Turntable Options - looking for an antidote

Thanks guys, still trying to find some bearing on this 'new' venture.

I have a question :

I am a little puzzled by my record cleaning machine. I have a mid range VPI machine. Seems to me that after using the record cleaner, the background noise is worse. How can this be ? I used the solution that came with the machine. I followed VPI's instruction diligently.

1) First, place the record on the cork platter & fasten with the record clamp. Switch on the platter

2) Then swing the fluid dispenser cum brush into place & squirt some cleaning fluid onto the record

3) Let the record spin for a few revolutions (3). Then remove the dispenser/brush

4) The put the vacuum suction into place & suck up all the muck until dry.

5) Play record but background noise elevated.

???

Regards,
Joe Ling

JediSavant wrote:Very nice TT Mr Joe!!

Elhefe... At Rock Corner you can usually get a discount on vinyl... 10-15% usually...

Yup got 10%.

BR, WKN, Private Investigation and Telegraph Road......you don't like em? Make my hair stand playing these on vinyl. Soft passages, loud passages......musical drama and talent only Knopfler knows how.

Stop Press....

Was offered a Roksan Radius 3 with original tone arm, in excellent condition. The item is in Australia and price is around RM5000.00 before shipping and customs. I know nothing about Roksan except reputation. Apparently it's very warm and musical.

Any opinions or experiences with Roksan that anyone would care to share? I just figured for that price I could get a new VPI classic and cart....

For numerous reasons to be found elsewhere, its the Roksan tonearms that have gained an excellent reputation and often bought seperately and matched with another TT make. I stand corrected but some rough arithmetic calculation of Roksan TT's is that the cost of the tonearm represent a huge chunk over the table itself. For example, Roksan Nima (entry level model) often matched with LP12.

Was offered a Roksan Radius 3 with original tone arm

Hi Jedi, you referring to the Roksan Radius 5?

radius 3.... It's an older model right?

RE: record cleaning....

I think you have to let it air for a bit to ensure thorough drying... Then an anti-static sweep, and only then play the vinyl.

Radius 3, it is! My mistake with the Tabriz arm, yes

Wan Azami Hamzah wrote:BR, WKN, Private Investigation and Telegraph Road......you don't like em? Make my hair stand playing these on vinyl. Soft passages, loud passages......musical drama and talent only Knopfler knows how.

Love Over Gold ? Of course I like those pieces as well. But of course one will always have a favourite. So for me, Makin' Movies is the best but all the rest are almost as good as well.

I remember my younger days how my friends and I would fuss over the breaking of the bottle (do I need to say which song ? ) - how realistic it would sound, how far away the system will throw the image.

The most hilarious incident was when I bought a new CD player (yup, those were the 'dark old days' ) and a friend, non-hifi came over to visit me and I played for him Love Over Gold. Then I told him "wait, wait,..." crash ! the bottle breaks. He looked at me "you mean you paid a few grand just to hear the bottle breaking ?". "Dei, you didn't hear how real it sounded now ar" I argued.

"Aiyah, give me the few grands instead and I will come to your house and break a bottle for you everytime you listen to the sound. I will even supply the bottles free of charge ! LIVE SOUND MAH !"

As a result of vinyl-related over indulgence, i shall spend the morning today in Singapore searching for a suitable tactical style ballistic grade carrier bag with which to transport the precious cargo home.... Neck sore from being hunched over flipping titles....

joeling wrote:Thanks guys, still trying to find some bearing on this 'new' venture.

I have a question :

I am a little puzzled by my record cleaning machine. I have a mid range VPI machine. Seems to me that after using the record cleaner, the background noise is worse. How can this be ? I used the solution that came with the machine. I followed VPI's instruction diligently.

1) First, place the record on the cork platter & fasten with the record clamp. Switch on the platter

2) Then swing the fluid dispenser cum brush into place & squirt some cleaning fluid onto the record

3) Let the record spin for a few revolutions (3). Then remove the dispenser/brush

4) The put the vacuum suction into place & suck up all the muck until dry.

