I have a stupidly expensive ultrasonic machine. It is also very noisy. I keep it in a separate room. On new records - I just pop them in. If the record if dirty, I spray them with a solution, wipe them and then drop them in the ultrasonic. I've owned my machine for about 4 years and it's been an absolute revelation. While beaten up records can have a few pops and clicks (though usually very few), surface noise doesn't really exist. I can't imagine playing a record without dropping it into the machine. Changed my life.
I have a vaccum cleaner from Pro-ject but i'm the same..both used and brand new records gets a clean before being spun. I'm also looking to upgrade to ultrasonic but the ones i've been looking at have been crazy expensive. This one looks well worth the money tho.
I bought a vevor also. Cleaned roughly 2000 records. Works wonderfully! You can spend LOTS more, no need, when there's this. Cheap and oh so effective! Once you get one, you will say," WHY didn't I buy one years ago?" They really do work!! Happy Cleaning!!
I watched this video several times before ordering mine and I used it this morning. Your tips were great. I keep my temperature at 28 and let it run 7-10 mins. I would like to add, when cleaning one record, the motor's spindle or shaft that goes through the spacers and record will shift because it isn't a square fit due to the tank and slide down. One of my record fell partially into the tank, which caused the label to get wet. The screw on the spindle doesn't screw into the motor base spindle, so it will wiggle itself loose. My first record didn't fall, but my second one did. I added something on top of the motor temporarily and will add a spacer between the motor and tank to close the gap and prevent the spindle from sliding off and hold the motor level and tight against the tank. When you do this, the the spindle will stay in place and not slide down. I'm so glad that you did this video because you saved others from your pitfalls and made using this extremely easy. It does a great job cleaning and I use Trident 100 surfactant.
Watching this video I myself just realized those were spacers and not doubling as label protectors. I’ve been doing three at a time as a result, so this just improved my cleaning rate! Cheers from Texas!
Greetings, if u shorten the last small and long Plastic Cylinder, what i did, i put 1 Protector out and mark my Cylinder, and cut it there with a small Saw, then u can clean 4 LPs at a Time, and u are correct, the Larger ones are for Label Protection, and keep the Records in Range for better cleaning =)
I found that doing one record at a time is better. I tried to use multiple records but the results were poor. I also find that the motor will often vibrate to the ends of the tank and your vinyl may rub its edge. Saying that, I am happy with my purchase and doing one at a time gets results. I think this with a project cleaner will give great results. I was also worried about my labels getting wet and have some minor damage on some early records I've cleaned. Great to see you managed to do a part 2
I ordered one of these based on your recommendation and it should be here in a couple of days. What I've gleaned from the internet: 2 lps at a time, about 95 F temp, 5 or so minutes cleaning, pre clean with tergitol solution, no chems in tank just distilled water. I have a vacuum cleaning machine that I'll use to dry. Thank you Tim.
I bought one of these machines about 6 months ago. Before that I was using a Disco Stat. You do 1 record manually at a time in a tank, similar to the Spin Clean. However it has a pair of brushes that really get into the grooves, not pads. I used to think that my records sounded great after using it, until I ran then all through the Vevor. Such an improvement. Very few have any noise, even my 50+ year old discs from my youth. But I always looked after them. I do 5 at a time. Never had a problem with water damage on the labels but I know what you mean. It would have been great if the plastic discs had an O ring on the outside. I use a spacer to fill the small gap between the tank and the motor, which also stops it moving forward. I run it at 20C for 15min. The disco stat has an excellent drying rack as part of the unit. I prefer it to the one with the machine. I have started to put a label on the record sleeve with the date cleaned and played so that way I'll know when to reclean a record. I use MOFI or higher grade inserts.
It is exactly what I thought about Disco Stat and its brushes getting into the groves, that ultrasonic cannot do any better. Do you use the same ultrasonic bath solution as you did with Disco Stat?
@@danender5555 I do. And I get great results. Turn the temp to 20C and 10-15 minutes. The disco stat has a useful record drying rack and the one you get with the Velcro allows me to do around 30 albums at a time. They air dry in a dust free room in about 1 hour depending on the ambient temperature. I'm really happy with the overall result. The records look pristine. I clean new albums as well as they are always contaminated.
@@ozeskiman I noticed in this and previous video, that the record is not rinsed with clean distilled water after the ultrasonic bath. Do you rinse your records or do you just let your record dry out? A pristine looking record is alright, but my primary concern is the fact the wetting agent may leave a residue in the grooves which may affect the stylus.
@@danender5555 I don't rinse. I use only a couple of cupfuls of the cleaning agent in the 5 litre tank. I use the Spin Clean product. I've never noticed any residue. But you may choose to rinse. The rinsing will wash off the cleaning fluid , which I think has a surfactant in it to aid run off and drying. I also use demineralised water in the tank. Good luck.
I got mine about 6 months ago. Very happy with it. Of course it has no aesthetic joy and is super noisey ( I’ve got mine shut away in the laundry ) that’s ok as its just super functional. Ive found too the best results are with 1 record, two max. I coat my records in a diluted solution of surfactant and isopropyl first then put them in the machine with distilled water. I also then use a project vacuum cleaner rather than let them drip dry. Very happy with the results. I am absolutely positive the super expensive purpose built machines would work no better, as they would all be using a similar if not the same ultrasonic mechanism. I guess the expensive machines would be more convenient and quieter and look better but the end results would be the same.
