Do I need to clean my LP's?

[cgallery]

This guy reviews an ultrasonic cleaner one that costs ~$350 with some before and after data. FYI

Vevor Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner (review)

Is the Vevor Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner, so relatively inexpensive, worth it? Does it work? Why did I actually pay for it?

www.gadgetguy.com.au

Thanks, I've seen that before. Lots of room for improvement on the after sample, IMHO.

 

[mike70]

Point me to a video where an ultrasonic cleaner is making noisier 2nd-hand records quiet.

i don't need it ... nor convince yourself of anything ... you can still guessing or doing a real experience. Talk is easy.

 

[cgallery]

i don't need it ... nor convince yourself of anything ... you can still guessing or doing a real experience. Talk is easy.

You're mistaken about my experience.

But you're correct about talk being cheap.

So batting 500.

 

[Angsty]

I switched from using a Record Doctor V vacuum cleaning machine to a Humminguru ultrasonic earlier this year. I thought I’d still occasionally still use the RDV for really dirty thrift store finds, but in practice, most of my used finds are only moderately dirty so I use the Humminguru almost exclusively.

I really do like the results I get, both sonically and aesthetically. I clean records more frequently because of the automation and get better cleaning results.

Given how much it costs to retip my MC cartridges, I want my records to be as clean as possible to reduce stylus wear and preserve the records as long as possible. It’s a relatively small investment in risk reduction.

 

[Tom C]

It’s about time somebody has made an affordable ultrasonic cleaner. Looks like a nice unit.

 

[mike70]

A Youtuber shows a problem with this machine ... but after some communication with the client service they sended a brand new controller board with instructions and he could fix the problem.

Bravo! for the service client, but it makes me wonder ... an ultrasonic machine is a really complex device ... It must be really better than an aspiration machine ... in other way, the aspiration machine is much more simpler and reliable. Also, someone knows about the lifespan of the internal ultrasonic device?

 

[Angsty]

A Youtuber shows a problem with this machine ... but after some communication with the client service they sended a brand new controller board with instructions and he could fix the problem.

Bravo! for the service client, but it makes me wonder ... an ultrasonic machine is a really complex device ... It must be really better than an aspiration machine ... in other way, the aspiration machine is much more simpler and reliable. Also, someone knows about the lifespan of the internal ultrasonic device?

This particular model has been around only about a year or two, so the jury is still out on long-term reliability. I’ve known a couple of others that had similar issues as in the YouTube with a similar level of follow-up by the manufacturer. No issues with mine yet.

 

[makinao]

My parent's house was very near a major road, so dealing with dust was a fact of life. Add the humidity of a tropical country, and our records got dusty very quickly. You could tell how much dust there was by the accumulation on the stylus after playing only one side. I even had to clean the platter mat regularly. Dishwasher helped. And when that wasn't enough, a baby shampoo bath was the way to go.

 

[Suffolkhifinut]

Started back onto vinyl a couple of days ago, replaced the Shelter 301Mk II with a Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III. Played one of my favourite Keb Mo songs ‘City Boy’ or more accurately tried too. Cleaned it by spraying Vinyl Clear onto it went round it with the Super Exstatic cleaning pad, then wiped it dry with a microfibre cloth. Left it to dry and that was all it needed.

 

[Godataloss]

Thanks, I've seen that before. Lots of room for improvement on the after sample, IMHO.

Didn't even bother to listen to the samples. The guy has no idea what he is doing- 'just throw in some alcohol get cleaning". Alcohol is not a detergent. It isn't even a very good solvent. His results mean nothing.

 

[Angsty]

Almost any mild detergent can be used to clean records. The big issue is to not leave residue. I use low concentrations of detergent in distilled water. I am not a fanatic about using laboratory grade water or super exotic detergents.

My goal is really simple: remove fine particulates, oils, and debris that can impact the performance of my stylus. That bar is readily achievable using a number of means. I do believe that even ultrasonics benefit from some detergent versus plain water.

 

[cgallery]

Didn't even bother to listen to the samples. The guy has no idea what he is doing- 'just throw in some alcohol get cleaning". Alcohol is not a detergent. It isn't even a very good solvent. His results mean nothing.

His results aren't too unlike what others seem to get from these machines. I'm still waiting for someone to point me to some mind-blowing before/after videos demonstrating the ability of any of these machines to get $2 albums any quieter.

And alcohol is a very effective cleaner, I use it (91% undiluted) in a Knosti for stripping all the weird concoctions people use in an attempt to clean their vinyl. I absolutely do get those $2 albums substantially quieter, but it is often a fight (the initial pass through the Knosti is just the beginning).

I will agree that alcohol diluted to near water in an ultrasonic won't do a bit of good, though.

 

[AaronJ]

30/70 ratio of 90% isopropyl alcohol to distilled water, with 1 tsp of Ilford Ilfotol wetting agent per pint of solution. The wetting agent reduces the solution's natural viscosity and allows it to enter the grooves to get to the most deeply embedded dirt and grime. Spray onto the LP with a mist spray bottle, spread into the grooves using a velvet cleaning pad, then wipe dry with microfiber cloth. Replace or wash your cloths often because they can leave particles. If this procedure can't get a dirty record to sound good then nothing will.

