Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable

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TheChairGuy

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #20 on: 14 Jan 2009, 03:06 pm »
I don't know what empirical proof you want but I can tell you that I hear less pops and tick on most used records after I run them though my VPI cleaning machine.  I will go home tonight and look at new, clean, and used (dirty) records with my daughter's EyeClop (x200) and report what I see.

I can see how  brushes and pads only with cleaning solution might push dirt more into the grooves but vacuum cleaning should clean and give at least no worse sound ( I say better).

Big ditto on this....the retrieval of certain cues on records after quality cleaning is well worth the bother.  Better tracking and cleaner/clearer treble is the upshot of good cleaning. 

Rega and Linn are completely off their collective rockers on this :roll:

John

Wayner

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #21 on: 14 Jan 2009, 03:12 pm »
Lots of pops and clicks are not always from "dirt", either. They are many times static charges that discharge when the stylus passes thru them. Cleaning with some kind of fluid helps to neutralize these static charges and can also remove the particles that the static charge held. I'm with John and others on this.....clean records = clean sound.

Wayner  :D

Quiet Earth

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #22 on: 14 Jan 2009, 03:20 pm »
Jrtrent,

I have to agree with you about your caution for calling such experience as "fact". However, I think experience is what most of us seek in these kinds of conversations. Very little is ever "proved" in a forum like this.


Linn and Rega contend that the dust you see is lying harmlessly on the record's surface, easily pushed aside by the stylus shank; it is not down in the groove where the stylus impacts the vinyl unless some agency, such as a cleaning device, forces it down into the groove


How do we know that the stylus does not force it down into the groove? I ask sincerely, because I do not know.

FWIW, the last thing I want to do is clean a record. I would rather just play one too. The nitty gritty does make a difference though. Damn that thing!

Brown

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #23 on: 14 Jan 2009, 04:03 pm »
Clean is the way to go love my VPI. Enjoy.

lcrim

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #24 on: 14 Jan 2009, 04:33 pm »
jrtrent:

When discussing the contaminants on vinyl records, it is too simplistic to describe them simply as dust.  Fungal growth, human skin oils, remnants from snacks, cigarette smoke particles, human spit are only a part of the list of things which can be found on the surface of a record.  The fact that the stylus can become contaminated is also conveniently overlooked by your quoted manufacturers.  One particularly interesting article, using microscopy on both record grooves and styli can be found at the site  http://micrographia.com/projec/projapps/viny/viny0000.htm
 
You are allowed to believe whatever you please.  The constant expression of those opinions can become tiresome when they are meant to annoy.  You may be sincere and not merely searching for an argument. Though it does appear, after looking at your previous posts, that you have some private agenda.

Dan_ed

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #25 on: 14 Jan 2009, 04:45 pm »
Another very important point about cleaning your records is that your stylus will be much happier because it will not get crud all over it. This build up will quickly lead to reduced performance and you will hear it.

thegage

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #26 on: 14 Jan 2009, 04:47 pm »
If you look at your P3 manual when it arrives, you'll find Rega is not so hot on record cleaning in general (see tip number 3 in link below, especially concerning the use of water and solvents), and Linn (the manufacturer of my turntable) says that most record cleaning devices/methods do actual harm by taking dust lying harmlessly on the surface and forcing at least some of it down into the groove.
Which is why I now use a record cleaning device that does not rely on a brush scrubbing the record. I always had a suspicion about my Nitty Gritty that I was pushing stuff down into the grooves in my quest to get cleaner records. Although my experience is anecdotal, it seems to me that the GEM Dandy system has improved (i.e. reducing noise) LPs previously cleaned on the NG by taking more grunge out of the grooves. It has also been my experience that my plain tap water--not particularly hard--does not increase noise.

http://www.gmanalog.com/gm.aspx

John K.

Wayner

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #27 on: 14 Jan 2009, 05:26 pm »
The record cleaning process is one that continues for ever. By vinyl's nature, they are basically very large disc capacitors and are more then happy to pick up a static charge and store it with differing amounts on either side. So the static attracts dust, dirt, paper fibers from the record sleeve, lint, hair, dander. Then there is the other nasty finger prints, spilled beer (beverage), food, smoke and probably even little creatures like dust mites, mold, mildew and what ever else you can think of. At some point, even if the record is new, it will literally have to be washed, either with a cleaning machine as some here favor, or by hand. I always wash my newly acquired used records in the laundry sink, label and all.

Wayner  :D

BobM

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #28 on: 14 Jan 2009, 05:39 pm »
Proper cleaning (and I say proper because the rinse is the all important final step) will definitely result in cleaner records and enhanced soundstaging and dynamics. This will reduce pops and clicks, but the cartridge and most importantly the stylus shape also plays a big role here. Some track deeper, others higher. Some cartridges are more compliant than others. Some seam to make the pops and clicks recede to the background and become less prominent. All of this leads to different levels of unwanted noise, which is a goal we all want to conquor.

Enjoy,
Bob

jrtrent

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #29 on: 15 Jan 2009, 02:47 am »
jrtrent:
 
You are allowed to believe whatever you please.  The constant expression of those opinions can become tiresome when they are meant to annoy.  You may be sincere and not merely searching for an argument. Though it does appear, after looking at your previous posts, that you have some private agenda.

