I have had the VPI 16.5 for years. Its okay for getting crud off. The problem with all these machines is the level of clean needed for a record cannot be done the way people want it done. The only way it can be done is with a brush or cleaning pad that is constantly changing and bringing new clean brush in contact with the record. The only machine I know of that works this way is very expensive and cleans only one side at a time.
I'm not into cleaning either. Appreciate the results, for sure. Maybe when the day comes I have more time than I know what to do with it will be a great way to eat up that time. For now though cleaning records means not listening to records, and finding time to listen is hard enough already. Not to mention there's tweaks that improve sound far more than any clean record. So this is pretty far down the list of priorities.
What was it you said? Oh yeah,
Same here.
What I would do, looking at all the stuff you already have, is mod.
All these things really are, two motors and some tubes. One motor spins, the other sucks. You could probably take parts off one and combine with another, modify the platter, and clean both sides at the same time. Which is a silly thing but its what you want. The mod that would not be silly is to make it so the brush material is on a spool that rotates across the brush as it cleans ensuring that only fresh new clean brush fabric touches the vinyl. This mod would also greatly improve cleaning time.
Might as well. There are no machines out there that do what you ask. Might as well make it yourself. That's what I do. If I can build a turntable rack, power conditioner, and entire turntable, you ought to be able to mod a vacuum cleaner. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367
All it takes is time. Which you now have. In abundance.
I'm not into cleaning either. Appreciate the results, for sure. Maybe when the day comes I have more time than I know what to do with it will be a great way to eat up that time. For now though cleaning records means not listening to records, and finding time to listen is hard enough already. Not to mention there's tweaks that improve sound far more than any clean record. So this is pretty far down the list of priorities.
What was it you said? Oh yeah,
I want great sound, but also want to spend my time listening to LPs, not cleaning them.
Same here.
What I would do, looking at all the stuff you already have, is mod.
All these things really are, two motors and some tubes. One motor spins, the other sucks. You could probably take parts off one and combine with another, modify the platter, and clean both sides at the same time. Which is a silly thing but its what you want. The mod that would not be silly is to make it so the brush material is on a spool that rotates across the brush as it cleans ensuring that only fresh new clean brush fabric touches the vinyl. This mod would also greatly improve cleaning time.
Might as well. There are no machines out there that do what you ask. Might as well make it yourself. That's what I do. If I can build a turntable rack, power conditioner, and entire turntable, you ought to be able to mod a vacuum cleaner. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367
All it takes is time. Which you now have. In abundance.
