first impressions
Hi everybody
finally, the prototype of my cleaning machine is working now.
so, I have spent last weekend on cleaning, listening and comparing. here are some (very fast) first impressions.
-when i put a single LP, i can notice some fixed spots on its surface where there is some activity. but they are really a few and isolated. i hope they are not the only active points....
-when I put more LPs (2 or 3), the water surface gets much quiter.
-in general, i am not completely satisfied. previously i used a knosti, and i could not preceive a great improvement.
-now, I am cleaning some very dirt and old LPs..... and in no case I could say "WOW that sounds clean!". it's very difficult to judge, because you have to take in consideration the quality of the recording, the quality of the LP, it's state of conservation and so on. but i would have expected that newer and scratchless LP would have been noiseless. and they are not.
Hi everybody
finally, the prototype of my cleaning machine is working now.
so, I have spent last weekend on cleaning, listening and comparing. here are some (very fast) first impressions.
-when i put a single LP, i can notice some fixed spots on its surface where there is some activity. but they are really a few and isolated. i hope they are not the only active points....
-when I put more LPs (2 or 3), the water surface gets much quiter.
-in general, i am not completely satisfied. previously i used a knosti, and i could not preceive a great improvement.
-now, I am cleaning some very dirt and old LPs..... and in no case I could say "WOW that sounds clean!". it's very difficult to judge, because you have to take in consideration the quality of the recording, the quality of the LP, it's state of conservation and so on. but i would have expected that newer and scratchless LP would have been noiseless. and they are not.
Nidiy,
If I remember correctly, you bought a cheap Chinese 40khz machine, correct? Therein lies the problem. All ultrasonic cleaners are not created equal. There have been a number of quality complaints about cheap machines in this thread. Quality machines provide better performance than you're experiencing.
Best regards,
B B
If I remember correctly, you bought a cheap Chinese 40khz machine, correct? Therein lies the problem. All ultrasonic cleaners are not created equal. There have been a number of quality complaints about cheap machines in this thread. Quality machines provide better performance than you're experiencing.
Best regards,
B B
yes. i'm sure the problem is that one
on the other side.... it seems that in internet (as far as i have found out) you can find only these 40k chinese machines.... so i thought that more or less they were ok. besides, many DIY US projects over the internet use these same machines, so i was confident.
i'll make some more trials, but i am convinced now that with 3 LPs one side of the LP is not cleaned. i am not sure, but with some LPs i have found out that one side plays ok (not wow, but ok) while the other side plays badly.
if i could clean just 2 LPs at a time would be ok, far from my expectations, but .....
selective aluminium foli test
well, it seems then that the situation is desperate, for me. 2 other tests:
1) I have tried to clean again some LPs which seemed to be clean only on one side. but even cleaning one LP at a time, the sound didn't improve.
2) I have tried a selective aluminium foil test. I mean, I moved the foil in different positions and different depth. it seems that the US action takes place only in a smaller volume, more or less in the middle of the tan (in the vertical direction, but I suspect also in horizontal directions).
This means that the outer and inner parts of the LP hardly get cleaned. And this confirms my listening impressions that the sound starts bad, get better, and (sometimes, not always) get worse again.
anyone had these same results?
the point is that... ok, it was cheap, it doesnt't matter. but i've lost my motivation now in buying something better, which is also MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.
well, it seems then that the situation is desperate, for me. 2 other tests:
1) I have tried to clean again some LPs which seemed to be clean only on one side. but even cleaning one LP at a time, the sound didn't improve.
2) I have tried a selective aluminium foil test. I mean, I moved the foil in different positions and different depth. it seems that the US action takes place only in a smaller volume, more or less in the middle of the tan (in the vertical direction, but I suspect also in horizontal directions).
This means that the outer and inner parts of the LP hardly get cleaned. And this confirms my listening impressions that the sound starts bad, get better, and (sometimes, not always) get worse again.
anyone had these same results?
the point is that... ok, it was cheap, it doesnt't matter. but i've lost my motivation now in buying something better, which is also MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.
Greetings: I have owned both of the more widely available commercial machines (Audio Desk and KL) and have come to the conclusion that what you folks are doing is not just more cost-effective for the budget minded, but may allow some flexibility that enhances cleaning effectiveness. And if one isn't looking for the cheapest way to do this, one can build a custom machine that permits alternating sweeps at different frequencies, heat, degassing, recycling and filtering of bath. I'm posting here only to note that I've joined the forum, and write about this stuff (no $ involved, i don't take advertising and don't shill for any products). I'm pretty impressed with how industrious some of you are! I have a few ideas that I'm also happy to share, not strictly related to the build of an ultrasonic, but what I've found in experimenting with different cleaning processes and methods that include ultrasonic as a step. So, that's the quid, for your pro(se). Thanks, and glad to be here.
bill hart
bill hart
Hi Folks....I'm going to buy the VIbrato next couple of days (already ordered my Vinylstack rotisserie accessories)...can someone please advise the advantages of 80KHz vs the 69KHz machines? I'm sure it's in the entire thread somewhere...just dont want to read through 190 pages of thread
Thanks!
