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Steam Cleaning - RCM or not?

I posted a couple of times yesterday about this over at AudioKarma, but thought I would ask here as well since Audiogon seems to be at the center of the steam cleaning information.

I tried steaming in earnest a few nights ago; I did an LP I've had for years that had had some minor mold on it, which I removed a long time ago with my RCM, but the spore pattern remained. It was gone in a minute with the steam, which I somewhat expected. What I didn't expect was how lifelike this 3rd pressing, orange-label Dynaflex LP suddenly sounded. Amazing!

My question is this; I'm really drawn to the idea of not using my 20+ year old RCM at all because of the noise, which I'm getting tired of hearing after all these years. I'd really like to be just steaming, lint-brushing with my home-made fluid I've been using a while, steaming again and wiping with a couple of microfiber cloths. That seems to work very well, except that I seem to be getting some gunk on my stylus now and again which may be lint from the cloths.

Is this a concern? I actually did this routine a couple of times to one side of an LP and then did the same thing but RCM'd and not microfibered the other side, and I would swear the non-RCM's side sounded slightly more real in each case. Sonically I'm completely okay with the cloths only, but am a little concerned about possible residue and whatever that is showing up on my needle—although my ears are telling me this is the way to go. Anybody else come to this conclusion?
vanmeter
stltrains
845 posts
 
Vanmeter it sounds like you are charging your lps with static some how which is drawing in dust particles from the air. I use a Furutech De Stat after my steam cleaning process. De Stat is a little expensive but it works very well. Also good for cables and other things in your system that develop static. I might be going overboard but i bought 3 of Orecks air purifier units. These things really work they capture dust, mold, bacteria, viruses and fungus from the air in your home, the wife hardly needs to dust as much now. One of them is very close to my TT.

I agree with you wholeheartedly with the sound of lps after a good steam cleaning regiment. Clean, clear, quite, and wide open sound.
dgarretson
2,598 posts
 
I just started steam cleaning records with a hand-held Shark-- a great little $40 1000W steamer from Target on-line-- and a VPI 16.5 RCM. I can't imagine using steam without a RCM to ensure even application of steam and vacuum dry afterwards.
vanmeter OP
33 posts
 
I have noticed that the buildup problem seems to be totally random, too, so static issues would make sense. I was drying with three different microfiber towels and then giving a quick wipe again before play to remove dust, but it seems I have less dust buildup on the stylus if I don't do that last step.
vanmeter OP
33 posts
 
I tried steaming and mirofiber-ing one side of an LP last night, and steaming and RMC-ing the other, then played the towel side...big blog of white (and this isn't a dust bunny, it's a congealed blob) crud on the stylus that needed wet cleaning to get off - the ME wouldn't touch it.

Then, I played the other side, 45 minutes to an hour later, and after being face down on the mat. No gunk. Sad to say I think I'm answering my own question yet again...but I still feel like I'm losing some of that airiness when I RCM. There's got to be an answer to this (that isn't spelled Loricraft, which is out of my price range)...
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
How are you using the ME? I've never found anything that the ME won't get off.

The loss of airiness is most likely increased static that can be sometimes caused by vacuuming as others have already posted. I don't experience this with my rcm. Have you tried to restrict the airflow through the vacuum? Cutting down on the air velocity a little may help with this. Also a Zerostat or some other device used just before putting the lp down on the platter may help.
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