Record Cleaning Machines

As an owner of the 16.5 and previous NG I agree with both of the above. FWIW

Bgrazman, Rushton makes an excellent point about convenience. I think the VPI machines are hard to beat because they really make it about as painless as it gets to seriously scrub up those great old vintage finds. I also employ the Disc Doctor fluids and like the applicators they offer as well. Here is a great thread that covers everything one could ever care to deal with in record cleaning IMHO. Personally I follow some but not all of this regiment. Cheers!

www.musicangle.com/feat.php?id=54

Based on my research, from reading tons of opinions here and on Audio Asylum (and I suggest you research it yourself and come to your own conclusions!), but the differences, in my mind, are:

The NG and the VPI basically use the same technology, (i.e. a wet-vac with a slot to suck the fluid through), with the VPI being slightly better built, and having a nice built-in place to scrub the records on. (The NG is cheaper, but will get the job done nonetheless.)
Both of these machines are LOUD! So much so, that some poeple use earplugs when using them.

The Keith Monks and the Loricraft use a different technology, (it uses a smaller vacuum tube with a string), which is supposedly not only better, but much quieter as well. (I have not actually seen either of these in person, but I confidence in the opinions of people who have purchased them that they are better and quieter.)

I currently use a NG 1.0, with RRL fluid, and I have no complaints. It works well for what I use it for, which is to vacuum the excess fluid off when I am done cleaning the record. (And it was really cheap, especially used!)
At some point, I would love to buy either a Keith Monks or a Loricraft, but they are both too expensive for me to purchase at the moment.

My two cents worth anyway.

www.musicangle.com/feat.php?id=54 listen if I had to follow all this advice in the preperation for the cleaning of a vinyl lp, I would just throw my hands up and forget about this hobby. A hobby is one thing, but this guy and his cleaning tip would leave me no time to even want to listen. I was exhausted just reading the article. And just the thought of following it was enough to want me to go into a convalescent home for burned out audiophiles.

As a satisfied Nitty Gritty user since the early l980s, I've never understood the bit about the VPI providing a "stable platform." Do you guys bear down so hard while scrubbing that you're in danger of breaking the record? The plain old manual Nitty Gritty 1 (or its clone from Audio Advisor) enables you to scrub away too, without the encumbrances and closed-in nature of the VPI, and then draws the record crud DOWN rather than depositing stuff on the platform. I know, different strokes and YMMV. Good luck, whatever you decide, Dave.