@antinn Having collected LP's for decades, I can tell you that the typical used jazz and rock album is going to have significant issues..primarily from scratching and groove damage ( VG-VG++). You damage the groove with pits and scratches ( your definition of deep?) and the LP will be noisy, no matter what you do with cleaning. Unfortunately, the typical rare Beatles LP, or the typical Blue Note Lex Ave or 47 W 63rd pressing will be groove damaged.( the vast majority being VG- to VG+)..and showing scratches. Some deeper than others ( but they will all sound, regardless of the stylus shape you are using.) Your definition of deeply scratched is a relative term. IME all groove damage is audible, regardless of the stylus shape..and no amount of cleaning will alleviate this.
Record Cleaning Machines
Has anyone out there done an A/B comparison of the cleaning results or efficacy using the Degritter ultra sonic record cleaning machine which operates at 120 kHz/300 watts and an ultrasonic cleaner that operates at 40 kHz/300 or 380 watts (e.g. Audio Desk; CleanerVinyl; the Kirmuss machine; etc.)? I have a system I put together using CleanerVinyl equipment, a standard 40 kHz ultrasonic tank and a Knosti Disco-Antistat for final rinse. I clean 3 records at a time and get great results. Surface noise on well cared for records (only kind I have) is virtually totally eliminated, sound comes from a totally black background and audio performance is noticeably improved in every way. Even though the Degritter only cleans 1 record at a time, it seems significantly easier to use, more compact and relatively quick, compared to the system I have now. I'm wondering if the Degritter's 120 kHz is all that much more effective, if at all, in rendering better audio performance than the standard 40 kHz frequency. I don't mind, at all, spending a little extra time cleaning my records if the audio results using the Degritter are not going to be any different. I'm not inclined to spend three grand for a little more ease & convenience and to save a few minutes. However, if I could be assured the Degritter would render better audio performance results, even relatively small improvements, that would be a whole other story.
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@oldaudiophile- i use a very dense brush to clean my stylus maybe once a week with a slight amount of MFSL stylus cleaning fluid. That sometimes makes a difference in SQ when I can see some dust on the brush. Sounds like youve got a good tracking system down. You must go through a lot of stickers! So you count the number of plays per cleaning, or does it very by time, or record condition? |
oldaudiophile I use a carbon fiber brush, as well. I also use an Onzow stylus cleaner that I love. Using one of those shows you what kind of gunk or dirt a stylus picks up, even on a "clean" record after one play.If you’re truly playing a clean LP there won’t be any visible dust on the stylus after one play. There’s a lot of good information in this thread and I have a lot of respect for those who are willing to put so much time and energy into this. My protocol is simple compared to many here: I use a Klaudio US cleaner using nothing but distilled water. It’s an easy, convenient, one-button process, which means there’s never a reason to play anything but a clean record. I still have my original Nitty-Gritty cleaner but I never used it much. It’s just too much trouble. I keep it on hand in case I ever get an LP the Klaudio can’t sufficiently clean, but that hasn’t happened yet in the years I’ve had the Klaudio. |
I used a VPI HW16.5 for years, using VPI’s cleaning solution when I did. The records were spotless afterwards but I don’t think it actually improved the sound. It did add a static charge frequently, so I kept a Zerostat close by. Now I use an AudioDesk Pro X machine with distilled water and a bottle of AD’s surfactant. It eliminates more surface noise than the VPI ever did with no static buildup. In addition to the ultrasonic cleaning, it has 4 microfiber brushes that brush the record with the cleaning agent. The brushes may also help circulate the fluid because I’ve had some lengthy cleaning sessions with no overheating. It’s easy and convenient to use, takes about 5 minutes to clean and dry a record and is much quieter than the VPI. The cleaning time is adjustable. All of my records have gone through cleaning and occasionally I’ll clean a record a second time. That’s over 1000 cleanings so far without an issue. The records are stored in poly liner sleeves like I’ve used for the past 50 years, no issues with these liners. I mark the inside edge of the jacket opening with a set of faint lines to indicate how many US cleanings the record has had and the duration. Now when I pull a record from its jacket it just needs a couple rotations on the platter with a Hunt EDA brush before play. Occasional stylus cleaning is done with an Onzow and Lyra SPT Stylus Treatment. The AudioDesk is expensive but if you have a lot of records I think it’s worth it. |
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