Record Cleaning Machines - VPI vs. Nitty Gritty

Hi--The upcoming 'both sides now' vertical cleaning Clearaudio machine might be another alternative to consider--for one as in the VPI, you do not put a cleaned side on to a contaminated mat when the reverse is to be cleaned.
I believe Jan 02 release date-- est German RRP 2500DM.

I'm going with this one.

Des

I've owned both, and I must say I prefer the VPI 17F. Easier to use oveerall and, if you clean a lot of records, won't overheat on you. The ability to spin the LP both ways is a nice touch, too. I DO wish the fit -n- finish and quality of construction were better..but functionally it can't be faulted.

If someone built a better fit and finish machine, nobody would pay for it, would they? Is there a market for a decent RCM at a higher retail price?

My preference is the VPI 16.5, principally if you have a lot of older, filthy vinyl to clean, as you can really give it a good scrubbing with that brush. Easier to use, too, as Alexc notes. My brother is quite happy with his Nitty Gritty I gave him, though, so you probably can't go wrong with either, just depends on how much used vinyl you obtain. The Clearaudio sounds interesting, but given the inevitable importer's mark-up I think it will probably be at a much higher price level than these two machines.

I use the 2 sided Nitty Gritty and am very happy with is. I prefered the smaller footprint of the machine over the VPI.
Art