 

[cgallery]

30/70 ratio of 90% isopropyl alcohol to distilled water, with 1 tsp of Ilford Ilfotol wetting agent per pint of solution. The wetting agent reduces the solution's natural viscosity and allows it to enter the grooves to get to the most deeply embedded dirt and grime. Spray onto the LP with a mist spray bottle, spread into the grooves using a velvet cleaning pad, then wipe dry with microfiber cloth. Replace or wash your cloths often because they can leave particles. If this procedure can't get a dirty record to sound good then nothing will.

Both 70% and 91% isopropyl will wet the groove fully w/o any additional wetting agent.

I stick with alcohol (I use mostly 91%), as I don't want to add anything that will leave residue behind.

Anything left on the groove wall can be scraped by the stylus into larger and larger "clumps" until you have the start of a new round of surface noise.

Those residues become the catalyst for stubborn groove glue.

 

[mike70]

if the record have organic contamination (fungus, etc) ... you need to use alcohol.
in other way, distilled water and a non ionic detergent in a very low quantity is more than enough, an after that, aspiration or abundant rinse in clean distilled water.

if the record have physical damage (played with worned / dusty stylus by months, badly turntable setup, etc) there's nothing you can do about it.

 

[krabapple]

How many of these products offer before/after photomicrographs as evidence?

 

[mike70]

How many of these products offer before/after photomicrographs as evidence?

Commercial products? None
DIY formulas ... yes, i founded many evidences .. with photos.

And that's enough for me, i use only DIY formulas.

 

[dBiz]

Jumping in late on this one.
Link to a process that works if you want very clean records, and with a good setup you can get low noise floor (for vinyl).
I am not advocating the process, but it does work to clean records and temporarily removes the static charge in the vinyl.

Ultrasonic Cleaning

My DIY Approach to the Ultrasonic Cleaning of LPs

positive-feedback.com

For about the same $ you can pay for 5 years of Spotify Premium Family subscription.

 

[mike70]

you can spend a lot less ... using vacuum

you need your actual vacuum machine, DIY cleaning formula, a paint pad or goat hair brush,a lazy susan (or useless old turntable) and this gadget (30 usd):

https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Vinyl-Vac-33-limpieza-aspiradora/dp/B014X2SXY0/ref=sr_1_3

with that "method" you can get amazing results under 60 USD.
also, i dislike the dry aspect in the ultrasonic methods, vacuum is the best ... that takes "everything" out of the record. With ultrasonic you need filters to the water (or use new water on every record) and to dry with fans or worst, with towels.

 

[Godataloss]

Almost any mild detergent can be used to clean records. The big issue is to not leave residue. I use low concentrations of detergent in distilled water. I am not a fanatic about using laboratory grade water or super exotic detergents.

My goal is really simple: remove fine particulates, oils, and debris that can impact the performance of my stylus. That bar is readily achievable using a number of means. I do believe that even ultrasonics benefit from some detergent versus plain water.

This is the exact reason to use the Tergitols- you get effective cleaning with super-dilute concentrations so rising is super quick and easy (I use a shoe tote with 1 gallon of warm distilled and spin the records through it a few revolutions). I use 4ml of my cleaner per gallon of distilled in my ultrasonic. I agree you don't need lab grade water, but considering you can get 99% of the way there with reverse-osmosis steam evaporative distilled from the big box store for 88 cents a gallon, it's worth the cost over tap water. It's a small price to pay to extend the efficacy of your detergent so that you can use the smallest amount necessary. The use of anything else- Photoflo, alcohol, etc- is less effective and usually less cost effective. I was fortunate to have access to a very experienced organic chemist with years of industry lab work under his belt to help my understanding of exactly what is happening with the use of detergents. If you take a minute and consider what you are trying to do- remove a variety of surface contaminants (organic and inorganic) in the most gentle yet complete way possible- a prolonged bath in warm water with potent ionic and non-ionic detergents subject to induced microscopic cavitation makes intuitive sense (rather than physically smearing softened contaminants into the surface with a very macroscopic rag or brush).

if the record have organic contamination (fungus, etc) ... you need to use alcohol.
in other way, distilled water and a non ionic detergent in a very low quantity is more than enough, an after that, aspiration or abundant rinse in clean distilled water.

if the record have physical damage (played with worned / dusty stylus by months, badly turntable setup, etc) there's nothing you can do about it.

Yes but not isopropyl. Tergitols are secondary alcohol ethoxylates and are much more effective. Isopropyl is actually one of the only things I've every used that I thought adversely effected the sound- a harshening of the treble region. I read subsequent to that feeling that it has been suggested that it leaches plasticizer from the pvc, but I don't know if that is true or not and I have never done any listening tests to prove it after learning of the far more effective detergents.

Jumping in late on this one.
Link to a process that works if you want very clean records, and with a good setup you can get low noise floor (for vinyl).
I am not advocating the process, but it does work to clean records and temporarily removes the static charge in the vinyl.

Ultrasonic Cleaning

My DIY Approach to the Ultrasonic Cleaning of LPs

positive-feedback.com

That's actually good info though I can't understand the use of so much quants. Personally I only use a a mil or so in my rinse water.