I got in on the Degritter and ordered one back in the summer. Given the start-up and crowd-fund nature of the company I expected delays and of course there have been a number of them. All well explained by the company though.
I should be getting mine hopefully within the next couple of weeks.
It will be my first record cleaning machine! And I have so much vinyl I’ve bought since I ordered it, piling up, waiting to be cleaned.
For me this machine based on it’s goals, design and the feedback of beta testers, is precisely what I was looking for. I buy plenty of old and new records and wanted a record cleaner. But frankly every single version of record cleaning I’ve ever seen has turned me off. It just looks like adding a chore to the experience of listening to records. I have taken albums over to my friend’s place and watched him use his VPI cleaner and it was just, as I said, too chore-like. And as I have sensitive ears I HATE the loud fans on so many record cleaners.
The automated US machines from AudioDesk etc seemed to do what I’d like, but were expensive and, IMO, damned ugly.
As soon as I saw the Degritter I wanted it. Love the chic industrial design. Looks like a finished product I would actually place in plain view, rather than the kludged together in someone’s basement look of other record cleaners.
Loved the intuitive looking controls, the fact you just pop a record in and hit a button, then you can walk away do other things and come back to a dry record ready to play. And they seem to have thought through so many little user-friendly design aspects, especially flexibility in the drying process. There are now something like 22 finely graded settings for the fan dryer noise, so you can dial it to really quiet (longer dry) or louder (shorter dry).
I took the chance in paying 1/2 up front, 1/2 upon delivery. The feedback from beta testers was all highly positive both for the machine and for the Degritter team being conscientious and responsive.
Since paying up I’ve found that to be very true. All inquiries have been responded to within 24 hours, often sooner, with confidence-inspiring detail.
As to the price, I can certainly understand why someone would blanche at paying thousands of dollars for a record cleaner. But this is really about personality and budget. As I said, I look to records to relax, not add chores to my life. To some they may like to clean records so it’s no big loss to go a cheaper route, or a manual route to cleaning. Which is great! But that’s not me. I rationalize the money in that I have spent similar sums and more for various equipment over the years - speakers, amps, pre-amps, turntable, etc. Given I'm listening mostly to vinyl these days and cleaning a record will upgrade the sound to some degree (variable, I know, I’m not expecting miracles) I look at it as an upgrade similar to if I were buying some other component that would improve the sound of my system.
So that’s my story with the Degritter, thus far.
I’ll report back when I get it in action.
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bdp24,
Yeah the price hike does push it upward to a smaller audience. I got in when I could buy it at just over $2,300 so I'm happy enough about that.
Still, the price demanded for the KLAudio and Audio Desk does put the Degritter in better perspective, and it looks to me like the better machine in many ways.
I've started to really anticipate the Degritter because, as I wrote, I've built up a big collection of LPs, especially tons of older "library music" LPs from the 70's to early 80's. I have bought brand new premium inner sleeves to use once my records are washed. So...I'm all ready to go, just twiddling my thumbs waiting.
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There's a lot of chatter on forums about using cleaners/surfactants with US cleaners - what type, or whether to even use them at all.
It seems generally acknowledged that surfactants work well in aiding the US cleaning process, but some are uncomfortable leaving any residue on the vinyl.
The Degritter cleaner apparently leaves a fine "anti-static" coating that they claim does not affect playback at all. Some beta testers seem to agree as they use the surfactant.
But for those uncomfortable leaving it on, an idea is to do a double wash - first with surfactant, second to wash the surfactant off (Degritter says you can wash off the surfactant).
I inquired a while ago about the possibility of acquiring an additional water tank to make a double wash easy - just have the tank with fresh water, sans surfactant, on hand to switch in after the first wash. They said they'd be making the water tanks available on their own. Nice to see they will be available!
(Though I'm looking to simplify the record cleaning process as much as possible, which is why I went with a Degritter in the first place. So if I like what I hear using the surfactant I'll likely stick with that).
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Well, the company has had some teething problems with the retail machines but have apparently sorted those out.
