Digital on Vinyl – What’s the Point?

I only brush lightly and just enough to agitate the fluids a bit to loosen anything in the grooves. That's what Audio Intelligent recommends and that has worked for me 99% of the time. Certainly you don't need more than that for cleaning away mold release compound from new records.

If I see clumps of crud stuck on the record surface I will do what it takes to break it loose -- I'd rather have a damaged record than a damaged stylus. I have even used my fingernail for really stubborn particles, but that only as a last resort obviously.

Ok, thanks much RT.  I'm going to look into the items you've recommended.

Joe,

2 points which are important with cleaning records.

Always replace records with a new sleeve

Never allow air drying. No matter how pure your water there are bound to be solutes from the cleaning process which form microscopic concretions with evaporation. 

If you have a large LP collection invest in a decent vacuum type RCM. It's a worthwhile investment.

Steve

Best cleaning fluid I ever used:

PURE GROOVE - CLEARAUDIO

Excellent. 

+1 on using a vacuum

However, I never re-sleeve right after vacuuming the record. I allow any residual moisture a chance to air dry first. The vacuum never gets 100% of the water off.

RT,

My LPs are bone dry after cleaning but obviously you wouldn't put a wet record in a sleeve.

Cleaning a record with a decent RCM can make a 'one box improvement' to SQ, even with new records, and I can never understand why people with large record collections don't invest in one. I often demonstrate this with HiFi friends when they visit, and always with their own LPs. IMO trying to clean a record without a vacuum is worse than not cleaning at all.

ATB

Steve

Steve....I agree about importance of using a RCM.

In early 2011 I put a whole new two-channel system together and started playing records again, after letting them sit on shelves for some 10+ years. One of the first things I did was get a record cleaner, initially a Spin Clean. I soon realized that was not enough and got a Okki Nokki RCM. I am still amazed at how well it can restore the sound quality of old records after a thorough cleaning.

RCM is the way to go.

When cleaning a vacuum cleaner with an RCM, though, you don't want to dry it to the point that you are running the vacuum over a dry record, which hurts the vinyl.  I let mine air dry a little because I think the risk of having a very slight amount of solutes is better than running hot vacuum over a dry record and you can never be sure when a record might be dry (it is different every time depending on the record). 

OOPS, I meant, cleaning a record with an RCM in the first sentence there. My bad.

Does the vacuum head come into contact with the vinyl?

Yes. The part of the vacuum that contacts the record surface is covered with pads. You want to keep them pristine, and change them when they start to wear out. Which reminds me, I am due to change mine out about now.

Ant to add to what I said already...I use two vacuum wands and two brushes with my RCM. One for the cleaning fluids and one for the pure water rinse. Also, when I vacuum, I do it for no more than two revolutions of the record.

Thanks RT.  I looked at the Okki Nokki expecting it to be Japanese for Nitty Gritty .  Turns out it's made in Germany.  I like it's features.  You sound quite satisfied with the performance, what about the built quality?  Will it last 20 years?

I am happy with it. It seems sturdy enough. However, I am on my second one. After a year of heavy use, the vacuum switch started going bad. Sumiko (the U.S. importer) handled it under warranty by giving me a complete new machine. That may have just been a fluke. I think he build quality and appearance are quite good otherwise.

If I had the money to spend, I might look at the Clearaudio, but it's considerably more expensive. But I have a CA turntable and the build quality is excellent. Like what you would expect from Naim.

I'm lucky to own a Keith Monks RCM. The record is separated from the suction head by a thread and it is very efficient at sucking up the fluid from the record with no residue. I can play the record immediately after or put it away for storage. The hospital grade vacuum motor is also quiet enough for me to clean records whilst listening to another in the same room. It takes about 3 minutes to clean one record. I've had mine now for about 9 years with no problems, only changing the cleaning brush and thread spool as required. Spare parts are readily available from the company. Unfortunately these machines have now gone up from £1500 to £3500 since I bought mine. If I was in the market for a machine now I would also consider a Loricraft which uses the same vacuum method.

Steve

I'm lucky to own a Keith Monks RCM. The record is separated from the suction head by a thread and it is very efficient at sucking up the fluid from the record with no residue. I can play the record immediately after or put it away for storage. The hospital grade vacuum motor is also quiet enough for me to clean records whilst listening to another in the same room. It takes about 3 minutes to clean one record. I've had mine now for about 9 years with no problems, only changing the cleaning brush and thread spool as required. Spare parts are readily available from the company. Unfortunately these machines have now gone up from £1500 to £3500 since I bought mine. If I was in the market for a machine now I would also consider a Loricraft which uses the same vacuum method.

Steve

Wow!  For that money it ought to be Keith Moon's RCM .  

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice.  What I've learned hear is that there is a range of RCMs that will satisfactorily clean LPs without marring the vinyl surface.  And wasn't that what this post was all about to begin with ???