5) Play record but background noise elevated.

???

Regards,
Joe Ling

Perhaps the cleaning solution is too thick ? If it is, it could be that when the vacuum sucks up the watery bits but the thicker murky parts are still embedded in the grooves, hence the added noise.

What solution is it? Came with the VPI cleaner machine so is it some branded stuff (ie from VPI, or Clearaudio, etc) or some generic custom home-concoction fluid?

Is the vacuum brush/nozzle kept as clean as possible? Otherwise it would wedge more dirt in the grooves especially at the leading edge of the vacuum nozzle.


Some people practice this 2-step cleaning method.
1st round, do as your your steps above.
2nd round, repeat the same thing but instead of using the cleaning solution, use filtered water (of u dont have filtered water at home, a bottle of reverse osmosis drinking water is also fine). The 2nd step with the filtered water and vacuum-sucking should get rid of any residue dirt left behind from the cleaning-solution.

For the super lazy people (myself included), i would just dilute the cleaning solution and just do the one-round of cleaning. One way to tell how diluted the cleaning solution is , would be to watch how well it can evaporate from the LP surface. The more diluted, the quicker it should dilute away.

Also, how do you keep your stylus clean? Dry brushing is great, but an occasional wet wipe stylus cleaner is a great way to keep the diamond tip gunk free.

http://eu.audio-technica.com/en/products/product.asp?catID=6&subID=42&prodID=4031

http://www.clearaudio.de/_en/zi_Elixier%20of%20Sound.php

And then there are some goo-based stylus cleaners, looks like soft play-putty on a plate that u just land the stylus on and the gooish gunk would grab the dirt off. Haven't used them personally before but perhaps worthy of investigation.

mugenfoo wrote:



Also, how do you keep your stylus clean? Dry brushing is great, but an occasional wet wipe stylus cleaner is a great way to keep the diamond tip gunk free.

i tried dry brushing but the hard lump of stuff was still stuck to the stylus.



the lump was removed only when i used the clearaudio elixier of sound diamond cleaner. i think it's the best stylus cleaner in the market.

A long time ago I bought a nice lil accessory in London, now rare and I really hope its made again. Audio Technica really offered some useful stuff including a dust bug (also broken because I sorta abused it long time ago). Its an Audio Technica AT-637 battery powered ultrasonic bristle cleaner. Under most playing condition this thingy served me well till I lost it when moving house. Damn and never forgave myself for this. Anyway, I've observed many TT owners having that little bottle of AudioTechnica stylus cleaner solution. It was quite affordable till lately some dealers I've observed hiked up the price to unbelieavable prices, yet people still buy it without flinching and quite commonly available. RM60 I think or whatever?

I think this stylus cleaner is suitable for most purpose and intent.

Anyone with thoughts on Lenco turntables? I listened to an older model yesterday, hooked up to a DIY Marantz based tube phono stage into a NAIM integrated into a pair of LS3/5s.... very open sound, warm and musical overall....

Lenco, especially L75 models are the business when if comes tank build and reliability. Its idler wheel driven. It was widely used in lots of Malaysian record shops in its heyday, blasting music out from shop inside to the kaki lima corridor.

Its a very good vintage IF all is in good nick. Personally I'd prefer belt drives or direct drives over idler for home hifi. But then its your personal preference if musicality appeal is everything to you. I somehow sense some Lenco's have a higher LF rumble noise, but I reckon its not an issue to some or it can be further mechanically finetuned or critically setup. Me usually stay away from vintages primarily if the manufacturer is defunct parts are either very expensive from Ebay or hard to find. McGyver fixes are a no-no as it'll reduce its vintage value and probably compromise its performance. A TT isn't some vintage car. There's a lot of more precision that can matter. Not too long ago, I happened to audition one specimen that all the moving mechanicals (minus the baseplate) were relocated to a new metal makedo plinth..and it sounded errrr........

Just my 2 sen view of Lenco's.

Rek O Kut TT la bro....