Cleaning vinyl - am I using this thing right???


I have owned a VPI 16.5 for a couple of years, but only in the past two months have I been (re)immersed in vinyl. Now I'm wondering just how to get rid of all that junk in the grooves. I spin each side in the 16.5 with a few drops of RR Vinyl Wash, then use the VPI brush to spread the drops out and hopefully disloge the junk. Then I run two revolutions with the vaccuum on and repeat for the other side.

The problem is that there are STILL pretty fair ticks and pops, and sometimes I can actually see the junk. It just doesn't get the junk out (and neither does the Hunt fibre brush). I *thought* I was using the VPI per directions - is there some other secret handshake necessary to get these things cleaner?
blw

Showing 1 response by johnmhtr

On removing static.
A simple carbon fiber brush has always done the trick for me. Put your clean record on the turntable, brush over the surface while touching your other hand to ground (important). Use the top of your preamp (or wherever your turntable ground goes) for a ground. This way you form a conducting path through your body. The carbon fiber brush is a good conductor and you'll be discharging the static build up while taking off surface dust. I've been doing this for over 20 years and never felt the need for a Zerostat. Typically I machine clean my records only once and carbon fiber brush before each play. Its easy and it works.

Anyone know where you can get the Tourmat stuff these days?

John Moschella