Anyone out there own a Clearaudio Double Matrix Pro Sonic?

VPI HW17, for much less money.

Yep - it’s fantastic because it has a full auto mode that cleans both sides at once so you can work a good clean in without interrupting the flow of a listening session. You can get a full clean done to dry in like 90 seconds. I could never live with those ultrasonic machines that have 5 minute (or more) cycles. And I HATE messing with manual brushing or steps of any kind. The auto mode also interleaves liquid applications with vacuuming, and uses both directions (not to mention the sonic vibration), so you get a lot of good cleaning power for a short time. There is also a "heavy duty" auto mode for really gnarly used records, and "eco" mode for quick touch-up of a previously cleaned record. Which I love.

So I’ve had mine since 2017 and 4 years in the liquid pump failed. Could still clean with manual functions and manually applied liquid, which worked but was no fun. Musical Surroundings (Clearaudio Distributor) got it taken care of quickly with a quick turnaround time. I clean "on average" several records a week, so not super high duty, but it has been 4+ years.

I read the Clearaudio website on the Double Matrix. I too am enthused about the capacity to clean both sides of an LP at the same time. That IS a drawback of the HW17, the fact that in the process of cleaning the second side, you are forced to place the just cleaned side down on its cork platter. Whatever you decide, I recommend a distilled water rinse after the first vacuum. It gets rid of a residue of my cleaning solution that uses alcohol and a non-ionized detergent in water. So I clean, vacuum dry, wash with distilled water, vacuum dry again. I just use a squirt bottle to apply the water rinse. VPI now sell a higher end RCM that ranks above the HW17 in cost; I haven’t checked whether it too can clean both sides of an LP at the same time.

@mulveling , thanks for the info. I had a problem with a new Clearaudio cartridge and Musical Surroundings responded beautifully to that so I am very comfortable dealing with them, a big plus. I particularly like that it does not recycle the fluid. It uses fresh fluid for each cleaning.

@lewm , The VPI Cyclone only does one side at a time. It's claim to fame is that it is bi directional. The plater will spin in either direction. It claims to be the only record cleaner to do that but, the Double Matrix has been doing that for several years. Mulveling lost a liquid pump at 4 years but it was repaired by Musical Surroundings I guess under warranty? Anybody else have one fail?

1- Pre-wash dirty used LP’s in the sink, using a paint edging brush and one of the label protector/handle devices sold on ebay for under $20.

2- After cleaning and vacuuming one LP side on a VPI, place a cork or rubber coaster (with a center hole cut into it) under the LP when flipping it over to do the second side.

Most of my vinyl has been kept in very good shape, I never buy filthy used records.

I am still amazed at what an incredible job my VPI Cyclone does, and for the record it is also bi-directional.I don't obsess with flipping the record over onto a "dirty " mat because the vinyl would have to be dripping crud for that to be an issue IMO.

My HW17 almost certainly predates the Clearaudio RCMs and is bidirectional too. You don’t need to buy the Cyclone for that feature.

The Project vacuum cleaning machines (two models, priced at around $499 and $699) are also bidirectional, AND have an LP platform the size of the label, for those who don’t want the full-size VPI-style platter.

I don’t know about the Project, but the VPI HW-17 (discontinued, but available used for under a grand) is built to last forever (except for the acrylic wand; replace it with the optional Delrin).

I've had my HW17 for at least 20 years with not a hiccup.  Bought extra wands and brushes for it years ago, but nothing is really worn out.  A lot of folks make an issue of noise.  That means nothing to me, because I keep mine in my basement workshop. When I'm cleaning LPs, I am not also trying to listen to music. The HW17 is quite noisy. If noise is an issue, and especially if you want to listen to music while cleaning LPs, look elsewhere.  The Loricraft is quiet, by comparison. US cleaners are usually quiet too.

@lewm: I keep my HW-17 in a walk-in closet, and close the door when running the vacuum. Cheap US machines emit a very high frequency buzz, sort of like a bug zapper. Again, mine’s in the closet.

I would sink wash "really dirty" discs, and then if desired use a cleaning machine.

I use the label protector noted in the following link and warm filtered water ran through an old WaterPik.

Always thoroughly rinse prior to applying any brush/cloth to avoid scratching.

I also use a DIY wash solution and various brushes/micro fiber towels along with a drying rack.

