Interesting All-in-One Ultrasonic Cleaner - HumminGuru

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Joe Spivey, Dec 4, 2020.

  1. LGJ

    LGJ Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Not sure how much shipping + taxes + custom fares are today, but back in 2021 it was an additional 90 euro.
    Shipping to Netherlands took about month...(dat wel)
     
  2. goalzzz

    goalzzz Active Member

    Location:
    Venlo
    If ordered from Humminguru directly costs for me would've been:

    400 for the machine (incl. adapters)
    65 shipping to The Netherlands
    97 vat (21% of 465 euro)
    + import duties (anywhere between 0 and 17%)

    Bijkomende kosten als u online bestelt buiten de EU
     
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  3. LGJ

    LGJ Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Yeah, shipping costs seems to have gone up a bit since 2021.
    But VAT is calculated only on the product, not on the shipping costs (so EUR 84 instead of EUR 97).
    Electronics seems to be exempt from import duties :righton:
    Ordered the Small Bottle two months ago and that was exempt from import duties as well.
     
  4. goalzzz

    goalzzz Active Member

    Location:
    Venlo
    If you click on the link in my last post, to the "belastingdienst", you'll notice that you'll have to pay VAT over price + shipping costs.

     
    LGJ likes this.
  5. LGJ

    LGJ Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Yep, you're right. Good work :righton:
     
    goalzzz likes this.
  6. this_machine

    this_machine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    For folks using Tergitol 15-S-9 at about .015%, which is the concentration that’s been recommended for both wetting and detergency: do you visually see anything like soap bubbles on the record surface while it spins? I’m definitely seeing full wetting but curious if I’m missing out on some visual sign of detergency.
     
  7. pacvr

    pacvr Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maryland
    Bubbles & foam are not indicators of detergency, they are just properties of the individual surfactant. Tergtitol 15-S-9 can foam (if shaken) at concentrations well below what could give detergency. In general, there is no visual sign that the concentration is high enough to have detergency. Detergency is a function of the concentration being above what is called the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and 0.015% is about 3xCMC. If you want more info - read the first part of Chapter VIII & then read Chapter IX of Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records-3rd Edition - The Vinyl Press.
     
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  8. this_machine

    this_machine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Thank you! I’ve been consulting the book and getting a lot out of it.
     
    pacvr likes this.
  9. utahusker

    utahusker Senior Member

    I have some Kodak Photoflow in the house. Would a couple drops in a tank of distilled water work okay for the clean cycle?
     
  10. utahusker

    utahusker Senior Member

    Never mind, I searched with the correct spelling and found the answer earlier in the thread. It doesn't sound like will work well.
     
  11. Robert C

    Robert C Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    It works fine
     
  12. wgb113

    wgb113 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chester County, PA
    FWIW I contacted HumminGuru about my dry record issue and they recommended using a non-alcohol based surfactant like their own Small Bottle. Since I already have a Tergikleen batch gallon I’ll start there. Sure wish you could get their extra accessories on Amazon.
     
  13. Kray

    Kray Sleuthing

    Location:
    Sarasota
    I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. Do you have a pic or video? The record is literally sitting in water when you put it in the HG, how can it be 'dry' when turning?
     
  14. Robert C

    Robert C Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    This frequently happens with ultra sonic baths. Without a surfactant, the increased surface tension of the water prevents it from coating the disc when it's not submerged.
     
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  15. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    My unit arrived today and I'm trying it out now. Will need a few days before I decide whether this thing is worth it or not. I got the adapters so I could try some non-LP sized records but didn't get their cleaning solution. Can anyone comment on the HG solution in the small bottle? I'm leery of using anything else as HG claims it will void the warranty.
     
    nosliw, Andrea_Bellucci and wolfyboy3 like this.
  16. wolfyboy3

    wolfyboy3 99 Red Balloons Go By...

    Location:
    Indiana
    How would they know?
     
  17. aunitedlemon

    aunitedlemon Unity is in the pith.

