First Record Cleaning Machine

Hi

After a year back in vinyl, i Have accumulated about 400 records now and i am far happier now having addressed my attention to pressings and i am now getting superb results from my deck.

I have, however, come to the realisation that i do need to invest in a good cleaner. I have looked at the Spin Clean but, to me, it looks a little messy potentially. I am reluctant to buy it as i think it would cause me more hassle. I feel i would rather save for a dedicated vacuum machine.

However, what are considered the best 'budget' machines? I am based in the UK...are there any low cost options? I have seen cleaners where you attach your vacuum cleaner?

Any advice for a cleaning novice would be appreciated!

Cheers

Rich

 

Some of the manual RCMs are what I would consider good entry values - such as the Record Doctor.

I like the approach of less moving parts, no wands, RCM from underneath, etc

It does require more manual effort.

I have a Nitty Gritty Record Doctor III, still going strong.

I use a combination of MoFi enzyme/pure rinse, 2 step process, then a soft brush and anti-static pre-play procedure.

Good results for me.

 

I ordered my KAB EV-1 from here about ten years ago. We've enjoyed budget vinyl cleanliness ever since. They're great for the money.

Good - it's well made and has never let me down, spare pads are easily available, the man answers the email.
Bad - the laborious side of using it must be take into account. If you are 70, life may too short. I was in my 40s when I got mine.
Neither good nor bad - you've got to concentrate all the time you are using a manual RCM and can't listen to music if your vacuum-cleaner is too loud.
Good - they're lightweight, so postage to me in NZ was no biggie.

 

I bought a Nitty Gritty for $400 brand new when I started and it was a fantastic purchase and investment in my records. Great machine

 

I'd been using the Spinclean with what seemed like ok success for a few months. But... I wasn't convinced. It does a fairly good job but I did notice on some occasions that it made some records noisier.

After reading a lot of posts here and speaking to a friend who owns a used record shop I ordered a "b stock" Okki Nokki RCM. I couldn't be happier. I cleaned one of my standby LPs - an original US pressing of Rush's Moving Pictures - and was amazed at how quiet is was after one cleaning. I proceeded to clean more and record after record my smile grew wider. At $349 this was a solid investment. I'm happy.

Oh, and I'm keeping the Spinclean. It's a good backup and if I get real nuts I'll use it as a pre or final rinse setup.

Your mileage may vary.

 

I have been very happy with the Nano Meco. It features a motorized platter which will rotate in both directions.
You supply the vacuum. It is made in and shipped from Brazil.
http://maquinaphk.xpg.uol.com.br/models.html

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. From what i have seen online, i think i am leaning towards either the Nitty Gritty or Okki Nokki. I do like the look of the Okki Nokki machine though more...

How do you get a 'B stock' machine? What is the difference, just aesthetic?

 

I've been using an Okki Nokki for a couple of years now and love it. If you're a record lover a RCM is a must own. You wouldn't believe the crap that comes off a new record.

 

http://www.okkinokkiusa.com/collect...ts/b-stock-okki-nokki-record-cleaning-machine

For what it is worth... Mine had one very minor blemish on the deck. It took me a minute or two to find it.

 

Okki Nokki FTW. I got mine from Stamford Audio with a 10% discount (call them).

Where in London are you based? I'd happily demonstrate mine.

 

Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on that nearer the time. I will probably look to get it towards the back end of this year. Can i ask how noisy it is?

 

That sounds fine. Im not worried about a small blemish on a cleaning machine anyway. Unless it was huge, it would be worth going the B stock route!

 

About as noisy as a small hand vac we use to pick up spills and spot clean the carpet. For the length of time it runs I don't consider it terrible.

 

I love my Okki. When I run it without the vac I can hear a small grinding noise which the manufacturer told me is fully normal. The vac itself sound like my vacuum cleaner and I run it 2x2 turns so it's on maybe 1 minute total per side.

First with L'art du son 2 turns in one direction and brush 1.
Then with purified water and a few drops of Okki fluid with 2 turns in the other direction and with brush 2.

I know the manual says to just run it in one direction but I cannot see any problems going back and forth and to me it seems to give the best result.

 

I've now moved on to an Ultrasonic Cleaner, but used a KAB EV-1 for over a decade and cleaned thousands of records with it.
Incorporate your own vacuum cleaner when using.

 

Yes I'd agree with that.

 

Erik gets my full support on this post!

 

Someone was recently extolling the virtues of one of the hand held Karcher Window vacs the other day. Doesn't get much simpler (or cheaper) than that.

 

Bought a 3D printed wand off eBay, a cheap Stinger shop vac from Home Depot, a spinning platter off Amazon, and then cleaning materials. All told, < $100 and it works great. Very happy.

 

Record Doctor. Spend the extra dough on more vinyl...

I sold my Spin-Clean the minute I got mine, been using it for 3 years now, works like a champ.

 

I'd also vote for skipping the spin clean and going straight to a RCM.

 

I have a basic Nitty Gritty (which I love) and make my own cleaning solution. It works for me. Oh, and I use a paint pad to scrub the record. I'm kind of, how would you say it...cheap.

 

What my mate over the ditch said - KAB EV1!

 

I looked long and hard for a record cleaning machine before I settled on the VPI HW-17. Got it used, like new, at eBay for $800. It's very easy to use. put the record on, screw it down, swivel the brush, push the pump button, flip the forward/reverse switch, after a few rotations each way, swivel the brush back, swivel the vacuum pick-up tube over, flip the vacuum switch, after another few rotations flip the record over and do the other side.
Having records which number in the thousands, the old "Discwasher" was just too much work! I also use that generic aluminum/cloth/carbon fiber that everybody puts their name on and sells. It's great for dust but not much else. Doesn't do a thing for static electricity. The VPI sure kills the s.e.
If you have to spin the record in a cleaning machine by hand, it's too much. If you have to scrub a record by hand, what's the use of having a machine? With any machine, none will get everything off and you have to scrub them manually once in a while.
If money is tight, buy the replacement "magic" brushes and/or scrubbing pads and their vacuum brushes, get an old turntable, get a small wet/dry shop vacuum, use an old toothbrush and make your own manual record cleaning machine. Your "magic" cleaning solution is a small dish of warm water, a drop or two of Dawn dishwashing detergent, a drop or two of Kodak photo-flo and a little rubbing alcohol used to buffer and help the mixture spread evenly.

 

Got one of these. Great bang for buck. Obviously put together by the guy who sells it but does a good job and doesn't get mentioned often enough.