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You are here: Home / Archives for Cleaning - Care

Record Cleaning- An Introduction

February 2, 2015 by Bill Hart

Introduction: For decades, I had a pretty casual relationship with record cleaning.   I own a lot of records, bought my first vacuum record cleaning machine in the mid-80’s and didn’t give record cleaning much thought:  I’d use one brand or another of commercially available fluid (there were fewer options in those days and occasionally I’d mix up some home brew), apply it, vacuum it using the “cleaning machine” and done. Clean is clean, right? What started me down the path of exploring vinyl record cleaning in more depth over the past couple years was... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care

Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records-2nd Edition

March 2, 2021 by Bill Hart Leave a Comment

Neil Antin’s Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records-2nd Edition (Now superseded by Third Edition which can be downloaded below) Neil Antin’s Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records received considerable attention on the web when it was first published in May, 2020. Now, less than a year after its first publication, Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records has undergone a substantial revision. This, the Second Edition, is not merely a “fluff and buff” update but a serious, extensive reexamination of the premises with which Mr. Antin started: that record cleaning is not a... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care

Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records

May 20, 2020 by Bill Hart 47 Comments

 Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records By Neil Antin (The attached article has been superseded by a Third Edition, which can be downloaded by clicking the button below). Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records by Neil Antin applies processes and methodologies developed by the U.S. Navy for precision cleaning of critical systems—such as oxygen systems on submarines—to the much more prosaic task of cleaning vinyl LPs. Mr. Antin’s work, documented in the paper attached here as a download, is not presented as some extraordinary way to clean an LP that will render all other... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care

The Analog Relax Record Brush

December 21, 2018 by Bill Hart 8 Comments

The Analog Relax Record Brush I have had an unhappy relationship with “dry” record brushes over the many years I used them. Such brushes don’t seem to do an effective job of removing surface detritus and despite the “anti-static” moniker applied to some, I have found that dry brushing can generate, rather than mitigate, a static charge. Some also shed fibers. As explained below, I eventually abandoned dry brushing altogether, instead using an “air puffer” to address any surface lint that was introduced after the records had been thoroughly cleaned using a combination of... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, In Brief

The Curious Case Of Record Cleaning In The Quest For Sonic Perfection

September 5, 2018 by Bill Hart 1 Comment

  The Curious Case Of Record Cleaning In The Quest For Sonic Perfection  Michael Bodell, September 1, 2018   “If there exists a more effective, easy, reliable, and utterly transformative way of cleaning LPs, I have yet to hear it.”  Art Dudley, Stereophile March 2015   In 1952, Bendix Corporation of Davenport, Iowa took ultrasonic cleaning from the laboratory and into production for the first time.  The company experimented with ultrasonic applications through the 1950s to find tank cleaning in a fluid an optimal use, especially in industrial applications. ... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, Features, Stickies

More Tima- More In-Depth Knowledge on Ultrasonic Record Cleaning

July 31, 2018 by Bill Hart Leave a Comment

More Tima- More In-Depth Knowledge on Ultrasonic Record Cleaning     Readers are probably familiar with the contributions of Tim Aucremann a/k/a Tima on the subject of DIY ultrasonic record cleaning. Tima’s latest installment reflects considerable hands-on evaluation of methods and in-depth research on matters such as water purity and filtering. The latest installment, follow-up #2, is published here. It’s a worthy addition to the knowledge base. A lot of LP owners have jumped on board the DIY RCM approach, but questions abound. If you haven’t read Tima’s earlier installments, I... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, In Brief

tima’s DIY RCM – follow-up #2: Compelling Changes – Improved Results

July 31, 2018 by Bill Hart 33 Comments

tima’s DIY RCM – follow-up #2: Compelling Changes – Improved Results.   by Tim Aucremann It’s been about a year since I built tima’s DIY RCM as described in my original article from the fall of 2017, published here on The Vinyl Press along with follow-up #1.  Since that time I’ve cleaned hundreds of records in all conditions: previously cleaned, new, used, and a few abused. My expectations are now very high about what is possible for getting records clean.   Not only do most records clean-up nearly noiseless (assuming they are not damaged), I get the job done in a... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, Stickies

Record Cleaning: Tima’s DIY (Ultrasonic) RCM – followup #1

November 30, 2017 by Bill Hart Leave a Comment

Record Cleaning: Tima’s DIY (Ultrasonic) RCM – followup #1 I am very pleased with tima’s DIY RCM thus far.  See Tima’s DIY RCM.  The USC tank and filter system continue to operate nominally. I’ve settled on a cycle that clean five or six records at a time. That includes: i) warming up the tank water to 34° C (93.2° F) which takes about 40 minutes, ii) running a stack of records through the cleaner for 15 minutes at roughly 60% power, then running for 6 minutes at roughly 80% power, iii) and lastly letting the records air dry. The Beijing Ultrasonics 10L unit is much... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, In Brief

SIDEBAR ON DIY ULTRASONIC LP CLEANING

September 11, 2017 by Bill Hart Leave a Comment

SIDEBAR ON DIY ULTRASONIC LP CLEANING    I’m delighted that a “pro” reviewer, Tim Aucremann, (better known as “Tima” in audio circles) agreed to address the topic of DIY ultrasonic LP cleaning in a new featured article on TheVinylPress.com.   For those of you with long memories, I had published an introduction to DIY ultrasonic cleaning some time ago, with the promise of a more in-depth look. Although I had done a fair amount of research preparing to set up a DIY ultrasonic cleaning system here at TheVinylPress, the project was waylaid by our move to Austin. Tim’s piece... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, In Brief

