I'm still wary of ultrasonic cleaners (are we sure they're not dissolving our records, lol?), but at $200, might be worth a go. Anyone tried one? Vevor Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner Vinyl Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine 6l Knob
It looks pretty cheap, I've bought one plain ultrasonic machine by that brand and whenever plugged in it made the safety switches go off so I never got to see how good or bad it was.
I do have some concerns about using ultrasonic for records too. For my records a regular RCM is doing all I need but it did cost me more than that, a Project.
Hey all! Well, I recall when ultrasonic cleaners sort of came to the fore, and the prices were horrendous. Even today you have pay £2500 or more for a unit that operates at 120Hz. I'm never going to be able to justify that kind of expense, so wrote them off. I was really surprised to see the prices had fallen on some models (all at 40Hz). In fact, there's a Vevor model on Ebay at £179 new!! I did a little research, and I'm directly quoting Uglyversal here, because I found two interesting things. Firstly, the ads have a new paragraph added about there being a redesign of some kind. Not important or specific, but there. The second was perhaps the explainer - early models had a problem with the Earthing in the unit. In fact, as of August 2022 there is a customs statement that those early units suffer "destruction of the product at the border". I'm guessing Mr. UV here has such a unit. I don't know if you can return it, or get the earthing fixed, I can't even be sure that's your issue - but it's worth knowing. Me? Yeah, I bought one. I justified it thus: 1) I'm getting it from Ebay with all the buyer protection. 2) I've watched videos on Youtube and there are people happily using this unit. 3) I can be sloppy. Sloppy? I cleaned some record the other day, and when I got to play one of them the surface noise was horrendous. Worse than when I'd cleaned it. Now, I cleaned it again and it was okay, but the fact is, I clearly didn't do it right first time around. I was probably tired or in a rush, but whatever. I do have a Spinclean, which I paid plenty for, and I've never liked it. In fact, it was an insta-regret really. Like others, I'm shocked at how poor new Vinyl can be. Getting a truly quiet (and I guess we all have different tolerances) pressing is virtually impossible, it seems. Doing a little research, I don't think there can be any debate that ultrasonic is the very best method of cleaning records. Like it or not, it just is. I really don't need a big(ish) machine, but that's what you've got to do. I knew I'd never go for the 120Hz models, so a 6L 40mhz is the compromise. That said, it seems to do the job. If my house burns down on starting it up (once it arrives, which is goodness knows when since we have postal strikes in the UK, and besides it takes a week under normal circumstances) I'll let you all know. I hope you can fix yours, UV. Product Safety Report: Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaners (2205-0322) (2205-0324)
I don’t feel ultrasonics that operate at 40Hz do any better than a Spin Clean (they might even do worse) so to me a waste of funds. Now 120 Hz is a very different matter, but of course they’re costly - I wish I had one.
As I noted elsewhere, I have a SpinClean. I'm not a fan. It's a fancy bucket, with some brushes. I can clean better, imo, using lint free cloths and a suitable cleaner. In fact, most of the time I simply use a surfactant, a little alcohol, and distilled water with a lint free cloth and can clean better than my SpinClean. However, each to their own! I know some people love their SpinClean (I wont call it a machine). That said, I think ultrasonic is indeed the very best way to clean records. SpinClean is different. SpinClean is using brushes - brushes that are course enough that they can't get into the grooves (imo). So it abrasively (though gently) wipes away dirt. Ultrasonic is going into the groove to dislodge dirt that is deeply embedded. It's fundamentally different in that way, using bubbles instead of brushes. Albeit, 120Hz will do this better, the price difference between a 40Hz version and a 120Hz is more than 10X. A Spinclean is £79 at Amazon UK. That's an expensive bucket and brush. A 40Hz Ultrasonic is £179. So yes, the ultrasonic is more expensive, a little over twice as much, but I'm wagering it's worth it. We shall see in a weeks time!!!
I was kinda interested to try this cheap us cleaner, until I heard the noise they make (in various YouTube vids). Lord I couldn’t be in the same building let alone the same room with that banshee-like shrieking. My previous us cleaner was a custom built unit, basically the same as the Vevor, it cost me more in parts, looked way worse, but did the job. But man it was a lot quieter
the humminguru is about 400 bucks, has a 40khz cleaner and a dry cycle. i really liked using mine over the past year, it works well.
This is not the information I've been able to glean, well not exactly. There are several instances I found on Youtube of people getting really good results. I don't expect 120Hz performance - obviously - but 40Hz machines are everywhere right now. To quote: "The cavitation bubble formed by a 40khz unit is much larger and more powerful than those of a higher frequency (60khz, 80khz, 120khz, 135khz). When the cavitation bubble implodes, it releases a jet stream and heat. The larger bubble releases a larger amount of power and heat (10,000 degrees kelvin, according to scientific reports, in minuscule amounts). The 40khz cavitation bubble is too large to penetrate the record groove, but all ultrasonic cleaners rely on the jet stream to dislodge any debris. The smaller cavitation bubble of a higher frequency cleaner can form inside the groove, next to debris and dislodge it. Higher frequency Ultrasonic Cleaners generate MORE cavitation bubble than lower frequency units. More bubbles, more implosions, better cleaning coverage. I frequently get asked which frequency is the best for cleaning vinyl records. I recommend the following: If you collect albums that are in poor condition, such as mold or water damage, the the lower frequencies (40khz or 60khz) are the better option. (Many collectors buy from flea markets, estate sales, etc). If your collection is already in good condition (finger prints and dust), then the higher frequencies would better suit the collector (80khz, 135khz)." SOURCE: DIY Ultrasonic Record Cleaner - What Frequency to Use? Now, please note - I have a wife. I was able to convince her that £179 wasn't too much to pay for cleaning records. I was unable to persuade her that £2500 was fair and reasonable. So damn the science, the 120Hz model just wasn't an option. As stated - I no longer use my SpinClean. I find I can do as good a job without it. Whether this will be better yet...... we shall see.
