AT-VMN95ML keeps collecting crud no matter what

I didn't have issues with the cloths, but I kept them clean and in a plastic bag when not in use. I would pat dry, and then let them air dry.

I still am suspicious about Disc Washer. Not sure what that is.

 

I was not skeptical, after all, it's not like I was adapting a new method to parachute, which might be perilous. I just let my Spin Cleaned LPs dry longer and thereafter no pops occurred which became permanent as experienced before.

 

I have a VM540ML and yes, that MicroLine stylus digs deep. It will scrape out any crap hiding in the deepest recesses of your grooves. I started thoroughly cleaning all of the records I purchased (old and new) and vacuum drying them with a vinyl vac. I found this to be quite effective at reducing the crap that gathered on my stylus. I also invested in one of those polymer bubble type stylus cleaners to occasionally remove any crud buildup on the stylus. Works like a charm.

 

Okay. I've been though this before years and years ago. You say you got a cart that seems to be picking up a lot of crud? It's because there is crud in your records.

Your cleaning game is to blame. Please stop using a "spreader" like a Disc Washer. I still have mine, but I don't use it anymore.
I learned a long time ago the only way to get the crud out of the vinyl was to use something like a VPI or Okki-Nokki. Vacuum.

Otherwise, the crud spackle just sits in the grooves because you're pushing it [back] into the record with that felt hammer. You absolutely need something that will wet and wet-vac that stuff away.

 

My routine is to brush the record with a dry carbon fiber brush, then run a MoFi felt pad spritzed with a distilled water/surfactant solution over it. Then I brush the stylus (yes, another 95ML) with a carbon fiber stylus brush. This is every side before I drop the stylus. Every few sides I drop the stylus on to the Zerodust babyskin. I never use Magic Eraser. It's an abrasive which is derived from melamine. It's designed to break down in use, similar to many industrial abrasives. There's a reason it works so well for cleaning car wheels and dirty bathtubs. I can't believe that's good for styli or the records they come into contact with.

 

Not sure why I’m quoted, but I agree wholeheartedly.

I went through GrooveWasher and SpinClean until I sprung for an Okki Nokki. I fell for the MoFi wet/dry brushes before I realized half the crap vacuumed up was black fuzz/lint from those useless brushes.

The easiest way to get clean records is to spring for an RCM. Others on this site and Audiokarma may share their amazing concoctions and how they run things under the faucet and put records in a dish rack, etc., but for simplicity and effectiveness, I heartily recommend a RCM like an Okki Nokki.

 

Wives tales.

 

Interesting.
I wet-vac my records in my poorly insulated, rarely heated shop (woodstove is only heat source, 2-4 burn hours to make a difference in the 2,000 sq ft space w/ 20' ceilings). On a nicer winter day it may be 40-45 degrees in there and 85% humidity or higher outside. I have certainly put freshly cleaned records into new sleeves at the point of barely dry and have yet to notice permanent pops in my collection. And I've probably cleaned at least 200 records over the past year.

Does this mean that I'm doing a good job of eliminating static before I sleeve them or that this "permanent pop" syndrome has more variables?

I'm not arguing that it isn't real. I just think I would have noticed due to the "barely dry" state of several of the records I've sleeved. Air drying has been incomplete enough that I've held some LP's in front of a small space heater to try and prevent sleeving any humidity. I can't leave them out for days in the shop because there's also a fair amount of woodworking that takes place in that space and the dust that would collect in that time would make cleaning them somewhat pointless.

 

Hi!

I do also have the AT-VM95ML for over two years now and never had such problems.

My advice would be:

1) Use a magic eraser to get rid of the gunk

2) Do a rinse cycle with your spin clean and change you bath after 7 - 10 records

3) Don't let them air dry because the remaining fluid will be backed into the vinyl again

4) You have to suck the rest of the fluid out, either with a vacum machine (or a vinyl vac)

5) You did it!

Bye Andrea

 

Sure, better safe than sorry. But Id like to have something substantial to show for if Ill ever advise this to others in the future.

 

Why? Perhaps the "cause" of effect is deficient; yet, the effect is valid. In other words, the article I read which implies water exploding is not what is actually happening, instead something else is happening, the fact/result remains, no creation of permanent pops as was previously experienced, apparently from not thoroughly air drying my new LPs.

 

I typically play cleaned LPs before placing them in sleeves, how about you?

 

Because I cant recall any such experience myself, Ive never heard it mentioned before and it just doesnt make much sense to me. As mentioned, straight wet playing where people intentionally cover their records in water and play doesnt seem to cause such issues.
And this should be easy to test, have a new cheapo record, play it once and record a control, then wet clean and play again before fully dried and make a new recording.

 

Well then test it.

 

You could say Ive already done it many times over, since I dont wait on my LPs to dry for a day before playing, dont typically hear any pops, not counting old used records.

 

The next time I purchase a new recording, I might see if recording it to cassette might distinguish the effect.

 

Sure, why cassette though?

 

No ADC to record to FLAC or some other lossless format?

 

For caked on dirt Audio Technica have a stylus cleaning fluid

 

Every PC should have one.

 

How about this: Sony PCM-7010F Digital Audio Recorder?

 

Oooh...

 

As highlighted above. You may need to incorporate an enzyme solution into your cleaning regime to something like this:

1. Enzyme: spread and soak
2. Rinse
3. Cleaning solution:spread and soad
4. Rinse
5. Rinse: spread and soak with different brushes
6. Final rinse and dry.

M~

 

Agreed with a variation, I use the Last brushes for cleaning/spreading and the Mofi for "dry cleaning" before playing. So far so good since I've change the methodology.

M~

 

A DW is an old school thick pad type record brush. The older ones from the 70s and 80s were made of a different material than the new ones. The new ones are made of a corduroy-like synthetic material, I believe. At least the one I had in the early 2000s was.



At any rate, it is entirely possible this thing is shedding fibers onto OP's records, especially if they are applying pressure and not cleaning the DW.

Spin Clean brushes also get filthy very easily and need to be thoroughly cleaned after every use. Back when I used the SC, I would also dump the bath after cleaning about 10-15 records MAX. Cleaning a large number of records, or even a smaller number of especially dusty and dirty records will make the fluid very nasty in short order.

In general a manual RCM is a far better cleaning system than the SC, provided the RCM is used properly with a good cleaning fluid.