Why do some records crackle more than others?

[Candyflip]

59 minutes ago, Brad24 said:

Where did you buy it from?

S/hand, from a Melbourne SNA member.

[Guest DarkNark]

I bought an Okki Nokki. I use Melody Mate with it. I am happy with it.

[Kaynin]

3 hours ago, blakey72 said:

I've heard some say those guns are snake oil but they actually work

 

Mate I've seen it work every time where dust is sticking to the disc, the static gun is fired at the disc and the dust floats away.  I still watch it in awe!  There's youtube videos of similar results, I think with sticking paper that no longer sticks.

[Kaynin]

My RCM is the Consonance and I also use Melody Mate.  I'll add that my experiences with Melody Mate customer service has been absolutely A1, including rectifying an order issue.  

 

Have never used the stronger strength Melody mate solution though, I'm concerned about too much residue...

[fwt1712]

I would also give a recommendation for a spin clean set up. Mine does a great job and is the first wet type cleaner I have used so I can't compare it to fancier/motorised units but from what I have found so far it does an excellent job at a reasonable price.

[andyr]

13 hours ago, blakey72 said:

 

I don't know if they would get right down into the groves or just remove surface dust. I think the only proper way is to wet/vac. Someone correct me if I'm wrong

 

 

AFAIAC ... you are absolutely right (the roller can't possibly clean out the grooves)!    IOW - it's an alternative (not a very good one, IMO!) to a CF brush for cleaning the surface dust off, before each play.

 

So yes, you need a wet/vac RCM - or an us tank (with a 1 micron filter, if you don't want to have to dry each side with your vac RCM).

 

Andy

 

[aussievintage]

56 minutes ago, fwt1712 said:

I would also give a recommendation for a spin clean set up. Mine does a great job and is the first wet type cleaner I have used so I can't compare it to fancier/motorised units but from what I have found so far it does an excellent job at a reasonable price.

I agree.  My brother has a vacuum clean, so I can compare it with the Spin Clean.    The vacuum does a better job, for sure.  But the Spin Clean is a lot cheaper and unless the record is really filthy, the job it does is plenty good enough for my needs.  You can always clean it more than once if it still has too much surface noise after the first clean.

[Brad24]

1 hour ago, fwt1712 said:

I would also give a recommendation for a spin clean set up. Mine does a great job and is the first wet type cleaner I have used so I can't compare it to fancier/motorised units but from what I have found so far it does an excellent job at a reasonable price.

Thanks, I reckon I'll give one of these a go first

[Wimbo]

 

@Brad24 Lot of good info here mate. Also. Set up a little lamp that can focus across your record to your stylus.

You will get a shock.

[Brad24]

1 minute ago, Wimbo said:

 

@Brad24 Lot of good info here mate. Also. Set up a little lamp that can focus across your record to your stylus.

You will get a shock.

Thanks

[t_mike]

50 minutes ago, Wimbo said:

Set up a little lamp that can focus across your record to your stylus.

Make sure it's a bright LED. Be prepared not just for dirt and dust, but also physical damage. That includes new vinyl.

[Hydrology]

11 hours ago, Kaynin said:

 

 

Have never used the stronger strength Melody mate solution though, I'm concerned about too much residue...

Don’t be. I use the strong stuff with no issues.

[stevoz]

I see yet another thread re: record cleaning, has been hijacked by the 'wet tub' brigade.....it's fine to promote what you know but maybe a bit irresponsible to push newbies into possible unnecessary expense......@Brad24, don't forget the far less expensive and just as effective (I'd argue more effective....no debating this please everyone....each to his own) Record Revirginiser.....sure it takes longer to clean an LP but you won't get a better result.

 

If your LP still crackles after an RV peel, it will crackle forever......a tub of distilled water isn't going to make it any better and you will have saved many dollars.

[Kaynin]

51 minutes ago, Hydrology said:

Don’t be. I use the strong stuff with no issues.

 

Thanks for letting me know.  

[Kaynin]

1 minute ago, stevoz said:

I see yet another thread re: record cleaning, has been hijacked by the 'wet tub' brigade.....it's fine to promote what you know but maybe a bit irresponsible to push newbies into possible unnecessary expense

 

Hijacked?  Popularity is hardly hijacking, but merely a common opinion.  Don’t feel threatened by being in the minority.

 

irresponsible?  It’s a tried and true method that is much quicker than a peel - and as with everything in life, you pay for convenience.  The OP can decide for himself if what he wants to spend money on.  You will note that the cheap option of a spin clean has been mentioned...  

[BlakeGR]

I use wet play (lenco superclean system) if albuns show signs of crackling and surface noise.Used it for 15 years and swear by it.Surface noise gone

[stevoz]

10 minutes ago, Kaynin said:

 

Hijacked?  Popularity is hardly hijacking, but merely a common opinion.  Don’t feel threatened by being in the minority.

