RRL Cleaner, Vinyl Zyme, and Groove Glide

I'm with Dan_Ed. I'm going to try AIVS of course, but I'll probably always use RRL as the final step. I *know* it won't leave anything on my records.

Joe, when you get the Wally (should be today/tomorrow they said), feel free to put some RRL in the box and wing it back to me! ;-)

Let me ask this. If, on the one hand, there was Product A and you were not certain whether it "left anything on the record" and, on the other hand, there was product B in which you had full confidence that it left nothing on the record, why use Product A, at all - at least on a record that wasn't anything but a testing candidate?

4yanx,

I understand your point. I did not intend to imply that I have this concern with the AIVS second phase cleaner, just that I know RRL SVW is a very good last step. But I do intend on testing this very thing between the two products. Maybe, as DougDeacon said, that the RRL will be the thing to use after the AIVS treatment. But all of this is predicated on the expectation that the AIVS products will further reduce the surface noise over what RRL has done on my LPs.

I understand where you’re coming from Dan. I appreciate and share your pursuit of clean vinyl. We are all only too aware that noisy vinyl (from crud OR residue) can be the bane of an enjoyable listening experience.

I also know that your trust in the RRL fluids is well-founded. Before Brian Weitzel brought the RRL fluids to market, he conducted very extensive research regarding the properties of vinyl record composition and the interaction of certain agents with these compositions. Among other things, he sent tens of samples of vinyl (different labels and different eras within labels) to a lab to have them tested for composition and their expected reactions with ingredients that he considered for use in his formula. Some ingredients passed the "test" while others did not. I cannot speak in specific detail regarding individual ingredients because I was not personally privy to the test results. Maybe Mr. Weitzel will chime in on this some time. I do feel, after speaking to him on a few occasions, that he did his homework, and more. Bottom line is that I can use the products with utmost confidence.
David

David,
Fair question.

The known safety and purity of RRL will keep it our primary solution, for now and possibly forever. If RRL cleans a record thoroughly then that record never sees anything else. I'd guess that's about 80% of the records we clean. But what about the other 20%?

As good as they are, SDC and SVW are not universal solvents, at least not in our experience. RRL does not get every record 100% clean, even with multiple applications, vigorous scrubbing and soaking. What to do? Throw a record away just because the safest cleaner can't remove whatever's on it? Playing the record dirty is riskier than trying a different cleaner IMO.

Currently we use Vinyl-zyme, Smart Developments foaming cleaner and Micro Care Premier for these problem cases. AIVS will initially join this stable of fallback products. Time will tell whether it deserves to advance to a more primary position.