Never make a cleaning solution with any solution that is deemed damaging to PVC. Never buy any solution unless its content's are listed. Compare both to the PVC CHEMICAL COMPATIBILITY CHART, many such charts are on the web. Alcohol in the quantity used is detrimental to PVC and the plasticizer, liquids like photoflow are anti surfactants, mono polar, not to be used to aid in surface cleaning.
Ultrasonic cleaning before and after
I used a track on side B of Helen Humes and the All Stars. (Muse MR5217). My Old Flame. $1.99 record store.
Before cleaning, the vinyl was fairly dirty with some fingerprints and a lot of dust. Vinyl was greyish from dirt.
I cleaned the single record in my China-made US tank and a motor driven rotator for 5 mins. 80/20 distilled water/isopropyl alcohol with a few drops of Triton X100 surfactant.
Before: A fair amount of surface noise with crackling in right channel from fingerprint marks. It sounded pretty decent as the recording is fine.
After SpinClean pre-rinse: Reduction in surface noise but fingerprint scratch was still as pronounced. Recording sounded better with somewhat blacker silences and improved dynamics.
After US and SC rinse: Much quieter. Surface noise practically gone. Fingerprints noise reduced by 70%. However what I was not expecting was much better music. The acoustic bass line appeared literally for the first time. Piano notes came together in a melody where before they seemed random and disjointed. Brass became three dimensional coming forward in the mix. Vocals centered and became more nuanced like she was singing to you with an increase in sibilance where called for.
Summary: I am genuinely surprised by the improvement wrought by the second cleaning. I can’t say for certain if it was due to the US or simply to playing it three times! I cleaned the stylus before each play.
Before cleaning, the vinyl was fairly dirty with some fingerprints and a lot of dust. Vinyl was greyish from dirt.
I cleaned the single record in my China-made US tank and a motor driven rotator for 5 mins. 80/20 distilled water/isopropyl alcohol with a few drops of Triton X100 surfactant.
Before: A fair amount of surface noise with crackling in right channel from fingerprint marks. It sounded pretty decent as the recording is fine.
After SpinClean pre-rinse: Reduction in surface noise but fingerprint scratch was still as pronounced. Recording sounded better with somewhat blacker silences and improved dynamics.
After US and SC rinse: Much quieter. Surface noise practically gone. Fingerprints noise reduced by 70%. However what I was not expecting was much better music. The acoustic bass line appeared literally for the first time. Piano notes came together in a melody where before they seemed random and disjointed. Brass became three dimensional coming forward in the mix. Vocals centered and became more nuanced like she was singing to you with an increase in sibilance where called for.
Summary: I am genuinely surprised by the improvement wrought by the second cleaning. I can’t say for certain if it was due to the US or simply to playing it three times! I cleaned the stylus before each play.
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- 21 posts total
Couldn't agree more.I went the DIY route and my records have never sounded better. Bought a 10L Ultrasonic tank with a really nice record spinner , I only clean two albums at a time. 20 minutes per cycle with water temp at 38 degrees C. I use Steam Distilled water in the tank. I use Versa-Clean from Fisher Scientific at a 40 to 1 mixture so about 6 ounces as the tank holds approximately 240 ounces. The Versa-Clean is specifically designed for Ultrasonic cleaners and vinyl records . I use a capful of Photo-Flo per tank. Once the cycle is complete I run it thru my Nitty Gritty 2.5 cleaning machine while washing off with Steam Distilled water the Versa-Clean and Photo-Flo using the vacuum on the record cleaning machine. My trusty Nitty Gritty 2.5 bit the dust after 18 years of use so I ended up picking up the Record Doctor VI while manual compared to the NG 2.5 It does the job of vacuuming off the excess very well although you have to turn the record yourself. No big deal. |
Since I posted this last year I've changed the mixture and routine a little.
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This is the record spinner that attaches to the Ultrasonic cleaner. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TVLY7HS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 |
- 21 posts total