[Promee]

Hi vinyl fans! I have been looking into ultrasonic cleaning for my precious vinyl for a few months. I decided that my Nitty Gritty, while excellent, still didn’t get me all the way to sonic nirvana, especially since I started buying used vintage pressings (MoFi and similar) of some of my favorite albums. Many of the systems out there were hard to justify or even just afford, so I found myself looking at products from CleanerVinyl. They seem to strike a good balance between quality and price, bringing ultrasonic cleaning to a price point where I could try out for myself and hear the difference. I was frustrated that it was difficult for me to find a video on YouTube of an amateur audiophile showing the workings of the system and giving impressions, so I decided to make one for the next person who comes along. Please check it out below. I think I may make some more videos in the future and welcome feedback on the video as well as the method I am using with the records.

Cheers!

***UPDATE*** Please be sure to watch the second video and / or read comments below for updated impressions following a day of experimenting with and better learning how to use the CleanerVinyl system!

Day One: https://youtu.be/mWsjdTpP5Wo

Day Two: https://youtu.be/Y_sGq2FJYk4

[Promee]

Quick update as it’s way too late... I’m getting vastly better results as I get a feel for the process. I’m using slightly more dilute solution (probably correct per the recipe I was trying to follow). Also, I am running the ultrasonic for 15 minutes and running the turning motor at the lowest speed. I am not drying the vinyl using the fan on the CleanerVinyl, but I’m letting them drip dry for just a minute, then going over to the Nitty Gritty while they are still wet, gently brushing on a few drops of MoFi Super Record Wash per side, then vacuuming. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I have increased the temperature in the bath to about 37-39 degrees Celsius. For records I have bought used or that may have been mishandled, I am washing 3 at a time. For records purchased new and carefully handled, I am washing 6 at a time.

Running the motor slower, the temp higher, and the timer a few minutes longer makes for a much more intense wash. I am happy to report that there is no loss of detail or any perceptible damage to the records at all. Quite the opposite. The records have never looked so clean and literally shiny. The detail in the sound is  tremendously improved. The only pops / static present are clearly from slight scratches, and even common vinyl  (standard weight, not particularly special pressing, including some late 70s and early 80s) is totally refreshed and quieter than I believed possible for those records.

So, it won’t fix scratches, and it’s not supposed to, but it will eradicate dirt, gunk, and the noise they bring. There is a slight learning curve to using these, and it is complicated by the fact that there is a lot of information out there that just doesn’t seem to be true - for example some people say that turning the records slowly in a 40 kHz bath like this machine uses will cause damage to the grooves, permanently reducing the detail level of the sound. My experience up to this point would suggest that this is simply false. There are many experts on handling and care of vinyl who endorse this method. All of this is to say that the confusion made for an overly cautious and muddled start to this experiment, but now it is off and running.

I can now say unequivocally that the CleanerVinyl system is a tremendous value and something that everyone who is even slightly serious about vinyl should pick up. It is easy to use, very well designed and well crafted. All-in, the Easy6 system bundled with the micron filter plus the ultrasonic bath (purchased separately) came in a few bucks over $1,000, not including the distilled water and cleaning solutions. A vacuum cleaner is highly recommended to use alongside this system - for example the Record Doctor V is essentially the same as the Nitty Gritty and costs $200. Overall, this system is not cheap, but it is not outrageously expensive for what it does. It will prevent irreversible damage to records and provide an immediate and profound sonic upgrade to a whole record collection. It makes little sense to invest heavily in turntables that spin slightly quieter or cartridges that will more accurately track the grooves, gunk, dirt, dust, and all, before investing in getting the records themselves in top condition. Excellent cleaning is the bedrock underlying a great vinyl system, and once you have experienced the benefits of an ultrasonic cleaner, vacuum cleaning alone will never be good enough again.

So much for the quick update! 

[GentleBender]

Thanks for the review Promee. Us analog guys appreciate you sharing your experience and I will have to check it out one day. Looks like it would work great with my VPI 16.5.

[Promee]

Thanks for the review Promee. Us analog guys appreciate you sharing your experience and I will have to check it out one day. Looks like it would work great with my VPI 16.5.

You’re welcome! It was fun to do! I would obviously recommend it, and yes, that would be a great pairing!

[S Clark]

Ultrasonic vinyl cleaning has been a thing here at AC for a long time.  Even the DIY thread has been around since 2014                 ( https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=127810.0 ) . I'd say moving from vacuum cleaning to ultrasonic cleaning is like doubling or tripling your budget for your cartridge.  It's just a major step up in what you hear. 
The early adapters with the devotion or the bucks bought in with the expensive early commercial units.  Then us cheapskates made our own.  Now, the commercial units are at a level that any moderately serious vinyl afficianado can afford one. 
If you spin vinyl and have moved past your college Dual 1219 table and your Shure M97 cartridge, you need an ultrasonic cleaner. 

