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Walker Vortex Vacuum Wand for VPI

Hello all,
From a thread over on the Asylum, I noted Walker has introduced an Arm Wand for VPI RCMs.
After reading it's description at Elusive Disc, I can't help but think that this Delrin Wand, with no protective strips, coming in contact with the vinyl, no matter how one adjusts the Wand Tower, will be "kind" to the vinyl?

The other item included with the Wand, is two little O-rings, placed on Spindle, said to keep the record from touching the Mat. Wouldn't a rubber washer serve the same purpose?

Perhaps too new to hear other's opinions? I like the idea of never needing to worry about velvet strips going bad, less chance of cross-contamination, etc, but just cannot seem to get past the idea of the Delrin contacting Vinyl? Mark
markd51
chadnliz
3,736 posts
 
I was talking about this with a vendor who makes RCM fluid and as he explained they tried something like this but it left residue behind drying it to the surface with a technical term for it I cant recall (something with a "v")
anyway if you use some food coloring in the fluid on a old album you may notice this affect with the Walker, you may not as I am only passing on anothers attempts at this idea. He also noted that is the entire reason for the brush on the standard wand, it is only there to prevent this drying affect. Talk amongst yourselves.
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,381 posts
 
Chad,

Not so sure that the food coloring would prove anything. I'm no chemist, but since food coloring is made to adhere color to other things(e.g. cookies), it seems like that happening in your experiment just would show that food coloring does indeed dye things as intended. The food coloring could produce the residue. It wouldn't prove that without it, a residue is left on LPs.
I'd also be hesitant to try this because I wouldn't want to get food coloring inside the tube. Cheers,
Spencer
42659
77 posts
 
I forgot to mention previously that older records from the 60's and 70's that I purchased used seemed to benefit the most from the Walker Vortex cleaning. There is definitely record to record variance in terms of improved sound quality with the Vortex but with some of my older original pressings the sonic improvement was remarkable. I cleaned several newer 180 gram reissues with the vortex and although they also sounded clearer the difference was not nearly as great compared to some of my 40 year old vinyl. It is also interesting that, at least in my case, imaging improved both left to right and front to back. Voices and instruments were more clearly placed and better defined on the sound stage after the Vortex cleaning. I am now fully realizing my deep my Dynavector XV1's cartridge can go in pulling out musical detail from vinyl.

Johny
chadnliz
3,736 posts
 
Like I said I am only passing along ideas, I dont know if the Walker is great or shit but discussion is never bad.
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