[bigshot]

I do a better job than machines. The only drawback is my fingers smell like pickles.

Bacon frying crackles and firecracker pops are large scale problems that indicate damage to the grooves. Dirt just increases the surface noise. However, if you play a dirty record a couple of times, the dirt gets ground into the grooves and not even a machine can remove it. Even if it does, there's pock marks in the grooves where the grit once was.

See ya
Steve

 

[Herandu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do a better job than machines. The only drawback is my fingers smell like pickles.

If this was an adult site I could have made a great follow up

.
Where is D-Cee, my stalking friend, these days anyhow...?

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do a better job than machines.

That's like saying a feather duster picks up more dust than a Dyson. You should try a proper RCM they make a massive difference. I too was pretty sceptical until I got a Nitty Gritty. The difference is quite something.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by memepool /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's like saying a feather duster picks up more dust than a Dyson. You should try a proper RCM they make a massive difference. I too was pretty sceptical until I got a Nitty Gritty. The difference is quite something.

x200

I'm absolutely floored by the fact that someone with an enormous record collection doesn't properly clean them.

 

[Bluetick]

Maybe the real secret is buying mint vinyl and never letting it get dirty. I can't say for sure on all of them, cause some of my records....OK most of my records are not quite mint. More like VG. If I had mint records only- I'd be buying a lot less music.

For peanuts at a thrift store- I have music to experiment with. I can't exactly complain about pops and cracks when I paid a staggering $1. Those records go on the cheap rig (likely my daughters rig soon). The good vinyl I buy off A-gon or from local vendors- that stuff goes on the good rig. I keep those records squeeky clean.

 

[bigshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluetick /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe the real secret is buying mint vinyl and never letting it get dirty.

That's a bingo. Once a record is clean, it should be maintained that way. The only time I wash a record is when I first get it. A lot of the records in my collection are half a century old or more when I get them.

The secret to cleaning is to always start with clean sponges and towels. With the amount of dirt I remove when I do record cleaning, I'd be spending all my time cleaning the machine and replacing the fluid so it wasn't just transferring dirt from one record to another. Easier just to buy a jug of vinegar and water, along with some new sponges, and toss the towel in the washer.

See ya
Steve

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's a bingo. Once a record is clean, it should be maintained that way. The only time I wash a record is when I first get it. A lot of the records in my collection are half a century old or more when I get them. The secret to cleaning is to always start with clean sponges and towels. With the amount of dirt I remove when I do record cleaning, I'd be spending all my time cleaning the machine and replacing the fluid so it wasn't just transferring dirt from one record to another. Easier just to buy a jug of vinegar and water, along with some new sponges, and toss the towel in the washer. See ya Steve

You bring up a valid point about transferring dirt from one record to another if you don't clean the machine constantly. However, did you click the link at the beginning of the post? Loricraft's technology has completely eliminated cross-contamination.

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's a bingo. Once a record is clean, it should be maintained that way.

No argument there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif The only time I wash a record is when I first get it. A lot of the records in my collection are half a century old or more when I get them .

Hand washing is one thing it's getting the gunk out of the grooves once you've wet it which is quite another. A towel just isn't going to get deep into the grooves to clean this out. Air drying isn't going to work as well as a vacumm either because you'll just leave a film of gunk and solvents in the grooves.

What's more you can hear the difference quite plainly, even between different cleaning solutions, even with a vacuum and rinsing with purified water there must still be a fine film of the solution.

With towel and air drying you are just collecting all this damp gunk on your stylus which means it needs frequent cleaning and replacement which I suppose is ok if you use a basic Shure M44 or something, but not really so cost effective with a better quality MC pickup.

 

[bigshot]

Distilled water and distilled vinegar leave no residue, and I always let the record dry overnight. I haven't had any problems at all with towel drying. You just wipe in the direction of the grooves.

See ya
Steve

 

[tnmike1]

WHOOOA $2500 bux for a cleaning machine??? Go to used record stores and you'll soon have Steve-type collection of at least 1,000 LPs for what that puppy costs.

Iuse vacuum machine, discwasher and static-free sleeves.

2500 would get me a really kickass turntable

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnmike1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif WHOOOA $2500 bux for a cleaning machine??? Go to used record stores and you'll soon have Steve-type collection of at least 1,000 LPs for what that puppy costs. Iuse vacuum machine, discwasher and static-free sleeves. 2500 would get me a really kickass turntable

I understand why people freak out when they hear the price (actually, $2,500 is for the cheap model, not the one I got

) but I look at it this way... it's like record insurance. A lot of the records I have (and my collection is SMALL as I just rediscovered vinyl recently) will never, ever be released again; if the record has dirt that isn't removed by normal means, it will gradually be ruined. I'm confident this machine will get ALL of the crap out of the grooves.

Also, I'm not implying BigShot needs to get a Loricraft. He should, however, get a used VPI machine or something similar, it's only going to be around $300 used. I'll actually be selling mine as soon as the Loricraft gets here... cough, hint hint, BigShot, cough cough

 

[Demonmnky]

I have a question for the hand washers in the crowd: What kind of towel would be best for cleaning records? I find that old bath towels leave lint behind that I have to brush off again. It seems like a never ending struggle keeping stuff off of my vinyl! Though, I realize I have to get some antistatic sleaves for a lot of my collection. Will the sleeves cut down on the static charge my vinyl has? Also, is there something I'm doing to cause excess static on my vinyl? Could wiping too fast or dry with the brush be causing it?

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demonmnky /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a question for the hand washers in the crowd: What kind of towel would be best for cleaning records? I find that old bath towels leave lint behind that I have to brush off again. It seems like a never ending struggle keeping stuff off of my vinyl! Though, I realize I have to get some antistatic sleaves for a lot of my collection. Will the sleeves cut down on the static charge my vinyl has? Also, is there something I'm doing to cause excess static on my vinyl? Could wiping too fast or dry with the brush be causing it?

This is one reason (among many) that I don't think non-vacuum is a good idea. That towel (any towel) is going to build up static when you wipe the record. Wet systems don't build up nearly as much friction (which leads to static buildup) as they are sucking the liquid off the record more than they are wiping it off.

Used record cleaning machines are not expensive, probably less than you'd spend on a decent priced set of cans. It's a no-brainer

 

[Demonmnky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is one reason (among many) that I don't think non-vacuum is a good idea. That towel (any towel) is going to build up static when you wipe the record. Wet systems don't build up nearly as much friction (which leads to static buildup) as they are sucking the liquid off the record more than they are wiping it off. Used record cleaning machines are not expensive, probably less than you'd spend on a decent priced set of cans. It's a no-brainer

Right now I'm a vinyl newb. I'm running off an ebayed TT ($80) with an average cart (Grado Red). Don't get me wrong, this turntable is level and steady but, there's something wrong with it. It needs to "warm up" before it moves at a steady pace. Before that it does not keep a steady speed. I'm afraid that this thing might be on it's last legs. So, you can see why a new turntable might take priority!

Of course, once my system is in place. I will look into more costly means of maintaining my collection.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demonmnky /img/forum/go_quote.gif Right now I'm a vinyl newb. I'm running off an ebayed TT ($80) with an average cart (Grado Red). Don't get me wrong, this turntable is level and steady but, there's something wrong with it. It needs to "warm up" before it moves at a steady pace. Before that it does not keep a steady speed. I'm afraid that this thing might be on it's last legs. So, you can see why a new turntable might take priority! Of course, once my system is in place. I will look into more costly means of maintaining my collection.

Well, I'm not a professional, but it sounds like your motor is f'd up. Did you just get it? If so, I'd ask the seller why it's broken.