Results from Beta Testers of New Formulas

Okay, here are some observations from last night's listening session. First off, With 1 exceptions, I used albums that had already undergone my normal routine, and just used PRCF. I also allowed #1 to sit on the albums for a few minutes before proceeding. One thing first: Leaving the fluid on brings more crap off of the album than you can believe. I thought they were clean! I see now I was mistaken. Wait till you see the picture from the outflow tube. The lineup:

Cat Stevens: “Catch Bull at Four” A&M SP4365
Genesis: “Trick of the Tail” Atco MSFL-1-062
Eagles: “Long Run “ Asylum 5E-508
Volume 2, “Classic Blues” Bluesway BLS-6062-A
Roy Orbison: “Black & White Nights Live” Virgin ST-VR-897531
Neil Young & CH: “Everybody Knows This is Nowhere” Reprise MSC2282

The Blues album was the exception, it was SS. Got it for 2 bucks, how can you pass that up? All of the others are NM. You still would not believe the crap that came off. This applies to every album I’ve used PRCF on. I feel that the enzymes are doing something right. Leaving it on helps to loosen crap buried in the grooves. Then, this time I left them under vacuum for about 6 revolutions, instead of 2. I was a little concerned about static, but using the Gruv Glide styrofoam peanut, there didn’t seem to be ANY. I’ll hold judgment as Patrick is, and see how long this lasts.

The real surprise here was with the Roy Orbison. I think this is an excellent LP, but I always thought it was poorly mastered. You can barely hear T Bone Burnett’s guitar on most of the tracks. Well, guess again. I’m still going to stay away from all of the adjectives, but I hear things now I never heard before. And I thought his album was clean. Now, there is ABSOLUTELY NO SURFACE NOISE AT ALL. While there was a reduction in surface noise across the board, nowhere was it this dramatic. And while all of the LP’s sounded better, again, nowhere was it this dramatic. I had to listen to it several times to be sure! And it was better every time. By the third time I could hear JD Souther’s strings buzzing, the rasp in Bonnie Raitt’s voice, and levels of detail that I never knew were there. And yes, you can tell whose guitar is doing what. Amazing. I also have this on DVD, and I do not think I can listen to that copy again. I’d rather have the level of detail than the “live” experience.

This effect was nowhere near as dramatic on the other albums I tested. But it was still there. I don’t think it is at all a subtle difference. But one thing that I consider essential is to leave the #1 solution on the lp, to allow it to work. Also, forget about the 2 revolution rule on your RCM. You need to get that crap up! After using it in this way, I noticed no more crap on the stylus. Doug said it all in an email:

Glad to hear yours is still working. Ours is too, though in truth it's rarely needed. Clean records don't dirty a stylus.

I can’t say it any better.

So here is the process I used:

1. Apply #1, and use the brush to spread it till it covers the lp.
2. LET IT SIT!
3. Use the brush to scrub.
4. Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.
5. Apply #2.
6. Use the brush to scrub.
7. Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum!
8. Carbon fiber brush for a couple of revolutions.
9. Enjoy!

So in summation, I’d have to say what happens using PRCF is the availability of a new level of detail, making the MUSIC more enjoyable. That’s what I want out of a clean record. And IMHO, PRCF does it best, so far!

Jphii, you will also need a small pump. As I was explaining Paul, resin tanks/cartridges need minimum flow/pressure throughputs in order to avoid channeling and optimize laminar flow down the bed. Channeling happens when there is not enough flow/pressure and the water flows down a narrow funnel path, using only a small portion of the resin and prematurely exhausting it, causing breakthrough. This is readily visible, as I had tanks channel on me when the customer gave me insufficient water flow/pressure.

The people at Aquatic Ecosystems are a competent staff and will be able to give you all the technical support you need. They flew me for an interview in Orlando back in May (but didn't hire me). Their technical manager, a civil engineer w/ a PhD, didn't know I was there and was forced to interview me on the spot. He started asking me questions about fluid mechanics, pumping systems design and stuff I have absolutely no knowledge of! Oh well, I didn't see me in call center 8 hours a day anyway...

The technical info I've given is not to brag, but necessary to understand and operate a little system like the one I recommend. Paul is right about gases--they will diffuse back into the water and make it "not ultrapure", especially CO2. The anion resin will be the first to exhaust, since CO2 hydrolyzes into carbonate, bicarbonate and carbonic acid (the water will tend to become acidic then). As the resin exhausts it will be unable to adsorb the heavier/more positively charged ions and will dump them, favoring the lighter/less charged ions.

This little system will be able to deliver water of a purity that's pretty close to that one used for nuclear reactors in submarines: they distill seawater and then run it through resins. Do not use any activated carbon, even if tempted. That will clean the water but load it with organic carbon compounds ( NO! ). When the system is started in needs to be flushed till water reaches proper conductivity/specs. At Beaver Balley nuke they use stationary & mobile equipment with the carbon/hydrazyne deoxygenating rig prior to the resin trailer and on a Monday it takes two-three hours of flushing to bring the organic carbon levels down to spec. In the mobile trailers I have used (fed with tap water) spec will usually be reached within 5 to 7 minutes. If using distilled water I'd give an educated guess of around 3 to 5 minutes. That means it's more practical to make smaller batches of demin water and fill them to the top, airtight. Using the system often and making small batches will prolong the service life of the resins.

Is it worth it? I think so. Doing a final rinse with ultrapure water will extract what's left on the record surface and the results will be more worthwhile than using this or that $700 power cord, for sure. I have talked about this with Jena Labs (Jennifer Crock) and she gets better results as the water gets purer and purer. On another note, once the record has gone through a two step cleansing an occasional cleansing with ultrapure water might be all that is needed if there's no fungal growth and/or fingerprints on the record surface.

Well Sean, that was a very short "self imposed vacation". Now you understand how I feel when you start getting technical and I state that I don't know how to read! I have no electrical/electronics knowledge but I *do* know my water. It takes all kinds...

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Jphii

How long are you letting the enzymatic cleaner stay on the lp before scrubbing?

for my next round of testing, I'm following Jphii's lead and allowing the enzymatic to sit for a spell before scrubbing. Thanks for the detailed report Jphii!

I left it on for a couple of minutes. Don't let it dry.