Record cleaners revisited...

Hi folks...

I've now had my VPI 16.5 for a month now, and I thought I'd post a few notes I have and ask fellow VPI owners what they think.

I find the machine excellent in most regards - sure, it's noisy and it would be nice if the turntable bit could operate in both directions, but apart from that I'm delighted. Damned expensive, though, for what it is, but worth it if you want to get the most out of your vinyl.

I finally managed to track the basic fluids for the player down - the hardest bit was finding the right water - double deionised reverse osmosis water from Tesco, of all places (Pharmacy ordered 5L for me for about four quid). Isopropyl alcohol came courtesy of Mr Pig, thanks again mate. I had a bottle of the VPI concentrate and some photographic wetting agent already.

I've found a decent mix to be 80/20 water:alcohol with the concentrate and photoflow - I cleaned around 25 LPs last night with much success, although I did this with some reluctance as I've read negative things about using alcohol on the records. I figured, so long as I don't leave it on too long and so long as it's hoovered up properly, I'd be OK. I was.

I've never quite established what the best way to clean records is - do you spread the fluid lightly and leave it for a minute or two, or do you work it into the grooves with the brush. If you use the brush, do you press hard once the record is wet, or lightly. What sort of brush angle - straight up or tilted?

I've found decent results to be had by spreading the fluid over the record without too much pressure to begin with, leaving for maybe 30 seconds and then (with the brush at right angles to the groove) pressing down with light to moderate pressure whilst holding the brush roughly straight up. Sometimes I tilt it to begin with (seems to help 'saturate' the grooves).

What methods do you use? Am I in danger of damaging the grooves of the records by pressing harder, or will it simply result in a better clean?

I'm continually surprised at just how little fluid seems to build up in the waste-fluid reservoir - where does it go? I try to tilt and release once every ten sides or so, but sometimes there is next to no fluid coming out (ooh er, matron!)

Does anyone have any experience in using alternative brushes other than the VPI supplied one? I've only done perhaps 100 LPs since getting the VPI, yet the brush is already beginning to go a bit straggly. A new brush s not cheap (for what it is) so alternatives would be welcome...

Well, folks, enough for now. Just thought I'd put my thoughts down for the record, so to speak

John