Audio Technica AT-6012 record cleaner (singing the praises)

While I've been working on tweaking my turntable, I've also been investigating ways to clean albums, short of buying a RCM.

I've gone through quite a few methods, including wood glue (works wonders).

As I I got more serious I shifted from testing via playing albums, to a visual inspection with a loop as well as playing.

This last weekend I picked up an Audio Technica AT-6012 record cleaning kit. The cloth pad on this has directional fibers just like my old Discwasher had, but they're much much finer than the Discwasher was. There are holes for adding the included fluid to the handle but I simply run a bead down the length of the pad and use that to wet the album, run a few rotations while I shift the brush in/out a little (relative to the spindle), then roll the pad to dry the album. This is the old Discwasher method.

The loop indicates extreme cleanliness and playing the album confirms this.

I find that even albums that I had used the wood glue on, sound improved after getting cleaned with the AT-6012. In fact, it seems that each time I use it, the albums get a little cleaner (to a point, obviously).

One of the best $20 I've ever spent.

It doesn't come with a lot of fluid (2 oz.), though, and they don't sell bottles separately it seems. I'll either have to DIY some stuff, or buy something, when I run out. The fluid's bottle lists surfactant, water, and alcohol as ingredients. That sounds like the standard DIY list of ingredients.

I suspect any decent fluid will work, that the heavy lifting when it comes to stuff deep within the grooves, is being done by the that pad.

 

Agreed, and I have recommended that AT model here in that price range for the same reasons. For replacement fluid, the Vinyl Styl Record Cleaning Fluid 8 oz. (not their Record Washing Fluid) is nearly identical to the AT fluid, and a better value than replacement AT fluid (AT634A), which you can sometimes find in the 2 oz. bottles. Just refill the 2 oz. bottle from the 8 oz. bottle.

 

Too bad Amazon doesn't offer Prime shipping on the Vinyl Styl stuff.

 

Get it on the e auction site with "free" shipping.

 

Good. First I'm going to check with my local album store as I sort of think I've seen that stuff there. But if not, the auction site will do.

Also, there is a dealer listed in Watertown, which could be a nice drive from my place.

Anyway, thanks!

 

It's on Amazon Spain with free shipping with Prime membership, which I have. Ordered. I've been using Audio Technica's Stylus cleaner on my VM540ML and despite being dirty cheap and seem to last forever it leaves it spotless.
I'll use my MoFi brush for dry cleaning only.
Thanks for posting this.

 

I clicked on your location and looked at the pictures. What a beautiful country!

 

Thank you. Spain has some nice places to visit. I guess you are talking about the pictures I posted on the Phantom Menace thread. Vigo and its surroundings are an incredible place, very nice with beautiful views, great people and even greater local food. Have you ever tried octoppus? It's delicious and they cook it great in the North of Spain.

 

Here is a CAUTION about new productions of the AT6012. It seems that the original version with its very effective directional fiber brush is no longer in production. That original version has a white handle grip for the brush. As of this date of this comment, this note is on the LPTunes page for the AT6012:

Code:

"Note: The AT6012 has been discontinued by Audio-Technica because the Sonic Broom
can no longer be sourced from trusted high quality suppliers in Japan. We still have
limited supply available for your record caring pleasure."

A new version shipped from Japan is showing on the e auction site. It is called the AT6012X or AT6012Xa. That new version has a black handle grip in the same shape as the original, and in photos the brush appears to be just black microfiber cloth, or one listing calls it "velvet". I can't tell from the photos what might be different from the "X" to the "Xa" version, but either of the two new different model numbers are shown on each new brush.

The original AT6012 with its directional fiber brush was sold for at least 20 years. It was the closest next best alternative to the original Discwasher brush. Microfiber or "velvet" will not be as good.

A lot of sellers may still carry an "AT6012", but now might be shipping the poorer new X or Xa versions.

 

While repeated cleanings with my Audio Technica pad do eventually make even the filthiest of albums pretty quiet, I wanted to bring speed and efficiency to this process.

A few weeks ago, I was picking-up a new toothbrush and saw these ultra-soft toothbrushes that have tapered bristles. They come to a very fine point on the end.

I purchased a two-pack and have been using them for deep cleaning of albums. The bristles absolutely plum the depths of the groove, suspending whatever is there in my cleaning solution, where I can then mop it up with my Audio Technica pad.

My method:

1. I put some of my cleaning solution (75% distilled/25% alcohol) in a small glass jar, and I dip the brush in the fluid and apply it to a spinning album side (this entire process is carried-out on my table). I do this about 4-5 times, spreading it out and wetting the entire surface of the album.
2. I then turn the brush to an approx. 45-degree angle, making chisels of the bristles, and slowly push it towards the lead-out, and the pull it back towards the lead-in, repeating this several times. Don't lift the brush, but rather push it back and forth. Why? Well, when you're pushing towards the lead-out, the bristles are bending in such a way that they're cleaning the left-side of the groove. Similarly, when you're pulling it back towards the lead-in, you're cleaning the right-hand side of the groove.
3. Once you've gone back/forth several times, use your Audio Technica pad to mop-up the fluid. I use a paper towel to dab excess fluid from the pad and mop the album a second time. DAB the pad on the paper towel, don't wipe it.

Anyway, I've been listening to more and more thrift-store classical $1 buys and this fixes them right-up. The first play through, you may hear a little surface noise, while subsequent plays are pretty darn quiet, about as quiet and I've ever heard.

