Ultrasonic record cleaners

@orthomead,

What you are doing by first cleaning with the VPI vacuum-RCM and then cleaning with UT is what @whart does with his Monk & KLAudio, and if you were to read the book, and step-back what it preaches is pre-clean/rinse/final-clean/rinse/dry which is the foundation of precision cleaning with aqueous cleaners.  And as the book says, this was all worked out 30-yrs ago forced by the elimination of CFC-solvents.

There are many ways to put together a cleaning process using the concept of pre-clean/rinse/final-clean/rinse/dry.  If you sink clean with a pure manual process, you can use chemistry and concentrations that you would not use with machine-based processes.  

You can use only a vacuum-RCM and get excellent results by using the right chemistry (aggressive pre-cleaner and then mild final-cleaner), the right brush and the right technique.

You can use an Elmasonic P-series dual frequency UT that you would use 37-kHz for pre-clean and 80-kHz for final cleaning.  Although really gross records would still benefit from a manual-type pre-clean - i.e., sometimes you need two pre-clean steps which is what the manual process in the book Chapter V does.

At the end of the day, my technical position is that there is no best cleaning process.  With the right chemistry, the right technique, the right hardware and the right process they can all achieve a clean record; but the devil is in details.  Ultimately it comes down to how much convenience do you want and how much are you willing to compromise because of time, space, money, etc.

So, I always, state, the best record cleaning process is the one best for you and the book is written accordingly - how to get the best from each process.

Take care,

Neil

@charliee Evidently I was less clear than I hoped.

I was describing a test procedure. My cleaning procedure is:

1. wet and remove surface crud with running purified water

2. for very dirty records only, 10 minutes at 37 KHZ with detergent; otherwise skip this step

3. 10 minutes at 80KHz with detergent and 40 degrees C

4. rinse heartily with running purified water

5. rinse in distilled water bath

6. spritz with distilled water

7. air dry

Amongst the suggestions Neil makes for an LP cleaning process/procedure, my favorite new step is to pre-rinse the LP in the sink. I bought an item on ebay to facilitate that rinse: a product comprised of a pair of LP label-size clear plastic discs, with a handle to hold the LP under running tap water (at this stage of cleaning---and this stage only---tap water will suffice).

I use this step only for used LP’s (or unusually dirty new ones), to remove the dust and other debris often found on those discs. That prevents the dust and other debris from contaminating both the water in my ultrasonic tank, and the platter and brushes on my VPI HW-17.

I also have found Neil’s recommendation of Tergitol 15-S-9 (the surfactant made by Talas) and Liquinox (the cleaning solution made by Alconox) to be an excellent one.

For the final step, I don't care for or approve of "air" drying. Though I'm no longer in the California desert (dust is EVERYWHERE there!), I still prefer to vacuum off the final rinse distilled water. Two revolutions on the HW-17 gets LP's bone dry, usually without creating a static charge. For that problem I have and highly recommend the Furutech Destat III. More effective than the Zerostat, and far easier to use.

Cleaned my record collection using a VPI and the Walker Four Step Process. 90% thru discovered that no one does the Fourth Step except maybe Mr. Walker. Sigh.

Re cleaned VTL 006 The Doctor with an Audio Desk machine. Played Isn’t She Lovely.

Way more natural. Less hi fi. Cymbals are relaxed where before they were etchy.

Prolly you want to know the rig. Lyra Atlas Sierra Lima. Basis arm and turntable. Super Lumi phono stage. Nagra pre. Manley 440 w/KT 77 driving Eminent Technology Super Eight mid/tweet. Manley 500 w/KT 90 driving woofers. Hsu VTF-2 Subs. NBS wire.

So called damaged records are mostly dirty. Clean ’em up and they’ll sound great again.

Important to use Stylast 4 and 5. 4 to clean yr styus after which use 5 so’s the stylus will slip thru the groove. It’ll sound better and preserve yr stylus.

I lean toward the idea, a Clean LP with certain sized contaminants removed from the Groove will be an improved environment to allow a Styli to have an extended usage life.

A cartridge styli is one of many parts that are impacted on by contamination.

The Crud that collects at the Armature Base at the Damper and Coils interface is quite something, it is a hard to believe the collection of particulates when seen.

A not too old Cartridge with not too many hours of usage can easily be in a state of cleanliness that will be a condition that will most likely impede the Cart's performance. 

I am even aware of Metal Dust Particles entering the body to come into contact with the Coils and ultimately burning/shorting out a channel.

The cleanliness of the LP Groove is only one area of cleanliness to show a concern for if the very best replay is the ambition, if the longevity of the Styli is the only concern, then the Groove being clean, seems to be a good measure to assist with achieving this, it certainly produces a valuable 'peace of mind'.