    Location:
    Oregon
    I can't comment on the HG solution other than that I think it's the G-Sonic fluid from GrooveWasher (or their own labelling of it) as my iffy memory recalls HG loosely endorsing the use of G-Sonic amongst their own facebook page (?) some time ago, before HG had their own product. I know, they've said to use nothing else, and I'm sorry that's all pretty far from helpful.
    I've used Ilfotol as a wetting agent, ~10-15 ml per 350 ml tank, and now the Audio Intelligent "Enzymatic Cleaner for Ultrasonic", at 1.4 ml per 350 ml bath w/ no ill effects. They both visibly improve wetting over plain distilled water but I've come to appreciate the AI fluid for how little of it is needed and it's ability to more thoroughly lift fingerprints.
    I respect not wanting to void the warranty but I will say that my HG is still kicking out much cleaner LP's despite using a couple of unendorsed fluids for the past many months.
    Have fun, I hope you enjoy it and come to appreciate it's simplicity and effectiveness.
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2023
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  18. drmevo

    drmevo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seacoast NH
    I can’t comment on the HG solution. I imagine it’s similar or maybe even the same as the G-Sonic stuff. We don’t really know what’s in either one. I have used the G-Sonic as well as the Tergitol diluted in the Nalgene dropper mentioned many times in this thread. I now only use the latter and I’m very happy with it, FWIW.
     
  19. drmevo

    drmevo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seacoast NH
    Whoa, great minds think alike! :righton:
     
    aunitedlemon likes this.
  20. LGJ

    LGJ Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    I'm actually using the HG solution and I'm very happy with the results. 3 drops of the so called Small Bottle provide excellent wetting of the record and give fabulous cleaning results. I do, however, rinse the records afterwards to make sure no residue is left on the records. Therefore I don't use the drying option of the machine but rather clean records in batches of 4 to 5, usually with a 2+5 US cleaning cycle.

    The main reason for using the HG bottle is because in The Netherlands Tergtitol 15-S-9 comes with a huge disclaimer on all sorts of toxic fumes: Tergitol™ 15-S-9 - Labshop, with which I don't feel comfortable with. And G-Sonic fluid from GrooveWasher has to be imported from the USA (I think). Ordering from HG was just as easy (and about EUR 43,-, incl. VAT, shipping + handling & no additional taxes).
     
    nosliw likes this.
  21. nosliw

    nosliw Delivering parcels throughout Teyvat! Meow~!

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON, Canada
    Given the fact that HG is selling their own branded-fluid, I'm quite certain that it does not void the warranty if there are any issues with using it.
     
  22. aunitedlemon

    aunitedlemon Unity is in the pith.

    Location:
    Oregon
    Obviously.
    My warranty absolution remarks were in regards to the other wetting agents I'd mentioned. HG only recently "authorized" the use of a cleaning agent and still discourages the use of anything else.
    [​IMG]
     
    nosliw likes this.
  23. goalzzz

    goalzzz Active Member

    Location:
    Venlo
    There's a guy on Marktplaats selling bottles of g-sonic for 25 euros. Bought mine there. Couldn't believe how much of a difference a drop of this stuff (and similar fluids) makes.
     
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  24. mcjfsn

    mcjfsn Forum Resident

    Just received mine this morning. Ordered it yesterday and it showed up this morning. Got to love Canada Post. I bought it through Audiophile Experts of Montreal which seems to be their only NA distributor. It was a bit more expensive (once shipping and estimated import fees were considered) but only a bit and it arrived less than 24 hours after I placed the order. So far I have only done a couple of records but currently spinning my original copy of And Then There Were Three which I bought new in 1978. It hasn't been out of its yellowed paper sleeve since probably the mid 80s. Put it on without cleaning just to see and it sounded, to use that well-loved cliche, like frying bacon. One spin through the auto cycle on the HumminGuru and it sounds almost pristine. Few pops that are probably scratches from when I didn't take such good care of things, but sounds sublime. Last night I gave Japan's Tin Drum, also bought new back in the day, a Spin Clean/Nitty Gritty combo wash and there was a very noticeable improvement, but again one go through the HumminGuru and it's a whole new record. Highly recommend despite the what the naysayers say.
     
  25. LGJ

    LGJ Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Good to know! But no need for a new supply for now. I reckon there is still enough in the bottle for at least 200 records :D
     
    goalzzz likes this.

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