Confused...best cleaning device under $600 VPI, spin clean, nitty gritty, wood glue?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by helter, Apr 15, 2012.

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  1. helter

    helter Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    Been reading a lot of threads and watching You Tube videos on vinyl cleaners.
    The more I read and watch the more confused I get as to what I should buy.

    Some people even use combinations to add to the confusion.
    Don't want to spend more than $600 on this, so don't recommend those $1000 and up machines

    thanks
     
  2. audiofool

    audiofool Senior Member

    Location:
    The Castle Arrrggh
    This might be slightly breaching your price ceiling, but I've had great success with the Okki Nokki. Anodized aluminum casing and resevoir, reversing motor, switchable arms for 7" and 12"(I think there's also a 10" arm), vacuum motor is not too noisy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXXlxL0v78s
     
  3. helter

    helter Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    This looks very similar to VPI
    How is this different or better? Cleaning solutions maybe?
     
  4. LeeS

    LeeS Music Fan

    Location:
    Atlanta
    VPI is the way to go at this price.
     
    Lownote30 likes this.
  5. Wasatch

    Wasatch Music Lover!

    I like my VPI 16.5
     
    Lownote30 likes this.
  6. Lownote30

    Lownote30 Bass Clef Addict

    Location:
    Nashville, TN, USA
    +1
     
  7. helter

    helter Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    Is that all I need?


    Some people use spin clean and then VPI for dry cycle

    I saw a YOUTUBE video with wood glue and the results were excellent
    Another video with Spin clean I couldn't hear any difference with Before/after
     
  8. audiofool

    audiofool Senior Member

    Location:
    The Castle Arrrggh
    They can appear quite similar. The Okki has a reversing motor on it to help with 'scrubbing' those platters that are particularly difficult to clean. Also where the outer casing is aluminum on the Okki, VPI uses MDF for it's case and I believe that both use an anodized aluminum reservoir. Obviously the outer casing plays little part in the performance of the cleaning process, but is less forgiving of any spills. The Okki has an optional dust cover where the VPI has it built in.
    Both are good machines, and there are a variety of fluids available. So far I've only used the Okki Nokki fluid but a friend has the VPI and uses some other fluid (not MFSL fluid) to clean then uses a distilled water rinse afterwards. I don't know if he thinks this is necessary as he feels that that the first cycle leaves some residue behind, but I haven't found this to be a necessary step in my experience.
     
  9. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    I agree with the VPI 16.5.

    Wood glue can get excellent results. A bottle is not exactly cheap.
     
  10. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    What steps do you guys who use vacuum-style LP cleaning machines take to deal with the static buildup in the final stages of cleaning?
     
  11. audiofool

    audiofool Senior Member

    Location:
    The Castle Arrrggh
    Cleaned properly, there should not be static build-up (granted this takes some experimentation). But for those times when there is a charge left behind, I've been using a Milty Zerostat. But keeping the vacuum cycle to 2 rotations should leave it static free.
     
  12. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    Nitty Gritty for me. Built like a tank, small foot print, just the right amount of manual/automatic application. Great support if needed.
     
    john lennonist likes this.
  13. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    If you're going to go with a vacuum machine, I don't think you can go wrong with either a VPI or a Nitty Gritty.
     
  14. CCrider92

    CCrider92 Senior Member

    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    I have a basic Nitty Gritty and have never had a static issue - have cleaned over 400 records.
     
  15. helter

    helter Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ
    How does one decide between a VPI and a Nitty Gritty and the different models?

    Nitty Gritty also has 1.5? 2.5?
     
  16. whaleyboy

    whaleyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    X2

    Spare parts are readily available, the 16.5 has been in production for a long time and there are lots of people who have had long service from this model.

    Mine is about 2 years old and I have cleaned hundreds or thousands of record sides with no issues at all.
     
  17. ellingtonic

    ellingtonic Forum Resident

    I'm another happy VPI 16.5 user. I had owned one previously and sold it...bought a Spin Clean and wasn't happy with it so I bought a new VPI 16.5. My personal belief is that a vacuum machine is the way to go regardless of brand; if your budget allows one that you can do bi-directional scrubbing on is nice but I apply the cleaner, stop the machine and scrub back and forth about a quarter of the LP at a time.

    A Milty Zerostat or Mapleshade Iconoclast is a good thing for any vinyl fan to have and I use my Iconoclast after cleaning each LP to ensure there are no issues with static.
     
  18. mattybass

    mattybass Forum Resident

    Location:
    Edmonton, AB, CAN.
    I'm also voting for the VPI 16.5. It's incredibly easy to use and gives unreal results. I've cleaned some records that looked physically destroyed and sounded the same, only to get them nearly silent after a vacuum. Highly recommended.
     
  19. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    Both are good, both provide you with a clean record. I like the smaller footprint of the NG to the VPI. I also like that the record doesn't go on the same platter that other dirty records have gone on, although you certainly can buy an additional cork mat to alleviate that issue. There are different models on both lines. Just depends on how automated you want the process to be. I own the 1.5 which does have a pump but I actually like spraying on my own liquids. I spray one side, apply with brush, then turn it over, spray the second side. I then vacuum off each side and repeat the process using pure water. Doesn't take long and works perfectly.

    As you can tell each product has it's supporters. You won't go wrong with either.
     
  20. Wasatch

    Wasatch Music Lover!

    Usually no problem, but sometimes here in the winter months the humidity is very low. I'm transferring all inner sleeves to the MOFIs and/or Poly sleeves.
     
  21. KenJ

    KenJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Flower Mound, TX
    So you hear better results with a vacuum machine than spin clean? I have used disc dr brushes and now spin San but not a vacuum machine. I wonder if I would hear a difference with VPI? I have been tempted. I have 3000 records
     
  22. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
    VPI 16.5. Guaranteed happiness.
     
  23. LeeS

    LeeS Music Fan

    Location:
    Atlanta
    All you need is VPI 16.5 + Enzyme Cleaner + Record Wash + Aquafina for rinse.

    I also recommend highly MFSL inner sleeves and the 5 mill Sleevetown outer sleeves.

    :cheers:
     
  24. LeeS

    LeeS Music Fan

    Location:
    Atlanta
    After LP is dry, just use a Hunt EDA record brush.
     
  25. riknbkr330

    riknbkr330 Senior Member

    KAB-EV1 machine has been performing fine for the past year or so.

    I don't have static buildup after cleaning with the machine, but I do have a 30 year old Zerostat just in case.
     
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