record cleaning machine - anyone got one?
Discussion
have had my vinyl in storage for a while whilst having building work done. i started to unbox it last night and everything is covered in dust 
does anyone here have any experience with any of the record cleaning machines or systems they would recommend?
ideally i'd like something powered with a vacuum but too expensive at the minute. can't believe noone hires them out!
does anyone here have any experience with any of the record cleaning machines or systems they would recommend?
ideally i'd like something powered with a vacuum but too expensive at the minute. can't believe noone hires them out!
Ok i worked for turntable manufacturer for 13 year so i have a good idea what's what with the subject.
DON'T BUY ONE.............
Let the cartridge pull the dust and crap out of the grooves and clean the tip.
Tip Cleaning.
Take a small piece of blue tact and Very carefully sink the tip into the flat end blue tact, this will remove almost all rubbish that's made it's home in the grooves of your wonderful record collection.
But if you do feel the need to get one then the oky noky is good as well as the clear audio.
DON'T BUY ONE.............
Let the cartridge pull the dust and crap out of the grooves and clean the tip.
Tip Cleaning.
Take a small piece of blue tact and Very carefully sink the tip into the flat end blue tact, this will remove almost all rubbish that's made it's home in the grooves of your wonderful record collection.
But if you do feel the need to get one then the oky noky is good as well as the clear audio.
"Let the cartridge pull the dust and crap out of the grooves and clean the tip."
Absolute rot, this is the old school mantra that Linn dealers used to trot out. This will just clog up your stylus every time you play a record, distorting the sound and making the needle skip.
The ONLY way to properly clean records in a vacuum record cleaning machine, like the VPI HW16.5. I have one, and use it to clean the large amount of second hand records that I buy. Using a solution of 75% distilled water, 24% Isopropyl Alcohol and 1% surfactant, this will pull off fingerprints, dust and grime, even mould, leaving the records nice and shiny, and even more important quiet!
Without a vacuum to suck all the crap out, putting any liquid on just leaves congealed crap in the bottom of the grooves.
The results are clearly audible.
The downsides - that machine in noisy in operation, and the outgoing dirty fluid needs to be emptied into a container or sink. And they cost a lot of money. But if you have many thousands of records, the economics work out OK.
Koenig
Absolute rot, this is the old school mantra that Linn dealers used to trot out. This will just clog up your stylus every time you play a record, distorting the sound and making the needle skip.
The ONLY way to properly clean records in a vacuum record cleaning machine, like the VPI HW16.5. I have one, and use it to clean the large amount of second hand records that I buy. Using a solution of 75% distilled water, 24% Isopropyl Alcohol and 1% surfactant, this will pull off fingerprints, dust and grime, even mould, leaving the records nice and shiny, and even more important quiet!
Without a vacuum to suck all the crap out, putting any liquid on just leaves congealed crap in the bottom of the grooves.
The results are clearly audible.
The downsides - that machine in noisy in operation, and the outgoing dirty fluid needs to be emptied into a container or sink. And they cost a lot of money. But if you have many thousands of records, the economics work out OK.
Koenig
koenig999 said:
"Let the cartridge pull the dust and crap out of the grooves and clean the tip."
Absolute rot, this is the old school mantra that Linn dealers used to trot out. This will just clog up your stylus every time you play a record, distorting the sound and making the needle skip.
The ONLY way to properly clean records in a vacuum record cleaning machine, like the VPI HW16.5. I have one, and use it to clean the large amount of second hand records that I buy. Using a solution of 75% distilled water, 24% Isopropyl Alcohol and 1% surfactant, this will pull off fingerprints, dust and grime, even mould, leaving the records nice and shiny, and even more important quiet!
Without a vacuum to suck all the crap out, putting any liquid on just leaves congealed crap in the bottom of the grooves.
The results are clearly audible.
The downsides - that machine in noisy in operation, and the outgoing dirty fluid needs to be emptied into a container or sink. And they cost a lot of money. But if you have many thousands of records, the economics work out OK.
Koenig
If you don't want to buy one check your local HiFi dealers as some have one and charge a fee to clean them. Can be cheaper.Absolute rot, this is the old school mantra that Linn dealers used to trot out. This will just clog up your stylus every time you play a record, distorting the sound and making the needle skip.