Tima’s DIY RCM

September 11, 2017 by Bill Hart Leave a Comment

Tima’s DIY RCM As a dedicated vinylista, I’ve been cleaning records for over thirty years. Sound familiar? Cleaning techniques and technologies evolved across that time and my approach changed with the times. I’ve been using a Loricraft RC3 point nozzle machine and more recently an Audio Desk System. After reading multiple threads on various audio forums about home made record cleaning kits built around larger volume ultrasonic cleaners, I decided to give that a try. Thanks to all who have gone before me, and especially to Bill at The Vinyl Press and Rob at Audionirvana.org, for... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, Features, Stickies

Warps, Budget Ultrasonic Cleaning and Surface Dust: An Introduction

April 27, 2016 by Bill Hart

  Warps, Budget Ultrasonic Cleaning and Surface Dust: An Introduction   I buy a lot of used records and encounter some “challenged” copies in the process. This is hardly deliberate but comes with the territory: sometimes, the records are purchased in “lots” or more often, over the Internet, where physical inspection is impractical if not impossible. Even new, sealed records have problems. (Older “sealed” records can be the riskiest in my estimation- a complete unknown and if too tightly shrink-wrapped, are prone to warps over time). But, through a combination of... Read More

Filed Under: Cleaning - Care, Stickies

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In Brief:

There Is No “Magic Bullet” in Hi-Fi

There Is No “Magic Bullet” in Hi-Fi No Magic Solutions I’ve spent some time on the audio chat fora over the years. Many popular threads these days are devoted to cheap improvements that can be made using audiophile “tweaks” or repurposed non-audiophile products. These can be applied to isolate gear, enhance the signals or connections or otherwise address some perceived problem that, once solved, offers to raise the level of music reproduction. It’s like a cheap solution to upgrade your system: from audiophile fuses, special wires (beyond simply having a high-quality interconnect, speaker wire or power cable) and other tweaks, to contact fluids and other things that you can attach to power sources, equipment, or place in the room (bowls, various harmonizers or active resonators, noise harvesters, etc.) This is apart from room treatment, which is sui generis; that is, every situation is … [Read More...]

Milt Ward Reissue-release date May 6, 2022

Milt Ward Reissue-release date May 6, 2022  Andreas Vingaard, of Frederiksberg Records, dropped me a note that the Milt Ward & Virgo Spectrum record about which much has been written here will be available on vinyl beginning on May 9, 2022. However, several promo emails today, Friday, May 6, 2022 say the record is available NOW via Bandcamp (see link below). The reissue was done with the participation of Milt Ward’s family and includes comprehensive notes in a booklet. Given the price of original pressings, this should be worthwhile even if not taken from the master tape. I plan to get a copy and we’ll do a shoot-out with my “OG” pressing. I’m sure some of you are willing to brook a little sonic compromise to get access to an otherwise very hard to find, expensive spiritual jazz rarity. At the time of this writing there is one copy on Discogs in NM condition for media for over … [Read More...]

Milt Ward Virgo Reissue Coming from Frederiksberg

Although I don't have all the details yet, I have learned that Frederiksberg Records, a small, eclectic label from New York, is in the process of reissuing the hard to find (and even harder to pay for) jazz obscurity, Milt Ward and Virgo Spectrum. You can find out more by keeping tabs on Frederiksberg's Bandcamp page, https://frederiksbergrecords.bandcamp.com   I'm told there is a bootleg out there so be careful. Frederiksberg is doing this project with the participation of the family of Milt Ward, which is to be applauded. Hopefully, this will give more access to a great jazz record at a reasonable price. The Roots album reissue from Frederiksberg (which is sold out on vinyl on the Frederiksberg Records bandcamp site) still appears to be available through some online retailers as a pre-order, so that's another one to jump on now if you can find it-- the original is extremely pricey and … [Read More...]

Clem Snide- Forever Just Beyond

Clem Snide- Forever Just Beyond With a name derived from a character in the same literary work as the band name so famously identified with the Walter Becker-Donald Fagen duo, Clem Snide has an extensive discography, typically cataloged as “alt country.” This latest release is the work of one of its founding members, Eef Barzelay, who was responsible for much of the songwriting and singing. According to his bio, Barzelay suffered some serious bumps in the road during the last decade, including a failing marriage and financial ruin. At the same time, he learned that Scott Avett was a fan and they found inspiration in each other, leading to this album- a collaboration of artistry where Avett and Barzelay share some writing credits and Avett produces. The result is a fresh, upbeat set of tunes that are appealing in their simplicity and refreshing in their sincerity. The band is first tier … [Read More...]

Muriel Grossmann- Reverence

Muriel Grossmann- Reverence Muriel Grossmann continues her quest for musical ascension on Reverence, which was released on vinyl in early December, 2019 on the RR Gems label as a 2 LP set. The compositions are Grossmann’s, and the band is much the same as the group of seasoned musicians with whom she has worked for some time (and detailed in the review of her Golden Rule), but for one notable exception: the addition of a keyboard player who brings that rich, woody Hammond B-3 sound to a series of compositions devoted to Africa. In some ways, Ms. Grossmann’s exploration of the roots of jazz deliberately eschews any superficial attempt to make African music. Instead, she draws inspiration from its influences, which are wide ranging and deep—you can hear rhythm and blues sounds mixed with more traditional African instrumentation and polyrhythms and come away with something that is both … [Read More...]

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