The Final Wipe

[umslopogaas]

I have a Keith Monks cleaning machine, delivered by the man himself, sixteen hundred quid some twenty years ago, but well worth it, I wouldnt bother to indulge my hobby of collecting secondhand LPs without it. It uses a 1:1 mixture of distilled water and industrial methylated spirit. That's the colourless stuff, just approx. 90% ethyl alcohol, 5% methyl alcohol and 5% water. You need a Customs and Excise permit (free) to purchase it. You have to specify on the application how much you want, so think of a number and double it.

As described, the machine "hoovers" off the used cleaning fluid, leaving the surface clean and dry. I often find that the first clean makes matters worse, because it dislodges some dirt but doesnt remove it. However, the second clean does the trick. It is such a relief to be able to play an LP without repeatedly lifting the arm to clean the stylus.

Before I bought it I used to get my LPs cleaned by Fine Records in Hove on their Monks machine; they only charged a pound a record, which was very reasonable, but I eventually decided that in the long run it would be cheaper to buy my own machine.

Incidentally, I met a man recently who was singing the praises of a Nespa (I think that's the spelling) CD cleaning machine. Its hard to see how a new CD would need cleaning, but he swore it made a big improvement. Anyone have any experience of these machines?

[richardfinegold]

I have a Keith Monks cleaning machine, delivered by the man himself, sixteen hundred quid some twenty years ago, but well worth it, I wouldnt bother to indulge my hobby of collecting secondhand LPs without it. It uses a 1:1 mixture of distilled water and industrial methylated spirit. That's the colourless stuff, just approx. 90% ethyl alcohol, 5% methyl alcohol and 5% water. You need a Customs and Excise permit (free) to purchase it. You have to specify on the application how much you want, so think of a number and double it.

As described, the machine "hoovers" off the used cleaning fluid, leaving the surface clean and dry. I often find that the first clean makes matters worse, because it dislodges some dirt but doesnt remove it. However, the second clean does the trick. It is such a relief to be able to play an LP without repeatedly lifting the arm to clean the stylus.

Before I bought it I used to get my LPs cleaned by Fine Records in Hove on their Monks machine; they only charged a pound a record, which was very reasonable, but I eventually decided that in the long run it would be cheaper to buy my own machine.

Incidentally, I met a man recently who was singing the praises of a Nespa (I think that's the spelling) CD cleaning machine. Its hard to see how a new CD would need cleaning, but he swore it made a big improvement. Anyone have any experience of these machines?

I thought Nespa made coffee.
Like you, I don't see how one could improve a brand new CD....

[MrGongGong]

Like you, I don't see how one could improve a brand new CD....

Andre Rieu's latest album?

[Dave2002]

Someone round here might cry "Woo" - http://www.russandrews.com/product-N...liser-5053.htm

[MrGongGong]

Someone round here might cry "Woo" - http://www.russandrews.com/product-N...liser-5053.htm

Straight from WOO central as well

Love this as well

http://www.russandrews.com/product.asp?lookup=1&region=UK&currency=GBP&pf_id=5009&customer_id=PAA2735070915235NWMUUMJGNNDUNYXD

"Post treatment, everything was tighter, meaning that notes started and stopped with more speed and moved with superior precision...Bass was tighter and more punchy, mids were clear as a bell and treble produced extra air. Each frequency now enjoyed additional space and each was now able to portray subtle nuances – before, those details were often masked by the intrusive bleed from adjacent frequencies.”

Yeah, right ..... extra air n'all

[richardfinegold]

Straight from WOO central as well

Love this as well

http://www.russandrews.com/product.asp?lookup=1®ion=UK¤cy=GBP&pf_id=5009&customer_id=PAA2735070915235NWMUUMJGNNDUNYXD

Yeah, right ..... extra air n'all

Russ Andrews was successfully sued somewhere for making unverifiable claims about his audio snake oil.
However, cleaning lps isn't a theoretical issue, especially considering that most of them are decades old, pre owned, played on goodness knows what equipment, and probably spent the last 20 years sitting in a garage or attic. Since I have a lot of isopropyl alcohol on hand, I will start using it, and will soon bombard forumites with ecstatic claims of enhanced sonic revelations.