The ONLY way to properly clean records in a vacuum record cleaning machine, like the VPI HW16.5. I have one, and use it to clean the large amount of second hand records that I buy. Using a solution of 75% distilled water, 24% Isopropyl Alcohol and 1% surfactant, this will pull off fingerprints, dust and grime, even mould, leaving the records nice and shiny, and even more important quiet!
Without a vacuum to suck all the crap out, putting any liquid on just leaves congealed crap in the bottom of the grooves.
The results are clearly audible.
The downsides - that machine in noisy in operation, and the outgoing dirty fluid needs to be emptied into a container or sink. And they cost a lot of money. But if you have many thousands of records, the economics work out OK.
Koenig
koenig999 said:
"Let the cartridge pull the dust and crap out of the grooves and clean the tip."
Absolute rot, this is the old school mantra that Linn dealers used to trot out. This will just clog up your stylus every time you play a record, distorting the sound and making the needle skip.
The ONLY way to properly clean records in a vacuum record cleaning machine, like the VPI HW16.5. I have one, and use it to clean the large amount of second hand records that I buy. Using a solution of 75% distilled water, 24% Isopropyl Alcohol and 1% surfactant, this will pull off fingerprints, dust and grime, even mould, leaving the records nice and shiny, and even more important quiet!
Without a vacuum to suck all the crap out, putting any liquid on just leaves congealed crap in the bottom of the grooves.
The results are clearly audible.
The downsides - that machine in noisy in operation, and the outgoing dirty fluid needs to be emptied into a container or sink. And they cost a lot of money. But if you have many thousands of records, the economics work out OK.
Koenig
13 years..........Absolute rot, this is the old school mantra that Linn dealers used to trot out. This will just clog up your stylus every time you play a record, distorting the sound and making the needle skip.
The ONLY way to properly clean records in a vacuum record cleaning machine, like the VPI HW16.5. I have one, and use it to clean the large amount of second hand records that I buy. Using a solution of 75% distilled water, 24% Isopropyl Alcohol and 1% surfactant, this will pull off fingerprints, dust and grime, even mould, leaving the records nice and shiny, and even more important quiet!
Without a vacuum to suck all the crap out, putting any liquid on just leaves congealed crap in the bottom of the grooves.
The results are clearly audible.
The downsides - that machine in noisy in operation, and the outgoing dirty fluid needs to be emptied into a container or sink. And they cost a lot of money. But if you have many thousands of records, the economics work out OK.
Koenig
One of us knows and you don't.
Take the record out and give it a quick blown to remove the surface dust.
cat amongst the pigeons then!
always a divisive topic but thanks for the replies.
i really want an RCM as i do buy a lot of 2nd hand vinyl, but they are pricey for what they are. the moth kit looks so basic i find it hard to justify £300 for one.
my local record shop charges 50p per record, which is ok if i buy from there but no good to clean this little lot.
will look into it....
always a divisive topic but thanks for the replies.
i really want an RCM as i do buy a lot of 2nd hand vinyl, but they are pricey for what they are. the moth kit looks so basic i find it hard to justify £300 for one.
my local record shop charges 50p per record, which is ok if i buy from there but no good to clean this little lot.
will look into it....
scott.s said:
13 years..........
One of us knows and you don't.
Take the record out and give it a quick blown to remove the surface dust.
Which will make hardly any difference, aprt from adding spit to the mixture.One of us knows and you don't.
Take the record out and give it a quick blown to remove the surface dust.
Hi-Fi brings out the dogmatic in people, as it is so subjective, but sorry this the internet you are plain wrong + wrong on this one, did you work for BSR or somesuch?
Koenig
Edited by koenig999 on Tuesday 23 September 19:43
koenig999 said:
scott.s said:
13 years..........
One of us knows and you don't.
Take the record out and give it a quick blown to remove the surface dust.
Which will make hardly any difference, aprt from adding spit to the mixture.One of us knows and you don't.
Take the record out and give it a quick blown to remove the surface dust.
Hi-Fi brings out the dogmatic in people, as it is so subjective, but sorry this the internet you are plain wrong + wrong on this one, did you work for BSR or somesuch?
Koenig
I've worked on tunrntable, tone arm and cartridge design.
I've also worked for/ with and along side Rega, Linn, Naim, Avid, DNM, Moon, Clear Audio as well as Abbey Rd studio's.
Over the years i've had about 10 differant turntables.
And i've never spat on a record.
How ever these day's records and two channel hi-fi are just a low paid memory and my hi-fi gone.
Edited by koenig999 on Tuesday 23 September 19:43
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