[dosley01]

Quote:

 
Excellent advice on the disco ball motor, that's the one thing I was having trouble with.  I even considered using a rotating roaster skewer.
 
I'm using distilled water and have seen recommendations from adding ethanol or a drop of photo solution, but so far I'm not sure if additions to the distilled water would add or subtract.
The result with distilled water alone is better by 10X factor anything else I have ever done before old vinyl is sounding fresh and clean just amazing.

 
How about the Vinyl Stack?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultrasonic-Vinyl-Record-Cleaning-Kit-Vinyl-Stack-ULTRA-Sonic-Spin-Kit-/161402849405

 

[analogsurviver]

 
Excellent advice on the disco ball motor, that's the one thing I was having trouble with.  I even considered using a rotating roaster skewer.
 
I'm using distilled water and have seen recommendations from adding ethanol or a drop of photo solution, but so far I'm not sure if additions to the distilled water would add or subtract.
The result with distilled water alone is better by 10X factor anything else I have ever done before old vinyl is sounding fresh and clean just amazing.

Well, I have been asking because normally there is some alcohol and some photo solution involved - which I could do without.
 
As with everything vinyl, we can thank the (for all practical purposes ) extinct bird, the quadrophony, for the best analogue vinyl has to offer. The originator of CD-4 , Lou Darren, for whom I just learned he past away last October, has been categorically against any alcohol for cleaning the vinyl - as it is allegedly detrimental to the very high frequency groove information (up to 45 kHz in CD-4 required for the proper operation). He has even been selling his cleaning formula devoid of any alcohol. You can find this info somewhere in this extremely interesting thread that got cut short by his passing away : 
http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?9035-Lou-Dorren-A-new-CD-4-Demodulator!!!/page48
 
Now, ultrasound does finally allow alcohol-free cleaning that is both good enough and the least damaging to the vinyl itself.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

 

  OK THANK YOU!

It starts really low in price : 
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Turntable-Record-Player-Phono-Cartridge-Headshell-/400155534114?hash=item5d2b20e322:g0QAAOSwAYtWHUGc
 
There is also a silver version at a whopping 0.01$ more or less ;  Please note the "collar" this headshell loosely based on SME model  has may prevent proper geometry with certain cartridges - physical dimensions will not allow you to make the proper lateral geometry alignment.
 
Then there is this knock-off of the Technics headshell :
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silver-Turntable-Headshell-Gold-Plated-Phono-Lead-Unbranded-Generic-Universal-/351245849726?hash=item51c7e2547e:g:yBgAAMXQVT9S2FX2
This one does allow for "free" lateral geometry adjustment, but is relatively heavy.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Turntable-Headshell-Technics-Ortofon-Stanton-Gemini-/390422599215?hash=item5ae700162f:g:3ukAAOSwo0JWHTyn
This one is quite light and relatively sturdy.
 
( For me ) new kid on the block :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Wood-Turntable-Headshell-mit-SME-Anschluss-inkl-Kabel-NEU-/301712299767?hash=item463f7456f7:g:kgwAAOSw9N1VzL1k
hand made from birch wood, light, most probably worth trying
 
No one of the above allows for the azimuth adjustment.
 
Vintage ? Ebay lottery ...

 I was supposed to pickup the JVC TT but i end up picking up a ORTOFON 2M RED it does sound good with my $30 TT.This HARKSOUND By CEC is rock solid according to the technician who was working on it that is why i end up keeping it(i paid $25 to clean it up inside and out).He still want me to buy his JVC.

 

[analogsurviver]

   I was supposed to pickup the JVC TT but i end up picking up a ORTOFON 2M RED it does sound good with my $30 TT.This HARKSOUND By CEC is rock solid according to the technician who was working on it that is why i end up keeping it(i paid $25 to clean it up inside and out).He still want me to buy his JVC.

I did say already CEC ( Harksound, Visonik, Apollon, XYZ? by CEC ) are keepers. I will present in this pages a story about two of them. Rock solid is their middle name, regardless what is before or after.
 
Headshell post will be useful to anyone looking for a decent headshell without breaking the bank. Those into three digit price bracket know enough already to decide what to get. 

