@whart - Thanks for your thoughtful response. The general consensus seems to be that US RCMs do not cause any damage; I suspect that if any microscopic changes (damage) are occurring, it is subtle, random, isolated and cumulative, possibly evading detection via listening tests for several cycles.
I also suspect that given the number of variables, the amount of cleansing action (and by extension, over cleaning and possible damage) varies greatly with each application. I doubt that damage would be heard as an average degradation across the entire LP, but would be random and very limited until it became severe enough. My thought process is to better understand the mechanics of US cleaning in order to optimize the cleaning process while minimizing the potential for damage. My impression after reading this thread (and others) is that few people using these devices fully understand what is occurring and are relying on mfrs specs and hoping for the best. My impression of the electronics driving the KLAudio transducers is that of a very simplistic approach, adjusting one important parameter (frequency) in order to obtain a desired specification (power) without fully optimizing the process.
Some of the industrial tanks vary the frequency and therefore the power to create "waves" of transmitted energy to improve the cleaning process. While the average power may be 150W, the peak power could be many times higher. The KLAudio machine maintains constant frequency, but the DC supply to the output transistors is essentially unfiltered rectified line voltage so the transducers "pulse" at 100/120Hz with peak power ~280W.
FYI, I use both IPA and surfactant (tergitol) in my KLAudio RCM for the past 2 years. I know it voids the warranty, but so far, I have not experienced any bad side effects. I also vacuum the records after cleaning with an Okki Noki.
I also suspect that given the number of variables, the amount of cleansing action (and by extension, over cleaning and possible damage) varies greatly with each application. I doubt that damage would be heard as an average degradation across the entire LP, but would be random and very limited until it became severe enough. My thought process is to better understand the mechanics of US cleaning in order to optimize the cleaning process while minimizing the potential for damage. My impression after reading this thread (and others) is that few people using these devices fully understand what is occurring and are relying on mfrs specs and hoping for the best. My impression of the electronics driving the KLAudio transducers is that of a very simplistic approach, adjusting one important parameter (frequency) in order to obtain a desired specification (power) without fully optimizing the process.
Some of the industrial tanks vary the frequency and therefore the power to create "waves" of transmitted energy to improve the cleaning process. While the average power may be 150W, the peak power could be many times higher. The KLAudio machine maintains constant frequency, but the DC supply to the output transistors is essentially unfiltered rectified line voltage so the transducers "pulse" at 100/120Hz with peak power ~280W.
FYI, I use both IPA and surfactant (tergitol) in my KLAudio RCM for the past 2 years. I know it voids the warranty, but so far, I have not experienced any bad side effects. I also vacuum the records after cleaning with an Okki Noki.