best fluid for vpi 16.5 cleaner non-vpi brand?

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! :-)

Hi Doug, yes there is always more! Crazy isn't it? In that same vein, try some of the Walker Step 4 Final Rinse. It sure surprised me.
.

Dougdeacon,

Has your demagnetifier been reviewed by any of the professional rags?

I use a dartzeel preamp and amp that sits 12-30 inches away from the tt respectively and they are rather finicky and sensitive so am wary of these products a little! I know it needs to be kept away from the cartridge!

Mike

Mike,

Most of the best new ideas and innovations in audio are discussed, beta tested and shared on forums like this one, not in the mainstream mags. I doubt the professional rags would waste their time, space or reputations reviewing an ugly, $79 utility tool sold to machine shops. It's much more impressive to review an $1800 Furutech DeMag, which does exactly the same thing with the addition of an auto-timing circuit, a shiny case and a selling price that brings the buyer some cache and the magazine some ad revenue.

Personally, I'm happy toggling the on/off switch and controlling the strength of the magnetic field manually, exactly as one does with the Walker Talisman. I can buy alot of records with that $1721 in savings, not to mention the amount I save by not subscribing to the usual mags. ;-)

You'll note the mags haven't reviewed the Magic Eraser either, and probably never will. Why review a stylus cleaner we all buy for pennies at the supermarket or Walmart. It does a notably better job than the $25-50 stylus cleaners sold by advertisers, so an honest appraisal would risk ad revenue.

BTW, I hope no one uses *any* demagnifier near their TT, preamp or any other component. Demagging should be done well away from your equipment. Anything else would be foolish.

FWIW, we demag each LP before it goes on the RCM. There's some chance demagging before wet cleaning might help loosen certain grunge and the strength of an AC powered demagnifier means the effects seem to be fairly permanent (as with the Furutech) so it doesn't really matter when or where you do it.

Doug