Vinyl Me Please Essentials

[Diaper Baby Escape Plan]

This sounds like my experience with the Rick Ross - Teflon Don pressing VMP did. I shit you not I went through 5 copies before I got a copy that wasn’t horrendous. All the copies I received had the same scratching/crackling noises in the exact same areas, and you could even see the marks on the vinyl. Definitely wasn’t noise caused by dirt.

I’m still relatively new to collecting and I’m pretty sure I already know how you’re going to answer this, but are the vacuum cleaners like the Okki Nokki you mentioned really worth it? I finally just started looking into how people “wash” records but I’m still a bit scared to try that. Up until now I’ve just used a carbon fiber brush & a cleaning solution which is good for getting like paper dust off but it doesn’t really deep clean. I’m also still on the younger side so I can’t really afford to drop a ton of money on a vacuum cleaner unless I save up for awhile. I’ve always been fascinated by them though & if they really are worth it...

I know a vacuum cleaner can’t fix no-fill or the crackling from poor pressing, but if it really can get rid of surface noise from embedded dirt, I feel like I’d definitely get my money’s worth out of it

I have had an Okki Nokki for ~4 years (I believe they have a newer model out). I like it - the price, at least when I bought it (don't know what price point is now), represented good bang for the buck.

I always wash my records before I even play them, so I'm not sure what they sound like from the jump, but I've had instances where passages had surface noise and a second round with more focused cleaning got rid of that noise. But, as you pointed out, there are problems that cannot be washed away.

There are better RCM's out there, but it is always a balance w/ price too.

FWIW, my ON developed a leak in the drain hose in maybe the first few months of owning it. I contacted the U.S. distributor and they paid to have it sent to them for fixing. They ended up sending me a whole new machine - I'm guessing to fix whatever the problem was wasn't worth it for them. Years later and I've never had a repeat problem, and I found the distributor to be extremely helpful and easy to deal with.

There was a thread about RCMs maybe a few months ago with a voting function about different RCMs and quite a bit of discussion. https://www.needlesandgrooves.com/threads/which-rcm-would-you-get.1172/

 

[Mather]

This sounds like my experience with the Rick Ross - Teflon Don pressing VMP did. I shit you not I went through 5 copies before I got a copy that wasn’t horrendous. All the copies I received had the same scratching/crackling noises in the exact same areas, and you could even see the marks on the vinyl. Definitely wasn’t noise caused by dirt.

I’m still relatively new to collecting and I’m pretty sure I already know how you’re going to answer this, but are the vacuum cleaners like the Okki Nokki you mentioned really worth it? I finally just started looking into how people “wash” records but I’m still a bit scared to try that. Up until now I’ve just used a carbon fiber brush & a cleaning solution which is good for getting like paper dust off but it doesn’t really deep clean. I’m also still on the younger side so I can’t really afford to drop a ton of money on a vacuum cleaner unless I save up for awhile. I’ve always been fascinated by them though & if they really are worth it...

I know a vacuum cleaner can’t fix no-fill or the crackling from poor pressing, but if it really can get rid of surface noise from embedded dirt, I feel like I’d definitely get my money’s worth out of it

I think they are totally worth it. I think they're actually a must, no they can't fix a bad pressing but they can get rid of a LOT of pops. Crackle is crackle, right or left channel distortion isn't likely to wash out. But you can most certainly help with the general pops and clicks. Not to mention how it helps with the longevity of your stylus.

 

[jamieanderson1968]

This sounds like my experience with the Rick Ross - Teflon Don pressing VMP did. I shit you not I went through 5 copies before I got a copy that wasn’t horrendous. All the copies I received had the same scratching/crackling noises in the exact same areas, and you could even see the marks on the vinyl. Definitely wasn’t noise caused by dirt.

I’m still relatively new to collecting and I’m pretty sure I already know how you’re going to answer this, but are the vacuum cleaners like the Okki Nokki you mentioned really worth it? I finally just started looking into how people “wash” records but I’m still a bit scared to try that. Up until now I’ve just used a carbon fiber brush & a cleaning solution which is good for getting like paper dust off but it doesn’t really deep clean. I’m also still on the younger side so I can’t really afford to drop a ton of money on a vacuum cleaner unless I save up for awhile. I’ve always been fascinated by them though & if they really are worth it...

