Audio desk ultrasonic Lp cleaner

mahiruha

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I have been reading about this LP cleaner for a long time. I have been using my VPI 16.5 RCM with L'art Du Son solution for last 10 years and very happy with the performance. This year I thought I must get an ultrasonic cleaner to see if it can offer any significant improvement. I got the old model. It reached me last week. Then I realised I need good quality distilled water to use it effectively. After some research I found a place and I got 5 litre of laboratory grade 99% pure distilled water. The unit comes with 2 bottles of cleaning solution and 1 bottle mixed with 4.5 litres of water can clean 100 records. I prepared the unit and cleaned 3 lps which were already cleaned with VPI RCM several times. All the LPs although looked mint had few pops and crackle sound. I was expecting that lps will sound the same but without any pops and crackle. I played the lps and I noticed although this machine does not fully eliminate pops and crackle but minimised them a lot and there is a huge improvement in the overall sound. The sound has become more dynamic, enhanced bass and more three dimensional presentation. It is like playing a better copy of the lp with a new cartridge. I have never experienced such an improvement from a passive device. Now I am convinced that ultrasonic cleaning is absolutely essential for vinyl playback.
 
I am using DIY US cleaner followed by Vinyl Vac Vaccume cleaner with Excellent results for last 6 months.
FM Nishant from Pune helped me assemble the kit.
 
I am using DIY US cleaner followed by Vinyl Vac Vaccume cleaner with Excellent results for last 6 months.
FM Nishant from Pune helped me assemble the kit.
Please elaborate. What kind of improvement could you see with vs without US cleaning?
Specifically, does the US cleaning remove/reduce crackling?
I have a few LPs with a fair bit of crackling but look very good.
 
I am using DIY US cleaner followed by Vinyl Vac Vaccume cleaner with Excellent results for last 6 months.
FM Nishant from Pune helped me assemble the kit.
I think it is better to do the vacuum cleaning first followed by ultrasonic cleaning because the process of vacuuming has the potential of introducing dust back to the groove which were eliminated by US cleaning. There is a company Kirmuss audio which uses the same process of a modified DIY US cleaner followed by some treatment which can be done easily. Here is the video of the process
Kirmuss audio basically using a machine like this https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...pm=a2700.7724857.normalList.57.2a6d1170wEFthF with a modified record rotating mechanism.
 
I have seen visible dust after cleaning about 40 lps in US cleaner.
After removing the lp from the us tub,I keep it on old turntable.
Then I apply about 15 ml of Distilled water with camel hair brush and then wet vacuum the lp for about 3 rotations.

Ultrasonic Cleaning solution contains Distilled water 6 liters+5 ml of Triton 100+5 ml of enzyme Cleaner.Triton 100 acts as a surfactant while the Enzyme cleaner has proteolytic enzyme which breaks down protein.Ultrasound helps in releasing all the dirt in to the water.

Now after 20 minutes of US cleaning,I reapply the distilled water on the lp surface to keep the remaining dirt loose.Then I apply Vinylvac wand on the lp and start wet vacuuming the water.All the remnants of the dirt are thus lifted from the deep groves.

There is dramatic difference in the sound quality before and after cleaning.You will have to hear it to believe it.
I have thus cleaned about 1000 lps in this manner.
 
I watched this excellent video about use of different surfactants.
Today I have tried for the first time Ilford Ilfotol wetiing agent with excellent result. There is clearly a noticeable improvement over everything I have used so far. Now I am curious to experiment with Triton X-100. Can anybody tell me where I can get that in India. Is it harmful for the skin ?
Thanks.
 
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