Can I clean my records manually?

A couple or four comments on record cleaning.

Manual cleaning works well. I did it for years until I could afford a VPI 16.5. I thought the VPI worked better than my manual cleaning but I would not rule out that another manual cleaning technique would work as well or better. The VPI is certainly easier in use.

I just got my Loricraft and it is clearly better than my 16.5. However it is slower than I am use to at 30-45 seconds to clean a side: do the math: use a cleaner, a rinse, perhaps an enyzme wash, and a final rinse you will spend 3-5 minutes per side cleaning your records. The VPI is much faster, if not as effective. I just might keep the 16.5 (with a good supply of clean wands on hand)for preliminary cleaning of dirty vinyl, and use the loricraft for final and pre play rinsing.

Back in my salad days I used homebrew cleaners (Distilled H2O and isopropyl etoh alone and with various additives). Ultimately I have found that some of the commerically available cleaners do a better job than any homebrew I made. (RRL, L'Art du Son I like, I'm sure there are other good ones as well.) I also have found enzyme cleaners and other speciality products play a constructive role in particular situations. No matter which way you go ultra clean water is essential. American Water Distiller makes a small counter top distiller that I have found quite satisfactory. (I don't have a link at hand so Google for this if interested.) I triple distill and leave out the carbon filter after the first distillation.

One final comment: however you clean vinyl, RCM or manual, you will need a dry cleaning brush. Over on the AA vinyl forum someone suggested the Kinetronics antistatic brushes. I got one (SW 100, a 4 inch brush) and my inital impression is very favorable - it's doing a better job than either my Hunt or Decca brushes. Not unreasonable at 26$. (I have no affiliation with this company of course) Take a look at Kinetronics.com Audioquest also makes an antistatic brush that looks interesting at 20$ but I have not tried this.

However you do it - clean vinyl sounds better than dirty vinyl. Clean vinyl reduces stylus induced vinyl damage. No debate possible on these facts.

Have a truely analog day! (everything goes smoothly)

tbg,

Interesting: I'll try your method with LDS and no rinse. However I am using an ELP (laser) so any grunge I leave in the grooves I will hear. My current methodology (worked out with the VPI) uses a dry clean with an antistatic brush, followed by an initial cleaning with RRL, an enzyme cleaning, H20 rinse, LSD cleaning, and a final H20 rinse. Laborious but effective in producing quiet vinyl for the laser. Of course this only has to be done once, and then a dry clean followed by a water rinse generally suffices (assuming the record is carefully handled and stored}.

I don't know the AudioTop product but I would agree with you that evaporation is not desirable. I have had good results with RRL but on the Loricraft it tends to bead up and fly off the spinning record if I am not careful. I'm thinking about giving the Disc Doctor products a try as I have heard good reports about them. I also use the Premier product on new vinyl and Klymas on very badly damaged records - seems to work in reducing noise due to overt physical damage.

On the water question I agree that a 5-6 stage reverse osmosis system produces high quality water. It's just harder to set up. You also have to be careful about filter degradation over time. Cost is relatively high with instillation necessary in most cases (for 5-6 stage system). I do think I will eventually put in a RO system, especially since I have discovered the wonders of cooking (another hobby) with pure water.

Distilled water also gives good results but has problem of aromatic gasses needing venting, and the system has to be maintained clean. 99 bucks puts a system on your counter top that will work right away. No installation needed.

I did some testing with a Hanna TDS 1 (tests for total dissolved solids - 20$) and found the following:

My (upstate NY) well water........... 340ppm
My well water post carbon filtration: 300pmm
Single Distilled H20:................ 20ppm
Triple Distilled H20:................ 0-1ppm
RRL Rinse ............................ 4ppm

I estimate the cost of producing high quality triple distilled H20 at about 50 cents a gallon (based on the cost of electricity to run the machine 3x per gallon; machine generates a lot of heat!)

This is a nice part of our hobby: I get to learn and use some chemistry, some physics, some engineering, some biology and some psychology. And I can work with my hands on DIY projects.

Or I can just relax and listen to music!!

Pawlowski6132 suggested he is 'still waiting'.

Waiting for what? If the record cleaning method you adopt cleans your vinyl sufficent to reduce surface noise in your system to your satisfaction it does not matter what method you use. (as long as it is not destructive)

On the other hand if you are not satisfied you need to try something else.

Manual washing was good but I found use of a VPI machine gave better results for me. No microscope, just listening. Ditto 'home brew' solutions. OK result, great cost (low) but outperformed by the RRL solutions.

When I started listening with the ELP (laser player) what was formerly good enough didn't cut it. I had to do better. Enter the Loricraft. I did not need a microscope to hear less noise. The records were visually, and more importantly, audibly cleaner (however it takes longer to clean a record compared to the VPI).

As I continue to use the laser I find that a single solution is not enough. RRL works great. Cleaning with RRL and then following with L'art du Son works better- for some records. At times an enzyme step also helps, particularly with older dirty records as might be expected. If there is a lot of surface noise due to physical damage I reach for the Klymas.

What one needs to clean vinyl is record dependent (condition of the vinyl), system dependent (some stylus/arms are more forgiving than others; the laser is very intolerant of dirt) and of course user dependent: some of use don't mind some surface noise, others want CD like silence.

Bottom line: this is not a question with a simple, one size fits all answer. For many the nitty gritty with a basic home brew solution will be all that is needed. For others more will be required.

However, IMHO the better RCMs do a better job cleaning vinyl. Pawlowski6132 I could wave my hands and cite a zillion reasons why this might be so but at the end of the day it comes down to how the records sound. And my experience is they sound better with the VPI compaired to my manual cleaning efforts, and even better with the loricraft compaired to the VPI.

I also find that some of the commercial cleaning solutions really do offer value beyond diy solutions. I've heard people refute this and all I can say is if you get good enough results with a diy solution lucky you.

But if you find that you need more, try some. If you don't, forget it and enjoy the music. (As well as the trains, cannon shots, airplanes etc. Yes, I am an unrepentant unashamed audiophile)

And if anyone has any reasonable methods to improve vinyl play back I'll take a listen!

Demagnitisation anyone? : )