@mijostyn: "Don’t bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me." But seriously, hope your recovery from pretty serious surgery is speedy. In the meantime, careful with that tonearm and stylus 😉 .
The "Very Best Record Cleaning Formulation"
The "Very Best Record Cleaning Formulation"
I am providing this formulation for all who are interested in the very best, and can be proven and demonstrated to be the "Very Best". It can easily be made from available ingredients. On the surface, it appears to be very simple. However, it is based on extensive complex chemistry along with precise mathematical calculations and verifiable data.
You may use it with absolute confidence and be truly assured that it is beyond doubt the "Very Best". You may use it for your personal needs. Or, archival entities may use it for their purposes with confidence. Or, you may choose to start an enterprise that makes and packages quantities as either a "ready-to-use" or a "Semi-concentrated" version for sale and distribution knowing that nothing better exists. You have my blessings and encouragement with one condition. And, that is, that the pricing represents a "fair margin", and, not an obscene gouging, typical for such products.
Initially, I had prepared a presentation that briefly introduced myself, and provided the thought processes, design parameters, and the necessary basics of chemistry, physics, and mathematics to assure you and allow you to be absolutely confident in this formulation. I made a considerable effort to keep it as simple, but, also as thorough enough to achieve this confidence. However, that presentation entailed 5,239 words, typical of such a requirement, however, unacceptable in length by this website forum.
I have no option other than to offer the formulation as a 100% parts by weight version suitable to produce 1 Kilogram of the cleaner, and, invite you to question me about any aspect of the formulation.
Professionally, I am a Chemist, more specifically a Polyurethane Chemist. I have a Doctorate in Chemistry as well as two other Doctorates and a M.B.A.. I held prominent positions in significant corporations before being encouraged to start our (wife and I) manufacturing facility servicing those I previously worked for. We started, owned, and fully operated this business. We eventually obtained 85+% Market Share in our sector in Medical, Automotive, Sporting Goods, and Footwear areas before retirement.
The Audio Industry is extremely technical and many brilliant minds have contributed their talents over the decades in order that we may enjoy music today as we choose. Like many other technical industries, those of lesser minds and values invade the arena with their "magical" inspired revelations and offer their "magical" ingredients and items to all at extremely high prices. They promise that if only we are willing to part with our money - they can provide these items to you that make your audio system sound as if the orchestra, or vocalist, is in your room with you. And, after all, "magical items" must be expensive, otherwise, they would not be "magical".
This disturbs me enormously, and, it is for such reasons, I feel compelled to provide realistic and truthful information that conforms to basic Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematical Principals in those areas with which I am very knowledgeable and familiar.
"Ultimate Record Cleaner Solution"
Ingredient Amount by Weight (Grams)
Distilled Water 779.962
Ethyl Alcohol 220.000
Tergitol 15-S-7 (Dow Chemical) 0.038 (Approx. = 2 Drops)
1,000.000
Important and/or Relevant Criteria
1.) Distilled Water ONLY. Do not use deionized, tap, rain, or spring water. Distilled Water is readily available in most grocery stores. Check labeling to be certain that it is distilled and not deionized. The pricing is comparable.
2.) Ethanol must be purchased at a "Liquor Store" or a "Liquor Control Board" that is suitable for human consumption, and the appropriate taxes must be paid. This assures that the alcohol consists of only Ethyl Alcohol and water. You need to purchase the 95+% version, also known as 180+ Proof. NOTHING ELSE is acceptable. (100% Ethyl Alcohol is not available under "normal" circumstances). Denatured alcohol from a Hardware Store or elsewhere is PROHIBITED, as well as ANY other alcohols.
3.) Tergitol 15-S-7 is made by Dow and is available on the internet in small quantities from Laboratory Supply Houses such as Fisher and Advance, etc.. I have no affiliations with either Dow Chemical, or Fisher, or Advance. You MUST use Tergitol 15-S-7 ONLY. No other Tergitol product is acceptable for this designed formula, and you need to acquire the undiluted form only.
4.) The above cleaner formula will result in a non-foaming (VLF) Surfactant Formulation that exhibits the following:
Surface Tension of 28.5 dynes/centimeter @ 20 C. (68.0 F.)
Surface Tension of 28.2 dynes/centimeter @ 25 C. (77.0 F.)
5.). A Surface Tension of 28.5 dynes/centimeter is Remarkable and will properly clean records of all organic soilings, and all oily substances, as well as very significant amounts of inorganic soilings. This available Surface Tension coupled with the Azeotropic Characteristics of very rapid evaporation and spotless drying occur because of the selection of Ethyl Alcohol and the very specific concentration determined as 22.00% p.b.w., further improves the products abilities. The "Ease-of-Use" and "Spot-Free" results are to be accepted.
6.). Be aware that an "ideal temperature of use" also exists for this formulation. And, that reasonable temperature is 40 C. (104.0 F.). Further increases in temperature offers no improvement, therefore, confirming the proper use of the term "ideal". I mention this not because of of any substantial improvement, but, only to be aware of its’ existence. And, if you have a choice to utilize a room that is warmer than another, select the warmer room closer to 104.0 F. There is no need to elevate the temperature of the records or the materials. Simply be aware that 104.0 F. Is ideal.
If interest is expressed in this submission, I am willing to provide additional submissions regarding other materials, and, other areas of interest. Such as"Best Contact Substance", "Best lubricants for turntables", " Better Dampening Materials" for turntables and tonearms, and, most significantly, "Best" material for "Turntable Platter/Vinyl Record Interface" usually called "Record Mats". The last item will certainly disturb many individuals and anger many suppliers.