I know a vacuum cleaner can’t fix no-fill or the crackling from poor pressing, but if it really can get rid of surface noise from embedded dirt, I feel like I’d definitely get my money’s worth out of it

Another cheaper (though not cheap) is the Squeaky Clean. You need to supply a shop vac but it works great. All purchases, new and used, get run through it. I can do about 12 records an hour

 

[Selaws]

This sounds like my experience with the Rick Ross - Teflon Don pressing VMP did. I shit you not I went through 5 copies before I got a copy that wasn’t horrendous. All the copies I received had the same scratching/crackling noises in the exact same areas, and you could even see the marks on the vinyl. Definitely wasn’t noise caused by dirt.

I’m still relatively new to collecting and I’m pretty sure I already know how you’re going to answer this, but are the vacuum cleaners like the Okki Nokki you mentioned really worth it? I finally just started looking into how people “wash” records but I’m still a bit scared to try that. Up until now I’ve just used a carbon fiber brush & a cleaning solution which is good for getting like paper dust off but it doesn’t really deep clean. I’m also still on the younger side so I can’t really afford to drop a ton of money on a vacuum cleaner unless I save up for awhile. I’ve always been fascinated by them though & if they really are worth it...

I know a vacuum cleaner can’t fix no-fill or the crackling from poor pressing, but if it really can get rid of surface noise from embedded dirt, I feel like I’d definitely get my money’s worth out of it

I have had an Okki Nokki for ~4 years (I believe they have a newer model out). I like it - the price, at least when I bought it (don't know what price point is now), represented good bang for the buck.

I always wash my records before I even play them, so I'm not sure what they sound like from the jump, but I've had instances where passages had surface noise and a second round with more focused cleaning got rid of that noise. But, as you pointed out, there are problems that cannot be washed away.

There are better RCM's out there, but it is always a balance w/ price too.

FWIW, my ON developed a leak in the drain hose in maybe the first few months of owning it. I contacted the U.S. distributor and they paid to have it sent to them for fixing. They ended up sending me a whole new machine - I'm guessing to fix whatever the problem was wasn't worth it for them. Years later and I've never had a repeat problem, and I found the distributor to be extremely helpful and easy to deal with.

There was a thread about RCMs maybe a few months ago with a voting function about different RCMs and quite a bit of discussion. Which RCM would you get?

I just got a Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU a few days ago and its completely blown me away. Im one of those that would use a basic hand wash system to clean records and always thought it did an ok job. I have been cleaning a lot of records which used to have a lot of pops and surface noise and in some cases its completely removed it. Honestly sounds like im listening to a different copy of the record a lot of the times. So I would certainly recommend looking into a record cleaning machine for sure.

 

[duke86fan]

tbh lady in satin is a perfect december ROTM if just because a lot of this vocal jazz from the 50s just makes me think of my dad constantly playing christmas music when it comes.. so i hear nothing but the overly (i dunno if the word is wholesome but i dunno what else to say) music that plays all over christmas

 

[NathanRicaud]

I just got a Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU a few days ago and its completely blown me away. Im one of those that would use a basic hand wash system to clean records and always thought it did an ok job. I have been cleaning a lot of records which used to have a lot of pops and surface noise and in some cases its completely removed it. Honestly sounds like im listening to a different copy of the record a lot of the times. So I would certainly recommend looking into a record cleaning machine for sure.

Omg, I need to get this cleaning machine! What brush do you use to spread the liquid all over your record?

I have the spin clean and I don’t like it. I felt like it made my records even noisier...

The Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU seems to be quite new and has gotten really good reviews! It says you only need to vacuum clean it in one rotation - one rotation clockwise and one rotation anti-clockwise! When you turn the vacuum cleaning button on, do you do one or two rotations with the record (clockwise + anticlockwise).

Lastly do you find the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU really easy to use?

 

[Joe Mac]

Omg, I need to get this cleaning machine! What brush do you use to spread the liquid all over your record?

I have the spin clean and I don’t like it. I felt like it made my records even noisier...

The Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU seems to be quite new and has gotten really good reviews! It says you only need to vacuum clean it in one rotation - one rotation clockwise and one rotation anti-clockwise! When you turn the vacuum cleaning button on, do you do one or two rotations with the record (clockwise + anticlockwise).

