MoFi enzyme based cleaner and pure rinse


I must admit, I am a little disappointed given the buzz surrounding enzyme based cleaners. In this first foray into them I have not gotten results that I would call monumental.

Maybe I am doing something wrong. I have found it to reduce some of the noise floor, but not dirty pop/click grunge sounds. I have tried it on about 5 LPs and have found that it is really not working any better than VPI cleaner thus far.

And yes, I do use dedicated brushes for each stage and I clean the vacuum tube of my VPI 16 well after each application.

Opinions?
chashmal
Markd51,

Your opinions are valued by many of us here and I don't doubt that your results using these products are of the highest quality. I think the reason that there is much dissention on the subject of vinyl cleaning is that there are numerous ways to reach essentially the same result. I actually have half a mind to buy the Walker system just to prove to myself that it works no better than my much less expensive method. I can assure you that steam applied evenly does nothing but get records astonishingly clean. The Walker system does the same as does AVIS I'm sure. I'd rather spend my money on vinyl for now. It's mostly out of print and getting harder and harder to find in good condition.
Markd51, I'm sorry, I misunderstood what you were saying by 180 degrees.

Sonofjim, in my experience there are clear benefits of some cleaning methods over others. Years ago I tried steam cleaning to no get benefit. Perhaps I did it wrong. Before the three step Walker Prelude system, I had used Diskdoctor, VPI, Diskwasher, AudioNote, L'art do Son, and several others. When I got the Prelude, I played previously cleaned records and then cleaned them with the three steps. It was clearly audible on all of them, causing me to spend seven days to reclean everything previously cleaned. Then I got Step Four from Walker, not really expecting much. I was shocked at the additional improvement. Just yesterday I found a record that was previously cleaned with L'art du Son. I used only Step Four. Again I was shocked at the improvement. Just to check I did all four steps and relistened. It was much better. In my opinion there must be degrees of "clean."
Bugtussel has been making an enzyme product for years. AIVS had an enzyme cleaner before Walker introduced his. Effectiveness is always subjective.

Enzyme cleaners are only effective against organic contamination.

Every enzyme cleaner I have ever heard of needs to be followed by an alcohol rinse to de-nature the enzymes. Then follow with the pure rinse.

NOTHING left behind is ALWAYS best, IMO.
Thank you very much for the compliment Sonofjim, that my comments-thoughts are favorably regarded. I know at times, we can all feel a bit like the ole "Rodney Dangerfield"

Much of what I've learned, is an accumilation from mostly many of the folks here, rolled into one ball. I'm only trying to donate, and give back, perhaps in thier temporary absence.

My friend Doug Deacon has been a very helpful person to me. He's saved me lots of runaround, wasted money, and has helped me to learn to squeeze much more than I thought I ever would from my system, particularly my analog set up. Up course many others have as well have unknowingly contributed-helped me, so please forgive me for not including your names also.

I'm fortunate to say, that I've listened, and I've read, and tried soaking in all of thier very good advice, knowledge, and experiences.

The VPI 16.5 RCM I bought about 16-17 months ago was a very wise expenditure as well. Yes I know there are better RCM's made, but doubtful there's a better one for the money.

A good RCM, high quality cleaning products, and a fanatical care for our vinyl all go hand in hand.

The combination of this, the knowledgable advice, a wonderful Cartridge I bought new (ZYX Airy 3X SB). and other improvements-upgrades-set up tools to my analog front end have produced vastly improved sonics that didn't exist in my system just a couple of short years ago. Mark