Whatever I may contribute is substantiated by Science and Testing, and Verifiable. Science has no Opinions. Opinions in these matters are best reserved for those who rely on their imagination and wishful thinking.
Also, I have no vested interests in this Industry. Simply possess some scientific knowledge that also relates to some aspects of the Audio Area, and I am willing to share that information if requested!
Showing 13 responses by bdp24
Oh, I’m not offended @wizzzard , and don’t consider your case against Walter Davies’ ethics to be proven, nor that he even has an "other side." Even if Last products are what you or anyone else may consider grossly over-priced, that is not (to me at least) what constitutes a lack of ethics. Greed perhaps 😉. Now mis-representing the ingredients of a liquid product is an entirely different matter. In a trial the jury doesn’t render a verdict after hearing only the prosecutor’s case against the defendant. I don’t consider the case you make against Last Record Preservative and/or Walter Davies to be proven just because you say it is. I prefer to withhold judgement until the defendant has presented his rebuttal. You state a lot of opinions---and have reached conclusions---that you expect everyone else to accept as facts. You use cold, hard numbers to make your case, with which I have no problem (to me the most important information contained in Stereophile reviews is John Atkinson’s test bench findings). But I don’t assume your information to be correct, or even complete. You obviously consider your numbers to be irrefutable proof of another’s lack of ethics and honesty, and seem to relish revealing that fact to the world. You remind me of Peter Aczel 😉 . |
Regarding my statement that Walter Davies "was one of the most ethical persons I have ever known", that was obviously (it seems to me) said in regard to my interactions with him as a hi-fi shop owner. To then take that opinion and by the use of transference apply it to Walter’s (accused) business practices as owner of The Last Factory says more about @wizzzard than it does about my perception of Walter’s sense of ethics. I happened to make my first visit to Walter’s hi-fi shop on the day Bill Johnson was delivering and installing his complete ARC/Magneplanar system in the shop’s excellent sound room. I was only 22 years old, but wise enough to keep my mouth shut and my ears open. Beside getting a real education that day in all things hi-fi by listening to the two talk, I got my first exposure to a true high end system. The sound I heard that day transformed my life. Thank you Bill and Walter. |
Last Record Preservative contains a "binder" which bonds the PVC/etc. molecules together. The Library Of Congress uses the stuff. Walter Davies was the owner of the Last company, and co-creator of the Last products. He had earlier been an excellent hi-fi store owner in Livermore, CA (named Audio Arts). He had an extensive technical background and education, and was one of the most ethical persons I've ever known. |
As far as I know there is no evidence that Alconox Liquinox detergent and/or Talas Tergitol 15-S-9 surfactant damage PVC/Vinyl LP’s. And who needs alcohol of ANY kind? (except to drink, of course.) My sources tell me 15-S-9 is the best Tergitol in terms of the leaving of residue on the LP, hence easier final rinsing. |
@wizzzard: As far as I know there was no connection between AR and either Watts or Discwasher. But back in the 60’s and 70’s there weren’t the number of record cleaning products available that there are now. The only other serious cleaner---and it was a VERY serious one---was the Keith Monks RCM (the machine that used a suction arm and thread, still available. Audiogon member Bill Hart @whart has one), which is made in England (as were the Watts products). J. Gordon Holt reviewed it in Stereophile, but it was very expensive. And then there was---and still is---the Decca carbon fiber brush, but it’s intended use is to merely removed dust from LP’s, not deep clean. Similar brushes are available from many other companies, including Audioquest and Hunt, the latter with a velvet pad between its’ two rows of bristles. I bought my VPI HW-19 from Brooks Berdan, who was also an Oracle dealer. He in fact came up with the famous mod for the Delphi (eventually incorporated into the table by Oracle themselves): a round block of stainless steel bolted onto the bottom of the table’s floating sub-chassis, done in order to better balance its’ mass. Brooks had training in automobile race cars, and knew a lot about suspensions. With the Berdan mod installed the Delphi's sub-chassis bounced straight up and down; without it not so. He sold a lot of Oracles, often with Eminent Technology linear-tracking air-bearing arms mounted on them. Brooks had a Keith Monks RCM in his shop, and a VPI HW-17 RCM. I bought my HW-17 from him, a great machine imo. |
@wizzzard: Ah yes, confusion clarified! The bottle of D3 you received was included with the Discwasher record cleaning brush, which was introduced in about 1972 if I remember correctly, though it may have been ’71. I adopted the Discwasher as my choice of LP cleaner, replacing the Watts Disc Preener I had been using since ’68. I too had the original AR XA table, bought new in 1969. And I also bought the improved ES-1 when it was introduced in the mid-80’s, mine without a tonearm, mounting on it instead a Rega 300. That table served me well until I got a VPI HW-19, the first table I was really satisfied with. |
How did I get dragged into this? ;-)
What I DID say is: 1- @wizzzard stated he had used Last Record Preservative back in 1969. I offered the fact that Last was not developed and put on the market (by Walter Davies, owner of a great high end shop in the ’70’s---Audio Arts, in Livermore, CA) until the early 1980’s. I didn’t say so in print, but that put a chink in wizzzard’s credibility (or perhaps just memory. Who amongst us hasn’t gotten a date wrong?). 2- That I for one am sticking with Neil Antin’s formula for ultrasonic cleaning: Tergitol 15-S-9 surfactant (and in some cases Alconox Liquinox detergent) added to plain ol’ distilled water. For used LP's I do a pre-cleaning in the kitchen sink. |