I purchased a Nitty Gritty 1.5 recently and I am very happy with it. I am using Audio Intelligent solutions and I find that those OLD albums that I pick up at the local shop and the village stores in NYC sound pretty damn good! I have purchased records for 69 cents that I listen to over the digital source! Cleaning by hand can be tedious so I really recommend a machine with automatic rotation.
Cleaning with minimum fuss and cost ?
As I am getting more records from second- hand sources then I have been used to so far, I need to get serious about getting a proper machine, accessories and ingredients to make it possible.
I need a well design but BASIC machine that is on the low side cost of what is available.
Any suggestions on how to acheive good cleaning results with minimum fuss and cost will be much appreciated.
I need a well design but BASIC machine that is on the low side cost of what is available.
Any suggestions on how to acheive good cleaning results with minimum fuss and cost will be much appreciated.
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The VPI 16.5 is a very basic but in my opinion adequate RCM. Replacement parts are readily available and they (both unit and company) have a good track record with vinyl enthusiasts. Its well worth it if you collect and play used LPs. To me its costs is easily justified when you can take a $1.99 LP, run it through a cleaning cycle and get as good...sometimes better...sound as the $19.99 new LP. |
An archive search turned up 92 posts on the subject of record cleaning that ought to keep you busy for awhile. |
Yes Bob, the ressource is in there and thanks for pointing it out, but as you said,.. this ought to keep me busy for a while witch is, am affraid, what I would like to avoid, if I can. Time is not on my side nowdays and since a new cartrige is on its way my aim was not to learn about all the options there is out there but to invite anyone that feel well served with a low fuss-low cost solution to the problem of cleaning to write something about it. I would like to know specially about basic but well design machine that would be costing around half or even less of what a VPI 16.5 cost. |
KABusa.com sells the least costly, non-DIY vacuum RCM out there AFAIK. It's basically a Nitty Gritty without a built in vacuum, you hook up any home vacuum cleaner to it. Other than DIY it doesn't get any cheaper than that (assuming your home already has a vacuum cleaner of course!) I haven't used or even seen one, so this is not a recommendation other than to take a look. |
Here's a URL that will take you to a website page that describes how to build your own RCM: http://www.audiointelligent.com/aboutrcm.htm These homemade RCMs will, IMHO, easily best any but the Loricraft and Monks machines, which sell for about $1,000 and up. I plan on building some RCMs in the near future (price about $145), but unforunately don't have any ready yet. Feel free to e-mail if you have any questions. Best regards, Paul |