When I first started using ultrasonic several years ago, I was delighted at the ease of use- no toiling over a noisy machine, no real labor. I cleaned more records as a result. But, I also found that with older pressings of uncertain history--I buy a lot of old records- some of them weren't getting fully cleaned using ultrasonic. So, I started pre-cleaning using AIVS No. 15 and my old VPI, and rinsing before running in the ultrasonic. Sometimes, the records required multiple cleanings- whether it was fumes, cigarette tar or other contaminants that the ultrasonic didn't effectively remove. I've continued to modify my methods and equipment, but use both cleaning fluids and point nozzle vacuum RCM plus ultrasonic. Some old records are just damaged and can't be salvaged by intensive cleaning, but some have gone from distorted in places to very clean players as a result of these efforts. Worth it? For valuable older rare records, yes. Some are hard to impossible to find in mint condition.
Record Cleaning - Ultra Sonic or My old ways
I went digging this weekend and came up with a few gems that were on my list.
I went home, dusted them off first then started my cleaning madness. But guess what? I found myself cleaning the record using my old method instead of my $4K ultrasonic method.
When first started to collect records, I started out cleaning with my DIY method, then with a Nitty Gritty, then I got a Spin Clean and used it in combination with my DIY method. I then thought that was madness so I moved up to a KLAUDIO ultrasonic cleaning machine. It works great but I still find myself using the Spin Clean and DIY method. Now that is real madness I thought. But I really get some satisfaction from doing it that way because I feel that the records are as clean as using the KLAUDIO. I think that is really the case because I have stop buying dirty records, therefore not a lot of pops or clicks from the records. I do not collect records just to have a large amount of records. I always listen to my new purchases and put a small red sticker on the ones I think are good pressing and good sounding records (Like the "Hot Stamper" guy does). I then take all of the others to Goodwill. I have a database (Momento Database) on my Android phone with my record collection, including those records that I donated, so that I don't purchase them again. Before having the database, after going Digging I would realize that I already have one or two copies of the same record, so the database really helps because I look up each record to make sure I don't already have it.
So, have ever reverted to your old ways of cleaning records?
The KLAUDIO is just sitting there and I only use it occasionally if I hear some extra noise from the records, which is not often.