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First impressions of the Audio Desk Record Cleaner

This is my first US cleaner. I was using a spin clean before - tedious at best.

The $4K price tag was a barrier for a long time but I found a used low mileage one a few weeks ago for sale from Analog Audio (Minneapolis, MN). The owner Paul Blizel was great btw.

I’m systematically going through maybe 400 records using the full 5 min cleaning cycle so 9 mins total per record. I’m a 125 into the task.

Most of my records are new, and quite a few are higher-end pressings.

I had 2 new records with flaws in the pressings, including Wild Flower and all the rest. Track 1 has a visible production flaw - AD made a slightly better but didn’t solve that issue - no surprise there.

Dire Straits On Every Street was full of static-sounds with no visible flaws. I did have my local dealer run it through his AD but I’m sure it was a 1 min clean. It took 2 X 5 min sessions, but it now sounds great. This record was a litmus test for me because the distortion was annoying on every track. Well done AD.

As I listen to the newly cleaned records, I’m astonished by the newfound clarity and blacker backgrounds, even on the high-end pressings like one step and masters from Analogue Productions and MOFI. It’s a significant upgrade.

Maybe I should have bought one sooner.

 

macg19
rsf507
2,328 posts
 

I've wanted an AD cleaner for a long time but also have followed several threads here on Agon regarding the many failures of the machines over the years. Just didn't want to take a chance. I'm sure it performs wonders when it works.

theo's avatar
theo
2,690 posts
 

Congrats macg19. I have had mine for about 3 years and love it. I had a VPI 16.5 prior and it was a great machine but the AD just make is so much easier and does a much better job, in my opinion of course. So far I haven’t had any issues and the only complaint I had was the way draining had to be done. But I made some modifications and have a ball valve with a drain tube and it makes life easier. I don’t know why that isn’t standard or an accessory, but it was a simple enough fix.

Enjoy!

 

 

macg19 OP
940 posts
 

Not sure where some of the math comes from...

AD is $4K new as most retailers in the US and mine listed for $2,500 and came with brand new roller brushes, filter, wiper blades and 5 bottles of cleaning solution (so supplies for ~500 records. It was used on about 200 records prior to me.

As for my time - it takes ~1 min per record, so call it 8 hours of my time for 400-ish records.  

I'll report back if it breaks. 

In the meantime, the results are well beyond my expectations.

 

larryi
4,038 posts
 

I have used mine only on records that have remained noisy after multiple, thorough cleanings with a vacuum machine (Nitty Gritty).  For almost all of these records the added ultrasonic cleaning made no difference.  But once in a while a record I though was damaged (because repeated cleaning did not cure noise or distortion) dramatically improved after such cleaning.

tablejockey
3,916 posts
 

"I have used mine only on records that have remained noisy after multiple, thorough cleanings with a vacuum machine (Nitty Gritty).  For almost all of these records the added ultrasonic cleaning made no difference."

Even the best RCM will not fix groove damage.

 

 

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