Jeff
Thanks!
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I saw your post about the Vinylstack. That really helped me as I cant be bothered with making my own. How well is it made? Do you think it will do the trick? I am alos waiting for an 80kzh tank? Have you asked them when they will be back in stock,
Tony
My chinese ultrasonic washer
Hi guys,
I'm not a fan of chinese stuff in general but mine is not so bad, you can see in my previous posts make and model right now I don't remember. Yesterday for curiosity I've dismounted and look inside just to check if it's well done from electronics point of view.
I found three transducers driven by two boards, the center one is driven by one board, the external ones are in parallel and driven by the other board.
The driver boards "at a glance" have a good EMI suppression filter, a similar Royer type oscillator with two bjt's 400V 10A mounted on a big heatsink, no bulk cap of high value for reasonably good power factor and maybe for cost effectiveness. I suppose this drivers are powered just by a bridge rectifier situated in the control board.
On both long sides of the tank there are two heating resistors, and in one short side the reading sensor (ptc or ntc I don't know), the temperature is spot on, I've measured it.
Finally the control board is clearly made in China with smd hand soldered, controlled by a socketed pic micro, auxiliary power supply is made with a 50Hz linear trafo, heating resistors and driver boards are piloted by two 16A triacs, don't know if partialized.
The machine has decent build construction apparently, all for 135€ including shipping from Germany to Italy.
Yesterday I've wash 5 / 6 very dirty records from flea market and they pass from unlistenables to almost no background noise neither clicks pops.
In conclusion I think that not all low cost ultrasonic cleaners are necessarily disappointing, here in Italy the cost to import one from the US will be not convenient at all.
Bye,
Luca
Hi guys,
I'm not a fan of chinese stuff in general but mine is not so bad, you can see in my previous posts make and model right now I don't remember. Yesterday for curiosity I've dismounted and look inside just to check if it's well done from electronics point of view.
I found three transducers driven by two boards, the center one is driven by one board, the external ones are in parallel and driven by the other board.
The driver boards "at a glance" have a good EMI suppression filter, a similar Royer type oscillator with two bjt's 400V 10A mounted on a big heatsink, no bulk cap of high value for reasonably good power factor and maybe for cost effectiveness. I suppose this drivers are powered just by a bridge rectifier situated in the control board.
On both long sides of the tank there are two heating resistors, and in one short side the reading sensor (ptc or ntc I don't know), the temperature is spot on, I've measured it.
Finally the control board is clearly made in China with smd hand soldered, controlled by a socketed pic micro, auxiliary power supply is made with a 50Hz linear trafo, heating resistors and driver boards are piloted by two 16A triacs, don't know if partialized.
The machine has decent build construction apparently, all for 135€ including shipping from Germany to Italy.
Yesterday I've wash 5 / 6 very dirty records from flea market and they pass from unlistenables to almost no background noise neither clicks pops.
In conclusion I think that not all low cost ultrasonic cleaners are necessarily disappointing, here in Italy the cost to import one from the US will be not convenient at all.
Bye,
Luca
Lurking for a while here, I now have one compatibility question before I pull the trigger on the Vibrato unit advertised here on occasion. A while back, I bought the VinylStack and it's still sitting in the box....is this fully compatible (ie. will it fit) with Vibrato unit? Also, which unit of Vibrato is recommended, the 69KHz or 80KHz? Thanks, Lorne
It looks like the 69 khz model is currently available whereas the 80 is on a waitlist. I'd jump on it as Louis hand makes these and demand is high and they run out very quickly. Either model will work. As far as the Vinylstack it is advertisedto work with most US cleaners. It looks to have different adjutments to allow it to fit.
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ways/suggestions to drying a record WITHOUT touch it (NO Vacuum RCM's drying) after an bath???
check this video: [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZD3BIFs6BQ[/URL]
that guy by example spin the record with a strange machine... I looks like a heavy spin, maybe dangerous for the record, any other solutions?
check this video: [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZD3BIFs6BQ[/URL]
that guy by example spin the record with a strange machine... I looks like a heavy spin, maybe dangerous for the record, any other solutions?
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I recall a video where someone did something similar, putting the disc in a handheld drill to dry the disc. It seemed a little dodgy and dangerous to me.
Without this, a vacuum-type RCM, or wiping with a cloth, I think your only option is to led the disc sit and dry. Perhaps you can put it in the output air of a room dehydrator to help speed up drying.
thank you, mmm sit and dry (I feel the discs will be contaminated again with ambient dust).
what about with hair dry with NO heat (or very very low heat) and spilling the air not too close the record? mmm