$250 vs $950 vacuum record cleaning system comparison

[TheBatsEar]

Decided to clean my records (first time in 35 years) today, maybe 300 or so.

I bought two of these kits for 50€ a few years ago:

And today a Record Doctor VI vacuum for 270€:

I'm thinking i use the first one for a good pre-wash, then the second for a rinse-wash and the vacuum to finish. The stands allow me to dry the records properly. It seems i can do at least 16 in one go, maybe more, not sure how many i can get into the stand. I should have plenty of cleaning fluids for now, but obviously i would make my own once i run out.

I also ordered new inner sleeves.

This demonstration pushed me over the edge:

I'll tell you how it goes.

So electrostatic attraction of dust is a problem after cleaning, is there any chemical that can be used to reduce that effect, or is it just what it is?

 

[anome]

Used to use this back in the 70's, never really much liked the idea. Still have two unused bottles, might be worth some nostalgia bucks on ebay.

 

[Sal1950]

Decided to clean my records (first time in 35 years) today, maybe 300 or so

"Don't Buy Snekfat"
From your sig, I googled and all I came up with is snake fat ???
Just curious.

So electrostatic attraction of dust is a problem after cleaning, is there any chemical that can be used to reduce that effect, or is it just what it is?

I remember talk about using WD40 ?
JK

 

[TheBatsEar]

"Don't Buy Snekfat"
From your sig, I googled and all I came up with is snake fat ???

Sneks, also known as nope rope or danger noodles, contain fat, which can be rendered to oil.
Don't buy snakeoil.

I remember talk about using WD40 ?

I don't think that is a particularly brilliant idea.

 

[dasdoing]

god bless digital audio

 

[Doodski]

god bless digital audio

Digital everything. When one delves into the base2, base8, base16 and base32 etc it gets interesting and what they are used for is very cool. (I might be rusty on digital theory so pardon any strange use of terminology.)

 

[Sal1950]

I don't think that is a particularly brilliant idea.

Me either but believers believe. LOL
Much safer is the Zerostat, they run about $100 today and do work within some limits.
But they are one of the tools that will make your non-audiphile friends believe your
totally BatShit crazy. After leaving your house they tell others about this luny friend that
shoots his records with invisible bullets. LOL

 

[Sal1950]

Digital everything. When one delves into the base2, base8, base16 and base32 etc it gets interesting and what they are used for is very cool. (I might be rusty on digital theory so pardon any strange use of terminology.)

Yep, What would you rather have.
A modern digital ignition system with coil on sparkplug technology.
Or a distributor with adjustable points and mile long high tension plug wires.
What fantastic advances digital design has brought to so many aspects of modern life.

 

[Timcognito]

Bought this 6 months ago $200 and haven't looked back. Made a few minor mods to to keep the inner labels dry. Can only do six at time. Comes with a drying rack which is handy. But guess what? My old and thrift shop records sound way better but I still don't play them much. Spoiled on streaming and stored content. I guess I just had to try it and the thing is big.

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Buy VEVOR Ultrasonic Cleaner 6L Ultrasonic Vinyl Cleaner 7-12 Inch 8 Records Ultrasonic Vinyl Cleaning Machine 180W Ultrasonic Records Cleaner with Drying Rack for Home Store at cheap price online, with Youtube reviews and FAQs, we generally offer free shipping to Europe, US, etc.

www.vevor.com

 

[Timcognito]

What fantastic advances digital design has brought to so many aspects of modern life.

Wait until you get your first electric car. WOW!

 

[Doodski]

Yep, What would you rather have.
A modern digital ignition system with coil on sparkplug technology.
Or a distributor with adjustable points and mile long high tension plug wires.
What fantastic advances digital design has brought to so many aspects of modern life.

The use of digital for displays from a 8 segment display to the 27" 1440p that I use is amazing and then add in keypad operation and how digital enabled that too and software languages too etc is amazing.

 

[dr0ss]

So electrostatic attraction of dust is a problem after cleaning, is there any chemical that can be used to reduce that effect, or is it just what it is?

As I mention upthread, your choice of surfactant can make a difference. Products cleaned with cationic surfactants are less static prone than those cleaned with anionic surfactants. (Or maybe I have it the wrong way around; I'm not an expert on chemistry. I have, however, apparently had a coffee grinder antistatic technique named after me.) If you're worried about static, you should probably invest in a product containing tergitol. Pricey, but a little goes a long way.

 

[Timcognito]

Kodak Photo Flow or similar seems to be the magic bullet. Lucky for me my brother who has (had) a dark room had some. It's expensive. I tryed it and it seemed to do a better job but I don't know why. Others may know.

