[Theronbo]

Review of a record cleaner.

https://a.co/d/9t2MHL7

There have been threads on this device previously.

It doesn’t clean surface smudgess or fingerprints.

It does clean the grooves very well.

My collection was rather noisy. Some albums had pops & clicks when new (Deutchè Grammaphone!).

This device is really impressive at cleaning out the noise.

I’d purchased a few months ago…

But, I’d bought an inexpensive Dayton turntable from parts express… $130 on clearance.

Worked but sound was not impressive. So, didn’t mess with it.

Few months later I forced myself to buy a better cartridge (Ortofono m2 blue $200).

Okay, that sounded decent. I have a couple hundred albums purchased 30-40 years ago.

Finally put the cleaner to use.

Holy crap!

It doesn’t clean smudges or fingerprints… but it gets the grit out of the grooves… suddenly, almost no surface noise at all…

This thing works.

I use a full 30 minute cycle - only 1/3 of a record is immersed at a time… so this is only 10 minutes per surface area.

1 gallon distilled water
1 pint isopropyl alcohol
2 drops dish soap

Comes with a drying rack which is very handy… better to simply let records drain dry than wipe off.

I use clean microfiber towels to remove fingerprints & smudges - after cleaning.

I wasn’t a fan of vinyl… but with the new cartridge & cleaning device …

I think playing records is now worth the effort…

Still no Dolby ATMOS surround sound… sound quality isn’t quite as good as streaming… changing tracks is a pain … & I don’t like my TV being blank while the music plays…


But, I’m now enjoying my rather ancient record collection.

Lot of music there that doesn’t get airtime today.

[Charles Xavier]

I have the digital version still sitting in the box since Christmas. One of these days i will get around to testing it out. All the reviews I have seen praise this unit.

[bkatbamna]

I have the digital version.  This is the single best purchase I have made as far as LP records.  Nothing else I have bought has made my records more enjoyable.

[S Clark]

Well, better late to the party than missing it entirely.  There are 12 pages on ultrasonics here  https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=127810.0
... and even more if you look around.
Ultrasonic cleaners work amazingly well. And they move up another notch if you will vacuum the solution off after cleaning.   
As far as fingerprints, they are oil based, and water won't dissolve them well.  Easiest is just wipe them off with a lint free cloth before using your cleaner.  As a matter of fact, your cleaning solution will stay good longer if you can do a bit of pre-cleaning with a damp rag. 
I've had decent luck filtering the dirty solution through a coffee filter a time or two before tossing it out... but it depends on the records.  Old jazz lp's are usually covered in smoke, but usually I can clean 6-12 classicals before filtering.   

[Theronbo]

Thanks Clark.

I’d seen one thread… without a conclusion that the device actually works rather well.

Your tips are appreciated.

1. I don’t see the smudges so much till the record is cleaned…

I do 4 cycles… 6 records each cycle… & my collection is pretty disgusting.

Some 20 years ago I had them packed in milk cases in a basement apartment closet… got flooded 2” of standing water… so an inch into some of records kind of a mess…. Still this seems to clean the records up … though the covers are damaged.

Bought a hundred pack of plastic sleeves to store the records in…

Distilled water & alcohol are cheap… not concerned about recycling it.

Got through about 60 albums so far.

Really fun digging through the collection… been 30 years since I went through it.

I ended out with some doubles & triples…

2x Hotel California
3x of Cat Steven’s Tea for the tillerman.

They only go for $5 copy so suggestions on how to dispose of them…

I might just make a list & sell it as a single lot.

[marvda1]

I would probably get a Spin Clean and use it with just distilled water to rinse off the soap and alcohol after the ultrasonic cleaning.

[Theronbo]

Thanks …

But…

My understanding is the alcohol is not a cleaning agent.

It’s a surfactant, or wetting agent. It reduces the surface tension of water so it drains quickly & completely.

Seems to work. The idea of vacuuming it off seems interesting. I have a wet dry vac, just need the right nozzle…

Just using the provided drying rack… the records are completely dry in 1/2 hour, which matches with the cleaning time.

But, I’m new at this…

That said … considering I’ve had records that were quite noisy even when new…  that are now very quiet…
I’m incredibly impressed. Noise (pops & clicks) was a big reason I wasn’t interested in vinyl…

Now I know you don’t have to live with it… I’m pretty excited to explore my collection.

Back in the day I tried all kinds of record cleaning solutions & devices…. Nothing worked like this… they might have made it look clean… but didn’t remove the grit from the grooves. So, still very poppy…

[mick wolfe]

I have a very similar HappyBuy ultrasonic. My formula over the years has been.....165 oz. distilled water, 8 oz. 91% isopropyl alcohol, 0.3 oz. Triton X-100. After a 10-12 min. cleaning cycle, the records are then rinsed with distilled water and vacuumed on a basic Nitty Gritty machine. This to remove any remaining residue. This process has worked very well for many years.

[Theronbo]

I’d give this comment a star… or bump up.

The Triton X-100 is a wetting agent used in photography.
I thought that was the role of the alcohol.

Sounds like you have a system that works for you.

I have been genuinely surprised at how well this removes the pops & cracks…

Anyway off to educate myself on how to rip vinyl….

[sonicboom]

For a deeper dive into URCM cleaning solutions, the link below is a good source of info.

Also, even though I haven't seen any "scientific" proof in support of this, there are claims that more than a few minutes (5-8 min) in an ultrasonic machine can damage a record.

https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=96199&sid=9e3df044165f6b368ef5b69522a91d9c

[Theronbo]

For a deeper dive into URCM cleaning solutions, the link below is a good source of info.

Also, even though I haven't seen any "scientific" proof in support of this, there are claims that more than a few minutes (5-8 min) in an ultrasonic machine can damage a record.

https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=96199&sid=9e3df044165f6b368ef5b69522a91d9c

Thanks. I’ll get some of the Triton X.









The Vevor device with a spindle full of records draining on top.

I leave it there for 5 minutes then transfer to the drying rack for 1/2 hour.

For a record as extreme as this … I dip the damaged portion in the tank… wipe with microfiber towel.

Then run it in the tank.

[Theronbo]

Here’s the pic of the Vevor ultrasonic cleaner.

[marvda1]

I ran across this a while ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-tWM3SEAfc&t=223s

[mick wolfe]

For a deeper dive into URCM cleaning solutions, the link below is a good source of info.

Also, even though I haven't seen any "scientific" proof in support of this, there are claims that more than a few minutes (5-8 min) in an ultrasonic machine can damage a record.

https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=96199&sid=9e3df044165f6b368ef5b69522a91d9c

I've never had an issue with a 10-12 min. cleaning cycle. This with roughly 200 records cleaned. For the record, the HappyBuy is a 40 kHz. machine that spins the record faster than many of the other machines I've researched. I only put 3 records on the spindle per cleaning cycle. This allows for roughly a 1" gap between records for more efficient cleaning.....alledgedly.  Most of what I've read also indicates this ( 10-12 min.) is a pretty common cleaning cycle timeframe. Perhaps a bigger key is to keep water temperatures close to the supposed standard of 35C/95F.

[duff138]

Came across this thread and ordered the Vevor over the weekend.  It should arrive tomorrow.  Under $120 shipped I could not resist.

Read about various DIY cleaning solutions, but when ahead and ordered:

Audio Intelligent Vinyl Solutions Enzymatic Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Machine Concentrate (32 Ounces).  This should arrive this week too.

I will post about my result once I get it up and running.