VPI HW-16.5 vs HW-17 record cleaning machines

You should check out the discussion archive here on Audiogon referring to "RRL" vinyl cleaning solutions. These made the records cleaned on my 16.5 sound the best ever.
Completely compatible with either the 16.5, or the 17.

I had a VPI 16.5 and thought it was a good cleaner. I prefered it to the Nitty Gritty cleaners. After several years with the 16.5 I sold it and bought a SOTA LPC which is a better built and more versitile machine.

A friend bought a VPI 17 which I had the chance to use, after using it a few times I sold my Sota and bought a VPI 17 and after nearly a month of use I think it is fantastic. It cleans much better than the 16.5, works faster and is MUCH quieter.

It would be worth the upgrade.

I just bought one of the VPI HW-17F cleaning machines that recently came onto Audiogon. I owned a HW-16.5 for 10 years or so. Both do a great job. Since the HW-16.5 utilizes a manual brush, you can give the record a better scrubbing. The HW-17F is quieter to operate and I think I read that it has a stronger suction motor. Overall it is a more refined machine that for me is worth the extra money.