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
Syntax, like Sonofjim, I don't agree with many of your opinions. I got a Vinyl Cleaner about two years ago and directly compared it with my special VPI with a Delgrin tube with the Walker Prelude four step cleaning solutions. I played VPI cleaned records and then recleaned them with the Vinyl Cleaner. There was no question that the recleaning improved the sound. Later I was to discover that it worked both ways. Using both machines in a second recleaning was best. Of course for me this is just too much!

My Vinyl Cleaner stopped rotating records after about 300 records. I returned it. But I missed it greatly. Devoting about twenty minutes per album with the VPI even with the one time around vacuuming with the Delrin tube was so off putting that I largely stopped cleaning.

After hearing that the reliability of the Vinyl Cleaner had improved, I bought another. It is still working well after about 200 cleanings.

I should mention that my USB microscope shows no difference in the grooves of albums cleaned with the VPI or the Vinyl Cleaner.

Any cleaner other than the Audio Desk Vinyl Cleaner is just too much of a pain for no better cleaning.
i own both types of machines. you can make a good case for either as the 'only' one; or make a strong case to 'need' both types.

i made the same case on another thread that Norm makes about the fact that either machine likely improves on the other depending on the sequence. a second re-cleaning helps by either machine.

and i respect Syntax's point that clean water is better than re-used filtered water....unless it isn't. and OTOH flipping a clean Lp over and laying it on the 'less that perfectly clean' platter also introduces a point of contamination.

anyone who is putting enough passion and effort in cleaning Lps to be involved in this thread has already got clean records.

who has the cleanest?

:-)
anyone who is putting enough passion and effort in cleaning Lps to be involved in this thread has already got clean records.

who has the cleanest?

:-)
Not me!

I've got about 2500 still awaiting their first cleaning. Any volunteers? :-D


If one wants ultra clean records and is willing to deal with the hassle, I recommend a Loricraft or Keith Monks machine multi step fluids.

If one wants clean records and ultra convenience, I recommend the Audio Desk.

This is my experience after a short comparison between the two machines. Does anyone know if the Audio Desk fluid removes mold release agents from new or used LPs?
Dougdeacon, you really need the AD Vinyl cleaner in a quiet room apart from your listening area. All you need to do is insert it and start it and go listen to your music. Go back when you want and insert another record, push the button, and return to listening. I typically do about ten per evening this way.