try to force visible/audible damage to vinyl records, and they tried long and hard. That allayed my fears, but I found the DIY-units cumbersome, particularly as they required manual drying.
When the Audio Desk came on the market, an all-in-one unit, I went for it.

Here's the self-build thread of the guy who started a self-build craze over in my part of the world, back in 2005. The thread is from 2006. A lot of serious and cautious vinyl enthusiasts in Norway have these self-build units now.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analogue-source/120394-i-made-myself-record-cleaner.html

 

[NorthStar]

I was discussing this with a couple of friends from Asia, and one of them told me that someone did an experiment with distilled water and leaving the record overnight with it running. The next day, there was a layer of black dust at the bottom. They thought that it cleaned so well that it took vinyl off as well.

Anybody else has tried it? If it takes out pops and ticks, it may be shaving tiny bits of vinyl off. I like my records quiet, but not at the expense of detail and resolution!!

True or just a legend?

From what I understand Gary, the US can damage the record. Supposedly the designer worked on this issue for quite a while ending up with the current machine. So the question is: is this an extreme sample of using the Audio Deske Syteme?

I haven't tried the AD but in my experience, the VPI Typhoon is the best out there. Records are noticeably quieter and sound much better! Again, much of this has to be laid of the feet of the cartridge being able to track better.

Myles, what is the US? ...Is that Distilled Water?

 

[microstrip]

Myles, what is the US? ...Is that Distilled Water?

May be the ultrasound. If the cleaning product does not react chemically with the record I see no reason why it should damage the vinyl - heating should be negligible. Disclaimer - I am not a polymer chemist. !

 

[NorthStar]

Doh, I should have known! ...UltraSound of course.

...But what' bout 'Distilled Water'? :b

 

[garylkoh]

The DIYAudio forum that SoundProof linked to (and links from that) has a huge amount of detail.

Ultrasound does not clean by chemical action. It cleans using millions of bubbles exploding. Like throwing a depth charge at a submarine.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I use the Spin-Clean system. Does a great job. I've detected no difference in it and when using a VPI 16.5. Just sayin'!

 

[Peter Breuninger]

That record cleaning machine

See the last video about the machine

The US importer/distributor demos the machine in the last video. I asked for a sample and will report on it.

 

[NorthStar]

Hot Sauna for your LPs, any good? :b

 

[NorthStar]

See the last video about the machine

The US importer/distributor demos the machine in the last video. I asked for a sample and will report on it.

And this thing is FREE? :b