After reading that review posted via link above, I'm going to wait until Part 2 (which the author says is forthcoming) before cleaning anything as it might have some helpful tips to make sure I'm getting the most out of my cleaning methodology. I'm with the author in cringing from using alcohol, even in small quantities but it seems it really helped him get even better results vs. just the ultrasonic + surfactant.
Another interesting read, but his conclusion is one of many's already in this thread. It cleans the records great but you have to diy your own rinse/drying method after you pull them from the bath. Not to mention the after care stuff is bogus and I haven't/won't do it. I've been using a Spin Clean for my final rinse (without brushes) and am surprised at what is in the water after finishing with it. I'm happy right now with my workflow but am curious to hear other people's experimentation with the bath water and if they get better results.
They say every 25-30 records, but as they say, YMMV... Remember that you’re talking about approximately 2 gallons of distilled water ($3.00 tops) and maybe $0.50 worth of alcohol. I think it’s worth changing it early and often. Also, alcohol evaporates quickly so you really don’t know your concentration after a day or so.
With my VIP and AIVS cleaning fluids I used to wait till I had enough to waste the fluids needed to get everything wet. Now I have cleared my back up of 30+ albums because the Kirmuss system doesn't waste. I moved it to the storage room behind my system. Now I can get to my cassettes in the campaign cabinet it was sitting on.
Similar process to you at the moment. I'm using Tergikleen as a surfactant with a 5 minute cycle in the Kirmuss, followed by a final rinse in my Spin Clean (with just distilled water). I'm not using any alcohol. This is a simple, quick process and I'm getting nice results that I'm more than satisfied with. The only step I'd consider adding to the process would be to have a 2nd Spin Clean for a pre-rinse for particularly dirty records. But I just don't buy used records that are in that bad of shape so I don't have a need.
Have you tried your spin clean with the brushes? I bought new brushes for mine and kind of think of them as the brush used from the kit. I go twice in both directions with very good results. Are you getting any residue in your spin clean after you rinse a few records? Have you tried using the spin clean surfactant as a prewash like with the Kirmuss surfactant? Well Shawn I will second on buying another spin clean (used ebay) for pre-rinse for sure. I hope to get around to it when I'm feeling better. Now that I have my second system finished in my living room I'm enjoying the good playback that I'm getting from the RCM.
For used records I do a pre-wash using George Merrill's Super Solution. From there I'll do 10-20 minutes in the Kirmuss depending on how dirty it is, hitting it with 2 sprays of the surfectant once or twice during cleaning. After that I'll use the Spin Clean without brushes in only distilled water. I do see gunk in the spin clean after it comes out of the Kirmuss, I think it gets nice things nice and loose and then the gentle spin clean rinse allows it to all fall out. With the amount of stuff I see in the Spin Clean I don't think I'll use the brushes as I don't want to push any loose particles back in the grooves, just let things fall out where they may. For new records I omit the pre-wash step. I'm extremely happy with this current workflow and have no intention of tweaking it....maybe down the road but for right now I'm pleased.
Ya it took me a bit of tweaking to get where I am but I might just try my spin clean without the brushes and see if I can get any better results. This is everyone who has this RCM. Maybe take a photo and post it so we can see your set up. Also, I don't know about you guys/gals but even before I used mine for the first time I took the sticker off. Just not my style.
The Spin Clean brushes sound like a bad idea. Cleaning the Kirmuss brushes often sounds like it would be necessary. I think the supplied pad is idiotic so I glued 4 cork coasters together. They don't touch the vinyl and keep the wet bottom side from contacting anything. Here are a couple of pictures of my two stations:
WOW ! ! I seem to have killed the thread. Bluesaddict asked for pictures, I posted two and now nothing is being posted.
Well, I want to liven it up again. My favorite hi-fi mag in print is Hi Fi Critic from England. They don't accept any advertisers, so their reviews are blunt and honest. The Jan to Mar 2019 issue has an in depth review of the Kirmuss, and they LOVE it. Well, they love the machine, and the results using it, but they don't agree with the procedure nor the fluid that Kirmuss supplies. Well, I am a dealer now for Kirmuss, and I plan to use my engineering experience plus comments from the article AND from users here, to make some suggestions. And it looks like one of them is going to be that you DON'T need to buy any fluid for in the machine. The fluid will be simply be distilled water. By the way, I will provide a 15% discount to any SH.tv memeber who buys a Kirmuss from me. AND, I'll keep in touch as we develop a faster methodology, and recommended fluids.
No, I had an Audio Desk, and they require their fluid to be muxed into distilled water. Then that gets air dried, not removed by suction. I didnt like the Audio Desk. I thought it was unprofessionally constructed. And the record stops moving occasionally, so it cannot be left unattended. If anyone wants to be emailed a copy of the HiFiCritic Kirmuss revirew, please PM me
Hi all sorry that I haven't been posting to this thread but I had training for the company that I work for so that took up most of my time. Now for how I am now using the Kirmuss RCM to clean my records. I have read how all of you are using it so I took parts from all of you and came up with this. I have stopped using the Kirmus fluid and now only using the alcohol/distilled water mix for the wash and my spin clean (without the brushes and just distilled water) for final rinse. In the wash cycle I have found that with new records 5 min works fine with a small spray of distilled water after the first wash then use the brush like you would with the Kirmuss fluid both sides. Back for a second wash then the spin clean (without the brushes) final wash. I do dry them off with my spin clean towels and put them in Mobile Fidelity Original Master Sleeves. For used records I have bumped the wash cycle up to 7 min depending on how bad is sounds when played. I do not get anything on my stylus doing it this way. I will see if I can get some pic up today of my set up.
Here's what I'm currently using: DSCF0766 by bill hart, on Flickr On the question of bath water purity, the DIY'ers have added an aftermarket pump and filter, down to 0.35 micron. You can buy a cheap TDS meter to see how 'dirty' your water is. The value of filtration is that any rough 'dump water at X interval' is pretty inexact especially if you are putting dirty records straight into a US machine. I haven't been contributing to this thread for a while since it was devoted to Kirmuss. I do think there are many best practices that you can find on the web which have probably been mentioned, starting with Rush Paul's article. That piece posted above, from The Audiophile Man, seemed pretty sensible to me. As to alcohol, one issue is that it is combustable in ultrasonic. In highly diluted amounts, it probably isn't an issue, but the vapor could be a problem. Alcohol was long used in traditional record cleaning- Keith Monks allegedly used vodka back in the day- (may be apocryphal). The other issue claimed by KL (and possibly AD) is that it will dry out the plastic parts in their ultrasonic machines. I don't have an issue with it as a record cleaning fluid for traditional cleaning if used sparingly and removed quickly.
Here is my cleaning setup. The wall on the left I just put up a couple were ago. Hope to finish soon. Ikea lights and the shelf makes for nice storage for water and sleeves.
Yes, after first wash and I use the brush to help loosen things up then back in the wash and spin clean final wash. Then dry an new mobile fidelity sleeve.
I bought Pink Floyd DSOTM original master when it hit the record store. It has always had a few ticks, well they are gone with my new cleaning method.
