For years I cleaned my records by hand. I then bought a VPI 16.5 machine for about $600 and was in 7th heaven...still am. It was a huge improvement and changed my LP listening experience. Now I'm reading here about guys that have had the same machine moving up to more expensive brands... and getting much better results. Wow....this hobby never stops, there's always something better out there...and more expensive. A more expensive machine may yield better results for me, but I'm good just where I'm at. I'm not going to pay more for the record cleaner than I paid for my phono preamp or turntable.
Why are record cleaners so expensive?
Full disclosure: I have only the Spin-Clean record cleaner and a Hunt EDA brush to clean my vinyl, but as someone who's been in the digital side of audiophilia for decades, and as someone who knows how much gear can get in any dedicated hobby, I'm still curious as to why a high end vinyl cleaner can cost more than three grand.
I'm not disputing the price; after all, Smith said that something's worth whatever someone pays for it. Moreover, a high end record cleaner might be able to do things to vinyl that nothing else can. Still, paying three grand for an Audio Desk cleaner seems a bit out of reason. $3K can buy a good set of speakers; a hand-made fly-fishing rod based on your height and weight and arm length; two weeks at a Fijian resort for two; a custom-made suit from an Italian mill. So why is a glorified vacuum cleaner $3K?
Again, not flaming, just curious. Enlighten me?
s
I'm not disputing the price; after all, Smith said that something's worth whatever someone pays for it. Moreover, a high end record cleaner might be able to do things to vinyl that nothing else can. Still, paying three grand for an Audio Desk cleaner seems a bit out of reason. $3K can buy a good set of speakers; a hand-made fly-fishing rod based on your height and weight and arm length; two weeks at a Fijian resort for two; a custom-made suit from an Italian mill. So why is a glorified vacuum cleaner $3K?
Again, not flaming, just curious. Enlighten me?
s