Vinyl LP cleaning services.

All general audio posts go here.
TheMarlin
Posts: 1673
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:43 pm
Location: London-ish, or thereabouts
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 2093 times
Great Britain

Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by TheMarlin »

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a vinyl record cleaning service.
Some used LP’s he bought would benefit from a nice clean.
Would have to be a postage based service, so recommendation is very important. I don’t want to sent valuable LP’s to a random with a fake website...
All the best
Paul
Modded Belles A150 MK2, P90SA, & NVA SSP cables, and LS5.
Leak Stereo 20 & First Audio Classic Copper V2
Modded Lenco GL75 with Saturn arm, heavy custom plinth. Nagaoka MP500.
Nottingham Audio Hyperspace + heavy kit, + Origin Live Conqueror + Koetsu Black
Tom Evans Micro Grove MK2 MC phono
Bluesound Node2i (x2) both with latest power upgrades.
Topping D90MQA and Topping D90SE
Audiolab 6000 CDT transport.
All NVA cables

Daniel Quinn
Posts: 8586
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:16 am
Has thanked: 24 times
Been thanked: 399 times

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by Daniel Quinn »

For about £200 you can have a ultrasonic cleaner.

Geoff.R.G
Posts: 1562
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:46 pm
Location: Denham UK
Has thanked: 132 times
Been thanked: 476 times
Great Britain

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

I had some cleaned on a Keith Monks machine a good few years back, if you have anything like a decent number to clean think seriously about DQ's suggestion. I forget how much I paid back then but it was a significant proportion of the cost of buying a replacement disc, it probably still represents a similar proportion except that finding a replacement copy is immeasurably harder no than it was then.

The Keith Monks web site lists retailers http://www.keithmonks-rcm.co.uk/retailers.asp

Daniel Quinn
Posts: 8586
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:16 am
Has thanked: 24 times
Been thanked: 399 times

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by Daniel Quinn »

I've priced it up. £95 for 6litre machine and £70 for a vinyl lp turner that will do 4 at once.
These users thanked the author Daniel Quinn for the post:
savvypaul (Wed Aug 26, 2020 9:43 am)

Berty bass
Posts: 362
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:54 pm
Has thanked: 57 times
Been thanked: 156 times
Great Britain

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by Berty bass »

Daniel Quinn wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:11 pm I've priced it up. £95 for 6litre machine and £70 for a vinyl lp turner that will do 4 at once.
DQ - would you mind posting links? You've piqued my interest. :)

TheMarlin
Posts: 1673
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:43 pm
Location: London-ish, or thereabouts
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 2093 times
Great Britain

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by TheMarlin »

I’ve asked the same question elsewhere, and am getting the same answer.

So, what’s a decent cleaning machine - at a mid price point.

I hear I need one that vaccums and washes.

Cheers

Marlin
Modded Belles A150 MK2, P90SA, & NVA SSP cables, and LS5.
Leak Stereo 20 & First Audio Classic Copper V2
Modded Lenco GL75 with Saturn arm, heavy custom plinth. Nagaoka MP500.
Nottingham Audio Hyperspace + heavy kit, + Origin Live Conqueror + Koetsu Black
Tom Evans Micro Grove MK2 MC phono
Bluesound Node2i (x2) both with latest power upgrades.
Topping D90MQA and Topping D90SE
Audiolab 6000 CDT transport.
All NVA cables

TroutFisher
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2018 10:40 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 9 times
Great Britain

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by TroutFisher »

Daniel Quinn wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:11 pm I've priced it up. £95 for 6litre machine and £70 for a vinyl lp turner that will do 4 at once.
I share the ownership of an LP ultrasonic cleaner with two friends. We have found it is excellent at removing crud from deep within the record grooves but there are other considerations. You are left with a wet LP you’ve just cleaned saturated in the cleaning fluid. This fluid needs removing as if left to dry, it will leave unwanted residue in the grooves. The in-practical solution (not intended) is to wash off with purified water, but we have found immediately transferring the disc to a vacuum record cleaner and then sucking off the fluid to leave a dry surface is best. I use an early Okki Nokki. http://www.okkinokki.co.uk/ Still a good price and upgraded.

It seems daft to use two cleaners although so doing will give you best results, but the basic vacuum cleaner is pretty good on it’s own and will provide results that will satisfy the average vinyl listener. You can buy professionally made and commercially built ultrasonic cleaners specifically designed for LP’s which do all the cleaning and vacuuming and drying in one enclosure, but they can only do 1 or 2 discs at a time and cost the best part of £3K.

The ultrasonic cleaners on eBay are basically DIY designs that came out of a DIY product development thread that was aired on HiFi WigWam. The good ones do work, but recognise the sellers are about simply bolting together a slow rotation system they have made to fit to a standard already available relatively cheap ultrasonic cleaner.

Kieth Monks machines are very expensive. In my experience, and I have compared, they offer nothing better to my own, cleaning system.

With what I know, if I needed to now buy a cleaning system, I would buy an Okki Nokki and see how that satisfies me. If unsatisfied, I’d consider an ultrasonic cleaner to be used first with the function of the Okki Nokki vacuum record cleaner after.

@Berty bass, you can find examples of DQ’s recommendation by simply searching ultrasonic record cleaner on eBay, and of course, consider he probably doesn’t actually have any specific experience on that which he has written.

User avatar
savvypaul
Posts: 8635
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:14 pm
Location: Durham
Has thanked: 1657 times
Been thanked: 2978 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by savvypaul »

TroutFisher wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:44 pm
Daniel Quinn wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:11 pm I've priced it up. £95 for 6litre machine and £70 for a vinyl lp turner that will do 4 at once.
I share the ownership of an LP ultrasonic cleaner with two friends. We have found it is excellent at removing crud from deep within the record grooves but there are other considerations. You are left with a wet LP you’ve just cleaned saturated in the cleaning fluid. This fluid needs removing as if left to dry, it will leave unwanted residue in the grooves. The in-practical solution (not intended) is to wash off with purified water, but we have found immediately transferring the disc to a vacuum record cleaner and then sucking off the fluid to leave a dry surface is best. I use an early Okki Nokki. http://www.okkinokki.co.uk/ Still a good price and upgraded.

It seems daft to use two cleaners although so doing will give you best results, but the basic vacuum cleaner is pretty good on it’s own and will provide results that will satisfy the average vinyl listener. You can buy professionally made and commercially built ultrasonic cleaners specifically designed for LP’s which do all the cleaning and vacuuming and drying in one enclosure, but they can only do 1 or 2 discs at a time and cost the best part of £3K.

The ultrasonic cleaners on eBay are basically DIY designs that came out of a DIY product development thread that was aired on HiFi WigWam. The good ones do work, but recognise the sellers are about simply bolting together a slow rotation system they have made to fit to a standard already available relatively cheap ultrasonic cleaner.

Kieth Monks machines are very expensive. In my experience, and I have compared, they offer nothing better to my own, cleaning system.

With what I know, if I needed to now buy a cleaning system, I would buy an Okki Nokki and see how that satisfies me. If unsatisfied, I’d consider an ultrasonic cleaner to be used first with the function of the Okki Nokki vacuum record cleaner after.

@Berty bass, you can find examples of DQ’s recommendation by simply searching ultrasonic record cleaner on eBay, and of course, consider he probably doesn’t actually have any specific experience on that which he has written.
It appears that he probably does...

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49871&hilit=ultrasonic
I am in the hi-fi trade
Status: Manufacturer
Company Name: NVA Hi-Fi
https://nvahifi.co.uk/

TroutFisher
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2018 10:40 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 9 times
Great Britain

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by TroutFisher »

TroutFisher wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:44 pm
Daniel Quinn wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:11 pm I've priced it up. £95 for 6litre machine and £70 for a vinyl lp turner that will do 4 at once.
I share the ownership of an LP ultrasonic cleaner with two friends. We have found it is excellent at removing crud from deep within the record grooves but there are other considerations. You are left with a wet LP you’ve just cleaned saturated in the cleaning fluid. This fluid needs removing as if left to dry, it will leave unwanted residue in the grooves. The in-practical solution (not intended) is to wash off with purified water, but we have found immediately transferring the disc to a vacuum record cleaner and then sucking off the fluid to leave a dry surface is best. I use an early Okki Nokki. http://www.okkinokki.co.uk/ Still a good price and upgraded.

It seems daft to use two cleaners although so doing will give you best results, but the basic vacuum cleaner is pretty good on it’s own and will provide results that will satisfy the average vinyl listener. You can buy professionally made and commercially built ultrasonic cleaners specifically designed for LP’s which do all the cleaning and vacuuming and drying in one enclosure, but they can only do 1 or 2 discs at a time and cost the best part of £3K.

The ultrasonic cleaners on eBay are basically DIY designs that came out of a DIY product development thread that was aired on HiFi WigWam. The good ones do work, but recognise the sellers are about simply bolting together a slow rotation system they have made to fit to a standard already available relatively cheap ultrasonic cleaner.

Kieth Monks machines are very expensive. In my experience, and I have compared, they offer nothing better to my own, cleaning system.

With what I know, if I needed to now buy a cleaning system, I would buy an Okki Nokki and see how that satisfies me. If unsatisfied, I’d consider an ultrasonic cleaner to be used first with the function of the Okki Nokki vacuum record cleaner after.

@Berty bass, you can find examples of DQ’s recommendation by simply searching ultrasonic record cleaner on eBay.
These users thanked the author TroutFisher for the post:
savvypaul (Wed Aug 26, 2020 9:43 am)

TroutFisher
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2018 10:40 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 9 times
Great Britain

Re: Vinyl LP cleaning services.

Unread post by TroutFisher »

Thank you, Paul. I have amended my original post, however, based on my experience, I doubt DQ really has a comprehensive understanding of this topic.

Post Reply