Record Research Deep Cleaner and Super Vinyl Wash. All you need to properly clean LP and get really great results. |
I used to use homebrew but my audio dealer talked me into switching to the Nitty Gritty and he was right - it's actually much better.
(the homebrew used alcohol, distilled water, a tiny bit of aromatic solvent and a surface tension releaser) |
Ditto Dan_ed...I have tried all the major commercial cleaners and Record reseacrh is by far the best of the lot.
Deep Cleaner followed by Super Vinyl wash is all you need to make them very clean and quiet, with a much expanded soundstage with all the detail contained in the groove.
Only the best for my Koetsu Urushi |
IMHO, and after many comparisons, Record Research Deep Cleaner and Super Vinyl Wash are the best, and not by a short margin. I recall Albert Porter, some time ago, offering to send RR fluids to those who would like to try it out for themselves. I was so impressed by that extension of generosity, that I feel I must return the favor. And I will. If a few folks want to e-mail to me their address, ';ll ship ya a couple-o-ounces of each. Then compare towhat your using and report - yea or nay! No strings - I am not a dealer nor do a represent RRL or any other product. |
RRL is great, but I still prefer Nitty Gritty. The recommended cleaning method for RRL (per the label) is Deep Cleaner followed by 2 Vinyl Washes. That's the 3 trips on the vacuum cleaner each side. I don't have the patience for that but it does yield great results.
Nitty Gritty fluid also does a great job and it contains an anti-static ingredient. Clean a record 3 times using Nitty Gritty fluid - I've tried it - it's every bit as good, maybe better than RRL. Can't go wrong with either. |
Record Research Lab Deep Cleaner and Super Vinyl Wash are what I use with excellent results as well as others above. |
I haven't tried the RRL fluid, but I use Disc Doctor and find it to be far better than VPI's fluid (also I found VPI's very inconsistent, in fact the last bottle I had bought was, as far as I could tell, mostly water--terrible).
Think I'll try the RRL next but I've got a big ol' jug of Disc Doctor for now... |
OKAY, now where can we get these fluids. I would try some. I did borrow a friends bottle of Vinyl Zyme from Bugtussel, and I thought that it worked pretty good.
Sonny |
Another vote for the RRL fluids, plus the aerosol Premier cleaner. These give pretty good results on our Loricraft. RRL is available from Galen Carol @ $20/bottle. www.gcaudio.com. Premier is available from Acoustic Sounds and most other audio etailers.
For obviously soiled records we also use the aerosol foaming cleaner sold by Smart Developments. Similar to most other isopropyl based solutions, but the foaming action cleans better than a straight liquid. |
A Loricraft? You bastard! :-)
Let me ask you this. Do you then "finish" with the RRL Super Vinyl Wash after using the aerosols on the "soily" ones? |
Only RRL for me. better than disc doctor's stuff. The vinyl is much quieter after using RRL deep clean followed by RRL super vinyl wash.
Loricraft? Doug you suck! Just kidding. I'm still 'ghetto' with my Record Doctor II record cleaning machine. |
Nyah, nyah! ;-) Yup, we sprung for it big time. Just couldn't resist after so many positive posts. Another factor was that a wood-plattered Teres seems to be extremely revealing of everything, including surface noise. This was reported at the Teres platter shootout at VSAC last year and I believe it. A Shelter 901 doesn't hide much either, and neither does our taste for classical, with its many low level passages. We really had no choice you know, or so I told Paul!
It's a fine machine but we're still too new with it to post a review. I'd never used anything but a modded shop vac so I have no baseline for comparison, unless you want to hear that a Loricraft beats that.
Next month I'll be visiting someone who has the new, higher powered Loricraft PRC4 (we have the PRC3). It will be interesting to see how much better that works. Maybe I'll write an essay, "How I spent my summer vacation washing records". Talk about my so-called life!
Our final stage is always RRL SVW. No exception to that and no reason to think there ever will be. It's a superb rinse agent. Totally agree that it leaves no sonic signature of its own. |
I'd start compiling notes because I will wager that someone will claim that their ShopVac is every bit as good as the Loricraft.
Has Paul appreciated the Loricraft vs. the ShopVac visa vis the price differential? HA! :-) |
That would be a different kind of Loricraft thread!
Don't mention Visa cards, please. For the same $ we could have bought 71.8 more Shop Vacs and just lined them up. The damn records still wouldn't get dry, but we'd be deaf so who would know? <:~)
Trade you a Shop Vac for a Graham? |
cracker? yes!
but, point taken |
I have used both Record Research and my own homebrew with good results. The RR cleaner did seem to bead up more on the record compared to my cleaner which had less surface tension but both produced good results (with a good record vac). Given that I paid $25 for the RR stuff vs pennies for mine, I guess I will be making my own from now on. |
I have only used Torumat. Never felt that I needed to try something else. Given the raves of RR- I will order to replace my now empty bottle. I think that Torumat though is well worth a try. |
I thought Torumat was no longer produced. Or, maybe that is why your bottle is empty. (?) |
I have had very good luck with the Disc Doctor cleaning system. Please remember to place your freshly washed treasure into a new high quality record sleeve.(I like the Disc Washer sleeves)
Regards, |
