2. analog
  3. 128615-13747

Best value record cleaner/cleaning system

Thought I would ask the group -- when I was last in the analog game some 12-15 years ago it was a VPI or Nitty Gritty for record cleaning (that and the wood-handled Discwasher pad with red-bottle liquid, Zerostat and Decca CF brush for just before playing an LP)... are these still the go-to standard units, or has the state of the art / ’value’ options advanced to some other kits in the present? I see cleaner units now from Pro-ject, Music Hall, Spin Clean, etc etc.

In my case I am not trying to ’deep clean’ mistreated, flea market or recycled recors store records... just good hygiene maintenance-cleaning of a treasured collection - 80% regular records, 20% ’audiophile’ pressings.

Thanks in advance.
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jjss49 OP
6,612 posts
 
rec'd my okii nokki - really nice machine

my records never sounded better 

sweetness
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,396 posts
 
Regarding the method I mentioned earlier along with my complete regimen,
cleaning just one lp at a time does take a while. If you start cleaning another lp while your 1st one is in the US cleaner, this reduces time considerably, more of an assembly line approach.
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slaw
21,396 posts
 
jjss49,

You should consider shelling out $30.00 for the steam cleaner I mentioned if only to clean your cleaning tools/velvet lips. Small initial investment, for a large ultimate payoff in terms of replacement velvet strips and ability to clean off any contaminants between cleaning and rinsing cycles.

Happy listening.
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slaw
21,396 posts
 
Don't know what velvet strips the Okii uses, I've found the Disc Doctor strips to be the best I've used.
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slaw
21,396 posts
 
FWIW: When I was finally able to buy my VPI 16.5 years ago, after reading about it, after dreaming about it, I was so disappointed to learn that it did not work as I had read for years.

Upon first using mine, I found that the vacuum was so strong that the lp would adhere to the vacuum tube while the platter would continue to spin. I found out from my dealer that there was a screw that can be tightened once you poke through the cork platter mat and find the 3 screws that will allow you to remove the platter. Then you can barely access the allen screw (at an angle) that will allow you to tighten the assembly. If this wasn't enough..read on...

I then found out that the pick-up tube would not release as I've read for years, automatically. This, I later found out, on my own, is a very delicate melding of several factors.

(1) The position of the pick-up tube in relationship to the lp, in terms of how much it should be twisted, left or right of center.
(2) How much actual fluid one applies.
(3) How flat a particular lp is

None of the reviews I had ever read prior to this purchase ever talked about this. This purchase, became my first in a long line of events to come, that reminded me of how little one can rely upon the reviewers of products.



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