[MrGongGong]

Russ Andrews was successfully sued somewhere for making unverifiable claims about his audio snake oil.
However, cleaning lps isn't a theoretical issue, especially considering that most of them are decades old, pre owned, played on goodness knows what equipment, and probably spent the last 20 years sitting in a garage or attic. Since I have a lot of isopropyl alcohol on hand, I will start using it, and will soon bombard forumites with ecstatic claims of enhanced sonic revelations.

Isopropyl is the cleaner au choix here as well (no residue)
I've not tried to buy any for years though and expect it might be a little tricky these days?
"pre owned" is an interesting phrase one never sees applied to Strad fiddles

[richardfinegold]

Isopropyl is the cleaner au choix here as well (no residue)
I've not tried to buy any for years though and expect it might be a little tricky these days?
"pre owned" is an interesting phrase one never sees applied to Strad fiddles

I used to own my own Medical Practice until 2 years ago and and had a case of unused isopropyl when I went to work for the Bloodsucker Corporation. I tossed most of it but saved a couple of bottles. My wife informs me that most places that sell cosmetics also sell isopropyl as some people prefer to use it to remove
makeup.

[umslopogaas]

As far as I remember from talking to the man who had the Nespa CD machine, CDs have a residue of chemicals (unspecified) that are used to ensure nothing sticks in the manufacturing process. Removing these with your Nespa allows more accurate tracking by the laser, the same principle that a scrub with a Monks improves the tracking of the diamond on an LP. Well, I'm completely convinced by the Monks and wouldnt be without it, but I'm reluctant to splash out eight hundred quid to clean my CDs even if, in principle, I can accept it might give an improvement. As I have told the local hifi man more than once, I now have a very good hifi system, such that the limiting factor is now likely to be my ears, and he doesnt sell anything to improve them.

Mr GG, I am intrigued to learn that "each frequency now enjoyed additional space", but ... if a frequency occupies a different space, surely it is a different frequency? I thought that was what we called distortion?

[MrGongGong]

Mr GG, I am intrigued to learn that "each frequency now enjoyed additional space", but ... if a frequency occupies a different space, surely it is a different frequency? I thought that was what we called distortion?

If it's a different frequency then maybe the music comes out at a different pitch? (a small step to unite this with the 432 hz conspiracy nonsense).


How about asking Richard for some of his hooch and swish em about in that?

[umslopogaas]

Before I do that, I will visit the hifi shop tomorrow and ask what fluid they use in the Nespa machine.

Keith Monks is emphatic that one should use ethanol, in the form of industrial methylated spirits, and not iso propyl alcohol: " On no account should iso propyl alcohol be used as in our opinion it leaches the record surfaces." As I mentioned, in the UK you do need a permit from Customs and Excise to buy industrial methylated spirits, but this is free and easy enough to obtain.

[Frances_iom]

I used to own my own Medical Practice until 2 years ago and and had a case of unused isopropyl when I went to work for the Bloodsucker Corporation. I tossed most of it but saved a couple of bottles. My wife informs me that most places that sell cosmetics also sell isopropyl as some people prefer to use it to remove
makeup.

Not I think in the UK - asking around several possible suppliers (eg local pharmacies, wholesale decorators suppliers and industrial cleaners) it seems impossible to buy on retail market - somewhat suprised available via mail order as thought it might fall into hazardous substance legislation if container failed - any UK suggestions as to buying it over counter welcome as I used up my ex University lab supply post retirement and now want to clean various bits of metal etc without leaving a residue for which it was ideal.

ETA a now deceased friend who built + ran small model engines used to distil the retail version of meths so as to avoid the dye etc which left a sticky residue when burnt in small models (rather like some Norwegian acquaintances who used the readily available water distillation columns to 'strengthen' plum wine!)

[johnb]

Frances, it appears that Maplin stocks isopropyl alcohol.

[Don Petter]

Frances, it appears that Maplin stocks isopropyl alcohol.

Just do search for 'isopropyl alcohol 99' on eBay. There is plenty available from 100ml for £4.95 to 5 litres for £18.49 including delivery, all 'buy it now'.

[richardfinegold]

I saw it for sale in the Pharmacy today.