Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsDoes an excellent job when combined with Hudson gel stylus cleaner
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2020
I purchased the Disc Cleaner along with the Hudson gel stylus cleaner and I have to say I am blown away with the results. My LPs are clean and look almost new. They sound GREAT too which is the main thing. I am rediscovering my vinyl with this combination. Vocals and instruments sound redefined and vibrant and 'real' now. My Rega deck never sounded better (and they don't recommend cleaning like this! huh?)
I was skeptical at first (but encouraged by the Amazon reviews) as with everything audio, it's over priced and usually gimmicky, but with this I am a convert now.
Old scratchy records still sound scratchy however, BUT the improved sound quality makes up for quite a bit, and the scratches seem less noticeable. LPs in good condition now sound SUPERB! Quite a noticeable difference in the fidelity of each recording!
It was the quality which surprised me. The improvement in audio fidelity and response has been startling. I am now convinced that LPs CAN sound better than CDs!
Using the Disc Cleaner is kinda fun. It's very easy too.
It WON'T damage your record's label!! (quite a few reviewers were concerned about this)
Even if the label gets wet, the fluid easily wipes off and leaves no trace.
I found the cloths provided with the unit perfectly satisfactory in removing the fluid from the LP once the cleaning process (3x turns clockwise, then the same anti-clockwise) is over. I will add however that I have found wiping the LP dry in ONE direction is beneficial. Here is my technique:-
First, lay one of the cloths flat on a firm surface to act as a base for the operation. This will also absorb a lot of the excess fluid.
Fold the other cloth into a third of its width, then fold it to half its length. This is roughly the size of the playing surface of one side. Wipe the vinyl SLOWLY in a clockwise direction (I prefer to a.c.). Don't 'scrub' it. A slow steady movement will get a lot of the liquid off the disc. Then softly wipe again to remove all the residue. You will see the droplets disappear and the record takes on the appearance of a new one.
The REASON I fold the cloth so is that now, I use the opposite DRY side to finish off wiping the record.
Turn the record over. You will see a mottled effect from the other cloth and it's drying. This wipes off very easily with the now slightly damp side to look just like the first side and again, you can use the dry side to finish the record and - done!!
With subsequent cleanings you will find that the 'wiping' cloth starts to dampen quite a bit. THIS is why I fold it, so you can just turn to a drier side for more cleanings. One cloth using this technique can last for at least a dozen cleanings!
The cloth on the reverse side helps too, and you can just turn this over when it too starts to get loaded with cleaner.
When finished, REMOVE the pads in the unit. Leaving them in the solution will be detrimental to their effectiveness. Common sense really. When you remove them, squeeze them firmly together to get as much cleaner out of them as possible. Rinse under a warm tap and again squeeze to remove the water and then pat them with a cloth and let them air dry for future use.
I actually rinse the rollers too because you will notice there is a soft rubbery part in the centre of the plastic roller. I'm not sure how it is affected by the cleaning solution so I rinse them, just in case.
I then rinse the cloths in a CLEAN soapy solution and thoroughly rinse them and then dry them in a tumbler dryer. Can't be too careful with vinyl really!
When ready for another cleaning, I wet the pads using the existing solution as any dirt residue is now at the bottom of the tank and won't contaminate the pads or the records to be cleaned.
I noticed that some LPs were surprisingly hard to spin in the tank. I'm assuming that it's just grit and dirt that makes it so, and I found that STEADY and firm handling did the trick and within two revolutions it was turning quite easily. The same with the other direction. Some LPs are of course dirtier than others and I found that a few were better after 5 or 6 turnings in each direction (two cleanings?) but all were noticeably better in appearance and sound after cleaning.
I think the Hudson stylus cleaner helped considerably too and would strongly recommend this be a part of your package as well. I'm so surprised at the difference using these two items has made and am quite prepared to say that it is worth the investment. Whether or not a cleaner costing nearly a grand would be any better, I can't say, but for this amount, these two cleaners have provided great value for money. I am rediscovering my vinyl!! Can't say more than that. Happy spinning! (Did I mention - you have to turn the record manually, but if you keep a steady pressure on it and are sensitive to its resistance, it's no problem)