 

[i luvmusic 2]

 

   I was supposed to pickup the JVC TT but i end up picking up a ORTOFON 2M RED it does sound good with my $30 TT.This HARKSOUND By CEC is rock solid according to the technician who was working on it that is why i end up keeping it(i paid $25 to clean it up inside and out).He still want me to buy his JVC.

I did say already CEC ( Harksound, Visonik, Apollon, XYZ? by CEC ) are keepers. I will present in this pages a story about two of them. Rock solid is their middle name, regardless what is before or after.
 
Headshell post will be useful to anyone looking for a decent headshell without breaking the bank. Those into three digit price bracket know enough already to decide what to get. 

Indeed these are keepers.Since this is my first TT i would like to know if stylus need burn-in?

 

[RUMAY408]

  Quote:
 
How about the Vinyl Stack?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultrasonic-Vinyl-Record-Cleaning-Kit-Vinyl-Stack-ULTRA-Sonic-Spin-Kit-/161402849405

 
I actually considered that kit and the other few on eBay, but for that price I think I can DIY for 1/3 the price or less, so just call me cheap

  Well, I have been asking because normally there is some alcohol and some photo solution involved - which I could do without.
 
As with everything vinyl, we can thank the (for all practical purposes ) extinct bird, the quadrophony, for the best analogue vinyl has to offer. The originator of CD-4 , Lou Darren, for whom I just learned he past away last October, has been categorically against any alcohol for cleaning the vinyl - as it is allegedly detrimental to the very high frequency groove information (up to 45 kHz in CD-4 required for the proper operation). He has even been selling his cleaning formula devoid of any alcohol. You can find this info somewhere in this extremely interesting thread that got cut short by his passing away : 
http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?9035-Lou-Dorren-A-new-CD-4-Demodulator!!!/page48
 
Now, ultrasound does finally allow alcohol-free cleaning that is both good enough and the least damaging to the vinyl itself.

Really mind blowing stuff, thank you!
 
Alcohol is an organic solvent so why you would use it on a carbon based product never made any sense to me
 
Quick question, I am using conventional towels any thoughts on how to keep the static down?

 

[RUMAY408]

My disco ball motor (thank you Analogsurvivor for the advice) is on the way, looks like a DIY Christmas for me.
 
One thing I am absolutely sure about, you cannot clean vinyl better than ultrasonic, you can spend many $100's or $1000's on cleaning devices, or you can buy a 5L or 6L ultrasonic cleaner off eBay or Amazon for less than $150 and create an amazing vinyl cleaner using distilled water and a DIY setup to hold the vinyl in place to suspend the LP's in the water.
 
I have been able to determine the actual condition of my own collection and the albums I have bought using the Ultrasonic cleaner.
 
If you buy used vinyl I can't stress enough the importance of pulling the vinyl out for visual inspection for scratches and wear.  Dirty vinyl can be cleaned physical damage will not.

 

[analogsurviver]

  My disco ball motor (thank you Analogsurvivor for the advice) is on the way, looks like a DIY Christmas for me.
 
One thing I am absolutely sure about, you cannot clean vinyl better than ultrasonic, you can spend many $100's or $1000's on cleaning devices, or you can buy a 5L or 6L ultrasonic cleaner off eBay or Amazon for less than $150 and create an amazing vinyl cleaner using distilled water and a DIY setup to hold the vinyl in place to suspend the LP's in the water.
 
I have been able to determine the actual condition of my own collection and the albums I have bought using the Ultrasonic cleaner.
 
If you buy used vinyl I can't stress enough the importance of pulling the vinyl out for visual inspection for scratches and wear.  Dirty vinyl can be cleaned physical damage will not.

Nice to hear. 
 
The drying issue when using only water without alcohol and/or surface tension additives is a problem; and towels or anything that introduces friction will lead to static problems. You can try spinning the LP really fast - for example, using a "clamp" that is used as a drill bit in power tool drill. The centrifugal force should remove any bigger blots of water, the main issue for stains - and can be then left to dry normally.

