Does the Step 4 final rinse for Walker Prelude help?


help? Simply, yes, amazingly so.

I have now played six records which were previously cleaned using Prelude. Afer listening I cleaned each with the new Step 4 and then listened again. I expected some benefit, especially as I had already done two Step 3 rinses. What I got, however, was a major reduction in the noise level often revealing noises I had been only somewhat aware of. Listening to Harry Belafonte's Returns to Carnegie Hall. The subway becomes quite obvious and even traffic outside. This, of course, does not improve the performance but the improved ambience and awareness of the movement of the performers greatly improves the realism. Further, the bass is greatly improved.

The Joni Mitchell Blue album moved from a roughly recorded performance into one with great realism about her then youthful voice. One focuses much more on her lyrics. Finally the Duke's Big 4 45 rpm release soared in dynamics. The bass and the piano leaped ahead in realism and the sense of being there.

I have done this with three other albums, but the pattern is obvious. I now have to rinse many, many albums today.

If you like Prelude, Step Four is absolutely necessary. The label says not to take internally, so it clearly contains chemicals not meant to drink.
tbg
based on this thread I sprung for the Walker Prelude system friday from Elusive Disc. It arrived tuesday.

The surface noise was greatly reduced and the harmonics (as Tim mentioned) are so much truer. The seperation of instruments and timbre became even more pronounced.

I took records that had previously been cleaned on my Loricraft with Premier/Bugtussel/Disc Doctor

the results were very impressive

I did try just using the Step 3 Step 4 on a previously cleaned record (did the full step on side two) and it definitely benefitted from the full Step 1 -4 over just the final two rinses. Much better resolution
Step 4 does not use a lubricant. Lloyd says it has a further ingredient in addition to ultra pure water, but it leaves no residue and is not a lubricant.
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