Humminguru Nova

HG1 owner. I had it for ~4 months. Use it almost every day. Zero issues. Bought the water dispenser a couple of months ago. Love it. Works flawlessly. 

@gelle 👍

as I got to know the Nova a little better after using it multiple times with both brand new and used records, it is excellent for new vinyl. But used records, especially those featuring fingerprints, stains or other unidentified crap, definitely benefit from a manual wash as the first strep. Nova is no substitute for it. So my initial assessment still stands. 

Late add to this great thread, but I’m looking at getting my very first US and could use your help.

Humminguru currently has the original HG01 on sale for $395. The Nova is $699. Will I hear the difference brought by the Nova’s better transducers on my modest system? I need the $300 more than a quieter or shorter operation cycle, but actual, non-theoretical SQ is important to me. Thanks.

Also, I buy older dirty records. My plan would be to spin clean first with surfactant, then US in distilled water only. Thanks for your fantastic advice for no surfactant in US!

"Will I hear the difference brought by the Nova’s better transducers on my modest system?"

@jr1000 

There is no difference between the 2. Nova uses same transducer. Just has more features. Actual cleaning will be identical.

 "My plan would be to spin clean first with surfactant, then US in distilled water only"

I use SP before HG(water only) 

HG won't perform miracles but can quiet/eliminate trouble areas on used LP's the SP can't. A real scrubbing procedure like some here do- THEN HG, would likely produce better results.

Original HG good buy for $395. Good enough results to not want a Degritter or other proper US.

There is nothing improper about a HumminGuru.  Furthermore people who own both a Degritter and a HumminGuru have reported that the sonic results are essentially the same for both.  That said the Degritter is a nicer machine, no question.