Thumbs up for ultrasonic record cleaning

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. 

Another convert here.   I have a 10L 40hz tank and a Vinyl Stack 3 LP combo.  My process is:

Spin Clean to remove surface / loose debris and pre clean
Blot
US Clean using Rushton's formula at 35c.  1/3 RPM; 5 revolutions in 15min
Rinse
Nitty Gritty Vac Dry

My findings match most experiences.  Clean LPs often exhibit a noise floor lower than that of my system.  I hear much better transient response, and extreme HF.  I hear much more air and space around musicians.   

My take is that over time, a layer of dirt bonds to the groove surface walls.  This layer is probably only a few microns deep, but it is enough to blunt the leading edges of transients, mask extreme treble extension, and the very low level audio cues that allow us to "hear" space.  This layer is generally impervious to scrubbing.  A US session removes this layer, exposing more of the very subtle modulations deep in the groove.

Regarding surface noise, even previously cleaned LPs exhibited a shhhhh-woooosh sound in the background and between grooves.  After US cleaning, in many cases this sound is gone, and is replaced by silence.

On the other hand, surface damage is now more easily heard probably because the scratches are also cleaned of smoothing junk etc and the rest of the LP is now more quiet.

I have run into an issue where I hear more tics pops as I get closer to the label.  I increased the amount of fluid in the US tank, and more carefully vac clean, which seems to have taken care of the problem.

@iopscrl,

Welcome!

I try and make sure when I drop the Vinyl Stack into place that I eyeball the record grooves and make sure they are slightly under water...IE: equivalent to your adding more water.

Based on @terry9 last post, I'm experimenting with a slower rotation today @ 1 rpm every 2.5 minutes.

I pulled out Ben Harper's "Both Sides of the Gun", yesterday. It had previously been cleaned with Disc Dr. fluid and a vacuum dry around 10 years ago?

I listened to it like that, then steamed it ( I use Audio Intelligent Down With Dirty Concentrate mixed @ 1.5 Tbs. per 16 oz.) brushed on then steamed off w/ distilled water, then a vacuum/rinse.

It isn't a reference disc but it is I'd say a solid 8. It has enough of every part of the frequency spectrum delivered at high enough level for anyone to hear what is there and what could be there. After hearing it improve somewhat just by steaming, then to the full US bath, it went up one notch to a 9. It's interesting and fun to listen to this happen.

@boneman73,

Welcome!

When my Us cleaner is finished it’s cycle, I raise the lps out of the bath, let them spin a while, then take them off, pat them dry with a clean micro-fiber cloth, then to the VPI 16.5/distilled water. I have had no issue with spots.