Good, Inexpensive Enzyme Record Cleaner Recommendation?

So I've been testing Audio Intelligent #15, and I'm pleased with the results, but at the rate I'm burning through this stuff it's very expensive. Can anyone suggest a good Enzyme cleaner to use with an RCM that is less expensive?

I've seen the Phoenix stuff that sells for around $25 a gallon but it seems to good to be true. Anywhere care to chime in on that stuff? I found some threads in a search but nothing with very much detail on the quality or effectiveness of the product.

I'd rather not mess with L'art du Son concentrate given all the reports of problems with spoilage. I'd also rather not deal with a homebrew formula that could potentially damage records over time either.

Thanks.

 

Been using Phoenix for years. Does the trick, but I have not compared it to what you're using.

 

I've been using Vinyl-Zyme for about 10 years. I buy the concentrate, mix half of it with 1 gallon of distilled water (for heavy duty cleaning) and the other half with two gallons of distilled water (for regular cleaning). In the 10 years I have only had to purchase two bottles of concentrate.

http://www.ttvjaudio.com/TTVJAudio_Vinyl_Zyme_Record_Cleaner_2_oz_Concentra_p/aat0001000.htm

 

Not sure it qualifies as cheap (or how the price compares with what you had been using), but I like the Mobile Fidelity Enzyme Plus, followed by a rinse with their Pure (or another triple distilled water). The products that must be mixed are a pain to deal with, IMO, and subject to contamination. I gave up on all of those. Some folks here probably have more time and patience than I do!

 

I'll second that Vinyl-Zyme recommendation. I tried the AIVS and Mofi as well. But, Vinyl-Zyme is my preferred solution

 

Is this Bugg Tussel rebranded/bought out by TTVJ? If so, this is good stuff. I never cut it twice, only used full strength and have gotten very good results. With regular (weaker) cleaning strength, is it a one step process or is rinsing still required? The TTVJ website claims no rinse necessary but what have you found?

 

Yes it is the same, Todd received the rights to the product a while ago. I do not find the need for rinsing. I apply, let it sit for a few minutes then vacuum.

 

Do you have any residue issues with this cleaner? I've heard some people report that but it looks like a lot of them were trying to use it as a one-step cleaner. I am fine doing 1 or 2 RCM rinse cycles with distilled water but I wouldn't want to do more than that. Does the cleaner work well on used dusty records?

 

I don't mind mixing a product but contamination and the product going bad is definitely a concern. This is why I'm avoiding L'Art, even though people seem to really like it.

I tried Mofi Super Record Wash, but thought it was a very weak product and I won't be buying it again. How strong is the Mofi Enzyme stuff? Is it just straight enzyme or does it include other stuff like A.I. #15 too? The price with shipping is almost the same as A.I. #15. For $45 I can get a 32oz bottle of the A.I. #15.

 

I've never had any residue issues with Phoenix, but I rinse prodigiously with distilled water and a dedicated MOFI brush as a last step before vacuuming. Dust isn't an issue for me, because I use a prewash consisting of 1/3 91% isopropyl, 2/3 distilled water and about 10 drops of photo flo. I pour this onto a cotton square and gently remove the dust and heavy gunk before I use the enzyme cleaner with my MOFI brushes. I use another cotton square or 2 to wipe up the prewash before applying the cleaner. This step is super effective at getting a lot of gunk and dust that would otherwise end up on your brushes. Yeah, I know some folks claim isopropyl damages vinyl, but it doesn't. Rubbing alcohol will for sure, but not 91% isopropyl. YMMV.
BTW, the gallon of Phoenix I bought about 4 years ago is still 1/3 full, and I clean a lot of records. It goes a long way.

 

The Super Record Wash is little more than a rinse. I only use it for new vinyl that might have some paper debris.

I can't tell you what else, if anything is in the PLUS enzyme cleaner, but I've had really good results with that and the PURE rinse. I let the PLUS sit on it for a few minutes before vacuuming, per the directions. Then a good rinse stage. You can use another rinse, but I couldn't find another easily that was as purified.

 

No experience with the Vinyl-Zyme but I've used all the Mo-Fi products as well as AI #15 (which I continue to use-it is the best product I've used) and I would stick with the #15. The Mo Fi Enzyme is definitely their best cleaner (better than the Super Deep and if you're using the Enzyme there would be no need for the Super Deep) but not as good as AI #15 IMO.

I'd also agree that the Super Vinyl Wash is not a very good product. Kind of a cheesy one step for someone who wants to go through the motions but it really won't get the job done and, despite Mo-Fi's claims, really should be rinsed.

 

@blakep, how much A.I. #15 do you use per record side? Do you use it straight out of the bottle or put it in a spray bottle or something? It has occurred to me that I might be using too much cleaning fluid since I'm applying straight from the bottle spout. I've had this stuff maybe a week or so and have burned through half the 16oz bottle...don't remember how many records I cleaned but it doesn't seem like that many.

 

I use about 2.5 milliliters (definitely not more than 3 mils) per side. This is not very much fluid and I know exactly how much I use as I drop it onto the record with a lab pipette that my wife brought home for me (she used to be a research technician). But I also apply fluids with carbon fibre brushes on a revolving junk turntable at 45 RPM-if one presoaks these in ultrapure or distilled water before a cleaning session they tend to soak up very little or no fluid and be perfect for applying a good solid film of fluid over the record.

I also clean records in my basement where the humidity level is around 50% year round; as a result I don't have a lot of evaporation during soak times (typically 3-5 mins) and don't need to use a lot of fluid as a result of being in a very dry environment.

I figure I can clean a minimum of 200 records and probably closer to 225-250 with a 32 oz bottle of AI #15.