Lastly do you find the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU really easy to use?

The spin clean is great. If you’re in a static area it will add a bit on the first play but should discharge naturally after a week or so in anti static sleeves. If you’re not drying it properly then yeah the detergent will dry in the grooves and add a lot of noise, that’d be your fault though, not it’s

 

[NathanRicaud]

The spin clean is great. If you’re in a static area it will add a bit on the first play but should discharge naturally after a week or so in anti static sleeves. If you’re not drying it properly then yeah the detergent will dry in the grooves and add a lot of noise, that’d be your fault though, not it’s

@HiFi Guy - I don’t know how to use the spin clean properly because it’s made over a 100 records I own, more noisy!

I use distilled water and the spin clean cleaning solution! I hate spin clean!

I want a record cleaning machine because it’s more effective, especially as they have the vacuum hose attached to it too! The Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU looks wonderful and I love that you can vacuum both clockwise and anti-clockwise, and that when you place the record in the machine, only the label of the record is being touched! Machine looks great, and @Selaws saying that he really likes it already and sometimes feels like he’s listening to a completely new record just confirms that the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU would be amazing!

 

[Joe Mac]

@HiFi Guy - I don’t know how to use the spin clean properly because it’s made over a 100 records I own, more noisy!

I use distilled water and the spin clean cleaning solution! I hate spin clean!

I want a record cleaning machine because it’s more effective, especially as they have the vacuum hose attached to it too! The Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU looks wonderful and I love that you can vacuum both clockwise and anti-clockwise, and that when you place the record in the machine, only the label of the record is being touched! Machine looks great, and @Selaws saying that he really likes it already and sometimes feels like he’s listening to a completely new record just confirms that the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU would be amazing!

Oh an RCM is miles better but it’s 4/5 times more expensive than a spin clean and if you use it properly it really shouldn’t be doing what you’re describing, it makes my records quieter because they’re clean...

 

[duke86fan]

The spin clean is great. If you’re in a static area it will add a bit on the first play but should discharge naturally after a week or so in anti static sleeves. If you’re not drying it properly then yeah the detergent will dry in the grooves and add a lot of noise, that’d be your fault though, not it’s

i had trouble with the drying.. i think i got my records pretty dry but i dunno if im deep enough or how long to dry for or what because it seems drying only takes like 40 seconds per side sometimes

 

[NathanRicaud]

Oh an RCM is miles better but it’s 4/5 times more expensive than a spin clean and if you use it properly it really shouldn’t be doing what you’re describing, it makes my records quieter because they’re clean...

Yeah, it is around 4-5 times more expensive! I’ve looked at the price of the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU, and it’s AUD$899! That’s literally like 6 times the price of a spin clean!

Reviews for it are so strong and I watched demo videos and it looks like exactly what I need! I have so many noisy records, that I’m sure I would benefit a lot from using a record cleaning machine like Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU!

Have you got a record cleaning machine Joe?

 

[Joe Mac]

i had trouble with the drying.. i think i got my records pretty dry but i dunno if im deep enough or how long to dry for or what because it seems drying only takes like 40 seconds per side sometimes

The way Ive found most effective is:

I have my dining table covered with cheap micro fibre cloths I got from an car motorfactors (think you’d call that an auto store over there?)

I have a spin clean cloth in each hand. I’m right handed so I lift then record out of the bath inside the cloth in my right hand. I grip the record really firmly with the cloth in my right hand and rotate the record through it using my left hand. I find 5ish rotations is normally right for me. I then lay it down on the cloths on my dining table. Once my table is full of dry records I leave them for 15 minutes for air drying before re-sleeving in new sleeve city inners.

 

[Selaws]

Omg, I need to get this cleaning machine! What brush do you use to spread the liquid all over your record?

I have the spin clean and I don’t like it. I felt like it made my records even noisier...

The Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU seems to be quite new and has gotten really good reviews! It says you only need to vacuum clean it in one rotation - one rotation clockwise and one rotation anti-clockwise! When you turn the vacuum cleaning button on, do you do one or two rotations with the record (clockwise + anticlockwise).

Lastly do you find the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU really easy to use?

