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Steam Cleaning - RCM or not?

I posted a couple of times yesterday about this over at AudioKarma, but thought I would ask here as well since Audiogon seems to be at the center of the steam cleaning information.

I tried steaming in earnest a few nights ago; I did an LP I've had for years that had had some minor mold on it, which I removed a long time ago with my RCM, but the spore pattern remained. It was gone in a minute with the steam, which I somewhat expected. What I didn't expect was how lifelike this 3rd pressing, orange-label Dynaflex LP suddenly sounded. Amazing!

My question is this; I'm really drawn to the idea of not using my 20+ year old RCM at all because of the noise, which I'm getting tired of hearing after all these years. I'd really like to be just steaming, lint-brushing with my home-made fluid I've been using a while, steaming again and wiping with a couple of microfiber cloths. That seems to work very well, except that I seem to be getting some gunk on my stylus now and again which may be lint from the cloths.

Is this a concern? I actually did this routine a couple of times to one side of an LP and then did the same thing but RCM'd and not microfibered the other side, and I would swear the non-RCM's side sounded slightly more real in each case. Sonically I'm completely okay with the cloths only, but am a little concerned about possible residue and whatever that is showing up on my needle—although my ears are telling me this is the way to go. Anybody else come to this conclusion?
vanmeter
vanmeter OP
33 posts
 
Okay...I've been steaming for about two months now, and REALLY like the sound improvment. However, I'm getting a lot of dust still on the stylus after playing an album side, something I haven't dealt with in 20 years of having an RCM. Is there a way around this - I really like just using the microfiber cloths - or should I reconsider some combination of steam and RCM? It's bad enough that sometimes the sound is distorted, as the stylus is mistracking - I assume that's slight moisture in the groove causing the gunk to cling to the stylus.
funkwrench's avatar
funkwrench
5 posts
 
Vanmeter - for what it is worth I have been experimenting with Pledge dust and alergen unscented dry cloths available at Target and at my local supermarket. These disposable cloths appear to me to be without any obvious chemical additives like scent or aloe. I am using them as a dust and lint remover just before I drop the needle. Perhaps they can solve the gunk problem you are experiencing from (you suspect) the other micro-fiber cloths. I have also seen some random material residue when using the Wal-mart or auto detailing cloths. I am not suggesting you stop using the cloth-cloths - they seem to work very, very well - I am only saying that you might add a simple extra step. For the moment, I have replaced the carbon fiber record brush I WAS using with the pledge wipes. So far so good, with NO static issues.

Please carry on with your steam experiments and report back to the this thread or the steam-cleaning thread.

regards,

Joe
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
I assume that's slight moisture in the groove causing the gunk to cling to the stylus.

That is exactly why I still use my DIY RCM after steaming. Nothing else lifts that suspended crud better than vacuuming. And you don't have to wait for the lp to dry before playing because it is dry after vacuuming.

piedpiper
753 posts
 
I can't help but think that the RCM is an advantage, just I can't help but think the those Pledge cloths are charged with stuff that is best kept off your records. It's possible that the degradation that you hear after vacuuming is due to the static that is generated from the vacuuming process. If you use the RCM to the point of utter dryness the disc will come off staticky and quite attractive to dust in the air. I find a destaticing device such as Mapleshade's Ionocalst or Walker Audio's Talisman invaluable at this point just prior to playing. Alternatively, there are those who swear by playing their records wet, which of course precludes static, although your water better be ultra-pure, an important advantage however you clean.

Dealer disclosure.
vanmeter OP
33 posts
 
I don't think I could stomach the idea of playing records wet. The steam seems to work so well...I catch myself constantly forgetting I'm listening to vinyl since the noise floor seems to drop so much and the sound becomes somewhat 3D. I really do think I hear some degradation of that using the RCM after steaming, but I can't imagine why unless, as you say, it's related to static. And it could be my imagination, frankly.

I mentioned wetness in the groove, but this gunk last night was on a disc steamed two weeks ago or more that I had let air dry, so it must be more than just dampness in the groove remaining. There's bound to be a "best of both worlds" situation, it's just finding it, right? :)
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