Cleaning Vinyl LPs

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In other lives I have been involved in extreme cleaning and microscopy. I would say that given the small dimensions and complexity of record grooves , I would never ever put anything on that even had any hint of leaving residue. Not to mention how expensive cartridges have become.

The job of cleaning a dirty record does not require anything that leaves a residue. The amount of detergent required is very low on a percentage basis and a few percent of an alcohol (ethanol or propanol)also increases the wettability of water. While it is true that Dawn or Tergitol(what the purists think they have to use) would leave a little residue if allowed to dry on the record, even with tap water it would wash away cleanly. In my part of the world (midwest USA) the water is moderately hard so if you don't rinse with distilled or deI water you will have more noise than you started with but I have never seen residue on the stylus after a tap water rinse. You flush with tap water to remove the detergent and then the DeI so the calcium and magnesium salts don't precipitate out onto the record surface. Fortunately they are soluble and the DeI carries them away effectively. I like to rinse once or twice with tap water and twice with DeI.
 
I have the stylus cleaner brush since way back. I only use it ocassionally. I still use my original Discwasher because the more recently sold ones are an instance of trademarks being bought and sold but the product having little or no resemblance to the original.

They had a cartridge headshell shock absorber that my friend and I tried. It did improve trackability of warped records and also added constant rumble of its own. The DiscTrakker. One of those ideas that sort of sounded good until you tried it.
I had a DiscTracker as well. My Garrard Zero 100 just wouldn't track any record that was warped, I forget if the little shock absorber helped or not. Switching to a different turntable with a more conventional tone arm did the trick though.
 
The DiscTrakker was one of those things where it was absolute love at first sight , for both me and my stereo best friend.
He bought one and I should have been suspicious when he brought it over and said "Here, you try it." It did help tracking but it made very much noise. It has a tangle of plastic fibers on the bottom which rode on the record surface. It did collect dust. It made a terrible rumbling sound. Constantly. Loudly Great looking idea. Totally unusable. We both really really wanted it to work. (Like the Denon Phono Crosstalk Canceller which we actually spent an entire weekend blind testing for each other. It had internal wiring and potentiometers but did nothing audible that we could discern.)

I had a Lab 80 once. I always lusted after the Zero 100. I like Linear trackers and have used a Technics SL-P1 since the eighties.
 
The DiscTrakker was one of those things where it was absolute love at first sight , for both me and my stereo best friend.
He bought one and I should have been suspicious when he brought it over and said "Here, you try it." It did help tracking but it made very much noise. It has a tangle of plastic fibers on the bottom which rode on the record surface. It did collect dust. It made a terrible rumbling sound. Constantly. Loudly Great looking idea. Totally unusable. We both really really wanted it to work. (Like the Denon Phono Crosstalk Canceller which we actually spent an entire weekend blind testing for each other. It had internal wiring and potentiometers but did nothing audible that we could discern.)

I had a Lab 80 once. I always lusted after the Zero 100. I like Linear trackers and have used a Technics SL-P1 since the eighties.
That Crosstalk Canceller sounds much like Audionics "Axial Tilt". I didn't use it for years as it's such a pain to set up but it does work. I'm not sure that improving separation form 20dB to say 30dB would make a lot of difference in stereo reproduction but it definitely helps to improve SQ decoding. The test tone on most test records is far too short to give you time for adjustment and you really need an oscilloscope to see the null in the waveform, it's hard to discern by ear.
 
We REALLY wanted the crosstalk canceller to work and it REALLY didn't. Just like the DiscTrakker. But both caused somewhat enjoyable hobby and social activity. :LOL: :giggle:;)
On the crosstalk canceller all testing was blinded and there was no difference. We wasted a whole weekend with that piece of doodoo.
 
We REALLY wanted the crosstalk canceller to work and it REALLY didn't. Just like the DiscTrakker. But both caused somewhat enjoyable hobby and social activity. :LOL: :giggle:;)
On the crosstalk canceller all testing was blinded and there was no difference. We wasted a whole weekend with that piece of doodoo.
Yes to work at all it would have to be carefully adjusted. The difference when listening to stereo would likely be completely unnoticeable. Back in the day 20dB (a voltage difference of 10/1) was considered to be perfect separation.
 
Apparently those carbon fiber brushes aren't good for vinyl ( makes sense: carbon fiber is a hard brittle material ) so I've abandoned them & have been using a 70s oak handled discwasher brush instead. It works well.

I got lazy & put a brand new LP on without running it thru the spin clean. It LOOKED clean, but I was getting some noise: I even suspected non-fill/bad pressing. So I ran it thru the spin clean, let it dry, and it played perfectly afterwards.

I usually do 10-15 records before changing the water. I only use distilled, which is cheap enough to buy. Then I air dry the brushes & shop vac any lint/gunk off them before doing another batch of records.

