I look at my stylus with a 10x loupe with a maglite behind it and it's as crystal clear as the day I bought it - because:
- I ALWAYS clean new records using a 2-Step Process: AVIS #6 + Ultra Pure Water (and have never read or seen an RCM company say you should) because it makes good sense. For used records I'll employ the longer 3-Step Process: AVIS Enzymatic+Premium+UPW
I would never send my LPs out to be cleaned. Once they're home, they're here to stay.
I clean friends records occasionally when they come over and want to hear an LP they love. Many times tho, I look at it and educate them its not worth it i.e. 'it wont help a bit your rekkid is trashed.'
Offering a cleaning service - with anything other than an ultrasonic machine (using distilled water only) - would be cost prohibitive IMO. Fluids+My time=$$$
Cleaning vinyl has changed the way I buy music. I used to buy records on a whim - any and all. Then get them home and ponder whether or not it was worth cleaning. Having an RCM made me think twice about it's worth in my collection. Why clean a record that you will only listen to once, possibly twice. Ever. I'm not a collector. I'm a music lover. I play it. I want music in my library that I listen to often and stands the test of time. Yes, it is taking me a while to clean my whole collection and it's a work in progress to this day. A labor of love. This is the best thing an RCM has brought to the table for me. Not to mention making my listening experience better SQ-wise and increasing the longevity of my stylus to boot.
We have approx. 2000 LPs to date. Of which 250 are cleaned - this is the pool of records we have to listen to. I have to WANT to hear a record badly because it's gotta be cleaned first. I look at the "unclean" and weight its value to us. If it fails that test it goes up for sale. Its helped a lot getting my collection down to only the essential.
Cleaning vinyl does suck. But once you're done its worth it. Just wish I could train me kids to do it as a chore ;)
- I ALWAYS clean new records using a 2-Step Process: AVIS #6 + Ultra Pure Water (and have never read or seen an RCM company say you should) because it makes good sense. For used records I'll employ the longer 3-Step Process: AVIS Enzymatic+Premium+UPW
I would never send my LPs out to be cleaned. Once they're home, they're here to stay.
I clean friends records occasionally when they come over and want to hear an LP they love. Many times tho, I look at it and educate them its not worth it i.e. 'it wont help a bit your rekkid is trashed.'
Offering a cleaning service - with anything other than an ultrasonic machine (using distilled water only) - would be cost prohibitive IMO. Fluids+My time=$$$
Cleaning vinyl has changed the way I buy music. I used to buy records on a whim - any and all. Then get them home and ponder whether or not it was worth cleaning. Having an RCM made me think twice about it's worth in my collection. Why clean a record that you will only listen to once, possibly twice. Ever. I'm not a collector. I'm a music lover. I play it. I want music in my library that I listen to often and stands the test of time. Yes, it is taking me a while to clean my whole collection and it's a work in progress to this day. A labor of love. This is the best thing an RCM has brought to the table for me. Not to mention making my listening experience better SQ-wise and increasing the longevity of my stylus to boot.
We have approx. 2000 LPs to date. Of which 250 are cleaned - this is the pool of records we have to listen to. I have to WANT to hear a record badly because it's gotta be cleaned first. I look at the "unclean" and weight its value to us. If it fails that test it goes up for sale. Its helped a lot getting my collection down to only the essential.
Cleaning vinyl does suck. But once you're done its worth it. Just wish I could train me kids to do it as a chore ;)