Indeed, another 40Hz model. I'd also imagine the build quality of your unit is going to be an upgrade on a £179 unit. Good to hear you're getting good results though. The reviews I've read back you up.
I have a lower-power ultra-sonic and - this is just my opinion of course - whatever cleaning that occurs is primarily just by sitting it in the bath, having it rotate and then wiping it down afterwards (I also do a pre-wash in a Spin Clean). I feel I get better results from my Spin Clean alone than if I used the ultra-sonic without that pre-wash. I guess the only way to really tell is to do pre/post ultrasonic needle drops. Someday. I certainly, sincerely wish you luck with the unit you're purchasing - I just wanted to share my personal experience. Even $179 isn't worth wasting.
I put together a DIY US tank a few years ago. In fact my tank looks like the one in the link- but mine has a LED panel and +/- buttons instead of knobs. I pre clean using a Spin Clean, then a US bath, then rinse and vacuum dry. The water in the SC tank is dirty after 20 lps. There is a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the US tank after 20 lps. The sediment resembles fine silt, and represents debris etc NOT removed by the SC alone. I can hear a difference between a LP cleaned using the SC and vac dry, vs SC, US and vac dry. My machine is 40hz.
I've been using a Vevor for about a year now. It's advertised to be able to clean up to 6 records....NOT. The most I do is 3 (usually only 2) because anymore I find the cavitation is reduced quite a bit. I only use distilled water at temp of 35c and time of 15 min for 2 records, that I found is the best results. The motor rotates too fast to do less time, I've looked at buying a different wall plug that will lower the rotations per minute. But for less than $200 you get a 40KHz cleaner with motor device and all accessories, that easily cleans IMO close to 80-85% that the audiophile ones do. I also have a Project VC-S that I use to dry the records after the Vevor cycle, I'm very happy with the results and I saved close to $1.2 million not buying the audiophile US cleaners....LOL
I have a vevor tank and a rack and motor from Audiorevita. Works fine but agree on best results if running max 2 or 3 records simultaneously and vacuum dry afterwards. The fact you can clean other stuff like jewelry with it makes it an easier discussion with wifey.
Wear ear protection if you get one. I didn't and thought I ruined my hearing for life. I became extremely sensitive to high frequencies and sibilance. It was bad. Fortunately all went back to normal after a month. I'm back to using a Spin Clean, and honestly it works just as well for my needs. I think the cheaper ultrasonic cleaners make cavitation bubbles too large to be effective. I'd only consider a more expensive cleaner if I were dealing in bulk. For the price I can just get an NM copy of problem records off of discogs.
I always wear ear protection when using my Record Doctor. It helps preserve my hearing so I can enjoy my music at 85-90db. Record Doctor does an incredible job of cleaning btw. I'm kinda tired of the manual process but new vinyl is usually dead quiet after cleaning.
It's definitely worth noting that there are many ways to clean records, and a good few of them are very effective. A lot depends on the condition of the records to begin with, and of course none of these methods fixes scratches. Like many others, I've done a full circuit in cleaning! That is, I think I've tried most all the methods, and have spent a good few dollars in the process. What with the special cleaners, the chemicals, the brushes, the cloths, and on and on. My current preferred method is completely manual. I have my own cleaning solution of alcohol, distilled water, and surfactant and my lint free cloths. I also have a vacuum system for drying. This method does a good job, although not always (as I mentioned earlier, sometimes I get it wrong). All in all, I'm reasonably happy with my current process. That said, my method is completely manual. Worse - the majority of Vinyl I buy is not new. Some of it is from the 1970's. Which is another way of saying, it's had plenty of time to get dirty. Secondhand Vinyl can sound great, but sometimes it needs help. The reality for me is, I can't always afford the "Mint" copies either. Sometimes I have to settle for Very Good + or even Very Good, and that sometimes comes with challenges. Hence - a machine to do the heavy lifting is very welcome. Having watched a lot of videos on this, it is clear that these 40Hz systems do clean your discs. I mean, it's not as though they're doing nothing. Of course, 120Hz would be better, but that's just another reality I have to face. I can't afford nor justify it. I hear the comments about bubble size etc., but the way I look at it.... you can buy a Rega P1, or a Rega P10 record deck. The Rega 10 will sound better. But, if you can only afford a P1, would you be better off buying that an enjoying what it could do, or not buy anything because it's not as good as the best in the range?
