From: deeds@vulcan1.edsg.hac.com ( Dean Deeds)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: record cleaners
Keywords: record clean
Date: 23 Jul 92 16:32:03 GMT
Reply-To: deeds@vulcan1.UUCP ( Dean Deeds)
Organization: Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, CA

Gary Johnson asked:
>Can anyone post their experiences with vacuum type record cleaners? 
>I've seen several in catalogs that range in proce from $170 to $750.
>Ant comments on construction quality and ease of use would be greatly
>appreciated.

The two varieties I am acquainted with are Nitty Gritty and VPI.
(I've heard of the Keith Monks but don't know anything about them.)
I have a Nitty Gritty 2.5FI (which has a hand pump for applying fluid,
and motor-driven rotation).

The best way I can summarize is with a model-by-model breakdown.

The least expensive Nitty Grittys (and the Record Doctor, made by them)
require you to apply the cleaning fluid manually and rotate the record
manually while the vacuum operates.  Based on my experiences with the
2.5FI, it will be tedious to apply the fluid, and difficult to turn
the record uniformly (since the vacuum sucks the record hard against
the cleaning slot).  This would be OK for a very few records, but if
you're like me the first thing you want to do with your new machine is
clean all your old records, and even with the automation of mine your
enthusiasm will dampen quickly.

Next up in the NG line (I'm leaving aside the question of whether you
want to spend extra for the Genuine Oak Cabinet instead of woodgrain
vinyl), you get automatic rotation of the record, but you still have to
apply the fluid manually to the cleaning pad.  The motor drive is a
pretty cheesy setup: the motor, inside the cabinet, is pivoted so that
the rubber tip on the end of the shaft bears against the edge of the
record, a friction drive.  After a couple of dozen records, my motor
overheated, the shaft bound in its bearings, and it wouldn't turn.
I took it apart to troubleshoot, noticing the aforementioned cheesy
construction.  By the time I got it back together it had cooled down
enough to run.  (A phone call to the manufacturer explained the cause.)
In other words, don't expect to run a new machine continuously for hours.
(After some break-in, the problem appears to diminish.)  Despite this
problem, the concept of motorized record rotation is worthwhile.

Then we get to the (semi)automatic fluid application, by hand pump
from a reservoir in the machine. This is also a useful convenience --
much less messy and more uniform.  Again, the realization is imperfect:
the wetting of the cleaning pad can be uneven, and the pump seems not
to like it when the reservoir is not nearly full.  (Some time ago
NG apparently had a model with an electric pump, but it malfunctioned
enough that this is no longer available.)

Finally, with the MiniPro, you get cleaning of both sides at the same 
time.  I don't know how well this works, though I imagine about as well
as the other NG features.  This would be a help if (when) you're trying
to clean lots of old LPs; but for maintenance or pre-play cleaning it's
not such a big deal; in fact you may only want to clean one side at a time,
just before you play it -- more hassle in a music session, but if you're
finicky you may worry about dirt from the platter/mat being picked up
by the second side while you play the first side.

VPI:  I haven't used these, so take my impressions for what they're
worth.  Less automation, higher prices, probably better build quality.
The 16.5 has manual fluid application and motorized turning, and is
the lowest VPI I would get; the 17 apparently adds automated fluid
application.  One side at a time in each case.  These take up quite a bit
more space than the NG models do.

General impressions:  Despite my carping, I'm glad I bought a record
cleaner, and among the NGs I like my model best.  I can see the difference
between a dirty record and a cleaned one, so I feel confident I have
improved the lifespan of my records and stylus.  I haven't done a
back-to-back sound test, but I'm sure the cleaning won't hurt on this
score either.  (Before buying the machine I used manual methods, like 
LAST, to clean records, so mine weren't terribly abused to begin with.
Not so some other used records I've come across.)  Note that no cleaner
I know of will reverse the wear and noise of grit ground into a dirty
record by repeated plays in a dirty environment, just as a carpet can't
be cleaned completely once dirt is ground into the fiber.

But I still think someone could sell better quality machines at lower
prices and still make a profit.

-- Dean Deeds
	deeds@vulcan1.edsg.hac.com