Vinyl Cleaning: VPI + Audio Desk + Klaudio

[Golucid]

Interesting comparisons David, thanks for sharing all your work.

I find it a bit puzzling that if the US RCM's are supposed to be as good as they are touted that there would be that much white gunk left for the VPI vacuum system to remove. Why didn't the US RCM machines remove that gunk during one of the (three or ten US cycles combined did you say?) passes beforehand? Could it be possible that the US machines loosened that gunk but had no way to remove it during the US cycle so it re-attached?

The way I understand it, the US process is supposed to completely pulverize any of the foreign matter/debris/detritus so it's interesting that there was that much gunk that came off and onto the VPI tube wand.

Would be interested to see if you have similar results with other records now that you're using the three-step-three-machine process as your standard.

Thanks.

Hi Mike,

Are you referring to the Klaudio? My processes included 10x [5x on the AudioDesk (German) and then 5x on the Klaudio (USA, Made in Korea)] then on the VPI 1x (USA).

As I type this, I am running similar processes on vinyl and repeatedly getting similar results. I'm puzzled. Is it the L' Art du Son that is loosing the debris?

I can tell you this, after the final clean because I am running the VPI + L' Art du Son and then through both the AudioDesk and Klaudio, that when I place the now very cleaned vinyl on to the TT and when the stylus hits the first lead-in groove. SILKY SMOOTH. Not a single snap crackle pop or that hint of "flu flu" static, or whatever.

 

[Golucid]

Before my audio deske I had a VPI 16.5 and tried lots of different cleaning agents. The one that proved least harmful and yet cleaned the best (quiet and no haze / opened everything up) was the L' Art du Son. I wish there was fast automatic RCM like auto desk that would use L' Art du Son

Me too. What I would like to do is find out from Klaudio in writing if it would be ok to use the L' Art du Son in their ultrasonic. Now that would be a great experiment! What if the two proved to be the perfect mix? I would not need to go through this pain in the tail process of cleaning. Make no mistake about it. The Klaudio is a beautiful machine and clearly designed to perfection. Would a touch of L' Art du Son be so wrong?

 

[Golucid]

Just now processed the Diva SoundTrack LP through the same process mentioned above. The opera singers voice, Wilhelmenia Fernandez just explodes right off the vinyl. I am utterly blown away. And as I write this, the Promenade Sentimental Piano solo: V. Cosma evokes a greater emotion. You can almost hear the piano key strokes. Lush and warm.

 

[MikeCh]

Hi Mike,

Hi David, yes I was referring to both Ultrasonic (US) machines in that running a disc either thru both US types or even one for that many passes didn't seem to remove what the VPI did.

Your experimentation is telling me that using both a typical vacuum type RCM PLUS running thru at least one Ultrasonic type RCM would be the answer to attaining the best LP cleaning regimen.

Carry on, you're doing a great job on your records.

Hmmm, now to figure out a way to add an US RCM to my regimen as well since I currently use a VPI 17 only. It does a great job, but adding a US RCM would be ideal for the final step.

 

[Golucid]

Hi David, yes I was referring to both Ultrasonic (US) machines in that running a disc either thru both US types or even one for that many passes didn't seem to remove what the VPI did.

Your experimentation is telling me that using both a typical vacuum type RCM PLUS running thru at least one Ultrasonic type RCM would be the answer to attaining the best LP cleaning regimen.

Carry on, you're doing a great job on your records.

Hmmm, now to figure out a way to add an US RCM to my regimen as well since I currently use a VPI 17 only. It does a great job, but adding a US RCM would be ideal for the final step.

Mike, what I am eager to test is the ClearAudio Double Matrix Sonic [not to be confused with Ultrasonic]. This machine is essentially doing what I am processing through three machines. I am obviously, curious.

 

[Golucid]

but adding a US RCM would be ideal for the final step.

Try out the L' Art du Son fluid first. See if you get satisfactory results. My experimentation has come at a severe cost, an excess of $10,000 and will be more once I purchase the ClearAudio Double Matrix Sonic.

The L' Art du Son costs $45. And to be honest, processing the vinyl alone on the VPI with distilled water + L' Art du Son has been remarkable alone.

 

[MikeCh]

Try out the L' Art du Son fluid first. See if you get satisfactory results. My experimentation has come at a severe cost, an excess of $10,000 and will be more once I purchase the ClearAudio Double Matrix Sonic.

