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Thumbs up for ultrasonic record cleaning

My Cleaner Vinyl ultrasonic record cleaner arrived today and it’s impressive.

Everything I’d read indicated that ultrasonic was the way to go, and now I count myself among the believers. Everything is better - records are quieter, less ticks and pops, more detail etc.

All my records had been previously cleaned with a vacuum record cleaner and were well cared for. Nonetheless, the difference is obvious and overwhelmingly positive.

Phil
phil0618
audiom3
156 posts
 
@slaw  Thank you for that!  I feel a lot better now.  I was worried some of the early experiments might have been softened a bit from higher/longer temps.  But once records are US cleaned, the differences between warm and bright recordings are even more substantial.
terry9
2,354 posts
 
What @slaw said. Except I use 5 minutes per rotation. I even did the same experiment.

cleeds
6,236 posts
 
audiom3
once records are US cleaned, the differences between warm and bright recordings are even more substantial.
Agreed! If you really want to hear what's on your LPs, there's no substitute for US cleaning, imo.
boneman73
36 posts
 
Great thread! I've been using a USRCM for a couple of years (I guess that may put me in the 'early adopter' catagory) however, I would not say I'm any expert at it, mainly due to a lack of time to really dial in the procedure. Where I'm at today is: Vinyl Stack system (though I built my own stand for it) with a 40kHZ bath, using the "Rushton method fluid", though I started with just distilled water and have moved to a 'chemistry'. 1 micron filter with a 1.2gpm pump. Being an 'early adopter', the timing was shorter than what most of you have described: I've been using 5 minutes. Heat is a must (~40C, I find the temp goes up with sonic usage, too). Is everyone drying with a vac? I have been doing that...but I really don't like the idea of touching the record after cleaning! So - I'm building a blower/dryer rack. Air is filtered, and really 'blows'. QUESTION: after pulling the records from the chemistry bath, how should I rinse? with the distilled water + alcohol mixture, then dry? I don't want any residue left on records. Or spots :)
terry9
2,354 posts
 
Rinsing - I just implemented a 3 stage water filter: 25 microns, 1 micron, 0.5 micron carbon block.

I clean using a conventional Vinyl Stack spinner. Then I transfer the stack to a high speed Vinyl Stack spinner, located in a sink. Then I rinse the stack in running water, first with 1 micron water, then 0.5 micron water.

Finally, I remove the stack from the high speed spinner and attach a VS handle, and rotate the stack in a bath of distilled water.

My tap water is very, very pure, and so this works a treat for me. YMMV, especially if your tap water isn't Wet Coast pristine. 
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