Recommendations for my next RCM

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Nephrodoc, Nov 16, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Jimi Floyd

    Jimi Floyd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pisa, Italy
    Of course yes, they also supply an anti-bacterial surfactant and an anti fungal agent, because they say that "is another common issue with older LP's". Smelling my records, I must say I already suspected there was underground fungal disease and microbic contamination being the problem about those clicks and pops.
     
  2. ayrehead

    ayrehead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mid South
    I've cleaned about 100 records so far with mine and I'm really pleased with it.
     
  3. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    Now you, folks, have me looking @ Loricraft
     
    HiFi Guy likes this.
  4. I've been using a VPI RCM for years and it works OK. A local record store owner has used many different RCM's and swears by the current one he is using. It is an ultrasonic type with auto rotate. He stacks 5 or 6 on a record holder spindle, places it into the ultrasonic tank. After awhile, he takes them out and places the spindle in a forced-air drying machine. Everything is put together by someone in Florida.
     
  5. eflatminor

    eflatminor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    This has been my experience thus far: It has to do with getting the flow of fluid across the entirety of the record's side just before the suction tube's action. Stated differently, I've have found that if the fluid is dispersed across the entirety of the groove, from the lead in to the lead out out portion of the groove, just before the suction tube is pulling that fluid, the debris that tends to remain embedded in the extreme portions of the groove are more likely to be removed.

    There is definitely something about the lead in/out portion of the groove that is more difficult to clean. I suspect is has something to do with the angle of the edge of the record, where the lead in starts, and the lead out being rather....stretched out, but what do I know?! In any case, I've heard that tendency for more noise at the beginning and end of the record, and if I get that brush JUST before the suction tube, the fluid tends to spread across the entirety of the record as it is sucked up. This, in my experience, tends to minimize the noise we all tend to head in the lead in...and out.

    On my VPI, this means getting over the cleaner and holding the brush in my left hand, getting it as close to the suction tube as possible, so as the fluid initially spreads away from each edges of the brush, it's immediately sucked up while it is over the lead in and out portion of the groove, before it has a chance to bead and retreat from those areas. This has been my experience.
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2018
    Rekkerds and Jimi Floyd like this.
  6. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    My Okki Nokki has cleaned over 6000 record sides and it's still running like a champ.
     
    Ecjjr, eflatminor and GyroSE like this.
  7. Guitarded

    Guitarded Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montana
    VPI MW-1
    +
    L'Art du Son
    +
    Distilled / Clean Water Rinse

    :righton:
     
    Ecjjr and eflatminor like this.
  8. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    I'm not at 6000 yet but I've cleaned a lot of records over the last six and half years with my Okki Nokki and it's still going strong. A real joy to use.
     
  9. eflatminor

    eflatminor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    That's fantastic. My VPI Cyclone is still new with less than 500 records cleaned, but I sure hope I experience that kind of longevity.
     
  10. daytona600

    daytona600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
  11. Guitarded

    Guitarded Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montana
    Biggest tip I can give is to have seperate brushes and tubes for Dirty and Clean applications.

    Nylon / Synthetic / Hair brushes work great for agitating / scrubbing.

    Felt style for Greasy Finger / Hand Prints and another for clean rinsing.

    Always keep your cleaning and your rinsing accessories separated for use / application.
     
    luckybaer and Josquin des Prez like this.
  12. Zatoichi

    Zatoichi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    So, If I use an Okki Nokki, and do a 3 step Enzymatic method, I should have 3 separate vacuum tubes to avoid cross contamination?
     
  13. Guitarded

    Guitarded Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montana
    I would definitely use a min. of two.

    Really, the most important thing is having a clean pickup tube for your final rinse step.
     
  14. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    Yes, I also keep separate vaccum wands and brushes for detergents and pure water rinse. In fact, after I finish with the cleaning fluids I do a water rinse using the cleaning wand and brush. Then I switch to the water wand and brush for a second pure water rinse. That's even less chance of contaminating the rinse and leaving the record clean and free of any residues.
     