 

[Sal1950]

Wait until you get your first electric car. WOW!

When pigs fly.

 

[Angsty]

Decided to clean my records (first time in 35 years) today, maybe 300 or so.

I bought two of these kits for 50€ a few years ago:

And today a Record Doctor VI vacuum for 270€:

I'm thinking i use the first one for a good pre-wash, then the second for a rinse-wash and the vacuum to finish. The stands allow me to dry the records properly. It seems i can do at least 16 in one go, maybe more, not sure how many i can get into the stand. I should have plenty of cleaning fluids for now, but obviously i would make my own once i run out.

I also ordered new inner sleeves.

This demonstration pushed me over the edge:

I'll tell you how it goes.

So electrostatic attraction of dust is a problem after cleaning, is there any chemical that can be used to reduce that effect, or is it just what it is?

I have a Record Doctor. I didn’t really feel a need to pre-wash or rinse after washing - I tried it once or twice. My ultrasonic HumminGuru has replaced it now; it cleans deeper than the Record Doctor.

 

[dr0ss]

Kodak Photo Flow or similar seems to be the magic bullet. Lucky for me my brother who has (had) a dark room had some. It's expensive. I tryed it and it seemed to do a better job but I don't know why. Others may know.

It is a wetting agent, it shows up in many homebrew cleaning mixtures. It lowers surface tension, so that the liquid can get deeper into the grooves. In darkroom applications it helps with both rinsing and drying of negatives and prints. Back in the days when film was dominant it wasn't that expensive, and there were several competing products.

 

[dlaloum]

Good advice.
Back when I had vinyl and a good record cleaner... I found it was VERY important to clean a record before first play. When I bought used records, the record cleaner definitely helped, but how much it helped varied quite a bit.

My working theory was that when you play a record when it's dirty, when the needle hits a piece of crud/dirt/dust, a mix of 2 things happens: (A) the needle acts like a wedge, lifting it out, or (B) the needle acts like a steamroller, embedding it into the record. In case (2), even after you clean the record and remove all the crud, it leaves behind a permanent impression or distortion in the record, like a pothole in a street, so that noise/pop/tick will always be there.

There are some tricks that can help with the embedded stuff that has been "steam rolled" into the vinyl...

If you use an appropriate lubricant treatment, the lubricant will, over a period of some days, gradually migrate around the embedded crud, loosening its grip on the vinyl.
A subsequent ultrasonic clean will often get it out... the "pothole" left behind may or may not be audible (depends on where it is on the track wall, may also depend on the type of needle used.... line contacts can "bridge" those gaps in many case, due to their extended contact patch)

 

[Chrispy]

Curious what the general range of value of your vinyl expenditures compared to cleaning machines are? I found I was very intolerant of surface noise long time ago....altho for nostalgia I do like it now and then.

 

[dlaloum]

Has anyone in the past made a more thorough investigation of how dirt and dust degrade the grooves? I can think of different ones

- loose dirt on surface,
- particles that get stuck in grooves
- dirt that get more "embedded" in the vinyl (for one thing does it exist?)

If we know the kind of dirt that really exists, it would be more easy to adopt good cleaning methods. It is well known that reducing friction also reduces noise and distortion.

Last, and GruvGlide both included lubricants in the treatment...

An alternative is (believe it or not) ArmorAll (used in very small amounts!)

And yes they do reduce noise, distortion, friction, and also tend to migrate under dirt particles over a period of several days, so more embedded dirt will gradually come off after a lubricant treatment.

 

[dlaloum]

Bought this 6 months ago $200 and haven't looked back. Made a few minor mods to to keep the inner labels dry. Can only do six at time. Comes with a drying rack which is handy. But guess what? My old and thrift shop records sound way better but I still don't play them much. Spoiled on streaming and stored content. I guess I just had to try it and the thing is big.

VEVOR Ultrasonic Cleaner 6L Ultrasonic Vinyl Cleaner 7-12 Inch 8 Records Ultrasonic Vinyl Cleaning Machine 180W Ultrasonic Records Cleaner with Drying Rack for Home Store | VEVOR US

Buy VEVOR Ultrasonic Cleaner 6L Ultrasonic Vinyl Cleaner 7-12 Inch 8 Records Ultrasonic Vinyl Cleaning Machine 180W Ultrasonic Records Cleaner with Drying Rack for Home Store at cheap price online, with Youtube reviews and FAQs, we generally offer free shipping to Europe, US, etc.

www.vevor.com

I made one of these for myself - and it certainly does do a better job...