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I finally got a record cleaning machine. First thoughts.

As I previously mentioned, I was given a load of 78 RPM records which are filthy mandating a cleaning device if I want to play them. After months studying the situation I opted to get a Clearaudio Double Matrix Pro Sonic. A lightly used one came up so I jumped on it. Why this machine and not an ultrasonic cleaner? Several reasons. It uses fresh fluid for each cleaning and discards the waste. It sucks everything off the record. Even distilled water will leave a residue if it is dried by an evaporative method. It uses mechanical scrubbing which my instinct prefers over ultrasound. There is an ongoing argument over what ultrasound will do to shellac. The Clearaudio has a reputation for being very well made and it is.

As for it's performance the Double Matrix is fast, quiet and very effective. The fact that it does not drip fluid all over the place is amazing. Records come off spotless and bone dry. You can play them right off the machine. You can tell that each and every function of the machine was carefully thought out. 

After cleaning  new records that were played once before cleaning, there is no change in noise levels and there is no difference in sound quality. However, there is a noticeable improvement in turntable hygiene! There is always dust on new and old records. I see it when I clean my sweep arm between sides on black felt. Now there is all but zero and everything under the dust cover stays cleaner. THERE IS A MARKED REDUCTION IN STATIC! Vacuum platters will create huge amounts of static under dry conditions but every single record I washed develops none that I can notice. I am not sure why this should be the case but it is. Play a record not washed then static. Play a washed record then no static. The fluid I am using for vinyl records is a proprietary formula of distilled water, Triton X-100, Isopropyl alcohol and benzalkonium chloride. Obviously, this is not the formula to clean shellac, you'd melt it. In one week I am going to replay some of these records to see if the anti static effect is durable or not. My guess is it won't be. You might ask, why benzalkonium chloride? Fungus can live on vinyl. BAK is antiseptic. It also has surfactant properties. 

Lastly, after playing 10 records that had just been wash I inspected my stylus under magnification and there was no residue on it meaning that the fluid and cleaning process left nothing in the groove the stylus could pick up. 

Next I am going to clean some old really filthy LPs I got with the 78s and see how much I can bring them back. 

I have never cleaned new records. My sweep arm collected any dust removing it from the path of the stylus and for decade this worked well. But, I am a clean freak and I like not having to clean the turntable after a listening session. After playing a record, once the vacuum released on removing the record I would frequently get a loud pop or two when the static on the bottom of the record arced to ground. The sweep arm discharged the top of the record during play so none of this affected the sound quality. Static does not turn 180 degree corners. However, it is nice not to have any static at all. So, there are positive attributes to cleaning records that go beyond reducing noise and improving sound quality. It is also fun to watch the Double Matrix do its thing. Worth $6500 for a new one? Only if you have extra money lying around or like buying used records. 

OK, now you can beat me up:-)
 

128x128mijostyn
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn OP
8,156 posts
 

@larryi Well considered and well said. 

@tablejockey I used a Spin Clean on occasion for years. Thank you!

@audioguy85 I think you would call me an avid collector of vinyl who makes every effort to be scrupulous with them and this is the very first record cleaning machine I have ever owned. So, in my opinion you do not have to buy an expensive cleaning machine to take first class care of new records.

@petg60, I just got the machine two days ago. You have to give me a little time. Warning!! I will not buy any cleaning fluid that I do not know the chemicals and concentrations. 

audioquest4life
720 posts
 

@mijostyn,

 

Congratulations on getting the Clearaudio Double Matrix Sonic. It is definitely worth it if you love playing clean static free records, and in my case, have a large record collection exceeding 10k and ever growing. 
 

I first had the basic Matrix years ago and that was good, but the Double Matrix with its double sided cleaning allows for quick record cleaning and straight to the turntable. I leave a stack of MOFI sleeves next to the cleaner for those used record purchases that get cleaned and get a new sleeve. I will always know they are cleaned whenever I pull that record out with the new sleeve in place. Sporadically, I may clean a new record if it appears dusty and has lint type stuff on the record. 
 

I tell people when they ask what is, “well, it’s the same machine used in the Library of Congress to clean records for digital preservation. Oh wow, that’s cool.”

Have fun listening to music. 

ghdprentice
6,342 posts
 

OP,

 

Congratulations. That looks like a great machine. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on it.

 

My old VPI died last year and I fairly quickly evaluated the solution space and got a Nellie… also German and well thought out. Not quite at the level of the Clear Audio you reviewed. Thanks for your input… I would imagine if I was now in the market… I would probably consider the Clear Audio.

 

Thank you again!

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn OP
8,156 posts
 

Last night I cleaned an old Bobby Darin record. The original owner was actually pretty careful with his records. The were no obvious scratches or finger prints. The surface was a little cloudy and the record had that mildew smell to it. I ran it through the double cycle twice. It got cleaned 4 times. I think everyone has to remember what people were playing records with back then, ceramic cartridges with huge conical stylus and 5 gram VTFs. Sonically this record sounded great. No distortion, and the recording quality was surprisingly good. Unfortunately, there was a continuous stream of ticks and pops noticeable on all but the loudest passages. This is the result of playing a dusty record over and over again. Even if you clean the dust off, the vinyl surface is left pitted from dust being ground into it. This is what you see when you scan the groove with a microscope. Modern Styluses are much better at pushing (pulling?) dust out of the way but those old conicals just ran right over a lot of it. 

Listening to these old records is fun and the damage gives the music an antique patina. It would be really amazing if the records were pristine.  

After playing three old records I examine my stylus again under magnification and there was no residue on it meaning the grooves were free of anything the stylus could pick up. None of these records collect static under vacuum whereas most uncleaned records do! I have to figure this out. All of a sudden I have records that will not hold a static charge? Go figure.

petg60
1,486 posts
 

@mijostyn,

You have got an excellent cleaning machine and a genuine investment, i believe it is working overtime. Yes it is amazing that even those lp’s played through ceramic cartridges can still sound great after a good clean. I have a DIY rotating device, cannot complain fully as job is done perfectly but at a much slower pace.

Walker gives no further details about their formula, but i am using it for a long time and i can comment on a much lower noise floor, increase in transparency and air, more inner detail, texture and harmonics without any left residue as it is a 3 or 4 step procedure. Overall a much better musical experience. Have used other formulas also but none of them comes close.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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