Do not put too much cleaning fluid in the little glass jar, BTW. Repeatedly dipping the toothbrush back into the cleaning fluid contaminates it. After cleaning just one album (even a fairly clean one), swirl the fluid in the jar and you'll see all sorts of junk in it. I've learned to just put a little in the bottom of the jar, and empty/rinse/refill the jar after each couple of albums.

I perform this deep cleaning to everything, even brand-new albums and near-mint vinyl that was machine-cleaned before being sent to me, it makes everything crazy quiet.

It costs next to nothing and cleans better than any other method I've found.

Once I've done my toothbrush deep-cleaning, subsequent cleanings involve just misting the Audio Technica pad with a spray bottle of my fluid, and wiping that on my spinning album for 1-2 revolutions.

Give it a shot, and let me know what you think.

 

My Discwasher brush and fluid has worked like a champ for me since 1978.
Today, upon receiving a rather dusty copy of a Neil Young box from a forum member, I discovered it was time to refill my D4+ stock, and jumped on Amazon, then a search brought me to this recent thread.
Just want to say thanks for the tips, and I'm going with an 8oz. bottle of Vinyl Styl Record Cleaning Fluid, from Blowitoutahere, for $13.95 with free shipping via eBay.

 

It will be interesting to hear your thoughts on the Vinyl Styl fluid.

I’ve been very happy with my 75/25 water/iso. No detergents.

 

Back in 2016 I got the La La Land 2 LP set for the soundtrack of Star Trek The Motion Picture that is pressed on blue marble like vinyl. It's noisy as hell. I first used the MoFi brush with MoFi ONE Cleaning Solution. It improved the noise issue a little bit. When I read about the Audio Technica 6102 brush plus its cleaning solution I got it from Amazon Spain as it was quite reasonable price, a rarity for this kind of stuff in Spain, and I cleaned the 2 Star Trek LP's with it. It also killed some of the noisy but both records were still noisy. A couple of weeks ago I combined both, I first poured some MoFi cleaning solution on the LP, spread it with the AT brush, I let the cleaning liquid on it for about 5 minutes and then cleaned the record with the AT brush. After that I used the MoFi brush to dry it and collect most of the dirt. The end result were two spotless LP's with most of the noise gone.
I'm very happy with the result as I never expected to leave those records so noise free.

 

Good to know.

Once thing I've learned is to not spare the cleaning fluid. I use lots of my home-mix each time I mop an album (which I do each time before playing, even if it is already quite clean).

I go through my home-made cleaning fluid like mad. But it is only distilled water + iso, so very inexpensive.

 

Side 8 or H..."Tonight's The Night"...got really funky, even after a cleaning, so I grabbed the nearly empty D4+ bottle, applied a little right in front of the cartridge, Viola ! cleared right up !
When it ended, I dipped the needle into my little Japanese sticky ball of goo, and the biggest, ugliest, piece of brown dust was removed. Fun--ky.

 

I just bought one from a small record shop in The Hague and by far it is the best cleaning kit I've used. Also, I bought the good one from probably an old batch 2017. the Brush collect the dust deeply

 

How can one tell the "good one" from the "not the good one"?

 

The good one has a white handle for the brush and the packaging says "AT6012" with no following letters. The new brushes have black handles and the packaging says "AT6012X" or "AT6012Xa".
Beware as online retailers may have existing listings for the "AT6012" but may be shipping one of the X versions now.

 

I then got the good one from Amazon Spain. Thanks for the info.

 

I now mix my own fluid with alcohol (25%) and distilled water (75%), no detergent or soap. And besides being very quiet my records are so black and slippery that you have to be careful handling them, they slide in and out of the liners so easily they will slide right out of your hands.

It is amazing the ills that repeated cleanings with this thing will fix. Albums that I thought had groove damage were just that dirty. Two to three cleanings/playings and they’re nearly perfectly quiet.

 

I’ve been using the 6012 kit for years and agree it’s pretty great. I would love to get a big bottle of the solution though.

Does anyone know what the ingredients are in the Vinyl Styl stuff?

I read some horror stories about another record cleaning wash they have.

I’d like to order a bottle too, but I can’t find the ingredients

 

The bottle says "Contains Isopropyl Alcohol" and nothing more about ingredients. There is obviously a surfactant/detergent in it. Shaking the bottle produces suds at top. Just like the original AT6012 fluid. The original AT6012 fluid bottle lists "Isopropyl alcohol, organic solvent, cationic surfactant, water".

 

Thanks for the quick reply. Does leave behind any kind of residue? There was someone that posted a picture to amazon that said it left residue on the records and his stylus was collecting gunk.
But the way amazon lumps reviews, I couldn’t tell if it was for this exact fluid.

 

Interesting stuff about the toothbrush. Sounds laborious, though.

When mixing your DIY solution, try putting a couple of drops of wetting agent into your solution. Edwal LFD is a good one. Ilfotol and Photo Flo will also work, but they have extra ingredients you probably don't want on your records, especially if you're not rinsing off. In a pinch, Finish Jet Dry will do. But just use the recommended amount on the bottle (Edwal suggests just two drops per pint because LFD is so concentrated). Anything more and it becomes a surfactant, which needs to be rinsed off.

The wetting agent will break the surface tension of the water and let the water/alcohol fluid really get into the grooves to dissolve and flush out what's there. No need for a separate rinse with alcohol because it dissolves dirt, then evaporates, taking the water with it.

Record cleaning machines are expensive, often $500 and up. Think about what $500 will do for your hi-fi system and listening enjoyment if spent on a better turntable, a fancy cartridge, or a dedicated phono preamp. $500 still goes a long way in this hobby.

 

By the way, nice tulip. What DG album is that?