Frustrated with Vinly

A problem with many new records is that they have a poor sleeve, often only paper and many have a lot static, and a carbon brush will not remove the charge.  Other than maybe the Gruv Guard or Zerostat, wet cleaning will get rid of the static charge, and using a better sleeve will help to keep it that way.  Then all that should be required is normal pre-play maintenance.  However, better quality pressing that get better handling and sleeves will be very quiet with no extra work .  Example, the latest Joan Baez album had a decent sleeve, record was clean, no static, and other than quick work with a carbon brush and mobile fidelity brush, played CD quiet.

Jay, etal,
A lot of the problem, especially this time of year with cold temps and low humidty is static charge, which will make the newest album sound like rice krispy's.  There is Gruv Guard that uses traditional ammonium salts for anti-static.  Jay, your turntable is a 2-wire design, so it does not have a 3-wire ground, and that may complicate your ability to ground yourself.  The following is a parts list and process that I have used to recover some pretty noisey (from deep debris) albums, and I challenge whether an RCM is any better other than faster.

Parts List:
1. Vinylstack 1 Manual Cleaner & Stand = $52
2. Talas Tergitol 15-S-9 Non-Ionic Surfactant 1 pint = $22
3. Record Doctor Wet/Dry Cleaning Brush = $20
4. Kinetronics Anti-Static Microfiber Cloth, 10x18-Inch Tiger Cloth = $8
5. Two (2) clean spray bottles about 1 pint each, maybe $5 at most both
6.  One (1) Gallon Distilled Water from your local grocery store = $1
7.  Mobile Fidelity Record Sleeves = $20 for 50

Process:
1.  Add distilled water to one spray bottle, fill full and label DIW
2.  Add distilled water to one spray bottle 3/4 full, and add 2-3 ml of the Tergitol surfactant, cap and gently shake to mix and then top off to full with distilled water, and label NID.  Note, 15-18 drops equals on 1 ml.
3.  Place Vinylstack label protector on stand, remove outer label protector, install record, assemble and tighten.  When tight the record will spin against the magnetic, remove from the stand, and tighten about about 1/4 additional turn to secure the label protector.
4.  Move to kitchen sink, and using NID spray bottle, liberally wet both sides.
5.  Using Record Doctor Brush, in a circular motion work/scrub the record with the NID solution.  Note, a soft bristle toothbrush will work, just not as well.  Do not worry about foam that may develop.
6.  KEY Step, using just tap water (tepid - just barley warm), flush with steady stream (no need for spray) both surfaces until free of any NID.  Shake to remove some bulk drops.
7.  KEY Step, using DIW spray bottle, liberally spray the record surface from top to bottom to remove the tap water leaving the DIW that will be spot free.  Shake to remove bulk drops.
8.  Using the  yellow microfiber cloth provided with the Vinylstack, dry in a circular motion to remove most water.
9.  Using the Kinetronics cloth to final dry and leave a static-free surface - there will be very little moisture left.  Give the record a good 2 shakes, hang on the handle so you throw the record across the room 😉, and wipe any visible drops.
10.  Place record with label protector on stand.  Remove handle and outer protector, wipe away any visible drops with  Kinetronics cloth .  Flip record and wipe any visible drop. 
11.  You can leave the record on stand to dry or lean against any hard surface to fully dry which will be just a few minutes.
12.  Once dry place in Mobile Fidelity sleeve.

The total process time is about 10 minutes.  The Vinylstack equipment is very well manufactured.  The above process has the benefit over other processes
of the two rinses.  The first rough rinse with flowing water really flushes the surface, flushing the cleaner and any other loose debris, and the DIW spray makes sure that a spot free surface will be achieved.  If this process sounds smiliar to washing a car, well, absent the wax, it is, and it is commonly used for manual precision aqueous cleaning.  Also, this process has a very low life cycle cost, because you use so little cleaner, and so little DIW.  And, since the drying cloth are only used to remove distilled water, there is no need to wash, just hang to dry, and shake before use.  The DIW spray bottle can stored in the fridge - absolutely no harm should a child use.  The NID spray bottle, is really safe, and could be stored in the fridge to prevent any degradation, the solution concentration is really low, but you need to consider your domestic situation for appropriate safety.

Otherwise, good luck, and as always, Enjoy the Music!

Chakster, 

I note from your profile that your origin is not America.  As an American Military Vet, and civil servant for decades, I have served based on the foundation that All persons are created equal endowed by their creator with life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  If happiness be digital great, if happiness be vinyl, wondetful, and if your feet are in both, all the better for your tolerance.  But, Jay came to this forum for help, and with courage, explained his priorty for happiness.  What he has received from some is analysis and criticism, to the point that he has had to defend himself - that is just WRONG!  This forum should be the exchange of knowledge and ideas, but when your individual opinion becomes so extreme that you are now forcing the other to defend themselves, its WRONG!. So myself being of the composition of See Something, Say Something, Do Something, this response is now presented, and Enough is Enough.  All ideas should be welcome, but lets try to be respectfull of one another.  If someone is having to defend themselves, then we need a gut check on the convseration, and maybe even an applogy.  Good evening and God bless.

Chaksterk 

If you you read the earlier posts of this thread, I provided a detailed cleaning process.  Otherwise, being sensitive and trying to read between the lines of what Jay's desire is, my recommendation would be a fine American product, the Sota Commet V,   https://sotaturntables.com/products/comet-v/.  It is in his budget, the design I would think, but I may be wrong, is compatible with his desires.  Its a  great product from a long standing supplier, that he can call on the phone and discuss, get go long term support, and they have an upgrade path to serve him on his journey.

Chakster, 

First my applogies for my miss spelling of your handle, so much for my fat fingers.  Otherwise, to address my opinion of the Technics 1210GR, as an engineer, I can appreciate the engineering that has been applied.  But, I am no fan of it looks (I have a modified VPI TNT), and obviously neither is Jay.  And that is the point.  Your recommendation is one thing, but when you become so passionate as to defend it, if takes on a whole other perspective.  Hopefully, we make our best recommendation to someone when they ask, but if they do not see it the same way, that is their right.  We have no right to force the argument, since it it can then be precieved as an attack.  All persons are entitled to their pursuit of what makes THEM happy whether we agree or not.

Not to belabor this thread, but its my understanding that there are fundamentally 3 different turntable drives:  rim drive, belt-drive and direct-drive, and there are pros and cons to each, and each has has been successfully executed.  Some think the Lenco L75 rim drive is the best,  http://high-endaudio.com/RC-Lenco.html.  There are obvious fans of the Technics and VPI coreless motor drive drive, and then there is Basis who goes to near heroic effort  to manufacture a near perfect belt  https://www.basisaudio.com/revolution-belt. For my VPI TNT that uses the Avenger baseline motor and 20-lb Classics platter, I use two belts of two different materials (not sold by VPI), EDPM to get the platter spining, and Viton to stabilize speed.  The two belts are the same length and durometer, but the different material elongation properties will cause different beating/hysteresis (belt going from tension off the platter, to relaxing after the motor before the platter). In "theory" this should reduce the risk of any resonance from multiple belts of the same material beating at the same frequency.  So, there are many ways to effectively spin that platter. However, not a plug, but I believe that VPI is the only one to manufacture all three.  But, as always, Enjoy the Music.