2. analog
  3. 1032793017

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 jwrobinson

jwrobinson's avatar
jwrobinson
61 posts
 
I've had very good results using my VPI 16.5 and distilled water. I gave up mixing in a small % of alcohol.

The VPI has a very high torque motor and as previously mentioned you can apply quite a bit of downward pressure.
You can also really scrub the record (you don't just have to go round and round). Be sure to use plenty of fluid, that's the real advantage to a vacuum system.

However, when all is said and done, you aren't going to be able to remove all ticks and pops. These are seldom caused by dirt lodged into the grooves.
Jim
More to discover