[stevenkelby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DennyL /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't agree that the presence of dirt on the tip is a sign that the stylus is suffering accelerated wear due to dirt.

How so? Do you think that dirty records don't increase stylus wear?

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DennyL /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't agree that the presence of dirt on the tip is a sign that the stylus is suffering accelerated wear due to dirt.

???

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DennyL /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't agree that the presence of dirt on the tip is a sign that the stylus is suffering accelerated wear due to dirt.

How else do you think the stylus gets worn? In a nutshell the presence of dirt on the tip means that there is a layer of dirt between you and the music.
The more dirt that builds up the more information gets lost. This is easily noticable as a lack of high frequency response.

I was amazed the first time I looked at a stylus tip under a magnifier at the amount of dirt that comes off even seemingly clean records.

This is essentially baked on by the force of playing records. You can clean your stylus tip with solvents but using a vacuum machine reduces the amount of dirt that gets on there in the first place. Prevention is better than cure as they say.

 

[bigshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm assuming this is along the lines of "I haven't heard the cables, but I know they don't work"...

I've cleaned more records that you have every dreamed of! I think I know what I'm talking about.

See ya
Steve

 

[bigshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevenkelby /img/forum/go_quote.gif Obviously you think vinegar and paper towels achieves that, which maybe it does for all I know.

Try it, but I'd recommend drying with a soft terrycloth towel in the direction of the grooves- not paper towels. You'll be surprised how much dirt comes off even apparently clean records. All the machine does is keep your hands dry and takes the risk of "fumble fingers" away. If that isn't a problem, hand cleaning is the same as machine cleaning.

As for analogies of carpet vaccuming... Where would you rather wash your car? In an automatic drive through car wash machine behind a gas station, or at a all hand wash place?

See ya
Steve

 

[bigshot]

The worst thing about playing a dirty record is that the grit gets mashed down into the grooves. You can wash it and remove the dirt, but the pits where the grit was embedded in the vinyl don't go away. That is what causes low level crackle on LPs, and washing after the fact won't help.

See ya
Steve

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've cleaned more records that you have every dreamed of. Don't try to tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.

With all due respect the guy has offered you a chance to go over to his place and hear the difference a good vacuum machine makes to cleaning records. Have you ever had any of your records cleaned by a professional machine? if not how can you state with any degree of certainty that manual washing is the best method as you seem to be doing

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif All the machine does is keep your hands dry and takes the risk of "fumble fingers" away. If that isn't a problem, hand cleaning is the same as machine cleaning.

I'm now convinced that "Bigshot" is just some roleplaying fantasy that you've come up with. I'm sorry, but you're just saying (and have been saying for a long time) stuff that is willfully ignorant, and I don't think you honestly believe anything your "avatar" is saying. If you've actually been in this hobby as long as you say you have AND you really run a recording studio AND you still believe this stuff... I'm sorry, it's just not possible.

Did your persona start off as some kind of a joke thread that you just happened to get too much enjoyment out of? This is weird "I'll kill you, you kill me" Dungeons and Dragons territory...

 

[mikeg]

Actually, lots of what Steve (i.e., bigshot) says, seems to comply with what I've found during my admittedly very brief record cleaning experience. I therefore think that he's being really honest, and not joking around.

 

[bigshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by memepool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you ever had any of your records cleaned by a professional machine?

Yes. I used to pay a record store to clean my records. It was a waste of money. I'd rather buy music than pay someone to hose it off for me.

I learned about white vinegar from Mark Obert Thorne's old website. Before that, I used a drop of dish soap. I wish I had the picture of Barry Hansen washing his records in his kitchen sink handy!

I was given the nickname "bigshot" by a buddy of mine who directs cartoons. He's a bigshot too.

See ya
Steve

 

[monolith]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm assuming this is along the lines of "I haven't heard the cables, but I know they don't work"...

<turns coin over>

I'm assuming this is along the lines of "I've never properly compared the cables to cheap ones, but I know they're better"?

 

[stevenkelby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by monolith /img/forum/go_quote.gif <turns coin over> I'm assuming this is along the lines of "I've never properly compared the cables to cheap ones, but I know they're better"?

Yes it would be.

As opposed to "I've compared both and now have a valid opinion".

 

[gz76]

Now that our records are clean (presumably), does anyone take measures to ensure they stay that way? I haven't seen much discussion on products like the Milty Anti-Static gun, the use of a dust cover, storage techniques (anti-static sleeves, zip-lock bags, etc.), or environmental dust and humidity controls. What else does everyone do to keep their vinyl in its cleanest possible state? I live in an extremely dusty environment, so surface cleaning is only part of it all for me.

 

[wet weasel]

"How do you get the paper towel into the grooves"
I don't. I lay the paper against the record.
I allow the left-over fluid wick (absorb by capillary action) into the paper. The towel only touches the flat of the record, and that very gently. It's not a vacuum machine, but very very close!
Any left-over liquid evaporates in seconds. I detect no residues - not at 430x under the Zeiss, and not at unity gain on the "insider".
I apply Liquid Neutrons with a paint brush (nylon, NOT bristle). That gives the grooves a very gentle mechanical cleaning. Neutrons do the rest.
Once a record has been radiologically cleaned, I use a carbon record brush before playings to pick up the gross (visible) lint. After a few playings, microdust (our area has much windborne clay - MURDER on grooves and styli) becomes a factor. Then I use diloot Dawn in water, with a gentle water jet to do the mechanical cleaning. Then bring forth the paper towels! Yeehaw!
I have nothing in principle against vacuum machines. I would like to get one though that has an inherent zero-vinyl-contact design. Equally important: the vacuum feature should slurp solvent, NOT blow-dry it. Which machines qualify? (Opinions please?)
I'd be a bit insecure about transferring abrasives from record to machine to record.
And ease up on bigshot, ladies! Imo he's being straight with us, and he does seem to get positive results. He shouldn't be pilloried for advancing empirical evidence that contravenes dogma.
Dogma. Pfeh. HeadFi has a leash law, I imagine. Keep that dogma on a short one, ok? Ceterum censeo: I would like to repeat- There is more than one right way to do this "cleaning records" thing. Let's not harsh the group groove.
cheers weezergeezer

 

[DennyL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevenkelby /img/forum/go_quote.gif How so? Do you think that dirty records don't increase stylus wear?

I don't know whether more dirt = more stylus wear. Dirt is dirt. Wear is wear. The way to see wear is to look at the mignified profile of the stylus and see the flats worn on the shape of the tip. When you see dirt you are not seeing wear, you are seeing dirt.