    Guitarded likes this.
  15. rl1856

    rl1856 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SC
    My process, after several years of evolution, experience and research:

    Spin Clean, using SC fluid
    Rinse
    DIY Ultrasonic Clean, using "rushton's" formula, for 15 min at 1/3 RPM, at 90' F temp
    Rinse
    Nitty Gritty Vacuum dry

    My DIY US cleaner consists of a Chinese 9L tank, and a Vinyl Stacker motorized LP spinner

    Starting from a baseline of using a Dishwasher and carbon fiber brush, each incremental step resulted in noticeable improvement. I have to point out that the biggest improvement came from adding a Spin Clean to the process. Improvement was substantial. However, I noticed additional and surprising improvement when I added US cleaning. If a Spin Clean can get you to 85-90% of what can be achieved, the US process will get you to 95-98% of what can be done. There is considerable effluent in the SC tank after a cleaning session. There is a lot of effluent in the US tank after a cleaning session. This is debris NOT removed by the SC alone. Sonic results and cleaning results are repeatable.

    SC clean then Nitty Gritty dry achieved mostly quiet backgrounds, less pops tics etc and lower level of noise at lead in lead out grooves. But I still heard very low level background noise, like a "swooooshhh, wooooshhh" sound. This was very low in level, but still present, and about at the same level as the noise floor of the LP or my system. US cleaning removes this last layer of grunge. I can now hear to the noise floor of the LP, which in some cases is LOWER than the noise floor of my system. I can hear the end of a track trail off into silence, or trail off to a very low level then drop abruptly when an engineer cut level to end the track. Yes there is an audible difference and US cleaning allowed my to hear it ! I also hear much better transient response, more air and space around instruments/musicians, air or sound moving through valves of a horned instrument and expanding at the bell. All or most of this was previously obscured by a very low level of grunge that proved difficult to remove.

    My DIY Ultrasonic setup cost me about $500. If I were to do it again, I would probably purchase the Kirmus (sp?) machine.

    This is my experience; others may differ.
     
    gabbleratchet7 likes this.
  16. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    beginning to sound like a PITA.
     
    bever70, CCrider92 and csgreene like this.
  17. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    It doesn't have to be. I just use an Okki Nokki with multistep cleaning, as I described above. My records sound great. Unless I need to do a deep cleaning with a second hand record I aquired, the process is pretty straightforward. My system is highly revealing. If there were an issue or shortcoming with my cleaning procedure my system would expose it.
     
  18. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    And I bit. Ordered a KA-RC-I
     
    Josquin des Prez likes this.
  19. eflatminor

    eflatminor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    Very cool. Please do report back on how you like it.
     
  20. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    I will. Bought from Morrow Audio. In The Groove KA-RC-1 Ultrasonic Record Cleaning System . Came real close to pulling the trigger on Loricraft but, @ $3500 and this being my first RCM I thought this to be the wiser decision. In the past, I have used SB with terrific results. I'm hoping I will see the light.
     
  21. Zatoichi

    Zatoichi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Your not the only one.. Okki Nokki headed my way.
     
  22. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    we will both have clean records. I'm expecting a lot. My vinyl is already very quiet between passages. I'm expecting a clarinet where there previously wasn't and, my stylus deserves it.
     
  23. Don Parkhurst

    Don Parkhurst Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    I can second that recommendation. I have owned the Loricraft PRC-4 for several years now and previously owned other machines such as the VPI 16.5 and the Audio Desk Systeme. The Loricraft is far and away the quietest to run and does the best job of cleaning the records. I bought mine used on Audiogon and it is now 11 years old but feels like it will outlast me.
     
  24. Nephrodoc

    Nephrodoc Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Thanks for all the input.
    I'm in no hurry to spend my $$, just looking at an upgrade pathway from the Record Doctor. So far the Okki Noki looks like the front runner, with the VPI 16.5 in 2nd place.
    I'm still not sure about the Kirmuss machine, and it seem to be going up in price every time I check.
     
  25. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    I just ordered a VPI MW-1 Cyclone yesterday evening. I’m pretty excited, as I’ll be transitioning from a Spin Clean. I’ll probably sell the Spin Clean or keep it as a back-up.

    The only thing I was a little wary of with regards to the Cyclone is having to empty it after only 6 records. I guess it has a small waste tank.
     
    Guitarded likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine