Vinyl material - best record composition

[lovinthehd]

That's actually the last offering of that kit so I'm guessing mid to late eighties perhaps ? The original Zerostat gun had a much different muzzle. Regardless, it was pretty good marketing genius since their brush offering was basically junk. A wooden handle brush only helped in the build up static making you more impressed with the Zerostat gun. But it still was far superior to the 'record cloths' we used back in the sixties !

I had an original set and can't remember the price, 40-50 bucks sounds about right.

Mid-late eighties sounds about right, the one I have is the Zerostat 3 (assume came after 1 & 2?) which is available in blue as well. More I think about it msrp of $39.95 sounds right I had some of those "cloths" too

 

[highfigh]

I never play a new record without first cleaning. Along with dust, mold release agents can still be present on the record. Presently using a VPI 16.5 RCM. Wet brush my cleaning solution followed by a distilled water rinse and then vacuum. I then treat all my LP's with LAST and date the record sleeve. My pre-play routine is one with my 2+2 brush which is comprised of a carbon fibre brush and a chamois type material.

Pops and such are minimal if at all with this procedure

Funny thing about mold release for PVC- it's usually silicone, which is one of the most frictionless substances on the planet.

Sorry for being a plastic geek- I worked in a plastic injection molding plant and we made car batteries for just about everyone, as well as underground storage battery shells for electric companies. We went through cans of Silicone like it was free.

 

[highfigh]

Anyone remember what the original detail on one of these sets was? I'm thinking somewhere around $40? Still have mine. I tried to fix my gun at one point, almost got it, but couldn't keep it adjusted correctly.



View attachment 24929

I never liked D2, D3 or D4 liquid, or any water-based cleaning liquid, for that matter. I know someone who has a Nitty Gritty record cleaner and he asked if I want it- I swear the LPs that were cleaned on it sound worse and have visible deposits. Inside, it looked like a bad science fair project and it retails for something like $800. Noisy as hell, too.

 

[Mikado463]

I never liked D2, D3 or D4 liquid, or any water-based cleaning liquid, for that matter. I know someone who has a Nitty Gritty record cleaner and he asked if I want it- I swear the LPs that were cleaned on it sound worse and have visible deposits. Inside, it looked like a bad science fair project and it retails for something like $800. Noisy as hell, too.

It's all about the quality of the water. At a minimum use distilled, myself I use Reagent grade https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/thermo-scientific-nerl-reagent-grade-water-nerl-reagent-grade-water/23249581 mixed with L'Art du Son https://www.needledoctor.com/LArt-du-Son-Record-Cleaning-Fluid

Todays modern state of the art RCM's are ultrasonic.

 

[3db]

Like I said before, the zeostat gun works and works well, especially in combo with using the discwasher brush after the gun. Im still using the original discwasher brush that I purchased in the late 70s.

 

[3db]

I never liked D2, D3 or D4 liquid, or any water-based cleaning liquid, for that matter. I know someone who has a Nitty Gritty record cleaner and he asked if I want it- I swear the LPs that were cleaned on it sound worse and have visible deposits. Inside, it looked like a bad science fair project and it retails for something like $800. Noisy as hell, too.

I only break out the D4 for soiled used albums. Other than that, discwasher brush is dry

 

[sterling shoote]

I only break out the D4 for soiled used albums. Other than that, discwasher brush is dry

I quit Discwasher, when I discovered its residue was attaching itself to my stylus, like muck. Records sounded worse; and, I damaged some too.

 

[Mikado463]

I only break out the D4 for soiled used albums. Other than that, discwasher brush is dry

and there in lies why your zerostat gun works so well for a dry Dishwasher brush and it's wooden handle do not conduct static build up. Just the opposite, whereas the Signet brush (from the same time period) has it's fibre attach via a metal handle.

if you can find one, this is the brush to have ..........

 

[3db]

and there in lies why your zerostat gun works so well for a dry Dishwasher brush and it's wooden handle do not conduct static build up. Just the opposite, whereas the Signet brush (from the same time period) has it's fibre attach via a metal handle.

if you can find one, this is the brush to have ..........

Are you saying that the discwasher is building up static charge? If that were the case, I would hear more static pops but I dont. Unless you have a path to ground attached to the metal of that brush, its not much better than the discwasher brush.

 

[3db]

I quit Discwasher, when I discovered its residue was attaching itself to my stylus, like muck. Records sounded worse; and, I damaged some too.

Thats unfortunate. I've been doing this for 40 years now and never came across problems like that.

 

[Mikado463]

Are you saying that the discwasher is building up static charge? If that were the case, I would hear more static pops but I don't.

that's because you use your zerostat last ! .......but you don't, so I'm guessing the zerostat loosens the charge.....whatever, I had the reverse of you. I abandoned the Dishwasher system long ago

Unless you have a path to ground attached to the metal of that brush, its not much better than the discwasher brush.

that is correct.......on the 2+2 brush there is a metal strip in contact with the carbon fibre brush top.

 

[highfigh]

I only break out the D4 for soiled used albums. Other than that, discwasher brush is dry

To be fair, I only cleaned a few with the Nitty Gritty, but one of them was relatively unplayed since I had stored all of my vinyl for years and two boxes were AWOL for a couple of years when I pulled them out to play again- I did the trial version of Tidal and when I wanted to hear some Weather Report, they played something from an album I had completely forgotten about, so the thought that I needed to look again hit me. That's one of the LPs that now sound worse than before.