 

[diamondears]

Can vinyls be cleaned by car shampoo, or any hair shampoo for that matter? Shampoos don't leave any stains, I believe, unlike soaps, detergents, etc. Have anyone tried car or hair shampoos?

 

[]eep]

Shampoos have all sorts of additives. Unless you want to get the dandruff out of your grooves or simply a more volume in your sound you can use different kinds of shampoo. When I'm out of 'real' cleaning fluid I use 1 drop of concentrated dish washing fluid on 50ml of water. That also has some additi that makes the water bead off (non-ionogenic surficeactive additive).
I use straight tapwater because were I live the water is very soft (6dH or 1mmol/l). Boiling it would even make it better but since I don't let it dry on the vinyl I don't see the point of that. I use an Okki Nokkie to vacuum the water off and use a soft paper towel to catch every last bit of moisture. Then I use a wee bit of Permostat to make it permanently antistatic. If a record is worn or really realy dirty and dusty I first give it a wash (get rid of grease) and then the woodglue method to tear all the loose or semiattached vinylparticles out of the groove. And then the rest of the normal treatment. It really helped salvage some moldy smelly grey records to new life.

 

[JamieMcC]

Never thought about water surface tension but do have some flowing agent that is for use to loosen the water tension within acrylic paints only a tiny pipet drop can have quiet a effect difference. next time I do some cleaning I will  try adding a bit to try on some older LPs
 
http://www.winsornewton.com/uk/shop/oils-solvents-mediums-and-varnishes/acrylic-colour/mediums/galeria-flow-improver-8-45-us-fl-oz-250ml-pot-3040819

 

[RUMAY408]

Ultrasonic DIY, vinyl 30 years old sounds brand new, highly recommended!!!

 

[penmarker]

Nice to hear. 

The drying issue when using only water without alcohol and/or surface tension additives is a problem; and towels or anything that introduces friction will lead to static problems. You can try spinning the LP really fast - for example, using a "clamp" that is used as a drill bit in power tool drill. The centrifugal force should remove any bigger blots of water, the main issue for stains - and can be then left to dry normally.

It's surprising how affordable ultrasonic cleaners are.

P/s: check your pm

 

[RUMAY408]

Just a few more thoughts on Vinyl cleaning systems out there:
 
I just sold my Spin Clean Vinyl Record Cleaner for about what I paid for it around $100 (used with 1/2 the cleaning fluid gone). Clearly there is demand for clean vinyl.
I'm not out to bash brush cleaning systems, but I am convinced they are worthless for restoring sound. Brushes remove exterior dirt and grim only.
 
My 5 L ultrasonic cleaner cost $125 and the DIY setup maybe another $25, the disco ball turner is a plus and minus as mine rotates at 3 RPM, but for better cleaning I am using the turning device to position the vinyl so that it sits in the cleaner 5 min to cover 1/3 of the vinyl at a time.
I experimented with heat at around 40 Degrees Celsius and 2 tsps of Isopropyl Alcohol per gallon of distilled water, this seemed to clean above and beyond the level I had achieved before with just distilled water at room temperature. 
 
I used the Spin Clean Record cleaner on all my records and heard very little change from the baseline static and pop that was on the albums.
 
The Ultrasonic cleaner took my 1977 original vinyl Cheap Trick album "In Color" and made it sound brand spanking new, seriously.
Getting to the dead wax is an issue with the 5L, so if I did it again 6L might be better for immersion.  That being said, I took my original 1985 Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms" which is a long album and grooves close to the label, so after an Ultrasonic cleaning, the sound is great to the point the cleaner did not reach.
 
I recently bought The Beatles Mono Original 1964 "Help " which was used but had no scratches or obvious defects and after an Ultrasonic cleaning it had a very clean sound,
 
I am still using a static brush prior to play.
 
I recently changed my Technics 1200 MK2 from the Ortofon Super OM40 cart to a Ortofon Bronze cart, note less surface noise and the weight of the cart seems to pull better sound off the vinyl.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

 I need Help for my SL-1700 on this unit everything function as it should except the motor/Platter does not stop spinning even at the end of the play.The tonearm returned every end of the play or if you cut but the motor/platter does not stop spinning.
 
 
Thanks!