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LP Cleaning Question

I am fairly new to the analog game, but am enjoying every minute of it. I have a VPI Aries TT, Shelter 901 cartridge and a VPI 16.5 record cleaner. My problem is record cleaning. For example, I purchased a brand new re-issue of Coltrane "Live at Birdland". It sounded great right away but over time (10 plays), it began to crackle and pop a little. I put it on the cleaning machine, squirted some VPI cleaning fluid on the record, brushed the record, and then vacuumed it dry. The record looked great, but still crackle and pops during playback.

My question is, am I doing something wrong in my cleaning procedure? I have not cleaned/treated the stylus at all. Could this be the source of the noise?

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Bob
bobkirs
cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
sean: my record cleaning formula is similar to yours, tho i've found significant improvements through the use of an engine cleaning liquid or gel, such as "gunk," BEFORE the application of the acid/gasoline bath. might wanna' give it a try. -cfb
goliverjr
102 posts
 
How about Goof Off?
sean
6,231 posts
 
Goliverjr, are you talking about us or the chemical ??? : ) Sean
>
sedond
1,387 posts
 
i yust use mild dish soap, a sponge & luke-warm water. dry w/a soft towel. a zero-stat *does* help keep static down during play. so does a humidifier built-in to the hvac system, to keep humidity at ~40% in the dry winter months. also, a watts dust-bug, used since ~1970, has kept even my older records in good shape. this li'l brush tracks the groove whilst the record is playing - keeps the record *and* the stylus grunge-free. last year i replaced it w/a keith monks record sweeper - an upscale version, w/a grounding wire that actually drains the static charge off the record during play.

not quite as elaborate as kelly or sean, but the results aren't half-bad... ;~)

doug s.

bobkirs OP
10 posts
 
Thank's everyone for your responses. After long debate, I think I will try the Disc Doctor stuff and try to eliminate the static electricity. If this proves ineffective, I will be trying the gasoline/acid method.

Happy Listening.

Bob
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