Record Cleaners

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by John Carsell, Sep 3, 2002.

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  1. John Carsell

    John Carsell Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest Illinois
    Need your recomendations on for a GOOD record cleaning solution.

    The last batch of Discwasher fluid I bought recently made some LP's noisier than before. I never remembered Discwasher being this way, so I need to go elsewhere.

    Anyone tried Disc Doctor? I see Tom Port sells it, but I'm leary about the stuff.

    A Nitty Gritty machine is way too much for me right now.

    Any suggestions appreciated!
     
  2. mcow1

    mcow1 Sommelier Gort

    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    What's to be leary of with Disk Doctor? IMO it works great. I've taken some pretty crappy looking records and made them playable with it.
     
  3. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    Some "wet" soliutions like D4 WILL make records that have a tad of mold (not visible to the eye) really collect to the surface, making the record almost unlistenable. I use D4 and the brush just to take surface dust off, and that's it.

    If the record looks mint, but sounds like hell (Used records mind you) then it's time to SOAK it in the sink with proper handling. If you want my basic instrutions to do so, I can post it again. It doesn't cost a cent, and it is the ONLY method I use that actually works.

    I won't knock DD or D4, as it depends on the record and person using it. They are both great.
     
  4. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    I've used the Disc Doctor method/treatment/hair replacement for several years and it usually works like a charm. It's really good at getting that deep in the groove dust cleaned out. I've been amazed so many times how much better some really filthy records have sounded after this process (40-50 year old originals). My only (and I do mean only) negative caution about using this product (don't try this at home kiddies) is to be very careful (and I do mean careful, especially with a valuable record) to make sure the pads are okay (even with slight wear). I've cleaned some records and found some glue residue in the grooves that came from some slightly (very slighty) worn pads (still should have had a few miles left on them). This happened a few times over the years and luckily I was able to "remove" the glue stains or just replace the record. Thankfully, this didn't happen on a very rare record (or I would have the Disc Doctor's medical license stripped away from him/I doubt he's a "real" doctor anyway). So, I recommend this product 99.8%!!!

    Todd
     
  5. Dave B

    Dave B Senior Member

    Location:
    Nokomis, FL
    Todd, I use diluted Disc Doctor fluid (3:1) with my VPI 16.5 and it seems to work fine. I do suggest a good rinse cycle. Another product I have used is the LAST deep cleaning solution. This works pretty good but not quite as well as the Disc Doctor / VPI process. I still use my Discwasher brush lightly dampened with distiled water before playing a record that shows any dust. I have an Audioquest brush but it seems to just pile the dust up while the Discwasher actually lifts it off. My other favorite pre-play tool is the Zerostat. I still have an original Discwasher brand from the '70's that works fine.
     
  6. Vinyl-Addict

    Vinyl-Addict Groovetracer Manufacturer

    Location:
    USA
    I use the DD pads/cleaner, great product. I used to let my records airdry but bought a Vacuum from Audioadvisor for $200, essentialy a manual Nitty Gritty. I believe this to be an even better system than a fully automatic cleaner, the manual scrubbing is what does the trick. :)
     
  7. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    These are just suggestions given to me and not endorsements.

    I was once told by an archivist that works in the country music foundation vault to use photo-flo after you clean your records. That's a solution used when you make prints of pictures. I think it's the last step in the process. You soak the print in a water/photo-flo solution. It helps protect the prints. He said two drops in a pint of distilled water is enough. Just wipe it on with a lint free towel.

    He also suggested something for very dirty records. After they've been cleaned wet them down and play it wet. He said the records will sound cleaner when they're wet.
     
  8. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    How come? I've been using it for almost a year and it beats any other method I've tried (D4, Orbitrac, Record Doctor II vacuum machine).

    If you follow the directions, there's nothing better. I actually use the vacuum machine as part of the process (to save time), but even without that, the Disc Doctor system is the way to go.
     
  9. Roscoe

    Roscoe Active Member

    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    The only caveat with Disk Doctor is that you MUST be extremely thorough with the rinsing phase. I typically rinse at least 3 or 4 times. If you don't, you're almost guaranteed to have rice krispies when playing.

    Also, it sometimes takes a couple of plays after cleaning to get the rice krispies out, even after a thorough rinsing.

    As much as I love the sound of vinyl, these are the kinds of things that drive me back to CDs.
     
  10. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist

    Location:
    Virginia
    I've read and been told that the wet method will indeed salvage the sound of very dirty records--BUT forever after you'll have to play them wet. In other words, there's more damage this way, enough that only playing them wet will conceal the damage, if that makes any sense.

    Gardo
     
  11. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven

    I do use Stanton record cleaner and stylus cleaner and as I mentioned in another thread, they do work great.
     
