Hi all
It’s getting Christmas and I was thinking about getting the Spin Clean Record Washing System @ $59.95 from Garage’A Records. I would love to get a top or the line VPI or Nitty Gritty machine but still cannot justify the cost of those for the amount or records I will be cleaning.
You guys that have been using this system for awhile now, is it still a good bang for the buck setup?
Rather than buy the extras in the ‘Special Bundle’ I would rather spend the money on extras you guys may recommend.
I do plan on getting a couple extra sets of cleaning brushes. I don’t think I will need extra rollers.
I just bought a new Audioquest carbon fiber record cleaning brush and I have the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser plus other cleaning solutions for the stylus so I don’t need them.
That leaves record washing solutions and drying cloths. What are you guys having good luck with?
I would rather not get into making my own elaborate cleaning solutions since I just don’t have the storage space for a lot of chemicals. I don’t mind adding to existing solutions to improve them though.
How about drying cloths or methods?
Jim

Oh yea, A side note - I would like to get some good quality replacement sleeves to put my newly cleaned records in. Any particular brand or place to buy?

From my experience, you better buy some extra rollers. Or maybe do the cleaning by hand and forgo the expense of buying the thing altogether.

<-----Not a fan of this product. Period.

Disc Doctor makes some good cleaning brushes.
As far as sleeves go, I like MFSL.
Do you have a stylus gauge and good protractor for setting up your table? If not, that's a good investment. Shure makes a fairly inexpensive gauge that is decent.

I like my Spin Clean...does a nice job cleaning my records.Just bought a jumbo bottle of their cleaner for some more records I need to "spin clean"!! Rob

I use the spin clean. Does an good job. I can't give you a comparison because I've not used the really expensive ones more then once or twice.

You'll also need something to get rid static. For some reason if you use anything to dust off the record after cleaning it, it picks up a lot of static. Another thing to consider is that it is a fully manual process. This can be a truly tedius process if you have more then a few records to clean.

On the other hand, for a 'few dollars more' ($150 plus S/H). Be the first on the forum to pick up the new Mapleshade Records steam cleaner. I'm dying for someone to try it.... http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/audioproducts/deepcleaningsystem.php

If it were anyone but Mapleshade I'd laugh at it, but...

for innner sleeves I ordered a bunch of the Diskeeper 2.0 Record Sleeves from Sleeve City and will order again. They're friends of AK too. Here's a thread on inner sleeves: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=63872

Still use the Spin Clean, make my own cleaning solution, get sleeves from Sleeve City. Satisfied with what it does as I can definitely hear a difference before and after. Guess it is all in how you hold your mouth as the saying goes.

At $59.99 your getting reasonably close to the cost of a preowned DiscDoctor that show up on AudioGon for $100 and less. If I was you I'd layaway another $40 and go with a DiscDoctor RCM instead of investing $60 in the Spin Clean. I used the DiscWasher system for years and after having purchased a RCM I get spotless LPs that sound 100% better than the DiscWasher system.

I have one and it works well.

In anticipation of the roller or brush dying I bought a set of rollers and pads

500+ records later the pads and rollers are still fine, I too bought a big bottle of solution and have not opened it yet.

This product has been around for about 40 years, so how bad could it be. I have issues of Audio all the way back to the '60s w/ ads for it.

Merrylander whats the formula for your solution?

Pretty simple but it seems to work; one part alcohol, nine parts clean water (easy here because we are on a well, so no additives by the city) and a dash of dishwashing detergent as a surfactant.

I spin one record and stand it vertical to drain while I spin the next one. Set the first one for drying (lintless towels) and stand the second one to drain. I find that while I once though of using the shop vac it did not add anything. What I do though is to wave the disc in the air for about 20 seconds to ensure total drying before putting it back in the sleeve.

I've 'Spin Cleaned' a fair amount of records.

It is certainly better than not cleaning them, for sure. The gunk that accumulates at the bottom is testiment to that.

However I have no doubt that a vacuum type cleaner is better. Which makes sense considering the price difference.

I've noticed that my Spinclean is starting to spead a little bit in the middle, where the brushes are, so it doesn't have as much force on them as it once did. I found out trying to clean a 45 (which is very rare) and the rollers fall out of their little slots. One more thing, I contacted them a coupla years ago about the 'fest and never got a response.

I'd love to try that Mapleshade cleaner. Who'll be the patsy.. I mean brave soul to try it out :D ?

Pete