I have no private agenda; I'm simply sharing the advice given me by dealers (admittedly Linn dealers), a few fellow record collectors, the manufacturer of my turntable, and my own past experience with the process.  I shouldn't have chimed in on this thread, but, given Rega's published views on the topic, found it a bit ironic that someone who had just ordered a P3 was talking about cleaning records.  I have no wish to be tiresome or annoying, and will avoid the topic in the future.

Quiet Earth

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #30 on: 15 Jan 2009, 02:55 pm »
To be honest (and fair), I never heard the Rega/Linn advice before reading this thread. I'm glad the information was shared.   :)

There is usually a good reason for a passionate point of view. I like to consider all of the possibilities. :thumb:



Quiet Earth

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #31 on: 15 Jan 2009, 03:02 pm »
Speaking of which,,,,,,, John, how do you like using your new record cleaning device?



Which is why I now use a record cleaning device that does not rely on a brush scrubbing the record. I always had a suspicion about my Nitty Gritty that I was pushing stuff down into the grooves in my quest to get cleaner records.

http://www.gmanalog.com/gm.aspx

John K.


It looks like you might have to take the whole thing to the sink and do a handful of records at a time. But then it also looks easy enough to use once you have it all set up. Can you talk about it a little bit more?

orthobiz

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #32 on: 15 Jan 2009, 03:17 pm »
yo, 'trent and 'crim, I have the Loricraft. I have the Gem Dandy. I have the Phonophile steamer. I got a bunch of moldy smelling records and have been blasting the heck out of them with good results.

I've used enzymes, toxic cleaners, gentle cleaners, mold releasing cleaners, sponge brushes, bristle brushes, etc.

If I ever get off my listening chair and take some pics, I'll show you what I've been doing lately.

But I do know the older dirty records that didn't start their life with me benefit from cleaning!

Paul


thegage

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #33 on: 15 Jan 2009, 08:09 pm »
Speaking of which,,,,,,, John, how do you like using your new record cleaning device?

It looks like you might have to take the whole thing to the sink and do a handful of records at a time. But then it also looks easy enough to use once you have it all set up. Can you talk about it a little bit more?

I posted a review at AA: http://www.audioasylum.com/reviews/Accessory/George-Merrill-Analog/G.E.M.-Dandy-Hydraulic-LP-Cleaning-Aparatus/vinyl/75/757801.html

Rereading it I see that I wouldn't change anything of what I said. I think it's a lot better than the fluid/scrub thing. Also, since then I have sourced some high quality micro-fiber cloths and don't vacuum any more. I have not compared to a steam system such as the Mapleshade Phonophile, but I don't buy really grungy records, and the GEM system seems to get what I have as clean as I could want.

John K.

lcrim

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #34 on: 15 Jan 2009, 08:33 pm »
thegage:
I was a bit intrigued  by the Gem Dandy system when I saw the review on 6moons but the use of tap water for rinsing really goes against popular wisdom.  Perhaps where you live tap water doesn't contain as much crap as here in the Jersey suburbs.  I have a Britta pitcher in the fridge for drinking water and cooking.  The difference in the taste of the water is very dramatic.  I would not want that stuff drying up on my records and leaving a film or deposits.

jonners

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #35 on: 15 Jan 2009, 08:51 pm »

  One particularly interesting article, using microscopy on both record grooves and styli can be found at the site  http://micrographia.com/projec/projapps/viny/viny0000.htm


  Very interesting article.
  I also love the surreality of "The animal (below) is a young silverfish with its extended cercae overlapping the closing bars of the final          movement of Bruckner's third symphony".
  What would Bruckner have made of that?  :o

  John

thegage

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #36 on: 16 Jan 2009, 12:43 am »
thegage:
I was a bit intrigued  by the Gem Dandy system when I saw the review on 6moons but the use of tap water for rinsing really goes against popular wisdom.  Perhaps where you live tap water doesn't contain as much crap as here in the Jersey suburbs.  I have a Britta pitcher in the fridge for drinking water and cooking.  The difference in the taste of the water is very dramatic.  I would not want that stuff drying up on my records and leaving a film or deposits.

I have a well with fairly soft water. I believe that George (Merrill) can recommend an in-line filter that is pretty effective.

John K.

TONEPUB

Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #37 on: 16 Jan 2009, 01:28 am »
Gotta agree with you on the record cleaning thing...

I talk to Roy Gandy at Rega fairly often and he still feels
that the residue left behind from cleaning is not worth it,
but I have to disagree. (and I own two Rega tables and used
to own an LP12)

Nothing like a clean record!  Always fun to have people listen
to a record and say "Wow, it's as quiet as a CD!"

doug s.

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #38 on: 16 Jan 2009, 02:01 am »
i always clean my records.  mild dish soap, warm water out of the tap, a sponge...  wash, then rinse.  then, dried w/a soft lint-free towel.  when the record is playing, there's a keith monks record sweeper also tracking the record.  this is a little brush on a grounded metal arm that tracks the record from the other side, simultaneously w/the stylus.  keeps the record clean whilst playing, and drains static as well.  before i got the record sweeper, i used a watts dust bug.  works like a charm.  i also have one of those anti-static zerostat guns, but it doesn't see much use...

cleaning has made a difference in quieting winyl surface noise for me, but i have never seen the need to get a spendy machine...

doug s.

Quiet Earth

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Re: Help understanding criteria to use in selecting turntable
« Reply #39 on: 16 Jan 2009, 03:42 am »
Hey doug,
What's that piece of equipment in your gallery next to your T-table, (on picture 6 of 98) ??

It looks like an old analog microwave power meter.

Just curious . . . . .