The L' Art du Son costs $45. And to be honest, processing the vinyl alone on the VPI with distilled water + L' Art du Son has been remarkable alone.

Worth a shot! Thanks.

 

[Myles B. Astor]

Hi Mike,

Hi David, yes I was referring to both Ultrasonic (US) machines in that running a disc either thru both US types or even one for that many passes didn't seem to remove what the VPI did.

Your experimentation is telling me that using both a typical vacuum type RCM PLUS running thru at least one Ultrasonic type RCM would be the answer to attaining the best LP cleaning regimen.

Carry on, you're doing a great job on your records.

Hmmm, now to figure out a way to add an US RCM to my regimen as well since I currently use a VPI 17 only. It does a great job, but adding a US RCM would be ideal for the final step.

I mentioned in my review the crud on the stylus after cleaning with either the AD or KLaudio machines. It was rare but IIrC only seemed to happen on old, used records and thought they might have been treated with LAST. But given the many varieties and qualities of vinyl used to press LPs over the years, it could have been in retrospect some plasticizer leaching from cheap vinyl.

BTW, I noted in another review, more surface noise on an LP In some cases after cleaning with the Typhoon. HW suggested that might also have been some short term plasticizer leaching (since the plasticizer does migrate). That's one reason one needs to be careful with the ultra powerful vacuum machines (another is causing damage to the LP by the dirt trapped between the nozzle and the record).

 

[Golucid]

I mentioned in my review the crud on the stylus after cleaning with either the AD or KLaudio machines. It was rare but IIrC only seemed to happen on old, used records and thought they might have been treated with LAST. But given the many varieties and qualities of vinyl used to press LPs over the years, it could have been in retrospect some plasticizer leaching from cheap vinyl. BTW, I noted in some cases more noise with the Typhoon after cleaning an LP.

Myles, I am doing a baseline experiment. I have a duplicate lp "Ambrosia" that I am going to experiment with. Right not it is clean...very clean. I am doing some laundry...all day. I am going to take the lint and rub it in circular rotations 7x per side. Then I will wash it in the Klaudio and run through 4 5min rotations and test on my MT10 + Ortonfon Windfeld.

Then I run it through the AudioDesk with a 1x clean process, then text on on my turntable and finally, run a cleaning process on the VPI with the L' Art du Son and again test.

My hope is that the Klaudio makes going through the AudioDesk and VPI a waste of time.

 

[MusicDirector]

Myles, I am doing a baseline experiment. I have a duplicate lp "Ambrosia" that I am going to experiment with. Right not it is clean...very clean. I am doing some laundry...all day. I am going to take the lint and rub it in circular rotations 7x per side. Then I will wash it in the Klaudio and run through 4 5min rotations and test on my MT10 + Ortonfon Windfeld.

Then I run it through the AudioDesk with a 1x clean process, then text on on my turntable and finally, run a cleaning process on the VPI with the L' Art du Son and again test.

My hope is that the Klaudio makes going through the AudioDesk and VPI a waste of time.

Don't the Klaudio and the AudioDesk do the exact same thing in same way?

 

[Myles B. Astor]

Hi Mike,

Are you referring to the Klaudio? My processes included 10x [5x on the AudioDesk (German) and then 5x on the Klaudio (USA, Made in Korea)] then on the VPI 1x (USA).

As I type this, I am running similar processes on vinyl and repeatedly getting similar results. I'm puzzled. Is it the L' Art du Son that is loosing the debris?

I can tell you this, after the final clean because I am running the VPI + L' Art du Son and then through both the AudioDesk and Klaudio, that when I place the now very cleaned vinyl on to the TT and when the stylus hits the first lead-in groove. SILKY SMOOTH. Not a single snap crackle pop or that hint of "flu flu" static, or whatever.

You are doing 10 cleanings in a row on the US machines?

 

[Golucid]

You are doing 10 cleanings in a row on the US machines?

Myles, I am giving the Ultrasonics ever advantage to get the job done. It has been said that many KL cleans are effective. Also KL claims repeated cleaning are harmless. I find this to be not the case. Worth noting, I only need to run the vinyle 1x through the VPI. Standby for an experiment that o0OBillO0o and I are doing to further drill down effectiveness of the KL machine.