Vinyl Styl Deep Groove Record Washer System - for 7/10/12 Inch (White)

Will this machine clean as well as a vacuum or ultrasonic system? I'm almost positive it won't. But if spending anywhere from $200 to $1200 (or more) isn't an issue for you, then off you go to a better world. For anyone looking for a great option under $100, this might be the machine for you.There are several basin-type cleaners on the market, most notably the bright yellow Spin-Clean which has the distinction of having been around the longest of the bunch. And for me, it was a dead-heat between the SC and this Vinyl Styl system for a long time (tried-and-true vs. new-and-improved). In the end, the VS Deep Groove cleaner won out, but not because it was cheaper (which is nice). First, the whole thing packs up into a great self-contained package. Second, the included drying rack saved me even more money by not having to purchase or build another device for holding wet records. Third, a clamp to protect the label is a great idea, and it's also the center axle of the spinning mechanics, which seemed to make more sense than the two rollers on the outer edge that the SC uses. And finally, I liked the idea of goat hair brushes better than the cloth pads the SC uses. I'll be the first to admit that it's purely speculative, but it just seems like the soft bristles of the brushes would do a better job at digging crud out of grooves than the pads would do. I've used similar stand-alone pad brushes like the ones in the SC in the past, and have never liked them.As to the issue of the fluid, many here (and on other forums) have complained that the Vinyl Styl cleaner left a film on their records which transferred to the stylus in the form of a gunky build up. It's possible that this is due to the fact that there's no rinse basin (unless you buy a second machine), or even a recommendation for one in the instructions (you're meant to just let them air dry, hence the drying rack). But rather than even chance it, I decided to throw out the included fluid and go with a home brew solution as many other reviewers have done. Google "London Jazz Collector Record Cleaning Fluid" for what is arguably the best recipe out there, or you can go with the classic distilled water/isopropyl alcohol/Dawn mix that has been used and praised far and wide. You could even use the Spin-Clean fluid in this machine if you wanted, but whatever you do, I would personally recommend a rinse with distilled water and a dry-off with a microfiber cloth before you put it in the drying rack to dry completely.So, while you could very well use this device right out of the box, I personally think you're better served by swapping the fluid, adding a rinse, and picking up a pack of microfiber cloths. I considered taking a star off my rating for this reason, but I feel that while those additions might be better choices, they're not absolutely necessary to get you started. And some people haven't had the problem with the gunk it seems, so who knows? The VS fluid might be just fine after all. But as with any method you use for cleaning vinyl (or storing it, or listening to it, or pretty much anything having to do with it), you're going to encounter heated debate on every message board and forum you read.As for the results, I'd say the VS does an excellent job of cleaning records. Granted, I have not inspected any of the grooves with an electron microscope, but in my own before-and-after play testing, the noise has been dramatically reduced, if not eliminated from most of the vinyl I've cleaned. No, it will not fix scratches, worn grooves, or warped records. It *might* fix skips or repeater loops *if* those problems are caused by dirt/debris on the disc (as it did for a couple of mine), though most often those issues are caused by physical damage to the surface of the record. Some records can also benefit from multiple cleanings, so if you're disappointed that the 50-some-odd year-old record you just washed still has some surface noise after a wash, try it again. If after two or three washings it sounds the same, then chances are the grooves are just worn. But while some of my older, more worn discs still have surface noise (and always will), after a cleaning or two it sounds like the volume on the crackle-and-pops has at least been turned down.All in all, a great investment for your vinyl for not a lot of money. If you're between this and the Spin-Clean, I think you'll be well served with either device, but with all the extra features the VS offers I think it's a slightly better value.

OPERATION:o Pour 16 oz of cleaning fluid into the white tub.o Screw-down the record clamp onto the LP. This protects the label and provides an axle.o Place the LP into the tub between the submerged brushes.o Spin the record by hand about 5 revolutions. The submerged brushes clean the grooves.o Remove the record, remove the record clamp and place the clean record in the 15-record rack to dry.o REPEAT FOR EACH RECORDo Pour the 16 oz's of cleaning fluid through a filter in the funnel back into its container.HINTS:o Pre-clean especially dirty records in the sink, protecting the label by using the screw-down clamp.o Be very careful when adding or removing records from the drying rack. Remove them vertically, keeping the record perpendicular to the table/counter and tilting it a bit to the side that has more room.o Rotate the records 5 revolutions in one direction, then 5 revolutions in the opposite direction. You'll get cleaner records and more even wear on the brushes.o Replace your paper record sleeves with 100 Taguchi Round LP Inner Sleeves 0.028Mm Thick Anti-Static Material inner sleeves. They are less abrasive on your records and reduce static.o Put the records back in their sleeves as soon as they are completely dry. Otherwise, dust will accumulate on the records.o Occasionally, you find foreign material embedded in the album and it can't be removed by Vinyl Styl. Put a drop of cleaner fluid on the material and gently remove with your fingernail. Reclean the lp.o Even new records benefit audibly from cleaning.o When inserting the clamp pieces, insert the piece with the long shaft first. When removing clamp from record, remove the piece marked "Top" first.OPINIONo The system works well, but will not remove all traces of contaminants on the LP.o It is faster and just as good as wet cleaning by hand.o The record clamp is a great idea and makes the handling of the records easier.o The drying rack is genius. It provides an input queue and a drying rack.o The cleaning fluid provided is good, but you can easily make your own. I use 75% distilled water, 25% isopropyl alcohol (91% at Walgreens), and a couple drops of dish-washing liquid.o I also like this concentrate: Spin Clean Wash Fluid 16 Ounces. It just takes a cap-full of this concentrate in the tub.o I get excellent results with this product. Track noise is almost inaudible after cleaning the records. Even used records sound good. However, the product does not remove pops from scratches, nor does it remove crackle from worn records.Love it!

The good: This has everything you need to go through and clean a large collection quicker than by hand. It takes me about 6 minutes an album. This also has everything you need to get started and works great on filthy records. Unlistenable albums due to filth were listenable just with a wash and dry. There are 0 complaints about fit on records that are post 1990!The bad: The goat hair brushes should be rinsed before first use, I noticed abit of cloudy runoff when I rinsed mine. The cleaning solution contains iso alcohol which is fine for anything made of vinyl, though DO NOT USE VINYL STYL CLEANING SOLUTION WITH SHELLAC RECORDS THESE ARE THE 10" 78RPM RECORDS. Isopropyl will ruin these albums. The sealing caps that are to keep the label dry are about 1/8" TOO SMALL for most records made pre-1990 allowing the outer edge of the records to get wet. The adapter for 7" 45RPM records does not fit well at all and need to line up the caps by eye before screwing down.Overview: My process that worked best for me is to wash with 3 revolutions both ways, rinse with DI, pat dry with microfiber towels, and then in the drying rack takes about 10 minutes to finish drying. This system is great as I have dozens of albums that were in awful condition from not being placed in sleeves and being filthy to the point of being unlistenable even with a microfiber wipe off before playing. It cleaned them up to were a majority of the surface noise was gone with just using this cleaner. I did find that on most of the records would still have a small amount of dust/dirt come of when using a microfiber cleaner before use. Though this is just due to the microfibers being much smaller than the goat hair fibers, though for my purpose of mass cleaning albums with a visible layer of filth this is incredible.