The filtered water from our kitchen faucet has no noticeable residue (when evaporated) unlike the distilled water I have purchased from local supers.

DeKay

I know @mijostyn is looking for opinions from clearaudio users. I have never used one. I just wanted to offer the DeGritter alternative. It is cheaper but slower (5 - 10 minutes to a clean and dried LP). It uses a sweep of different US wavelengths and actively filters the cleaning fluid with an easy to wash/change filter. It is super easy to work with and you can clean a record on demand, no setup time.  I used to use Cleaner Vinyl setup and although you can clean multiple records at a time, setup time required batching records for long cleaning sessions.  

Anyway.  Glad you got a bunch of new (used) records!

I missed the "78" part...

If they are not late vinyl 78’s and are instead shellac coated discs I suggest going to a 78 collectors site for info as to properly cleaning them, as cleaning them as vinyl discs will most likely (will) damage them.

I have a small collection of 78’s (a few vinyl and most shellac) and I’ve yet to clean the older ones.

DeKay

@dekay , It is not that complicated. Alcohol is the solvent used to melt shellac flakes (dried out insect saliva). Any cleaning solution with alcohol will potentially melt the record. In reality shellac is not easy to melt. When I make shellac varnish I melt the flakes in 100% denatured ethanol and it takes three weeks and regular shaking to fully melt the shellac. However, if you clean a French polished table with anything that has alcohol in it you will instantly ruin the shine. So although you would not melt the record you would probably make it much noisier.

My experience with 78 rpm records has yet to begin. The ones I was given were not stored under ideal conditions and smell of mildew. Many of them have had the spindle hole reamed out by a changer mechanism. For all I know they may be unplayable. The plan right now is to use distilled water with a little clorox in it. I look at it as a learning  process. For me it is really only a nostalgia thing. I was hoping to find a working old Victrola one day. Now I have records to play on it.

The cleaning solution recipe that I use calls for 25% solution of isopropanol, not ethanol. As you know, ethanol is an alcohol with two methyl groups; isopropanol or propanol has three methyl groups ahead of the alcohol group. The capability of the two alcohols, ethanol vs propanol, as solvents may therefore be different. This question of isopropanol damaging vinyl is brought up over and over again, but I think it has been thoroughly debunked. ("Iso" simply denotes the arrangement of the 3 methyl groups with respect to each other, so isoprop and propanol differ from each other in secondary structure but are used interchangeably.) However, I am here to learn; can you provide documentation for your statement that "Any cleaning solution with alcohol will potentially melt the record"? In the context of momentary exposure to 25% propanol in the process of cleaning an LP, I doubt it. Distilled water, or any other kind of purified water, used alone is pretty much futile, if you want real deep cleaning. (In addition to propanol, I add about .05% Tween20 to my cleaning solution, to reduce the surface tension of water sufficiently to allow it penetrate into the grooves and to enhance its activity as a solvent.)

@lewm , alcohol is harmless to vinyl records Lew. I was talking about shellac 78s. Thank you the chemistry review. I got an A+ in organic chemistry but that was a long time ago. Ethanol is a stronger solvent than Isopropyl alcohol but isopropyl  will still damage the surface of a shellac record, just not as fast. Ethanol will do it instantly so make sure you have a good hold on your snifter before flipping a shellac record. 

Not only do you dissolve shellac flakes in denatured alcohol but it is a vital component of the French polish, an art form all it's own wherein you rub shellac into a wood surface with a tampon loaded with shellac and alcohol using pumice as the polishing abrasive and grain filler. It takes hours sometimes days to do right which is why very few people do it any more but boy is it beautiful. It has been replaced by nitrocellulose lacquer and acrylics. The finish on my stereo cabinet is a solvent based acrylic catalyzed lacquer usually used on kitchen cabinets. You get a similar result to shellac but 1000 times more durable only polyester finishes are tougher (piano lacquer)

@lewm , I forgot to mention. I will use distilled water with a very small amount of bleach (to kill the mildew) and surfactant (Triton X-100) on the 78s. On vinyl records I plan on trying distilled water with propanol and Triton X-100. I think that will be enough with the Matrix Pro Sonic as it scrubs the record adding a mechanical component. It sucks everything off the record and brushes so it should not leave any residue. I plan on changing the brushes in the cleaning head after I run the 78s. I ordered two sets as I always like to have a set available just in case.