I believe this model is an updated version of an earlier one. I think the main change is that the top plate is sealed to prevent fluid getting to the motor, although if you are using it correctly then fluid should never go anywhere apart from the record and nozzle.

Anyway, to answer your question, yes it only needs 1 full rotation to remove all of the liquid. It creates a vacuum that sucks all the liquid and grime up incredibly fast. I tend to give it 1 full rotation clockwise, then another anticlockwise just to be on the safe side. The machine comes with a goat-hair brush for distributing the liquid and also a bottle to mix and pour the liquid. I actually bought a cheap squeeze bottle (essentially a sauce bottle) which has a nozzle and cap as it allows you to control the flow a bit more.

Its incredibly easy to use. I can have a record clean, dry and playing in a couple of minutes without any clearing up (other than rinsing the brush at the end of the day). The liquid collects in a tank to be poured out when full, but as the solution evaporates it would need to be a really big run of cleaning for it to even fill up.

I have gone in at the deep end with this and never owned a spin-clean or the like before this. I have heard good things about them though, and it sounds like @Joe Mac has not had the same issue so perhaps you might be using the wrong cleaning fluid or something?

 

[Joe Mac]

Yeah, it is around 4-5 times more expensive! I’ve looked at the price of the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU, and it’s AUD$899! That’s literally like 6 times the price of a spin clean!

Reviews for it are so strong and I watched demo videos and it looks like exactly what I need! I have so many noisy records, that I’m sure I would benefit a lot from using a record cleaning machine like Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU!

Have you got a record cleaning machine Joe?

No I have a spin clean. I want one eventually but the spin clean is more than doing the job for now, I have things outside records and gear to buy over the next couple of years.

 

[NathanRicaud]

i had trouble with the drying.. i think i got my records pretty dry but i dunno if im deep enough or how long to dry for or what because it seems drying only takes like 40 seconds per side sometimes

Spin Clean is just way too fiddle-y for me! I used to spin clean, then use a dry-vac 33, and it’s so time consuming and is so labour intensive! Like it’s not smooth and I hate that the record is touching the platter when I vacuum it! And I’m like uncoordinated when vacuuming it!

I need just a machine because it’s easier and you get better results! I just need to know what brush to use when spreading the solution all over the record!

 

[Joe Mac]

I believe this model is an updated version of an earlier one. I think the main change is that the top plate is sealed to prevent fluid getting to the motor, although if you are using it correctly then fluid should never go anywhere apart from the record and nozzle.

Anyway, to answer your question, yes it only needs 1 full rotation to remove all of the liquid. It creates a vacuum that sucks all the liquid and grime up incredibly fast. I tend to give it 1 full rotation clockwise, then another anticlockwise just to be on the safe side. The machine comes with a goat-hair brush for distributing the liquid and also a bottle to mix and pour the liquid. I actually bought a cheap squeeze bottle (essentially a sauce bottle) which has a nozzle and cap as it allows you to control the flow a bit more.

Its incredibly easy to use. I can have a record clean, dry and playing in a couple of minutes without any clearing up (other than rinsing the brush at the end of the day). The liquid collects in a tank to be poured out when full, but as the solution evaporates it would need to be a really big run of cleaning for it to even fill up.

I have gone in at the deep end with this and never owned a spin-clean or the like before this. I have heard good things about them though, and it sounds like @Joe Mac has not had the same issue so perhaps you might be using the wrong cleaning fluid or something?

If shouldn’t be the fluid because you really only can use their own fluid because of the agent that causes the gunk to sink. Otherwise you’re cleaning every record after the first in a dirty bath.

It 100% that he’s not drying them properly and the fluid is drying in the grooves causing noise.

You’ve got a much better product but the spin clean much cheaper and really is not bad as a starter and should not be doing what Nathan describes.

 

[Selaws]

If shouldn’t be the fluid because you really only can use their own fluid because of the agent that causes the gunk to sink. Otherwise you’re cleaning every record after the first in a dirty bath.

It 100% that he’s not drying them properly and the fluid is drying in the grooves causing noise.

You’ve got a much better product but the spin clean much cheaper and really is not bad as a starter and should not be doing what Nathan describes.

Yeah it really should be, especially after looking at reviews on it. Tends to be a really well-recieved product.

