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Vinyl Care

I just got a new turntable and cartridge after not having one for years.

I need a recommendation for a relatively inexpensive record cleaner.

I really never took proper care of my records,and would like some basic advice on how to keep them clean on a regular basis.

I also need some guidance on care and cleaning of my cartridge and stylus.My currant cartridge is a Rega exact.

Please know that I don't have a big collection of valuable records,just a bunch of old rock recordings amassed over the past 50 years.

I have started buying some new records,but only select prized albums that I have lost or have been worn out.

Thanks.

twangy57
slaw's avatar
slaw
26,639 posts
 

I’ve been using just 8 drops per gallon of Tergikleen in my current US cleaner setup. Then I take the lp from the cleaner to my sink and pour distilled over it then back on my (spinning) Vinyl Stack to dry. No visible residue 

orthomead
210 posts
 

An excellent alternative to a Zerostat is a Ronxs lighter.  While lit just wave above the record, usually about 12 inches.  It works by creating an ozone layer above the LP which eliminates static.  The ozone layer will not damage the vinyl.  Learned about this from Neil Antin, btw.

@billstevenson "wallowing in delusions caused by sniffing the fumes of his misbegotten alchemy" is the quote of the year, IMO!

richardbrand's avatar
richardbrand
1,436 posts
 

@faustuss 

As far as the diamond creating "static" as you people like to call it, last I heard diamonds are made of carbon which is the most conductive material known to man.

You must still be a few years short of getting a degree in materials science!

Carbon has four valence electrons and exists as several allotropes with enormously varying characteristics.  Even in this modern world of false facts, I still find Wikipedia to be reliable, see  Carbon - Wikipedia

Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance on earth, while another allotrope, graphite, is one of the softest.  What makes diamond so hard is that all its electrons are fully occupied forming covalent bonds.  There are no free electrons, making diamond an excellent electrical insulator.  Perversely, it is the best thermal conductor.

From Wikipedia:

The system of carbon allotropes spans a range of extremes:

Graphite is one of the softest materials known. Synthetic nanocrystalline diamond is the hardest material known.[30]
Graphite is a very good lubricant, displaying superlubricity.[31] Diamond is the ultimate abrasive.
Graphite is a conductor of electricity.[32] Diamond is an excellent electrical insulator,[33] and has the highest breakdown electric field of any known material.
Some forms of graphite are used for thermal insulation (i.e. firebreaks and heat shields), but some other forms are good thermal conductors. Diamond is the best known naturally occurring thermal conductor.
Graphite is opaque. Diamond is highly transparent.
Graphite crystallizes in the hexagonal system.[34] Diamond crystallizes in the cubic system.
Amorphous carbon is completely isotropic. Carbon nanotubes are among the most anisotropic materials known.
antinn
486 posts
 

@orthomead,

  It works by creating an ozone layer above the LP which eliminates static. 

Just to clarify, what neutralizes the static on the record is the ionized air that the device produces when it creates the blue-arc.  The same concept of ionizing the air is how the Milty Zerostat™ 3 Anti-static Gun works.  When air is ionized, there is a chance of producing ozone, but in this case very little ozone is generated.   Industry uses ionizers to remove/prevent static in small and large scales with bench top units readily available such as TB-3043__tmp68163ca4.pdf, but note that the ozone produced is <0.05-ppm.  

The issue of room air cleaners based on air ionizers or ozone generators has some significant health issues - What are ionizers and other ozone generating air cleaners? | US EPA.

mahler123
4,066 posts
 

My LP collection is about 20 albums, all dating from the 70s or earlier.  I found it most effective to pay a guy who has an Ultrasound cleaner $5 bucks an album.  The effect has been noticeable.  Since US cleaning should only need to be done once, and since I don’t anticipate adding many additional LPs, this is cost effective.

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