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Use RCM

Spraggons Den

Spraggons Den

pfm Member
Bit cheeky/long shot this one:

I have some records which are almost unlistenable with surface noise despite being recently purchased and having been cleaned with my Spin Clean and kept in anti-static sleeves.

I don’t suppose anyone living in East Anglia who has a proper/professional RCM would be prepared for me to pop round and try the errant records to see if they are recoverable or as I suspect that the noise has been baked in at manufacture.

I have considered buying the Project RCM but am holding off until I see if a decent RCM can fix the problem.

Much appreciated.

Ray
 
Last edited:
Spraggons Den said:
Big cheeky/long shot this one:

I have some records which are almost unlistenable with surface noise despite being recently purchased and having been cleaned with my Spin Clean and kept in anti-static sleeves.

I don’t suppose anyone living in East Anglia who has a proper/professional RCM would be prepared for me to pop round and try the errant records to see if they are recoverable or as I suspect that the noise has been baked in at manufacture.

I have considered buying the Project RCM but am holding off until I see if a decent RCM can fix the problem.

Much appreciated.

Ray
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If that doesn't work out if you'd like to post a small number to me I'll give them a clean and send them back. I have a project RCM here so you'd know what to expect...
 
To me, if they sound that bad, I doubt if an RCM would cure it. I have a Loricraft (not in East Anglia unfortunately) and I've had a few bad pressings that look fine but are noisy when played & the RCM can't cure that. Is you cartridge ok? If the stylus is worn it can have the effect. Older, dirtier records, can be quietened by cleaning and in any case, it's definitely worth buying an RCM, because they eliminate static, remove dust and grime, reduce stylus wear and improve the whole process of playing records, but they can't work miracles and can't solve damaged grooves.
 
I tend to agree with that but I had a Disco-antistat and I'd always get sludge picked up on the stylus, then of course all records sound bad!
 
gavreid said:
I tend to agree with that but I had a Disco-antistat and I'd always get sludge picked up on the stylus, then of course all records sound bad!
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Agreed that those sorts of devices are not the best way to clean records, because the sludge isn't really removed as such; vacuum cleaning is the only way to do it IMHO.
 
IMO with spin clean systems you need a second bath to rinse with deionised water, otherwise the best result you can get is clean records with evaporated cleaning solution on their surface. The second bath rinses off cleaning solution as well as contaminants.
 
jimification said:
IMO with spin clean systems you need a second bath to rinse with deionised water, otherwise the best result you can get is clean records with evaporated cleaning solution on their surface. The second bath rinses off cleaning solution as well as contaminants.
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As a chemist I learnt early on just how many rinses can be necessary - probably about 6 to be fairly confident!
 
Agreed with the last two posts! That's why the vacuum systems work so well, especially if you use a cleaning solution that doesn't evaporate too quickly. I must admit, It would be interesting to hear if @Spraggons Den 's records improve with a wet/vac clean.
 
wylton said:
Agreed with the last two posts! That's why the vacuum systems work so well, especially if you use a cleaning solution that doesn't evaporate too quickly. I must admit, It would be interesting to hear if @Spraggons Den 's records improve with a wet/vac clean.
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A tenner says they will not sound significantly better!
 
They will only sound better if the Spin Clean has left residue behind, as others have said.
 
gavreid said:
I tend to agree with that but I had a Disco-antistat and I'd always get sludge picked up on the stylus, then of course all records sound bad!
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I cleaned about five records with mine. Huge PITA but effective. My ruses were flooding with tap water(soft water area) after treatment and making a vacuum attachment for our ‘Henry’. For a few rogue records it was effective without all the expense and space-hogging of the conventional solution. If I get something worth the effort again it’s sitting in the loft patiently for eighteen years now….
 
Cleaned 10 x albums on the Loricraft this afternoon, including some that I received as Christmas gifts. Since I moved the Loricraft into the office / study upstairs, I can clean records whenever the mood takes me.
 
I’ve never been particularly impressed with RCMs, and certainly not when the vinyl is extremely noisy.
That’s completely against the general opinion on here, but I’ve cleaned hundreds of albums over the last 10 years and I sometimes wonder why, although it definitely gets rid of static better than my Zerostat.
 
Don't forget that if you're patient enough to seek out another's RCM, there is an easier, cheaper, quieter, more thorough way to clean records, by applying PVA glue and peeling it off once dried. I have cleaned thousands of sides this way, with great success. Very stubborn cases can benefit from two or three cycles of glue application/removal. It is a perfect solution IMO, and can be done anywhere with no equipment.
 
doctorf said:
...although it definitely gets rid of static better than my Zerostat.
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Zerostats are 100% effective in neutralising static unless they are in poor repair or incorrectly used.

It is important to spray all over both sides of the record for complete effect. The principle malfunction is the sharpness and rust-free cleanliness of the needle. A quick sharpen with a nail file will normally return a Zerostat to full working order.
 
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