The downside of vinyl....

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by howiebrou

Folks, you need the Audiodesk Systeme ultrasonic cleaner. Literally press and forget.

howie

Sorry, no $3000 RCM for me that uses sonication. I am too concerned about damage to the grooves/music from the heat generated by cavitation from the sonication process. You should see what it does to boat propellers.

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

I agree completely, Cyril. For those of us that can't afford a Loricraft, cleaning on the VPI is more of a hassle, IMHO. Depending on how dirty the record is prior to cleaning, I've been doing a 3-5 step cleaning per side (2 to 3 cleaning fluids, 1 or 2 distilled water rinses) and I find it takes me 6-8 mins per LP. The cycle time per record definitely has had me procrastinating getting a lot of recent LP acquisitions from being cleaned.

I will say that having gotten a Spin-Clean this week, I can clean a whole passel of records much faster; like 5 in 5 minutes. Most of these are clean enough to play directly w/o further cleaning. For those that don't get sufficiently clean or quiet enough off the Spin-Clean, I put through the VPI for 2 passes, a cleaning fluid pass, and a distilled water pass.

This lets me "batch and queue" a lot more records more quickly.

Also, I find that the AIVS solutions clean more effectively than MoFI. Just my 2¢, but I have compared them extensively.

Something to think about......

Cheers,
Stephen.

Stephen...I am going to order the AIVS #15 and their equivalent of a rinse. Thanks for the suggestion.

[two dot]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

I agree completely, Cyril. For those of us that can't afford a Loricraft, cleaning on the VPI is more of a hassle, IMHO. Depending on how dirty the record is prior to cleaning, I've been doing a 3-5 step cleaning per side (2 to 3 cleaning fluids, 1 or 2 distilled water rinses) and I find it takes me 6-8 mins per LP. The cycle time per record definitely has had me procrastinating getting a lot of recent LP acquisitions from being cleaned.

I will say that having gotten a Spin-Clean this week, I can clean a whole passel of records much faster; like 5 in 5 minutes. Most of these are clean enough to play directly w/o further cleaning. For those that don't get sufficiently clean or quiet enough off the Spin-Clean, I put through the VPI for 2 passes, a cleaning fluid pass, and a distilled water pass.

This lets me "batch and queue" a lot more records more quickly.

Also, I find that the AIVS solutions clean more effectively than MoFI. Just my 2¢, but I have compared them extensively.

Something to think about......

Cheers,
Stephen.

Stephen,

I think that I'll order a spin and clean. I HATE cleaning records. I did @ 10 yesterday took an hour. I hate the noise, I forget what step I'm on...

HATE IT!!!!

It is worse now that I've been convinced to use a 2 step process per side....

It makes me wish I had a $100 Dual TT with a $10 needle..

[BearCubinNY]

I use a Clearaudio Double Matrix. It's big and loud, but it does a very good job at cleaning both sides simultaneously.

Reg

[Tonepub]

No matter which system you decide on, once you do a major cleaning, it doesn't take much after that to keep them clean. A necc. evil, no doubt, but the benefit is definitely worth it.

Wish there was a shortcut, but there isn't...

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by BearCubinNY

I use a Clearaudio Double Matrix. It's big and loud, but it does a very good job at cleaning both sides simultaneously.

Reg

For $2500 it should wash your socks as well!

That's more than I paid for my Premier 17 preamp by not an inconsiderable margin

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by two dot

Stephen,

I think that I'll order a spin and clean. I HATE cleaning records. I did @ 10 yesterday took an hour. I hate the noise, I forget what step I'm on...

HATE IT!!!!

It is worse now that I've been convinced to use a 2 step process per side....

It makes me wish I had a $100 Dual TT with a $10 needle..

Cyrll and Two Dot,

My plan is to get a rubber TT mat from a cheap old TT and put it on over the cork mat on the VPI; then just throw the record on the rubber mat straight from the Spin-Clean and vacuum off the remaining Spin-Clean fluid. With the rubber mat I'm not going to worry about any fluid from the bottom side getting the rubber mat wet and the rubber mat will protect the cork mat. That will obviate the need to dry the record with the cheesecloth drying cloths (though they work well). What I've been doing is checking the record on the TT after the Spin-Clean cycle. If it's quiet, which it usually is, I call it a day and slide it into a clean MoFi sleeve. If it needs deeper cleaning, then I'll use the VPI with AIVS No. 15 deep cleaner for a pass or two, and one or two rinses with ultrapure water. I work at a lab so I can get as much as I want for free; I just usually fill up a gallon jug of distilled, deionized, and ultrafiltered lab water. The thing is, is tha the Spin-Clean is so good at "deep cleaning" that the pass through it more than sufficient 80% of the time.

I'm going to order another VPI Delrin nozzle and vacuum tube to be dedicated to Spin-Clean washes, and swap it out for standard VPI cleaning fluid uses with one dedicated to that. As you know, you can take the nozzle out to sponge off the felt strip in seconds.

[JDCheek]

Originally Posted by cmalak

RECORD CLEANING SUCKS

Has to be done but time consuming and tiresome as hell. What do other AAers think about cleaning vinyl?

I hate the fact that it must be done, but my VPI 16.5 is in a small workshop I have in the basement. A little music, a fine cocktail, and I get to feel and hold these things that provide so much pleasure. Can't do that with a download!

A chore can become quite enjoyable.

[Masterlu]

Maybe the thread title should be "The Darkside of Vinyl"

[BuffaloBill]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Maybe the thread title should be "The Darkside of Vinyl"

or, juice not worth the squeezing