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Record Cleaning - Ultra Sonic or My old ways

I went digging this weekend and came up with a few gems that were on my list.

I went home, dusted them off first then started my cleaning madness. But guess what? I found myself cleaning the record using my old method instead of my $4K ultrasonic method.

When first started to collect records, I started out cleaning with my DIY method, then with a Nitty Gritty, then I got a Spin Clean and used it in combination with my DIY method. I then thought that was madness so I moved up to a KLAUDIO ultrasonic cleaning machine. It works great but I still find myself using the Spin Clean and DIY method. Now that is real madness I thought. But I really get some satisfaction from doing it that way because I feel that the records are as clean as using the KLAUDIO. I think that is really the case because I have stop buying dirty records, therefore not a lot of pops or clicks from the records. I do not collect records just to have a large amount of records. I always listen to my new purchases and put a small red sticker on the ones I think are good pressing and good sounding records (Like the "Hot Stamper" guy does). I then take all of the others to Goodwill. I have a database (Momento Database) on my Android phone with my record collection, including those records that I donated, so that I don't purchase them again. Before having the database, after going Digging I would realize that I already have one or two copies of the same record, so the database really helps because I look up each record to make sure I don't already have it.

So, have ever reverted to your old ways of cleaning records?

The KLAUDIO is just sitting there and I only use it occasionally if I hear some extra noise from the records, which is not often.

almandog
r_f_sayles's avatar
r_f_sayles
872 posts
 
whart, just curious, what frequency machine are you running and what cycle times? Why I ask is, higher frequency machines 60-80khz seem to have been found to produce smaller bubbles of agitation and therefore produce deeper cleaning. Cycle times also seem to be critical to safe use, but also deeper cleaning, of course. Harry of VPI (on his website) has made no bones about the fact that the two disciplines used together, seem to bring the finest results. And that is considering that he has abandoned the idea of producing a commercial ultrasonic machine entirely.

I find, more times than not, that with my line-contact Lyra stylus, many, many, old (50-60’s) vinyl that was damaged/worn-out with a conical/elliptical style stylus, is damaged in the groove above where I am playing, or at very least, the majority of the line-contact’s contact spot is so much longer (height wise) then those others, that the percentage of information delivered to the phonostage compared to the percentage of groove distortions makes for a mighty pleasant listen. This stylus type has done more (on a properly set-up deck) for pulling out the nuances while also giving me a dead quiet record surface with a surprising amount of the vinyl that finds its way to be spun at my place.  And a thorough cleaning regiment is still vital, but not the only strategy to enjoy those old gems.

Happy Listening!
whart's avatar
whart
3,099 posts
 
r_f_sayles: I'm currently using the KL,  a finished commercial product, not a "DIY," so far less flexibility on frequency. I've been advocating the DIY ultrasonics (and may buy one myself) b/c it permits you to remove the ultrasonically washed record and do the drying on a point nozzle. To the extent I've done that with the KL (not recommended by the manufacturer, because pulling an undried record from the KL risks damaging the electronics in it), I've gotten better results than the forced air drying. I also like the idea that you can add some heat to the 'generic' ultrasonic baths.
audiotomb's avatar
audiotomb
1,112 posts
 
No comparison for me

the low evel detail, lack of static and pops, dynamics, etc on my Klaudio are fabulous. And the ease of use has me, well, using it.
i have over 600 records cleaned and cleaned 15 or so a week, sometimes more. I just bought the silencer so that has gone up dramatically. I still kept my Loricraft which uses single point vaccum based on the Keith Monks rc to prep a very stingy record. I have used it 4 times since the KL.

i now buy a lot of uk and german and vintage 50s - 60’s jazz. First pressings.
i have really been able to extract the highest quality out of these records with the Klaudio. Taking vg records and getting many to m-/e+ status. Via surface noise, it doesn't removes scratches but I have actually seen it remove the magnitude of a scratch. This allows me to buy less expensive (already expensive) copies

the KL may not get fingerprints off the surface, but it brings out the sonic inneraction which is all in the underlying grooves

ymmv
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