Thread: VPI | Audio Desk | Klaudio: which RCM is right for you?

VPI | Audio Desk | Klaudio: which RCM is right for you? The short answer, all of them maybe...or none.


That's a lame answer, I know. But I also believe it's lame to come out and say, "I know everything and my personal belief is right for you".


Everyone has their tolerances and for me, I want absolute quiet - perfection. Others, a pop, a click, a crack, a moment of static it entirely fine and goes unnoticed. Me on the other hand, I'm ready to rip the disc off the platter and destroy it. So, it's impossible to say I've come up with the perfect remedy. At this time, I do not believe there is one single perfect solution. There are too many variables to come out and say, hey... I've got it!


That said, onward my personal journey with the VPI HW27 that I have used for many years, the Klaudio I have used since august 2014 and recently was replaced due to a transient defect and over the past month, the Audio Desk.


I like all of them for different reasons.


Each of these units bring their own unique talents and, of course, lack of talent and I will do my best to convey without bias what these are simply without this being too long of a read. So lets get to the point!


The Machines


*The majority of you already know what they do but for those that may not, a brief explanation.


The VPI HW27 Typhoon is what I call my blue collar machine. It pulls its sleeves up, get down and dirt and right to work using a wet method: liquid, scrubbing and with suction - removes debris. This method is effective and something neither the Audio Desk or Klaudio is particularly gifted at doing to the aggressive extent of the VPI. I love this machine! But, it's not attractive.


The Audio Desk is an ultrasonic that incorporates a distilled water, surfectant solution, microfiber rollers [that come into contact with you vinyl to gently remove debris the ultrasonic will not] and a filter to capture debris. It's kinda like, gets more of the deeper debris that the VPI can or may never do. I love this machine too! But, it's not attractive, either.


The Klaudio uses only distilled water method without any chemicals and there is no contact with the vinyl whatsoever. I think of this machine as the final BOOM! The Klaudio does another pass at getting deeper into the grooves and also cleans the disk of any lingering solution [that's my guess]. Something worth noting is that the Klaudio is the best drying machine. This is one heck of a sexy RCM!


Cleaning your disks with any of the machines, you vinyl will will be sparkling clean in appearance.


Since now receiving the replacement Klaudio RCM...


I've been practicing on vinyl that has been previously cleaned with the VPI. Vinyl that I purchased and never cleaned with the VPI but only ever cleaned with the Klaudio as well as vinyl only cleaned with the Audio Desk. My testing process looks something like this.


new vinyl + test
new vinyl + vpi + test + audio desk + test + klaudio + test
new vinyl + klaudio + test + vpi + test + audio desk + test
new vinyl + audio desk + test + klaudio + test + vpi + test


used vinyl + test
used vinyl + vpi + test + audio desk + test + klaudio + test
used vinyl + klaudio + test + vpi + test + audio desk + test
used vinyl + audio desk + test + klaudio + test + vpi + test


The vinyl used is a variety. I tested a lot of new 180g vinyl purchased from Acoustic Sounds. Old vinyl my daddy gave me that he purchased and maintained in mint condition from the late 60s and 70s. Vinyl I have collected both new and used: USA, German, Dutch, Japanese, UK, Australian.




Test Example


I ordered another new 180g Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon LP. Actually, I had purchased several, but opted to get just one more and it finally delivered yesterday.


1. First, I played the disk. It was a hot mess with snap crack pop and static and sounded terrible and that's even with my awesome McIntosh C1000 system. For me, unlistenable.


2. I placed the 180g Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon LP into the Klaudio. After the cleaning I played the LP and there was sonic improvement and less noise.


3. I placed the 180g Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon LP into the Audio Desk. After the cleaning I played the LP even more significant sonic improvement and virtually little disk noise. Couple snaps and cracks. No static. What you could hear now was just barely, the the sound of the stylus moving through the grooves.


4. I placed the 180g Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon LP into the VPI HW27. After cleaning both sides of the LP with a forward and reverse scrubbing, I played the LP and the disk became virtually silent!


5. I cycled the disk through the Audio Desk, tested and then through the Klaudio and the final results are stellar! The remaining pops and clicks are removed, particularly at the lp lead ins/exits as well as the track transitions. QUIET!


This is a lot of work, yes. For someone like me looking for the absolute perfection, this is a sweet spot for me.




Curiosity


As you can see, the above is just a pain. Perhaps, light at the end of the tunnel? ClearAudio has created an RCM that does the above synchronistically - ClearAudio Double Matrix Sonic. From what I understand, it appears that they have incorporated both a traditional RCM as well as some type of sonic capability. I am not clear if this is an ultrasonic method. From the video I have seen and very scarce written discussion, the term I read or hear is 'pulses'. I do not know if pulses is the same as ultrasonic.


*Note: This is a discussion that has been previously been championed many times. An easy query will reveal many threads. I've received lots of PMs and questions about my adventure and to please post it. Therefore, I am sharing my experience. And folks, that's right, it's my experience and in no way am I conveying that ANY machine is better or worse.


**Note: I am still testing and I may buy the ClearAudio Double Matrix Sonic. I'm still on the fence about it.

One other thing to be aware of. All the machines listed and a few that weren't are fine machines at what they do and no matter what method one uses, some records just require more than one pass at cleaning to get them as clean as possible. It's just the nature of it, no magic or disclaimers or anything. In my book, well worth the effort, no matter what.

Originally Posted by MusicDirector

One other thing to be aware of. All the machines listed and a few that weren't are fine machines at what they do and no matter what method one uses, some records just require more than one pass at cleaning to get them as clean as possible. It's just the nature of it, no magic or disclaimers or anything. In my book, well worth the effort, no matter what.

I did take this into consideration and should have suggested it, though I kinda did passively reporting my Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon cleaning process. Anyway, yeah. I have repeatedly cleaned vinyl with multiple passes through the three machines and did seem to reach 'peak' performance. Some one pass and others 2 and maybe 3 complete passes does the trick.

Originally Posted by MDP

I agree Eric. But the thought of combining ultrasonic and the VPI method is intrigueing.

Oh absolutely! I had that in mind myself. That would be the ultimate, anything that did not come completely clean with that just won't. (only I can't do it as I can not afford an Ultrasonic cleaner).