best fluid for vpi 16.5 cleaner non-vpi brand?

Another vote for the AIVS fluids. They're superior to VPI, Disc Doctor or old style RRL (now MoFi) in my own experience and that of several friends.

I haven't tried the Walker, but it's very similar in concept to AIVS so there's little reason to expect major differences. Prelude came out some time after the current AI product line began to acquire a well deserved following. If there's anything better about it (beyond a brand name) it's not apparent from the writeup on the Walker website. Has anyone compared directly?

Michael, people are reporting good results with both the Walker Audio Prelude and the Audio Intelligent fluids. I've heard of comparitive tests where the users prefered one and other comparative tests where those users preferred the other. I happen to prefer the Walker fluids and brushes, and I use the Walker Step 4 rinse on those "special" records to bring the sound quality up yet one further notch.

I use the Walker Audio Talisman with each LP, just part of my regimen, but don't think of it as a tick and pop reducer - that's not it's role. For ticks and pops, focus on cleaning with the your choice of effective cleaning fluids and using ultra pure water for a double rinse finish. Then, use the Talisman to achieve that next level of midrange resolution and clarity, and upper frequency purity of tonal reproduction. Consider the Talisman as a "clarifier" of resolution, timbre and soundstage. The same holds true for the Walker Audio Step 4 rinse fluid in my experience. All have a cumulative positive effect.

Enjoy your explorations!

I'm actually using Disc Doctor with double rince which also works quite well. I may have to try the Walker or AI but the reports of success with a variety of fluids makes me wonder if the most important part of the process is actually the gentle but meticulous scrubbing process. I won't go into a tangent on brushes and such...don't worry.

These record cleaning solutions that use "active enzymes" is the key.

Active enzymes are used for cleaning, sterilizing on a microbe level in the medical and laboratory fields.

You are not going to find a superior cleaner or any other method that even approaches the results of what active enzymes will do.

A cleaned Lp with enzymes rendered shocking sonic results with recorded music I thought I knew well.

The end results are that good....

Sonofjim,
I agree with Stiltskin. I've used DD and other surfactant based solutions. None of them comes close to a process like AIVS or Prelude that begins with an enzyme soak. The improvement is indeed shocking.

Scrubbing has little to do with it. I scrub only lightly. My records are far cleaner and quieter than they used to be and scrubbing harder doesn't make them more so (except perhaps for garage sale filth, which we rarely bother with).

The brush type is of some importance, but keeping the brushes clean is more so, especially the two used for a final double rinse with extremely high grade water.

Rushton,
The Talisman works as you described, but if you want a real shock then try a stronger (AC powered) demagnetiser. We have one that cost less than half the price of a Talisman and provides a much greater benefit. The effects seem to be permanent and it really does a job on tubes and cabling too. There's always more! :-)