Michael Fremer's record cleaning process....

There are some silly posts here in need of correction/clarification:

First of all, I never wrote that the KLAUDIO machine "pits" records. You can read the review here for yourself:

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/klaudio-kd-cln-lp200-ultransonic-record-cleaner-reviewed

The inference that anything I do write is ad driven is offensive and just plain idiotic. Right: I'll sell my credibility for an ad. If you believe that...well fine, enjoy...

Had the KLAUDIO arrived first I'd have bought that. It is better built and had some better features. However I continue to prefer the roller fluid applicators and the mild surfactant that the KLAUDIO warns against using BUT both are great.

Let's see what else I've "learned" thanks to this thread:

I use a Keith Monks machine (not true).
I use an elaborate cleaning regimen that takes forever and described it in a story I wrote (not true).

The great part of this thread is that others first corrected these errors.

But one last thing: someone wrote that I have done a "...great job marketing myelf."

Nothing could be further from the truth. I have NEVER "marketed" myself. Ever. Wherever I am in this business (and that place is for others to judge) is simply the result of how people have responded to what I've written for all of these many (I started at TAS in 1986) years and nothing more. I had no "game plan", "20 year plan", or any kind of ambition in this business.

I did, however, believe when I started that vinyl is the most musically satisfying format to sit down and listen to and I still do. So I advocated that, even though I was advised by all that I would be heading towards a dead end....

So all i can say is that the best part of wherever it is that I am (and from what I can see it's a pretty good place!) is the result of how others read me and not because of anything willful on my part...

Getting back to Rwd's original post, MF is mostly reporting on individual record cleaners. He isn't taking a thoughtful amount of time to think through a "best process". Judging his record cleaning process for expediency/efficiency, I'd say he's basically right. (This goes to the heart of my post that he's really over stretched himself). He's way too much involved in everything analog to give us the "ONE BEST" way to clean vinyl. (I watched a video of him setting up a system and comparing the Buffalo Springfield lp, (different pressings). I believe it was then or in another video, regarding adjusting VTA for different records, he said something to the effect of "I do have a life", this meant that he didn't worry about this aspect any longer. This coming from the man that makes such a big deal about SRA. Come on!

We are better served by our own conclusions in the end.

The first and only "best way" is to be able to give time and (enjoy this) time cleaning your records. Without this, everything else is not very accurate. I figured out long ago that, in order to be involved in analog, in any serious way, you have to be able to put in the time, the expense and have the ability to come to your own best conclusions (while observing what others do) in order to have your "best way" to do anything.

Some great comments!!! Thank you!

Slaw: with due respect, the older I have gotten, the less I believe that there is "one best" anything- writer, cleaning method, record, etc. (Frogman did you a solid in response to your 'extraordinary recordings thread' in a somewhat similar vein). FWIW, you refer to MFremer in the third person in your last post, when 'Grooves' who directly addressed some of your comments immediately above, is M Fremer. Perhaps you didn't know that.....

About 18 or so years ago, I popped in the Joule Electra/Merlin room @ CES. Michael was in there, and pulled out the 45rpm Stairway to Heaven. It was pretty incredible sounding, and of course I bought the Classic 200 gram box, which came with 45. I already had all the Classics in 180 gram, but I just had to have that 45. He was such a humble guy, and he truly keeps the vinyl torch lit. Let's face it, guys like Michael and Chad truly make a difference. Very cool stuff guys, and please keep it up. Cheers -Don