Aluminum Foil test for Audio Desk Vinyl Cleaner

Pbnaudio,

Can't argue with the convenience of the Audio Desk. It is superb. However, does it actually do a better job at cleaning than a nozzle type machine like the Keith Monks or Loricraft when those are used with a four step solution like he AIVS or Walker? Have you ever compared the two?

Has anyone tried using a second Audio Desk filled with pure lab grade water for a final rinse?

Benjie, Could you describe the difference in sound between an LP cleaned with the Audio Desk and one cleaned with the Loricraft and AIVS?

I did this comparison only once with a friend's new Audio Desk on one of my LPs. It was cleaned on each machine and I slightly preferred the Loricraft. There was a bit more fine detail and the system seemed to have more overall resolution. And this was when my system was less resolving. Now this was a new LP that had been cleaned once with my PRC 4 and AIVS 4-step plus second final rinse. We listened, then cleaned on the Audio Desk and listened again. Then after my friend left, I cleaned it again on the Lori and it sounded better again.

I realize that this was a quick test and hardly scientific. And I'm not arguing that the Lori is easy to use. It takes me 25 min. per side and it's very boring though I do it next to my computer as I do other things.

I'm just very interested in ability to clean without factoring in convenience and cost for the moment. Once those are factored in, then the discussion changes.

I might take a few of my cleaned LPs over to my friend's house this weekend and listen and then clean them quickly on his Audio Desk and see if we hear a difference on his system.

I do think a slight residue is left by the Audio Desk and an ultra pure water rinse in a second Audio Desk or on a VPI 16.5 would make it sound better, but this is only conjecture on my part. I think Albert Porter has two Audio Desks for this reason. If I can do the test this weekend, I'll report back.

Emailists, My process takes 20-25 minutes per side because I do the following:

1. AIVS #15 - 5 min.
2. AIVS Enzyme - 5 min.
3. AIVS Cleaner - 5 min.
4. AIVS pure water rinse - 2 min.
5. AIVS second water rinse - 2 min.
6. ZeroStat zap - 1 min.
7. Handheld Demag - 1 min.
8. New inner and outer sleeves - 1 min.

Of course I do both sides before steps 6, 7, and 8. I do this while reading emails and catching up on the computer which is next to my Loricraft station. I know it takes way too long and may be excessive, but the LPs sound better than when I had a shorter routine.

Tomorrow I will be taking a few of my cleaned LPs to my friend's house to compare with his Audio Desk. I plan to listen to 2 LPs, then clean them on his Audio Desk and listen again. We may or may not hear a difference. I will then take my recently cleaned Audio Desk LPs back to my system, listen and then clean them again with my Loricraft PRC4 and listen again to see if I hear a difference again.

I figure this way we will be able to hear them cleaned in reverse order in two different systems. I already know that the Audio Desk is MUCH more convenient. It may also clean better. I want to hear it myself under these somewhat controlled conditions to be sure.

I have found that records usually sound better after being cleaned a second time regardless of the machine used. That is why I plan to do the test twice in reverse order on the same LPs. There is the possibility that if I use two copies of the same LPs that they may sound different simply because of the different pressings and not because of the cleaning machines, which is why I want to use the same LP and clean it multiple times, reversing the order.

It will be interesting.

Benjie, I don't doubt your results. It is certainly possible that the ultra sonic agitation loosens debris in the grooves better than the solutions and vacuum. My comparison was very brief which is why I want to do a more careful one between the two machines. I bought my Lori when the Audio Desk was having initial quality issues. Those have clearly been resolved now.

I sometimes notice static in the Winter, but I immediately zap each side with a Zerostat before I put the cleaned LP into a new inner sleeve. So static is not an issue which effects the playback in my system.

Tbg, did you notice any sonic differences between the VPI and the Loricraft?