NEW vinyl do most people Wet Clean or Dry Clean them?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by IR66, Mar 23, 2019.

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  1. snepts

    snepts Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eugene, OR
    I used to DiscWasher. Wasn't that the name? A block of wood with some kind of fabric and a solution. I really don't play my vinyl anymore, but it occurs to me that I have no "system" with which to spot clean a record. About all I have is a guitar polishing cloth, and I'm not sure what to think about isopropyl.
     
  2. drum_cas

    drum_cas Forum Resident

    I'm really curious! Any pics or building instructions?
     
  3. Troy4

    Troy4 Forum Resident

    Richard,
    How long does it take to clean both sides of a LP on your Audio Desk ultrasonic RCM
    compared to the KM machine ?
     
  4. IR66

    IR66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    OREGON
    I'm going to use a spin clean for dirty records,but I don't get many used records.I get new or near mint stuff that's already new or played a couple times and I don't play a copy more than a few times,and if I particularly like it I might buy 2 or 3 copies and sell 1 or 2 later on, in which case I do not need to spend time cleaning a new record on a RCM.I know they're dirty with fine particles and all,but I have just been using a zerostat gun and then a dry dust with a carbon fiber brush and I'm happy with the sound quality.Ive got records I have bought brand new in the 80s that have only had a dust off with a carbon fiber brush ,they're in pristine condition and I have sold some for a great deal of money and they have never been wet cleaned and play like new. Thanks for the reply
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2019
  5. nosliw

    nosliw Delivering parcels throughout Teyvat! Meow~!

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON, Canada
    Wet cleaning for brand new records, in my opinion, is what I consider best practice. Pressing plants generally have a dirty environment from all the manufacturing inside and its widespread dust and dirt, which is especially true if they use paper/cardboard inner sleeves. And wet cleaning + proper inner sleeves (i.e., MoFi) is the best approach to get them clean and free of static.

    I don't understand why the fifteen people in the poll never clean their new records and can't be bothered with the surface noise and increasing wear and tear on to the grooves and stylus.
     
    MackKnife, F1nut, fmuakkassa and 2 others like this.
  6. Antmanbee

    Antmanbee Mental Toss Flycoon

    Location:
    Leicester, UK
    And a whole new world, hitherto unknown, of faff and bother opens up before me!
    Eee, we 'ad nowt like this when I were a lad...
    I have maybe 30 LPs, all classical and opera, the bulk of my music being on CD, and a couple of hundred cassettes. For the listener to classical music, especially chamber music, the arrival of CDs was a great relief, and I don't miss LPs at all.
     
  7. IR66

    IR66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    OREGON
    Yes I don't believe in harsh chemicals being used to clean either,they can destroy a record. Water is the safest option, I know you need an ingredient to break down the surface tension and get inside the grooves, in the case I would use something that is safe to use on myself or the dishes like a drop of shampoo or dawn
     
  8. FangfossFlyer

    FangfossFlyer Forum Resident

    Location:
    York, U.K.
    Hi,

    The KM took me about 2 minutes a side so say 3-4 minutes.

    The AD does both sides st the same time and depending on how long I set the ultrasonic cycle for it is about 4-5 minutes.

    Richard
     
    Troy4 likes this.
  9. Luxmancl38

    Luxmancl38 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Manchester NH
    Wet clean w/my VPI RCM.
     
  10. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    Send them to George Jefferson first.
     
    4-2-7 likes this.
  11. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    I have done both, cleaning new records and not cleaning new records. Now, I always clean new records because of the reasons you point out. Less surface noise and wear and tear.
     
    Stone Turntable, nosliw and GyroSE like this.
  12. MackKnife

    MackKnife Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    Ever since early 2000's .. I RCM (wet clean) a record side before it gets put on my TT (that's just me). Unless it's been cleaned recently, micro dust happens.
    My home brew cleaning solution is home made and light on ISO (10%). I don't batch clean and never have, when it's time to spin .. it gets cleaned.
     
  13. johnny q

    johnny q Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bergen County, NJ
    For some reason, I feel like I have replied to this question many, many times before! :)

    Yes and no. If they are absolutely filthy, like they collected all the dust and debris from the pressing plant floor - yes. However, if they appear clean and play sans any surface noise - no. In regards to the latter, I have actually made the situation worse, by wet cleaning them. I can only recall one instance in which I rectified an issue by wet cleaning a new LP. It was Elvis Is Back (Speakers Corner) and it had a nasty pop during the song "Soldier Boy." After the cleaning the pop was gone.
     
    4-2-7 likes this.
  14. Stone Turntable

    Stone Turntable Independent Head

    Location:
    New Mexico USA
    +1

    I emailed MFSL several years ago and asked if they recommend that customers clean new vinyl purchases. Their rep replied that they do recommend cleaning, and that’s good enough for me. I also put a premium on never having to wonder or worry if gunk or dirt is affecting play.
     
    nosliw likes this.
  15. t3chnobrat

    t3chnobrat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    I run every new record through the ultrasonic cleaner and then every clean record gets a Gruvglide treatment.
     
  16. TimB

    TimB Pop, Rock and Blues for me!

    Location:
    Colorado
    When I purchase a new record, it go's through the Nitty Gritty record vacuum. If I play an lp that has been NG cleaned, then I use a record brush before I play it.
     
  17. Roycer

    Roycer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wyoming
    I like mine wet.

    VPI RCM 16.5
    And fiber brush before each play.
     
  18. IR66

    IR66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    OREGON
    All of the new records I've bought play dead silent,if you don't believe me play a new one that has not had a wet Clean,record it onto a cd,then wet Clean it and listen with headphones and there will be noises that were not there before
     
  19. Troy4

    Troy4 Forum Resident

    Why did you bother starting this thread :blah:
     
  20. IR66

    IR66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    OREGON
    Most New records play silent, on the occasion you might get one that's got something stuck on it but that can be removed with a little water and a cloth,there is no point cleaning then whole thing if the rest plays silent.
    With the worst pressing plants there might be more particles, but I've even had ones from those places that played silently without need of a clean
     
  21. IR66

    IR66 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    OREGON
    To see what the census was between cleaning New records or not.Ive done both methods and don't see any discernible difference when comparing the two recordings between New cleaned and not cleaned.I think it's down to the pressing quality if a record is noisy from New, thanks for the reply
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2019
  22. frimleygreener

    frimleygreener "It 'a'int why...it just is"

    Location:
    united kingdom
    I cannot post images from work, so if interested you will have to google it:)...I have used many types of wet and dry cleaners at varying cost from cheap as chips to faintly ridiculous: T he Pro-ject vinyl cleaner I have recently purchased and employed produces the best results for me to date.
    I t is just a roll of "sticky" gunk that one gently rolls over the record surface...it lifts and absorbs any residue,and more importantly leaves no film or smears once the job is done,as can be witnessed by a pristine stylus after playing a treated record. The same "gunk" can also be used to remove debris from a stylus.
     
    IR66 and GyroSE like this.
  23. Carter DeVries

    Carter DeVries Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    My Okki Nokki can create a static charge....true enough. I hit the last side cleaned with a Milty gun.....problem solved.
     
  24. ANALOGUE OR DEATH

    ANALOGUE OR DEATH Forum Resident

    Location:
    HULL ENGLAND
    Hi Richard

    I've had my Audiodesk for a year and a half now.Expensive,but never regretted it.
     
    FangfossFlyer likes this.
  25. Carter DeVries

    Carter DeVries Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    This....+1
     
    nosliw and Stone Turntable like this.
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