I must have bought the deluxe kit, as I have 2 sets of brushes? Which is handy
 
I am using the Ortofon fiber brush with distilled water with a few drops of Alcohol 70% but I have found that for oily smudges and for difficult ones, there is nothing like just plain alcohol 70%! I know it's "moiduh" on the vinyl but I am sure that they won't be played again, if ever....
 
I just purchased the Hudson Hi-Fi UV Stylus Cleaner and the Anti-Static Dust Brush. Anyone have any experience with these two products?

I was using a Magic Eraser on the Stylus. Then, switched to the Onzow Zerodust Stylus Cleaner but because I’ve read a recent bad review article regarding the Onzow, I’ve returned to the Magic Eraser. I ordered the Anti-Static Dust Brush because playing records on my Rega produces static. Something I completely forgot about, getting back into spinning records again. They offer a gel cleaner too, similar to Onzow, but I’m afraid to use it.

https://www.hudsonhifi.com/products/hudson-hi-fi-uv-record-cleaner
https://www.hudsonhifi.com/products...leaning-brush-turntable-cleaning-record-brush
 
I just purchased the Hudson Hi-Fi UV Stylus Cleaner and the Anti-Static Dust Brush. Anyone have any experience with these two products?

I was using a Magic Eraser on the Stylus. Then, switched to the Onzow Zerodust Stylus Cleaner but because I’ve read a recent bad review article regarding the Onzow, I’ve returned to the Magic Eraser. I ordered the Anti-Static Dust Brush because playing records on my Rega produces static. Something I completely forgot about, getting back into spinning records again. They offer a gel cleaner too, similar to Onzow, but I’m afraid to use it.

https://www.hudsonhifi.com/products/hudson-hi-fi-uv-record-cleaner
https://www.hudsonhifi.com/products...leaning-brush-turntable-cleaning-record-brush
Not familiar with these; but how do you inspect your stylus, a basic magnifying glass maybe?
 
Taking a day to mostly clean some new (old) vinyl.😵

A collection of CD-4, QS, QM, UHJ Ambisonic, and LP's that have never been released in a digital format...

I need a 🍺
When I did this with just my CD 4s a couple of months ago and it took the better part of an evening! But the difference is huge.
 
Nope. The old fashioned way. I just eyeball it. I use the Magic Eraser after every one, two or three records.
Not sure if anyone is aware or not; Magic Eraser is abrasive. I know it's advertised as non scratching, but it does contain a very fine abrasive. I'm sure the abrasive wouldn't hurt the stylus, but I'd be concerned about leaving trace amounts of the abrasive on the stylus and therefore the LP. If you want to check the abrasiveness of Magic Eraser, rub it on a piece of clear plexiglass and see what happens. Just saying, to each his/her own.
 
Not sure if anyone is aware or not; Magic Eraser is abrasive. I know it's advertised as non scratching, but it does contain a very fine abrasive. I'm sure the abrasive wouldn't hurt the stylus, but I'd be concerned about leaving trace amounts of the abrasive on the stylus and therefore the LP. If you want to check the abrasiveness of Magic Eraser, rub it on a piece of clear plexiglass and see what happens. Just saying, to each his/her own.
Very interesting and something to consider. I do know Mrs. Pupster likes to use Magic Erasers to help clean the rings on our toilet bowls; so probably won't be utilizing those. :)

But that does make me wonder, aside from the typical built up grudge/dust/lint type stuff a stylus may pick up, does it also get a build up of some "cut" vinyl off the LP as it makes it's rounds?
 
But that does make me wonder, aside from the typical built up grudge/dust/lint type stuff a stylus may pick up, does it also get a build up of some "cut" vinyl off the LP as it makes it's rounds?
WOW! Never thought of that. Maybe on a molecular basis, but I don't think it would be significant. Never know though............... need to consult a physicist.
 
oh, man, I got some incredibly DUSTY LPs from a great Discogs seller in Zaragoza (dentaku), you know the kind of very fine dust from when you sweep? well, that one...
and thankfully I cleaned them and played them once to have the stylus remove the dust and they sound almost PERFECT!
Like I mentioned, just distilled water with a small stream of alcohol 70% in a spray bottle and KimWipes do the trick!
 
oh, man, I got some incredibly DUSTY LPs from a great Discogs seller in Zaragoza (dentaku), you know the kind of very fine dust from when you sweep? well, that one...
and thankfully I cleaned them and played them once to have the stylus remove the dust and they sound almost PERFECT!
Like I mentioned, just distilled water with a small stream of alcohol 70% in a spray bottle and KimWipes do the trick!
cool kap'; doing some conversions today, and hate the fact, even though LPs are still sealed in shrink, they can still also have lots of clicks & pops - ugh! time for some RX-8 De-Click!
 
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