Ultrasonic record cleaners

@antinn Your Contribution is much appreciated, it certainly reaffirms why I chose to use the Manual Cleaning Method, with a Planning for the Method in use, that can be honed to one that can achieve Six LP Albums cleaned in approx' 30 minutes.

Why Manual, as stated previously in various Threads and within this Thread, I own prior to the Manual Cleaning commencing a US Tank and Rotation System to manage 6 LP Albums. The Manual Cleaning proved so satisfactory and satisfying, the only way I could describe the finished item was as a Purified Album.

I was not motivated to change from this and use the US Tank, being left wondering if all the requirements that you have made known are best to be in place, were in place.

The evidence from the replays of Albums following the manual cleaning I have carried out, have left me totally reassured all the requirements you make known, are addressed, and the methods suggested are present when cleaning, with the result leading me to feel quite confident the overall advisories offered from your Vinyl Cleansing-ology Document have been very accurately applied. 

@Terry9. If I understand your description (and it isn't easy), you US cleaned the records 3 times, each time in new fluid. If thats what it takes to get to a "clean" record, count me out. Although, reduced stylus wear is a great benefit! I don't own a Koetsu, but my ZYX is worth protecting. I was considering the Monks to replace my old Harry Weisfeld machine as the US option is just too expensive, or just getting rid of all the analog stuff and going digital. So much work and expense involved just to play music.

@orthomead,

What you are doing by first cleaning with the VPI vacuum-RCM and then cleaning with UT is what @whart does with his Monk & KLAudio, and if you were to read the book, and step-back what it preaches is pre-clean/rinse/final-clean/rinse/dry which is the foundation of precision cleaning with aqueous cleaners.  And as the book says, this was all worked out 30-yrs ago forced by the elimination of CFC-solvents.

There are many ways to put together a cleaning process using the concept of pre-clean/rinse/final-clean/rinse/dry.  If you sink clean with a pure manual process, you can use chemistry and concentrations that you would not use with machine-based processes.  

You can use only a vacuum-RCM and get excellent results by using the right chemistry (aggressive pre-cleaner and then mild final-cleaner), the right brush and the right technique.

You can use an Elmasonic P-series dual frequency UT that you would use 37-kHz for pre-clean and 80-kHz for final cleaning.  Although really gross records would still benefit from a manual-type pre-clean - i.e., sometimes you need two pre-clean steps which is what the manual process in the book Chapter V does.

At the end of the day, my technical position is that there is no best cleaning process.  With the right chemistry, the right technique, the right hardware and the right process they can all achieve a clean record; but the devil is in details.  Ultimately it comes down to how much convenience do you want and how much are you willing to compromise because of time, space, money, etc.

So, I always, state, the best record cleaning process is the one best for you and the book is written accordingly - how to get the best from each process.

Take care,

Neil

@charliee Evidently I was less clear than I hoped.

I was describing a test procedure. My cleaning procedure is:

1. wet and remove surface crud with running purified water

2. for very dirty records only, 10 minutes at 37 KHZ with detergent; otherwise skip this step

3. 10 minutes at 80KHz with detergent and 40 degrees C

4. rinse heartily with running purified water

5. rinse in distilled water bath

6. spritz with distilled water

7. air dry

Amongst the suggestions Neil makes for an LP cleaning process/procedure, my favorite new step is to pre-rinse the LP in the sink. I bought an item on ebay to facilitate that rinse: a product comprised of a pair of LP label-size clear plastic discs, with a handle to hold the LP under running tap water (at this stage of cleaning---and this stage only---tap water will suffice).

I use this step only for used LP’s (or unusually dirty new ones), to remove the dust and other debris often found on those discs. That prevents the dust and other debris from contaminating both the water in my ultrasonic tank, and the platter and brushes on my VPI HW-17.

I also have found Neil’s recommendation of Tergitol 15-S-9 (the surfactant made by Talas) and Liquinox (the cleaning solution made by Alconox) to be an excellent one.

For the final step, I don't care for or approve of "air" drying. Though I'm no longer in the California desert (dust is EVERYWHERE there!), I still prefer to vacuum off the final rinse distilled water. Two revolutions on the HW-17 gets LP's bone dry, usually without creating a static charge. For that problem I have and highly recommend the Furutech Destat III. More effective than the Zerostat, and far easier to use.