2. analog
  3. 140398-40

Is it true records are sealed to look better....

...and need a thorough proper cleaning even when new to sound best?

A vendor of ultrasonic record cleaning machines asserted this to me recently.  He also described a 45 minute process using an ultrasonic record cleaner to address it. Yikes! I clean my records manually now in just a few minutes and sounds clean when done. I thought an automatic record cleaner would save time and make things easier but not according to this particular expert.

128x128mapman
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
Just as they put wax on apples destined for the supermarket.
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,292 posts
 
@elizabeth ,

You've never cleaned new records?
WOW! my friend, you have a whole other world waiting on you.
Good luck.
reubent
6,970 posts
 
@mapman

I don’t think new records are "sealed" with a coating to hide imperfections. However, new records may have mold release agent and other contaminants on their surfaces. Cleaning new records to remove all traces of contaminants that were deposited during manufacture and packaging is a good idea. But I don’t think it should take 45 minutes.

I clean nearly every record that comes into my house, new or used, with the handy dandy spin clean. It’s good enough for me and it only takes a couple of minutes.

BTW, I hope I'm correct and it is not a common practice to treat damaged records to make them look better.
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mapman's avatar
mapman OP
22,172 posts
 
Thanks for the tip on the Spin Clean.  Might have to give that a try. 

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