Pro-Ject VC-S2 velvet strips - how long are they supposed to last?

The velvet strips on my VC-S2 wore out after I cleaned just over 30 records. I do use a process that involves 4 vacuuming steps per record, so they will certainly wear faster than intended, but shouldn't they last longer than that? Could anyone here share their experience?

I guess the machining quality of the vacuum arm may play a role here. There is quite a dent under the spot that wore out...

 

I own the VC-S2 ALU; I noticed that the strips were shedding. I swapped over to the Project white strips (the ones that look like reclaimed draft excluder!) a couple of years ago, and those same strips are still going strong. They behave more like brushes, are very easy to clean, and don't shed. You may want to drop the height of the platform so there is a gap of a millimetre or so when the wand is hovering over the disc before the vacuum is switched on - I found this gives the best results.

 

Oh, nice. I wasn't aware that the white ones were more durable. I will check them out. And maybe the generic ones from Slovakia as well. I read they were supposed to be good..

 

I installed the included spare strip and the results are less than ideal. There is an area in the middle of the recorded area that isn't dried that well.. Waiting for the white and generic strips to arrive.

 

I switched to the white strips on my VC-E as well and find them more effective for both cleaning and drying. I have had problems with them wanting to peel away from the arm after a few days and a few uses, but as long as they stay stuck in place then they seem to work well.

 

I'm using the generic strips at the moment. The quality is nice. Thick velvet and they stick very well. Unfortunately the results aren't as good as with the pre-installed original strips. When they were new, they usually dried a record within one or two rotations. With the generic strips the record still isn't dry after 6 or 7 rotations. I'll try the white pro-ject ones once the generic ones wear out.

 

What color are the original and generic strips?
Where did you find the generic strips?
Can you buy the original strips as a replacement?

 

The original strips are black. I could buy them, but as my first pair only lasted me a little over 30 records and the second set for some reason didn't work as well, I started looking for alternatives.
I got the generic strips on ebay from a seller from Slovakia. They're available in different colours. I bought the white ones.

 

Thanks, I just bought a vc-e, still in the box, and some replacement strips from
Pro-Ject VC-S Replacement Adhesive Strips - Pair | Audio Advice
Wonder if they differ from the ones you got?

 

Those are the white Pro-Ject strips. They are a lot thicker than the black ones. I'm gonna try them next.

 

The white pro-ject strips work great indeed. One revolution and the record is dry. But I'm also finding it difficult to keep them stuck. The backing material is so stiff, it doesn't really adapt to the shape of the wand.

 

I have an new unused pair lying under a stack of books to flatten them out as they came with a slight curvature.

 

That may contribute to the ends pulling themselves off of the wand. But the major problem here is probably that only a small part of the bottom surface is actually touching the surface of the wand.

 

I'm currently slowly going through, and cleaning, my entire record collection and have been through a lot of strips in the last few months, experimenting as I go. I'm about halfway through my relatively modest library right now - roughly 750 albums in. I'm not rushing the job, so it'll still be a few months before I finish at this rate.

I've used a couple of iterations of the original black felt and have never felt I've got comparable results with those. I bought a third-party roll of felt draught tape, which I saw recommended on a thread and I cut to size, which was better. But the white strips have been my favourite for results - albeit worst for longevity. Some barely lasted a few days before peeling. Even after the ends of the strips started to come away, I tried to keep them going, but there comes a time when you have to swap them out.

The present set of white strips have been the most successful... I've had this set going for a few weeks now (a couple of hundred sides) and they're actually not peeling at all. Seems to be a lot of luck involved in getting them to stay stuck. I think the key is to keep pressure applied for the first hour or two when putting them on and then leave them for at least a day or two before use, to ensure they adhere thoroughly before getting wet. It's either that or I just got lucky this last time!

 

Does it help to clean the metal first with Adhesive remover or some other solvent before applying the new strips?

 

Yeah definitely. On the last change I did do a thorough clean of the arm with isopropyl alcohol to remove remnants of adhesive from the previous strips which were beginning to show. I forgot to mention that and I do think that made a difference. I had done that previously, but not on every change.

 

I clean the arm with IPA on every change, but no luck.

 

Looks like this stuff is just a self adhesive sealing brush, as used for doors and windows. I just ordered a 5 meter roll on ebay..

 

After 2 years 100+ records the white ones that came on the Vc-e are stil good.

 

I guess 5 meters of sealing brush are gonna last me forever.

The Pro-Ject ones do perform really well. I don't even have to dry the dead wax anymore to protect the label.

 

The seal brush strip is here. Definitely the right type of product, but the quality is a little different from the pro-ject strips. It doesn't feel as firm and dense. I'll give it a try once the pro-ject strips become unusable. It can't be long. They keep coming off..

 

The draught strips are OK. Not as good as the Pro-Ject strips, but not bad either.

 

Link please

 

5m selbstklebende Bürstendichtung grau, Höhe 3mm Dichtungsbürste Türbürste 4260285284526 | eBay

 

It may be time to swap. I’ve never swapped the ones on my Okki.