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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
terry9
2,354 posts
 
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.

audiom3
156 posts
 
@terry9 Those Elmasonic machines look very nice!  What size tank are you using?
terry9
2,354 posts
 
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.
terry9
2,354 posts
 
Re-reading my post of March 6, I should have written

7. Observed no AUDIBLE change or difference of any kind.
slaw's avatar
slaw
22,490 posts
 
@terry9,

I've ordered Versa-Clean and Photoflo. My plan is to use this with distilled water for the time being as my next phase of my progression of US cleaning.

I have two existing RO filtering systems. One I cut off years ago when a leak developed and an identical new unit never installed. I think I'll try to install/fix both and use one with a mineral cartridge for my drinking water and the other just for my US cleaning needs. Thoughts/suggestions?
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