Thumbs up for ultrasonic record cleaning


My Cleaner Vinyl ultrasonic record cleaner arrived today and it’s impressive.

Everything I’d read indicated that ultrasonic was the way to go, and now I count myself among the believers. Everything is better - records are quieter, less ticks and pops, more detail etc.

All my records had been previously cleaned with a vacuum record cleaner and were well cared for. Nonetheless, the difference is obvious and overwhelmingly positive.

Phil
phil0618
@terry9

1) Rotation - I know! See my posts.

2) Rinse - it’s 2 stage :) see above

3) I’m a bit afraid of passing 35C

4) Spacing - I use 6L 150W cleaner with 3records max but at 70% power. The central record is 37mm (the 40Khz wavelength) to both side records. Side records about 30-35mm to the tanks side. Could be more but I can see the ultrasonic action clearly in all the spaces.

On Kirmuss - he seems to go pretty much against all the usual US considerations. Perhaps he is right, I’m not judging. But its seems that in semiconductor industry, where they are most preoccupied with damage, they go not for 80kHz but for 800kHz to eliminate cavitation altogether and rely on acoustical streaming as the main cleaning mechanism. If I’m to buy another tank, I think I’d give 80khz a try, given that I pre-clean with vac anyway so no need for the stronger cavitation power.
@bdp24 

On the DIY thread there is a link to Kirmuss at Axpona by Fremer. Most instructive on several counts.
BTW, those using Tergitol - what are your rinsing procedures? After  my PhotoFlo disaster I'm quite obsessed with rinsing: I first use high purity water. Distribute it with a rinse brush, rotate 3x with the brush on in one direction then 3x in the other, then vacuum. As the last step, I use 3% ethanol with the same 3x + 3x rotation. Perhaps so many revolutions (6 altogether per liquid) are a waste of time?
terry9  The Kirmuss interview of his US is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKT5fvJ_otk starting at 45:25  Maybe the larger cavitation bubbles are necessary for 78s as is the lower temperature and greater distance between discs mentioned to be further apart for lower frequency agitation?  I have 7,000 78s and intend to someday clean them, record them through the SimplyVinyl Sugarcube declicker machine.  This would be ideal for a two-step noise reduction, US cleaning and then declicking.