Hi Kipdent
what your are telling is practically a 1 for 1 story I could relate (Just not in the very lucid and detailed description of yours)
You mention 'stubborn' particles causing pops or ticks. For the ones raised above the groove surface I found also no other method than by using a finger nail (as gently as possible). I use a Hannl MERA, which does a very good job but it can not always get rid of those.
As far as cavitation and the steam cleaning goes, I really do not want to start some scientific 'side thread' on this. As an ex-wind surfer and water sports person I am very familiar with this phenomena -- check under spin-out...
My point, steam is expanded water i.e. of lesser density, it is the same as in water, when due to high surface speeds water under suction (close to vacuum) creates a 'steam bubble'. Water CAN boil at room temperature if you simply lower the pressure, the same principal used in the 'steam cleaner'. It is the sudden collapse / contraction of these tiny steam/vacuum bubbles that affect the surface they are imploding on. It lifts off particles in the extremely fast and millions of times over and over repeated process of bubble implosions. This is the steam cleaners action, not high temperature (its actually pretty cool) or jet pressure or what ever.
There you have it, now go argue some more.
Steam cleaning works, no doubt, but I have my reservations about it, and it is very messy. Not my idea of efficient record cleaning.
A last point for Kipdent and the 'irremovable' tick (it is seldom a pop). If it is a POP, you find 9/10 some VERY HEAVY VTF cart stylus was dropped from some height, creating a usually round indent, effecting 2 - 3 grooves. Can't do a thing here i.e. irreparable damage.
Next, the small ticks and also more continuous crackle or groove noise. I had some of these, and then some. More often, if not all, are pretty hard vinyl of some vintage. 'Mercuries' and 'Turnabout' come to mind again. The more you clean, the worse they sound. It is my contention that these are simply signs of groove disintegration / break-up, the groove is 'chipped out' and gets more chipped out by repeated cleaning efforts --- steam cleaning should truly give them the rest and clean them beyond listening.
Greetings,
Axel
what your are telling is practically a 1 for 1 story I could relate (Just not in the very lucid and detailed description of yours)
You mention 'stubborn' particles causing pops or ticks. For the ones raised above the groove surface I found also no other method than by using a finger nail (as gently as possible). I use a Hannl MERA, which does a very good job but it can not always get rid of those.
As far as cavitation and the steam cleaning goes, I really do not want to start some scientific 'side thread' on this. As an ex-wind surfer and water sports person I am very familiar with this phenomena -- check under spin-out...
My point, steam is expanded water i.e. of lesser density, it is the same as in water, when due to high surface speeds water under suction (close to vacuum) creates a 'steam bubble'. Water CAN boil at room temperature if you simply lower the pressure, the same principal used in the 'steam cleaner'. It is the sudden collapse / contraction of these tiny steam/vacuum bubbles that affect the surface they are imploding on. It lifts off particles in the extremely fast and millions of times over and over repeated process of bubble implosions. This is the steam cleaners action, not high temperature (its actually pretty cool) or jet pressure or what ever.
There you have it, now go argue some more.
Steam cleaning works, no doubt, but I have my reservations about it, and it is very messy. Not my idea of efficient record cleaning.
A last point for Kipdent and the 'irremovable' tick (it is seldom a pop). If it is a POP, you find 9/10 some VERY HEAVY VTF cart stylus was dropped from some height, creating a usually round indent, effecting 2 - 3 grooves. Can't do a thing here i.e. irreparable damage.
Next, the small ticks and also more continuous crackle or groove noise. I had some of these, and then some. More often, if not all, are pretty hard vinyl of some vintage. 'Mercuries' and 'Turnabout' come to mind again. The more you clean, the worse they sound. It is my contention that these are simply signs of groove disintegration / break-up, the groove is 'chipped out' and gets more chipped out by repeated cleaning efforts --- steam cleaning should truly give them the rest and clean them beyond listening.
Greetings,
Axel