Red2,
I use RRL + DD brushes on a Loricraft. I've cleaned many 100's of records and have never once experienced a record getting noisier. Obviously this should never happen in any well designed cleaning regimen that's followed with discipline.
OTOH, before I got the Loricraft I was using a Shop Vac modded with self-stick felt on the nozzle. Even with RRL fluids, this setup sometimes left a record noisier than before. I discovered two reasons for this:
1. Despite its loud and powerful motor, the Shop Vac simply couldn't dry a record completely. It always left a trace of liquid in the grooves.
2. If I didn't keep the felts scrupulously clean and replace them frequently, dirt removed from one record was easily transferred to another.
Contrary to what Larkyparka said, a vacuum RCM is (or should be) about much more than convenience. The cleaning solution suspends or dissolves contaminants. If any portion of this dirty liquid is left on the record to evaporate, where do those contaminants go? Right back on the record of course. Typically they will have been spread around evenly in a low level layer that produces a background hiss or hush, rather than ticks and pops.
The incomplete vacuuming and cross-contamination of felt-covered vacuum wands is what finally led us to choose a Loricraft, which does not suffer from those problems. I'm not saying you have to buy an $1800 RCM, but if you're using a felt/wand style machine you'll have to be very particular to get consistently good results. Read 4yanx's description of how he uses his VPI. It's in the 'Record Playing Rituals' thread. I've played a few of his records and they're fairly quiet.
I use RRL + DD brushes on a Loricraft. I've cleaned many 100's of records and have never once experienced a record getting noisier. Obviously this should never happen in any well designed cleaning regimen that's followed with discipline.
OTOH, before I got the Loricraft I was using a Shop Vac modded with self-stick felt on the nozzle. Even with RRL fluids, this setup sometimes left a record noisier than before. I discovered two reasons for this:
1. Despite its loud and powerful motor, the Shop Vac simply couldn't dry a record completely. It always left a trace of liquid in the grooves.
2. If I didn't keep the felts scrupulously clean and replace them frequently, dirt removed from one record was easily transferred to another.
Contrary to what Larkyparka said, a vacuum RCM is (or should be) about much more than convenience. The cleaning solution suspends or dissolves contaminants. If any portion of this dirty liquid is left on the record to evaporate, where do those contaminants go? Right back on the record of course. Typically they will have been spread around evenly in a low level layer that produces a background hiss or hush, rather than ticks and pops.
The incomplete vacuuming and cross-contamination of felt-covered vacuum wands is what finally led us to choose a Loricraft, which does not suffer from those problems. I'm not saying you have to buy an $1800 RCM, but if you're using a felt/wand style machine you'll have to be very particular to get consistently good results. Read 4yanx's description of how he uses his VPI. It's in the 'Record Playing Rituals' thread. I've played a few of his records and they're fairly quiet.