 

irresponsible?  It’s a tried and true method that is much quicker than a peel - and as with everything in life, you pay for convenience.  The OP can decide for himself if what he wants to spend money on.  You will note that the cheap option of a spin clean has been mentioned...  

Threatened? LOL, not at all....just prefer people to know all of the options available to them, especially cheaper and just as effective ones, so they can make an informed choice. It matters little to me if the OP chooses to waste money to achieve the same result.

Edited May 20, 2019 by stevoz

[Bronal]

I haven't had vinyl for over 30 years, but I do remember that in the 1970s and 80s quite a lot of vinyl recycling was going on on, especially in the US, and this resulted in increased surface noise.  Vinyl would be melted down and then reused.  This resulted in different qualities of vinyl being mixed together.  Such records can normally be identified by a swirling pattern on the disc that reflects the mixing of the different vinyl sources.  To avoid this, people used to seek out pressings form the UK, Europe (especially Germany) and Japan.  Japanese pressings were particularly sought after.  i don't know about Australian pressings of that era - the main problem with them as I recall was that overseas recordings were derived from masters several generations away from the original and were often hissy.

[Wimbo]

1 hour ago, Bronal said:

I haven't had vinyl for over 30 years, but I do remember that in the 1970s and 80s quite a lot of vinyl recycling was going on on, especially in the US, and this resulted in increased surface noise.  Vinyl would be melted down and then reused.  This resulted in different qualities of vinyl being mixed together.  Such records can normally be identified by a swirling pattern on the disc that reflects the mixing of the different vinyl sources.  To avoid this, people used to seek out pressings form the UK, Europe (especially Germany) and Japan.  Japanese pressings were particularly sought after.  i don't know about Australian pressings of that era - the main problem with them as I recall was that overseas recordings were derived from masters several generations away from the original and were often hissy.

I've got quite a few Aussie LP's from the 70's. Skinnie's. Some of them are the best sounding LP's I've got.

[Hydrology]

2 hours ago, stevoz said:

 Record Revirginiser.....sure it takes longer to clean an LP but you won't get a better result.

 

 

I second the recommendation of Record Revirginizer, however, I would add to the above statement "for the money". For those with a few hundred records in their collection, this becomes an expensive proposition but importantly, a HUGE time devoted to cleaning.

It would certainly be an ideal start for the OP to dip his toe into cleaning, but most people move pretty quickly onto other time-saving cleaning solutions.

[aussievintage]

1 hour ago, Wimbo said:

I've got quite a few Aussie LP's from the 70's. Skinnie's. Some of them are the best sounding LP's I've got.

I haven't personally struck any that seemed to be re-cycled, and I bought heaps of LPs in the 70s - still have them of course    By and large, Aussie pressings are excellent.

[andyr]

1 hour ago, Hydrology said:

I second the recommendation of Record Revirginizer, however, I would add to the above statement "for the money". For those with a few hundred records in their collection, this becomes an expensive proposition but importantly, a HUGE time devoted to cleaning.

It would certainly be an ideal start for the OP to dip his toe into cleaning, but most people move pretty quickly onto other time-saving cleaning solutions.

 

^^^ what H says! 

 

Unfortunately, Steve can't justify the outlay on a wet/vac machine; as a result he:

a.  pours scorn on people who can afford one and have spent their money on one, and

b.  promotes what he can afford - RR - as the sine qua non of cleaning regimes.

 

Andy

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by andyr

[aussievintage]

1 hour ago, Hydrology said:

time-saving cleaning solutions

Yes, that's important for me.  Like many people, I am lazy.  Well, lazy enough that, when confronted with 2000+ records still to be sorted and cleaned and test played and rated...  well I need 3 things from the cleaning part of that, speed, reasonable cost per record, and ease, and still get a result good enough to be game to drop a stylus on it and listen. 

 

I started with a paint brush and suds in the sink.  I tried glue.  I have used someone elses vacuum machine.  I now just run them through a Spin Clean.     Even using the bought fluid, it's very cheap per record, only takes a minute or two, and doesn't wear me out.

[swervyn]

4 hours ago, stevoz said:

I see yet another thread re: record cleaning, has been hijacked by the 'wet tub' brigade.....it's fine to promote what you know but maybe a bit irresponsible to push newbies into possible unnecessary expense......@Brad24, don't forget the far less expensive and just as effective (I'd argue more effective....no debating this please everyone....each to his own) Record Revirginiser.....sure it takes longer to clean an LP but you won't get a better result.

 

If your LP still crackles after an RV peel, it will crackle forever......a tub of distilled water isn't going to make it any better and you will have saved many dollars.

"no debating this please everyone", ummm, isn't a forum discussion so that others can put forward suggestions and talk about the pro's and con's of them?

[Hydrology]

Do you reckon stevoz's dog is blacker than our dogs?