I just got word my Degritter RC is on the way so I'll be able to hopefully report on it soon (next week).
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whart,
Yes.
And my first attempt to clean any of my records (aside from a record brush).
I’ve been building my vinyl collection this year at a furious pace, and
need to clean many of them, but I’m way too lazy for any other cleaning regimen.
If this machine doesn’t work out for me I doubt I’ll bother cleaning my records. But, fingers crossed....
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Thank whart.
Yes I bought a whole batch of the Ultimate Audiophile Inner Sleeves from sleevecity. By far the best inner sleeves I've ever found. All waiting to be used.
I admit I find it almost a bit galling to consider that something other than an US cleaning might be necessary, given the way US purportedly works it's hard to imagine what could do better at getting in to those record grooves.
I buy a lot of used records from discogs. But I'd have to say significant surface noise has been fairly rare, even when the record looks dirtier than it sounds.
So I think I'll get along ok with just the US. I don't want to add more work, which for me would defeat the purpose of buying this press-a-button-and-walk-away cleaning machine.
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@bdp24
I have not received my machine, it just shipped out yesterday so I should get it next week. So mine was shipped after all the fixes were made.
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I received my Degritter yesterday.
I've got it up and running, just beginning to clean records. So far so good!
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Will give more detail later, but so far I'm awfully glad I went this route vs something like a VPI, Okki Nokki or other machines. This machine really suites my needs. Drop record in, press button and walk away, return to US cleaned and dried record! The extra cost for such convenience to me is well worth it, against the time/labor/noise etc involved in other methods.
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The Degritter machine met my expectations. Nice looking, very easy to use, great user interface, excellent flexibility in how you want to wash the records. Being able to drop a record in, push a button and walk away was what I wanted.
There was one software glitch (machine didn't automatically turn off after 15 minutes as it is supposed to) but that was purportedly fixed with updated software that I have yet to download and install. But nothing that has impeded the use of the machine.
It's nice that the Degritter can be updated by the user as new software is released - they can tweak how the machine works based on user feedback and their own research.
Just to try, I did get a second tank. So if I want I can do a wash with surfactant, then insert the second tank to wash off the surfactant. Not sure this has made any difference. It's tough to know because I only ever have one copy of a record to wash, they are all going to be in different shape sonically, so it's hard to compare multiple cleaning methods.
As for sonic results, like any record cleaner it depends on the shape of the record and the nature of it's noise. Obviously this machine won't get rid of pops and ticks caused by actual damage to the record, only if it's caused by debris that can be scoured out. Overall I'd say I hear an appreciable difference with every record after cleaning - smoother, less hash, somewhat less pops and ticks. There have been the occasional jaw-dropping difference. One record went from sounding like it had been taken directly from a trash compactor - hard to even hear the music through the noise - to sounding almost brand new after a wash in the Degritter. I hadn't thought such a thing possible until I heard it.
Downsides? Sometimes I'm not sure I prefer the sound of the washed record to the unwashed record. It can sometimes make a record sound in a way a bit more CD-like than vinyl. Can sometimes seem to lose a little bit of life/air/leading edge after a wash.
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Yes the Degritter is very flexible and user programmable.
I got two water tanks for my Degritter for when I want to do as you’ve mentioned - a second wash to remove any left over surfactant. Though the usual presets combine wash and dry, you can select to only wash the record - 3 presents from light/med/heavy wash times. Or only dry.
So I do a heavy wash with the surfactant tank, with no dry time selected. When it’s finished I switch in the water-only tank and select a quick wash/dry cycle. |
Curious about other Degritter owners: what are your impressions of the sound after washing?
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Sounds good vortex.
I notice what seems to be more subtle, rich quality to the sound after cleaning. And a washed record seems more "transparent" like my speakers disappear and soundstage better in a way. Probably due to a drop in the background noise floor, giving a deeper impression of the soundfield.
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Looking forward to your report, restock!
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Good to see Fremer finally got around to reviewing the Degritter.He gave it a big thumbs up.
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