I think someone needs to come up with a better formula, with less or no water. I'm convinced that the water dries too slowly to prevent leaving deposits and since it's not easy to completely dry a surface like this without heat, a non-toxic, weak (WRT its effects on this kind of vinyl) but volatile liquid is needed.

 

[highfigh]

I quit Discwasher, when I discovered its residue was attaching itself to my stylus, like muck. Records sounded worse; and, I damaged some too.

Not sure that gook would do a lot of damage- maybe a deep cleaning would clear out the groove and reveal clean surfaces.

The buildup is one of the reasons I never liked using a liquid for cleaning. Another is the fact that the stuff on the record is collected by the velour on the brush, which dries and becomes a crust. Then, if the brush isn't cleaned, some of it is re-deposited or it scrapes its way around the surface. I don't like hearing scraping, so I have used my Audio Technica cleaner dry. In Winter, when the HVAC dries the air, I walk up to the rack, touch the 100K resistor attached to a rack screw to discharge my static and pick up the brush. I exhale on the surface to make it humid, rotate the LP to clean with the brush radial to the spindle and once it has covered the surface for a couple of rotations, I rotate the brush so the contact starts at the leading edge and moves gradually to the trailing edge. I sweep it slowly toward the edge of the LP as it rotates and look to see if anything remains. It seems to work and I rarely hear static unless it's super cold outside and the heat ha been on for a long time- if that happens, I put a pot of water on the stove and let it evaporate, to raise the humidity.

 

[highfigh]

It's all about the quality of the water. At a minimum use distilled, myself I use Reagent grade https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/thermo-scientific-nerl-reagent-grade-water-nerl-reagent-grade-water/23249581 mixed with L'Art du Son https://www.needledoctor.com/LArt-du-Son-Record-Cleaning-Fluid

Todays modern state of the art RCM's are ultrasonic.

I know, but I'm not spending that much for one. I may have lent one LP and have had three roommates in my life- one never played my albums, one was a co-worker at the stereo store and the other was careful with other peoples' property, so I didn't worry about them. I never touch the surface and if I leave one on the turntable, the cover is ALWAYS down. Even my oldest LPs, which were played on a POS BSR turntable with an ADC cartridge (no precision in that rig, whatsoever). The next TT was a POS JVC with an Empire 2002e 'Feedback Special' and once I was sick of that one, I got my Sony PS-X600, which immediately got an AT-30e, then an AT-31e and soon after, my Denon 103d, which is still going strong and the tip is still in great condition (I found a microscope at Goodwill, so I can see it). The Sony isn't seen as a high-end turntable, but background noise is negligible and the base is extremely inert WRT noise coming in from sound or through the rack. THAT's the reason I still listen to my LPs, although the ones with really bad recording/mastering quality can be incredibly annoying.

 

[Mikado463]

I think someone needs to come up with a better formula, with less or no water. I'm convinced that the water dries too slowly to prevent leaving deposits and since it's not easy to completely dry a surface like this without heat, a non-toxic, weak (WRT its effects on this kind of vinyl) but volatile liquid is needed.

here you go ............ http://degritter.com

 

[sterling shoote]

So far, I've had the best results, no snap, crackle, or pops, after washing record with my Spin Clean as recommended by Spin Clean, except I let the record air dry instead of using towels. Then, I set the record on the platter; and, after powering the platter, I lightly press a carbon fiber brush on the record for 5 revolutions. I also take the stylus for a dive into ONZOW. This procedure works; but, it does not draw out the "boulder" sized debris stuck in the grooves. I have not figured out a way of getting that stuff out. Just today, I listened to Men At Work, The Police, and Sonny Rollins LPs, all of these have one of these boulders. Even my digital pop filter can not remove these obstacles, so after digitizing the entire album, I've just been purchasing the offending cut from the iTunes Store. Per the earlier advice I got here, I am going the purchase a Zerostat; and, I think that should get the job done, except for those ground in particles.

 

[3db]

So far, I've had the best results, no snap, crackle, or pops, after washing record with my Spin Clean as recommended by Spin Clean, except I let the record air dry instead of using towels. Then, I set the record on the platter; and, after powering the platter, I lightly press a carbon fiber brush on the record for 5 revolutions. I also take the stylus for a dive into ONZOW. This procedure works; but, it does not draw out the "boulder" sized debris stuck in the grooves. I have not figured out a way of getting that stuff out. Just today, I listened to Men At Work, The Police, and Sonny Rollins LPs, all of these have one of these boulders. Even my digital pop filter can not remove these obstacles, so after digitizing the entire album, I've just been purchasing the offending cut from the iTunes Store. Per the earlier advice I got here, I am going the purchase a Zerostat; and, I think that should get the job done, except for those ground in particles.

I've heard good things about the spin clean.

 

[3db]

I bought this album new off of Ebay and it was completely "pop" free.

 

[slipperybidness]

I think someone needs to come up with a better formula, with less or no water. I'm convinced that the water dries too slowly to prevent leaving deposits and since it's not easy to completely dry a surface like this without heat, a non-toxic, weak (WRT its effects on this kind of vinyl) but volatile liquid is needed.

That's going to be a heck of an engineered product

 

[lovinthehd]

Any thoughts on this stuff ? https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Archivist-TergiKleenTM-Tergitol-based-Concentrate/dp/B019YI38Z2/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1531408614&sr=8-10&keywords=record+cleaning+solution