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
Mulveling
Cool! Like minds and all. I didn’t think anyone read my posts. Thanks for letting me know I was wrong. Like you, I love my double matrix pro sonic. Makes life(vinyl) spin.
🖖✌️
For years I used a VPI 17 then Audio Desk followed by Klaudio were introduced and I began reading all the rave reviews. However, like nolojunko, I had concerns about exposing my records to ultrasonic cleaning. Let me add that my concerns were purely subjective without the benefit of any empirical evidence. As, a result I went with the Clear Audio Double Matrix Professional Sonic and couldn't be happier. It does a wonderful job and it's built like a tank.
Hello Nolo. Welcome!

I have done such an experiment - it was my first act of US ownership. Methodology:
1.  Wash both sides with VPI 16.5.
2.  US clean both sides for 5 minutes.
3.  Turn off the motor, so that one sector of the record remained in the US bath.
4.  Cooked the record in US for an hour.
5.  Removed the record from the bath, and rinse.
6.  Play on a high end system, expecting a change every second or so.
7.  Observed no change or difference of any kind.
8.  Concluded that US does not damage vinyl.

Of course, after cooking in the hot bath for an hour, the record was warped - but that is a function of heat unevenly applied, not US energy.

My US cleaning process:
1.  Rotate at 12 RPH.
2.  Clean at 80 KHz with Elmasonic machine (German, lab grade).
3.  Chemistry is 2.5% VersaClean from Fisher Scientific.
4.  Temperature is 45C.
5.  Rinse heroically.

My system is based on 6 Quad 2905 ESL's, a DIY air bearing TT and DIY electronics.

@terry9 Those Elmasonic machines look very nice!  What size tank are you using?
Hello Audiom.

I use a 6 litre tank. Well made, good features, no regrets. Since it's a lab machine, I trust its specs - and the results are quite surprisingly good, even for my high expectations.