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Audio Desk Record Cleaner-Anyone buy one yet

I may never get to own one of these due to the price, but if I could I would say that it may the best upgrade to any analog system. I had the opportunity recently to have a couple of records cleaned on one. The two Lp's I had cleaned are one of many copies I have purchased thru the years in search of a good clean copy. The title is the 2 disk set "Renaissance Live at Carnegie Hall". I took one of my copies over in hopes that I would get back that sought after clean copy. However I will preface my comments about the Audio Desk with the cold hard fact that once a record reaches a level of surface noise and contamination, nothing can make it new again. However once the Audio Desk completed it's 8 minute process, the improvements were immediately evident. First thing to take notice of, absolutely the cleanest and shiniest black vinyl I think I have ever seen. The LP's looked better than new under light. But the real test is listening. As I have listened to the title many many times from my first copy back in the 70's and never on LP, CD or Imported CD have I heard the detail of the recording. On disk #1 the cleanest of the two the LP was much cleaner than I have been able to obtain on my VPI 16.5 using Walker 4 Step, Mobile Fidelity Enzime, L'Art Du son, and various other solutions. My guess is the Audio Desk cleaned an additional 50-70% of the surface noise from the album. The depth of information in the Annie Haslam's Vocals, the clarity of the Bass that I had written off as muddled recording failure was now revealing the individual notes each taking their own space in the music field. The orchestra was fully present and not crowded together as before. Now on to disk 2, the disappointment of permanantly damaged grooves was inescapable. However the music that came thru had much more information to re-write the recall of this recording burned in my memory from previous listening sessions. On Scherazade with the verbal introduction to the song, I heard instruments and voices in nthe back ground that I had never noticed before. Little plucks of strings and puffs on brass as the orchestra was making sure they were ready to perform. I will say that an additional cleaning of 20-30 percent of this album was still obvious but to my disappointment, the Audio Desk is not a miracle worker, but a pretty damn good magician. I think 3800.00 is a lot of money for just about anything these days, but is it worth the 3800.00? Yes if you value and love your record collection. I have an LP12 with many upgrades and Lyra Kleos Cartridge. This record cleaner is just 800.00 more than the cartridge and when I put the two in perspective they both can bring a much higher level of performance to your turntable. Unfortunatly you need both and I sadley can only afford one. The financial curse of audiophilia continues....
128x128theo
sonofjim
557 posts
 
Jyprez,
That's an interesting idea but I'm not sure how easy that would be to implement. If it worked you're still left with a wet record that needs to be dried in some way. The major advantage of the Audio Desk is speed and convenience. This approach would certainly abandon that aspect. I think I'd stick with my current regimen over that. The Audio Desk is a complicated machine and the U/S mechanism is only part of it.
Gpgr4blu,
Reliability, especially long term, and customer support are key in a complicated machine of this cost. It sounds as though early reliability problems may have been improved. WHEN it breaks, everything does, how good will the support be to get it going again? I want to be a believer in this thing because it could make life with vinyl way easier. I must say the one I saw a couple years ago turned me off because it wouldn't spin and the guy demonstrating starting cussing it in a way I could tell this had happened before. Hopefully that's all worked out.
gpgr4blu
1,088 posts
 
Sonofjim:
I was assured that problems that existed in the first few years of production have been resolved. Of course, only time will tell.
jyprez's avatar
jyprez
241 posts
 
Sonofjim,
I have a Loricraft so I was planning on drying with that. The Audio Desk is certainly the ideal solution but for the price. Perhaps this will come down if enough are sold.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
Perhaps this will come down if enough are sold....

Hardly. I think, Mk. III - Mk XVI will follow :-)
sonofjim
557 posts
 
I agree that the price will not likely come down but if it works reliably it is worth it. Consider that every other machine requires laborious attention. The Audio Desk is the only one I know of that apparently does a good job and makes the process quicker and much easier. That I see as the most appealing aspect, a machine that makes life easier and more enjoyable instead of harder and more tedious. Aside from that, I think I'd stick with my current labor intensive process rather than spend thousands more on another one.
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