Cleaning Vinyl Records?

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Comments

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Clipdat wrote: »
    I guess I've been lucky, I just use a CF brush like that, and/or a quick wipe with a microfiber towel.

    Sometimes a few blasts from a compressed air can if there's a lot of dust on a record.

    Yes sir! You’re lucky!

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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,557
    Or I'm just stupid, and I've never actually played back a "clean" record, since supposedly even brand new records straight out of the shrink wrap are not "clean".
    halo wrote: »
    Yes sir! You’re lucky!

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    edited May 2018
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Or I'm just stupid, and I've never actually played back a "clean" record, since supposedly even brand new records straight out of the shrink wrap are not "clean”

    I just cleaned some brand new records and I got a bunch of junk off the Doors album but hardly anything came off the Pink Floyd or Halsey albums. You never know and I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.

    Even after cleaning the new Halsey album, the last track on side A is all static. Every other track is dead quiet. The last track on side B has some static but nowhere near as bad as side A. Weird
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,557
    Could be a manufacturing issue with the way it was pressed? Might try returning it for another copy if you purchased it from Amazon or somewhere with a nice return policy.
    halo wrote: »
    Even after cleaning the new Halsey album, the last track on side A is all static. Every other track is dead quiet. The last track on side B has some static but nowhere near as bad as side A. Weird

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    I got it before I went into the hospital so I think the 30 days are up.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,557
    edited May 2018
    Time to write a "sob story" email to the record label and see if they'll hook you up with a new copy. :)

    I've had mixed experiences with this route. Sometimes labels reply and are helpful, other times they ignore.
    halo wrote: »
    I got it before I went into the hospital so I think the 30 days are up.

  • Manticore
    Manticore Posts: 408
    Its amazing how much gunk comes off some albums. As stated some more than others. I wash them all, even new ones. More times than not there is a noticeable difference in sound quality when washing your previous familiar albums. Its rare that i will spin a record before washing it at least once myself.
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    "The early Klingon gets the Gagh"
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,557
    You guys are welcome anytime to come over and wash my 900+ records.
  • Manticore
    Manticore Posts: 408
    Got Beer?/\/\/\
    Denon AVR X4200W
    Parasound A23 amplifier
    Parasound A23 amplifier
    LG 65" Ultra HD4k
    LG 4kBR - UP970
    Denon DVM 4800
    Denon DP 3000 turntable
    Saec 308sx tonearm w/
    Dynavector 10x5 cart
    Vincent PHO 701 Phono Preamp
    MIT Avt3 Speaker c's
    Audio Quest Big Sur ic's
    Polk SDA 1C's modded
    Polk LSim 707
    Polk LSiM706c
    Polk RTiA 3's
    Polk 80F/X-RT
    Polk DSW PRO 440wi sub
    Infinity bu2 sub
    "The early Klingon gets the Gagh"
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,557
    Nope. Not for 11 months now. My fridge is stocked with La Croix sparkling water instead.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB_YWGuYGn4
    Manticore wrote: »
    Got Beer?/\/\/\

  • Manticore
    Manticore Posts: 408
    Ha...water juice. Funny stuff.
    Denon AVR X4200W
    Parasound A23 amplifier
    Parasound A23 amplifier
    LG 65" Ultra HD4k
    LG 4kBR - UP970
    Denon DVM 4800
    Denon DP 3000 turntable
    Saec 308sx tonearm w/
    Dynavector 10x5 cart
    Vincent PHO 701 Phono Preamp
    MIT Avt3 Speaker c's
    Audio Quest Big Sur ic's
    Polk SDA 1C's modded
    Polk LSim 707
    Polk LSiM706c
    Polk RTiA 3's
    Polk 80F/X-RT
    Polk DSW PRO 440wi sub
    Infinity bu2 sub
    "The early Klingon gets the Gagh"
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Clipdat wrote: »
    You guys are welcome anytime to come over and wash my 900+ records.
    It’s a labor of love and I don’t love doing it, even to my own records. You couldn’t pay me enough to do this for someone else. It’s a PITA IMHO.
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 2,961
    Too true, never thought I would get through my measly 250+. But it's really a once and done for me I hope. Did the US cleaning routine including pre and post cleaning rinse. Very happy with the results.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    Clipdat wrote: »
    You guys are welcome anytime to come over and wash my 900+ records.

    No wonder you don't have any storage space left. :DB)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • Tramsparent_
    Tramsparent_ Posts: 14
    edited February 2019
    I've just completed a DIY Ultrasonic record cleaner project. I'm using slotted rubber rollers instead of a rod-through system. I only have a few hundred albums so I thought I'd build my own for something to do.

    The 6L tank was purchased online and the same goes for the (1) r.p.m. 110V electric motors.

    I'm using an Edwards Audio TT3 table with a Nogaoka MP-500 cartridge so I wanted the records to be as clean as I could get them and I thought I'd try Ultrasonic cleaning as a non-contact cleaning method.

    I fill the tank with Reverse Osmosis water, a few drops of "Jet-Dry" Rinse-Agent as a surfactant and a few caps of Isopropyl. I set the timer for 15 minutes (which is what it takes to spin the records once).

    Considering the records are 1/3 submerged to start with, (1) revolution seems more than enough to do a thorough job.

    I had some initial concerns as the very first (and brand-new album) that I pulled from the tank and air-dryed, was FULL of ticks and pops.

    This turned out to be simple static buildup so I changed up the way I was cleaning to add a mist of R.O. water and a rub-dry with another used (but clean) microfiber towel (as new ones shed for a while), immediately after they leave the tank.

    The only issue so far is after (4) cleaning sessions, (12) albums, the water gets up to 40C without using the tank's heater so I either change the solution in the tank or let it cool down.

    I have some albums that are 60+ years old and I have no idea where they came from but the filthiest albums come out shiny clean and are super-quiet.

    I'm a fan of this cleaning method.
  • My regimen that works well:
    • LAST power cleaner (for new records)
    • AIVS enzyme-based cleaners
    • Alcohol-based cleaner

    All of this on an ancient VPI 16.5 vacuum cleaner.

    I use Blutack to clean the stylus, and LAST stylast to preserve it.

    I like LAST products, and when my enzyme cleaners are gone, I'll probably just move to his record cleaning solution.

    And finally, I use the AudioQuest record brush for small dust and anti-static.
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,306
    I've just completed a DIY Ultrasonic record cleaner project. I'm using slotted rubber rollers instead of a rod-through system. I only have a few hundred albums so I thought I'd build my own for something to do.
    Do you have any photos of this slotted rubber rollers bit?

    I disabled signatures.
  • Tramsparent_
    Tramsparent_ Posts: 14
    edited February 2019
    ci05lx0tzguv.jpg

    Not much to look at but it works well and is only for my use.
    An electric motor at one end of each aluminum shaft.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    The rollers are where your static is coming from.
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  • Once I remove the albums from the tank, spray them with a mist of RO water then rub them with a damp microfiber towel, the static is gone anyway.

    But thanks for the tip about the rollers, it's unlikely I would have considered that.