Audio Desk Vinyl Cleaning System

Probably it is helpful go write some information about RCM's in general.
The most famous and (and the most expensive by far ) was the Point nozzle from Keith Monks (Monks RCM..some sizes...some modifications).
He made a superior Design 30 years ago and it is still unsurpassed (from the idea and the way it works).

That one was the only one which was used in Studios, Record libraries and Radio stations all over the world. Reason was (or is):
-superior cleaning Result
-very, very silent compared to others
-it is a workhorse, nothing gets hot or breaks
-the cleaning result is identical good from the №1 record in the morning
to the № 400 in the evening

(Problem: the Price, is was very hard to sell with the Mark Ups which are used in High end ---> Copies started)

Monks got older, his RCM was still expensive and the first copies were made.
Loricraft is based on the Monks System (Point nozzle), it is a good machine based on a competitive pricing
Source Odyssey is made from the former Monks Importer in Germany (Keith Monks passed away some years ago), same System but with the "Made In Germany" Parts Standard and Function. The overkill :-)
Monks jun. is back in Production and the Keith Monks from GB is available again.

Then you have those RCM's from VPI, Hannl, Clearaudio etc.
They clean in a different way, they are very fast, but the noise is something special and the cleaning result can't reach a Point nozzle (simple Physics)

And Ultra Sonic cleaning like Glass Audio is offering

Good as they are (better than not cleaning records) we start - unfortunately - in a new Vinyl Era:
Noisy vinyl, or damages in the grooves from factory.
Unfortunately, when you have such records, nothing will help.

All those units are made to remove something which came into the grooves AFTER the record was in use, but they can't repair them.

In case one is looking for his first Vinyl Cleaning Machine with allround capabilities and a very good cleaning result the Gläss machine is a good option. It produces some noise but not as loud or noisy than the VPI, Hannl or Clearaudio. On the other hand you do not have to monitor the cleaning process, you drop by and pick up the clean record whenever you like - very comfortable also in comparison to the point nozzle machines.

Do you have a link for info on the Glass machine? Never heard of it. Thanks.

This is the main website for Audio Desk System
http://www.audiodesksysteme.de/index.php?kat=10

I talked to a person at Cable Company (who I dealt with a lot in the past and I found to be very reliable) and he raved about it and think that it is the best machine that he tried (they sell many different brands).

There is a local dealer here who offered me a reasonably price unit but don't actually have one in stock that I could try. Once I am done with my new phono, cable etc, I am thinking of getting one myself.

I purchased one at the RMAF show.

I have been a VPI user for years and have been happy with the results. What I was NOT happy about was the time it took to properly clean each record. With enzyme cleaning, there are three steps which includes a "soak" mode during the enzyme step. So, it is 5-10 minutes for each record. I purchase about 25 LP's per month, so the time starts adding up.

When I saw the Glass Audio Desk Systeme at the RMAF show, I was struck by the simplicity. I questioned it's ability to clean a record as well as my VPI as there is no vacuum to suck out the "gunk". But, the Cable Co. guaranteed the results so I took a leap of faith and ordered one.

I have had it for about a month (and cleaned about 200 records) and I consider it one of the best investments I have made in my stereo system.

It cleans records at least as well as the VPI, and perhaps better. It allows me to easily set the cleaning cycles to match the condition of each record. A new or very clean record gets a single cycle whereas a thrift store find with obvious dirt and dust gets between 2-5 cycles applied. A simple push of the button sets the cycle count.

I put the cleaner (it is pretty small) on a table near my turntable and just drop a record into it on an "as-needed" basis. I am in the process of re-cleaning all of my collection (one record at a time as I listen to them) and have found in some cases "crackles" on VPI cleaned records removed when re-cleaned by the Audio Desk vinyl cleaner. It is not a panacea, but it sure offers me clean records in a short period of time with little work required.

I know its expensive. But the ease of use and the quality of cleaning it performs makes this device a great investment in my situation. It comes with a 2 year warranty and so far it has performed very well. I look forward to having one of these for a long time.

I should probably state that I am not a dealer or anything like that. Just a guy who likes to listen to records.