Does the Step 4 final rinse for Walker Prelude help?


help? Simply, yes, amazingly so.

I have now played six records which were previously cleaned using Prelude. Afer listening I cleaned each with the new Step 4 and then listened again. I expected some benefit, especially as I had already done two Step 3 rinses. What I got, however, was a major reduction in the noise level often revealing noises I had been only somewhat aware of. Listening to Harry Belafonte's Returns to Carnegie Hall. The subway becomes quite obvious and even traffic outside. This, of course, does not improve the performance but the improved ambience and awareness of the movement of the performers greatly improves the realism. Further, the bass is greatly improved.

The Joni Mitchell Blue album moved from a roughly recorded performance into one with great realism about her then youthful voice. One focuses much more on her lyrics. Finally the Duke's Big 4 45 rpm release soared in dynamics. The bass and the piano leaped ahead in realism and the sense of being there.

I have done this with three other albums, but the pattern is obvious. I now have to rinse many, many albums today.

If you like Prelude, Step Four is absolutely necessary. The label says not to take internally, so it clearly contains chemicals not meant to drink.
tbg

Showing 12 responses by tbg

Emailists, I couldn't help myself. Doesn't AI have four steps also? I have no idea whether one is superior and both seem to be thinking along the same lines.
Hifiharv, actually throughout save when the music is loud, but on side 1 in the second cut and the subway is obvious in the introduction of the Thad Mitchell Quartet.
Dougdeacon, I directly asked Lloyd whether it was his Ultra-pure as I had already double rinsed with that. He said that it was based on Ultra-pure but had added ingredients. Whatever, they are, the add greatly to the final product. I also asked if Step Four should not be used before Step Three, he said no.

Rushton, I obviously had not seem your report. I guess I find the Step Four to have a bigger magnitude of improvement than you, although I am shocked that I would be saying this. I had expected little improvement, especially as it is a fourth stage.
Rushton, do you use one of the new tourmaline hairdryers? I don't but I wonder if the other ingredients in Step Four are anti-static in purpose.
Guys, it is hardly true that a rinse with ultra-pure water leaves nothing behind. There is the friction of vinyl and the static electric charge on the record. I can remember when Lloyd recommended GrooveGlide and certainly the Talisman removing static charges have benefit. I have used both and find the benefits of Step Four exceeds them. I continue to use the Talisman, but do find it has less effect now.

While you guys fret about how this can be, I will keep doing a final rinse with Step Four on my previously Preclude treated records and enjoying them. If your ears tell you there is a benefit, shouldn't you conclude that your logic and theory must be wrong?
Hdm, of course I am talking about getting more off the record, which Step Four certainly does. I have asked Lloyd and even directed him to the thread.

I agree about Grooveglide. I used it a couple of times and sought to clean it off.

As I said, I already twice rinsed my records with ultra pure water and was told by Lloyd that Step Four was not just more ultra-pure water. He was right!
Lloyd responded to my email saying the following: "No, using ultra-pure water after the Step 4 would not be better." I would have liked more elaboration, but hey, it is his product.
Jtimothya, thanks for the further clarification. Lloyd has always been into percentage improvement. It is big. I strongly suspect that it is not the alcohol.
Stiltskin, I have only been doing a final Step Four rinse on previously Prelude cleaned records, so I cannot really answer your question until I do some more records. I do think, however, that you need to use the Step Four brush to really get good distribution on the record.

I do have the 45 Live at Carnegie Hall set, but I must admit it is among perhaps 50 LPs I have yet to open or clean. Incidentally I have both the original and the Classic releases of Returns. I have yet to treat the original.
On a related subject, have you found the enzyme effectiveness deteriorates in less than ten hours? Have you ever done a large scoop? How long does it take you per record to do all four steps? As effective as Prelude is, I find myself avoiding cleaning more records.
Rushton, I cannot replicate your speed. I did twelve records, both sides yesterday. It took me 20 minutes for each record. I would expect that the Loricraft string vacuum takes longer. At any rate I have nearly 2000 LPs to go!

The Step 4 looks different than the Step 3 ultra-pure water when you first sprinkle it on the record. There is a surrounding wetted area even though the water remain as drops on the surface. Once you spread it with the Walker applicators, however, they look the same.
I have now rinsed 50 albums with Walker Audio Prelude Step Four and used all four steps on 12 records. I have not heard such silent record surfaces before. Although the sound stage and realism are much better also, a good part of this derives from my H-Cat amp.