I'll add my warning, again.  Ultrasonic means you can't hear the primary cleaning frequency.  Audiologist are still undecided if the extremely loud volume, up to 140dB, that you can't hear can result in hearing damage.  Play it safe and leave the room, or use ear muffs when cleaning records. 

[Promee]

Ultrasonic vinyl cleaning has been a thing here at AC for a long time.  Even the DIY thread has been around since 2014                 ( https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=127810.0 ) . I'd say moving from vacuum cleaning to ultrasonic cleaning is like doubling or tripling your budget for your cartridge.  It's just a major step up in what you hear. 
The early adapters with the devotion or the bucks bought in with the expensive early commercial units.  Then us cheapskates made our own.  Now, the commercial units are at a level that any moderately serious vinyl afficianado can afford one. 
If you spin vinyl and have moved past your college Dual 1219 table and your Shure M97 cartridge, you need an ultrasonic cleaner. 

I'll add my warning, again.  Ultrasonic means you can't hear the primary cleaning frequency.  Audiologist are still undecided if the extremely loud volume, up to 140dB, that you can't hear can result in hearing damage.  Play it safe and leave the room, or use ear muffs when cleaning records.

That’s a good tip! It really makes a ton of sense as an investment. I think this model is somewhere closer to the commercial applications, but with a little DIY flavor. I’m very pleased with the value overall.

[mick wolfe]

A search for CleanerVinyl has a complete system popping up on Amazon for $629 + shipping. Maybe I'm missing something 

[Promee]

A search for CleanerVinyl has a complete system popping up on Amazon for $629 + shipping. Maybe I'm missing something 

Maybe it’s the 1 or 3 disc version - mine is the 6. And some do not include the filter, so fluid will have to be changed every few batches... Those are the two differentiators I can think of...

[Promee]

A search for CleanerVinyl has a complete system popping up on Amazon for $629 + shipping. Maybe I'm missing something 

I see it. It doesn’t have the micro filter system. They have a bundle with the Easy6 + filter for $899 on the CleanerVinyl website.

[toocool4]

Promee you are correct cleaning records is very important for many reasons. Some people look at record cleaners and say they are far too expensive, one of the things they forget is a clean record means your stylus will last longer. When you have spent a lot on a cartridge, the last thing you want to be doing is start replacing your cartridge every 6 months because you think a record cleaner is too expensive.
A record cleaner will soon pay for itself, by saving you money elsewhere.

All my records brand new or second-hand are cleaned and put into brand new anti-static sleeve before they go anywhere near my turntable.

What you are using here although works, looks like a lot of time and effort. I think the amount of money you have spent building the unit, you could have added a bit more and got yourself a professional machine. For me personally I want to spend more time listening than cleaning. Also a near silent machine is a must.

[mick wolfe]

Maybe it’s the 1 or 3 disc version - mine is the 6. And some do not include the filter, so fluid will have to be changed every few batches... Those are the two differentiators I can think of...

Ok thx. I figured a key ingredient was missing.

[mick wolfe]

After a little more investigation, the missing ingredient seems to be the cleaning tank itself. So the Amazon ad is just a bit deceptive unless you look to the photo breakdown on the left that highlights the parts you get for $629. The bottom line is that CleanerVinyl's package deal now seems to be a tad more attractive.

[Promee]

After a little more investigation, the missing ingredient seems to be the cleaning tank itself. So the Amazon ad is just a bit deceptive unless you look to the photo breakdown on the left that highlights the parts you get for $629. The bottom line is that CleanerVinyl's package deal now seems to be a tad more attractive.

Hey Mick!

I hope I caught you in time! Just didn't want you to order something with the wrong expectation. The CleanerVinyl Easy6 does not include the tank. If you want a tank like mine (the cheap one) you can get it on Amazon. You can get a discount on buying one from the CleanerVinyl folks if you bundle it, but they don't sell the cheap ones like on Amazon, only higher end ones. The difference in that kit is that it does not have the Micron Filter, which is in the Audiophile bundle. Tank is sold separately - I got mine on Amazon on sale for $119. Hope that helps!

[mick wolfe]

Thx again. If I were to proceed, I'd most likely just do their bundle. I like the idea of the filter you mention. Now to figure out where to store this thing when not in use.  BTW, did you do a comparison to the Kirmuss in regard to convenience, etc.?

[Promee]

Thx again. If I were to proceed, I'd most likely just do their bundle. I like the idea of the filter you mention. Now to figure out where to store this thing when not in use.  BTW, did you do a comparison to the Kirmuss in regard to convenience, etc.?

Not really, but I’m aware of Kirmuss. Seemed like his process was more complicated, but the ultrasonic really is just a tool and you can do whatever process works for you with it. The CleanerVinyl is actually very well designed and convenient. Going through the minimally dirty part of my collection where I do 6 records at a time, I’m getting through 18-24 per hour pretty easily with a 10-12 min wash and 5-10 min to dry. I am not using the vacuum on all of them anymore, as I’m using a much less concentrated solution that seems to dry with no real residue. Results are better like that than in my first video. The convenience has been pretty excellent now that I’m in a rhythm with it...