I would also say that the jump to a record cleaning machine makes more sense if you tend to buy more second-hand/older records. The majority of my purchases are second-hand and likely haven't been cleaned since they were first released. The records where I have seen the biggest difference before and after a clean are older pressings from the 50's and 60's (there's been a few cases now where its completely removed surface noise that I always assumed was surface marks on the record). Sure new records benefit from a clean as well, but certainly shouldn't have the same level of grime or debris in the grooves to justify the need for a powerful suction clean.

 

[NathanRicaud]

If shouldn’t be the fluid because you really only can use their own fluid because of the agent that causes the gunk to sink. Otherwise you’re cleaning every record after the first in a dirty bath.

It 100% that he’s not drying them properly and the fluid is drying in the grooves causing noise.

You’ve got a much better product but the spin clean much cheaper and really is not bad as a starter and should not be doing what Nathan describes.

Yeah, it sounds like what you’re saying Joe is correct! I only use the spin clean fluid and distilled water so that part is good! I do around five rotations like you said on each side, so that part is good too! It must be that I’m not drying it properly! I use the spin clean cloths to dry it, and I usually have it dry in 1 minute, I just give it a good wipe on both sides, and I have around five spin-clean cloths there because some get a bit wet after cleaning a few, so I rotate between the cloths. After 1 minute of wiping the record clean, I then put it on a platter and dryvac the record. I do 3 rotations each side when vacuuming. After that, it goes straight into the ultimate diskeeper inner sleeve!

I think Spin Clean just isn’t for me. It’s a great cleaning system for sure, and it’s the most popular one, and has good reviews everywhere, but I have trouble and it’s not enjoyable for me because I don’t know where to put the record after cleaning it, and I hate using the dryvac.

So yeah, even though it’s much more expensive, I’m going to invest into the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU! After watching videos on it, I think it’s the record cleaning machine I want!

 

[Joe Mac]

Yeah it really should be, especially after looking at reviews on it. Tends to be a really well-recieved product.

I would also say that the jump to a record cleaning machine makes more sense if you tend to buy more second-hand/older records. The majority of my purchases are second-hand and likely haven't been cleaned since they were first released. The records where I have seen the biggest difference before and after a clean are older pressings from the 50's and 60's (there's been a few cases now where its completely removed surface noise that I always assumed was surface marks on the record). Sure new records benefit from a clean as well, but certainly shouldn't have the same level of grime or debris in the grooves to justify the need for a powerful suction clean.

Again I buy a lot of second hand in the early part of the year when new releases are slow (got loads of Van Morrison and some 70s/80s stuff this year). Granted I’m not on your scale, you seem to buy almost entirely used and OG? Anyway, the spin clean did a fantastic job on them, I just doubled, or tripled, my normal amount of turns through the brushes in the bath depending on how dirty it looked. I absolutely would say get an RCM if you have the money but if you don’t a spin clean is a must as a starter and works for all types and ages of records.

 

[Joe Mac]

Yeah, it sounds like what you’re saying Joe is correct! I only use the spin clean fluid and distilled water so that part is good! I do around five rotations like you said on each side, so that part is good too! It must be that I’m not drying it properly! I use the spin clean cloths to dry it, and I usually have it dry in 1 minute, I just give it a good wipe on both sides, and I have around five spin-clean cloths there because some get a bit wet after cleaning a few, so I rotate between the cloths. After 1 minute of wiping the record clean, I then put it on a platter and dryvac the record. I do 3 rotations each side when vacuuming. After that, it goes straight into the ultimate diskeeper inner sleeve!

I think Spin Clean just isn’t for me. It’s a great cleaning system for sure, and it’s the most popular one, and has good reviews everywhere, but I have trouble and it’s not enjoyable for me because I don’t know where to put the record after cleaning it, and I hate using the dryvac.

So yeah, even though it’s much more expensive, I’m going to invest into the Pro-ject VC-S2 ALU! After watching videos on it, I think it’s the record cleaning machine I want!

A wipe doesn’t work at all to dry them. You didn’t read my post properly. The five turns was me describing how I dry them...

For the record I do spin new records 5 times each direction in the machine and second hand 10-15 each direction depending on how dirty they look.