  12. Stax Fan

    Stax Fan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest
    The Audioquest is a carbon-fiber brush. It's meant to collect and direct the dust off the record instead of lifting it off. Hold it flat to the surface (with no pressure other than that of the weight of the brush itself) and gradually angle it outward towards the edge of the LP, pushing the collected dust off the edge. Still use my Zerostat, too! :)
     
  13. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    Exactly ... Otherwise, the Audioquest WILL just leave a line of dust on the record. Took me a while to get the hang of it ... It's really easy to misuse a carbon-fiber brush, but used properly it's a great tool.
     
  14. Dave B

    Dave B Senior Member

    Location:
    Nokomis, FL
    Thanks for the tip. I have tried it and it does work much better - Why don't the instructions tell you that? Or did I miss that part?
     
  15. Stax Fan

    Stax Fan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest
    I saw it used before I ever had one, so all I had to do was get the hang of it when I got one. Somethin' else...the carbon fibers are actually meant to discharge static electricity. Cool brush, eh? Still, nothin' like a Zerostat!
     
  16. sgraham

    sgraham New Member

    Location:
    Michigan
    My experience with Discwasher brushes is that they work *great* the first few times, but then (even if you clean the brush properly) very quickly stop lifting the liquid off the record adequately. Has this changed? I know it was that way from the original through the last one I tried, which I think was version IV - but it was a good while ago.
     
  17. SteveSDCA

    SteveSDCA Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego
    I have one of those Audioquest anti-static brushes and I swear it actually created more static. AKA snap, crackle and pop. Maybe I was using it the wrong way
     
  18. Stax Fan

    Stax Fan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest
    Weird. For discharging static, can't beat a Zerostat. If you've never used one, be sure to turn the volume all the way down when you use it...otherwise, when the static is discharged, the cartridge will pick it up and send a loud pop through your speakers! :eek: :eek:
     
  19. Pinknik

    Pinknik Senior Member

    Just so ya know, I was having hella static problems with my turntable and assumed it must be the LP's and the environment. While these obviously contribute, I solved all my static problems when I started grounding parts of the turntable. This is a VPI HW-19, and I actually have grounds coming, not just from the tonearm, but at the motor and platter spindle as well. Problem eliminated, although I do have little wires running amok now. As for "rice crispies" with the Disc Doctor, I've never had that problem, but I do use a machine for the drying step. Be sure to use distilled water. Any residue I've noticed with this method is usually in the run out groove where the vacuum can't get to it.
     
  20. RetroSmith

    RetroSmith Forum Hall Of Fame<br>(Formerly Mikey5967)

    Location:
    East Coast
    >>>>>Yes, even if you wash the records by hand, youve got to not only RINSE with Distilled water, but after that, I usually wet a second cleaning brush with distilled water only and wipe the record again, this seem to get more of the residue off it.

    You dont need a vacum machine if you dont mind a little work. Ive found it works almost as well.
     
  21. Albertporter

    Albertporter New Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    A heavy duty record cleaning machine such as the VPI 17F makes a huge improvement in sound quality and often reduces background noise, if due to debris (not damage).

    The best cleaner I've used in my VPI is Record Research Deep Clean and Image Restorer. Deep clean works to remove stubborn materials such as mold release compound and Image Restorer is for everyday cleaning of LP's that are in decent condition.

    I also use Last preservative, followed by a final rinse with Record Research Image Restorer. This removes any left over traces of the treatment and debris dislodged by the Last treatment. Distilled water may be used as a final rinse but is not necessary.

    The comments about Photo Flow have been passed around since the 1960's. The Cecil Watts company touted its merit in some of their literature.

    Photo Flow is a trademark of The Eastman Kodak company and was manufactured as a wetting agent for film after archival rinse. I never used it for prints and would certainly not suggest it for fiber based papers.

    It is an almost soapy (slippery) solution and must be diluted before use. More that three or four drops in a quart of distilled water would be excessive. I would not use the same pick up tube of a VPI record cleaning machine with Photo Flow and commercially available record cleaning solutions. Even if the LP was clean before applying the Photo Flow.
     
  22. quadjoe

    quadjoe Senior Member

    Photo flow

    I agree about the Photo-Flow solution, I wouldn't recommend it on vinyl LP's as it wasn't made for that purpose. When I used to develop my own film I used Photo-Flow on the final rinse of the negatives as it prevented the formation of water spots and sped the drying time of the negatives (which is what it was made to do). While I never saw any residue on the film, I'm not sure that there wasn't any. If you do use it be sure to use the smallest amount possible, the last thing you want is a record that attracts dust like fly paper attracts flies.
     
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