Thanks for the review. I bought mine and found your first review before I unboxed it. That's when I realised I needed the photo flow. I also bought the water distilling machine from the same company and now refill two bottles I originally bought from Bunnings. I agree with you wholeheartedly that this machine makes records sound much better. I did about the same amount of records as yourself over a period of time but only cleaned two at a time. The only other thing to report is that I wear hearing earpieces, which I soon discovered I had to take out while using the cleaner because it caused a nasty static. Apart from that it's great. Thanks again for the second video. Cheers.
Good stuff, good practical advice. Thank you. For badly contaminated lp's I do a manual clean first, then 1 t0 3 cycles in the ultrasonic. No cycle longer than 5 minutes, no temp more than 30C - these are important to prevent vinyl pitting which accumulates over time at longer cycles and higher temperatures. Then store the lp's sensibly, packed away in sleeves etc, to reduce later cleaning requirements. Heh, how could I not guess you are an Aussie...cheers.
Just wanted to thank you as I didn’t even know where to start with this machine. I’m new to cleaning records manually, let alone ultrasonically. Pretty simple to use, just wanted to be sure of the temperature, time, how much water to use, how many records to put in etc Nearly finished deep cleaning around 150 old records - some of them nearly 70 years old! You can really hear the difference. I recorded how some of them sounded after manual cleaning and then after ultrasonic cleaning. There really is no comparison. The crackles were still very obvious after a manual clean but virtually gone after a US clean. The manual clean was with decent washing fluid I might add. I think you may have mentioned this but in case you didn’t: if you’re using this machine you will need to use ALL of the spacers or the records won’t rotate.
This was great. I've been considering one of the Chinese-made units as the purpose built ones are just exorbitantly expensive and way overpriced. Those companies are gouging. This was a great review and I am going to make the purchase. Thank you very much for sharing.
Thanks for Part 2. After watching Part 1, I bought the same setup and cleaning products. The first vinyl I cleaned was Kylie's "Better The Devil You Know" 12" single (Also the very first 12" single I ever purchased in the 90's). The sound was very crackly and the vinyl was very thin and dull. (Obviously Mushroom wasn't too worried about the quality of singles back then!) Sound-wise, it came up beautifully! Not a crackle at all now, though sadly, it didn't restore the shine on the vinyl. It's still very dull looking. Though a lot of my Mushroom singles are like that, so I assume they used a cheaper vinyl.. To protect the labels, I only clean 2 records at a time now, so they each have a spacer to slow down the water leaking under. I'm going to have a look at some non-slip mats and see if I can cut some to fit between the spacers and records to waterproof the labels a little better. You mentioned the motor sounding like it's straining. I noticed the same when I added more records. 2 at a time seems like the perfect number. And, I know how much reviews suuuck to create, so thank you for all you have done here! It's been an amazing help!
One thing to point out is that many records have noise in the pressing. They can look like mint and be sold as mint under the goldmine visual grading standard, but have all kinds of issues. The reasons are plenty, pressing faults, worn out stampers etc. So if you have a record that has maybe 3 cleans and still has lots of noise, it probably is as good as it gets. Also beware of ultrasound cleaning of records with visible pressing contour flaws(bubbles, ridges etc) especially old basement soul, Jamaican and African records, the ultrasound can cause them to unlaminate, crack or open up at the flaw.
Some records have paper labels that easily soak up water and others are either plastic or vinyl or have a coating over the paper that won't get damaged. There is one that has a better motor/record holder that moves up and down, so you load it while it is up and lower it into the water. The cleaner I have has 9 spacers, allowing for a spacer each side of every record. I spray the records with a light solution of Distilled Water, Vinegar and Dawn Dish soap, then scrub with a dish scrubber brush and/or a paint pad. I have been running them for 20 minutes, at 38°C to 40 °C, which is probably longer than necessary. After raising them out of the tank I keep the motor turning and rinse them by spraying each one with distilled water, turning each one around and spraying the second side. Then I pat them dry between a cloth that does not produce lint, wipe with a microfiber cloth then put them into the rack to completely dry. I have cleaned around 50 records and it is very handy to use, but still pretty time consuming. Here is a link to the one I bought. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L3G9TBS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Absolutely fantastic video.I thank you very much for that.I do have one question though.Does this cleaner help with the elimination of static that’s on the record.That’s the only question that was running through my mind.
Thanks for that, it's taken me a few tries to get the process down pat but it works a treat. I bought a 5lt bottle of isopropyl from Sydney Chemicals just easier than buying it from Bunnings in their little bottles (and a bit cheaper). I run my records through at 43degrees C for 15minutes and they come out a treat. I use mine in the kitchen because it's about the only space where everything fits.
Thanks Tim. Picked up a lot from your video and decided to pick one up myself. The spacers definitely doesn't protect the lables in case a drop runs down from the top. Most modern labels are more resistant to liquid than older vinyls i.e. 50s and 60s period. To get around this i bought rubber O ring with inner diameter of 97mm - the ones i got was like 4mm thick. This allowed me a maximum of 3 vinyls at a time stacked with the Oring on every label side. This allowed me to chill and not worry about the labels getting ruined special the likes of early Blue Note vinyls. Thanks again and cheers.
Thank You for the video. I'm in agreement with your positive review of this particular machine. In my opinion however, your recommendation to "not think of the spacers as label protectors" is derived from improper usage. My experienced recommendation is that this motor/spindle/spacer set-up, was not designed to clean 5 records at once. Cleaning a maximum of 4 allows a puck (spacer/ label protector) on both sides of each record. Now then, you can fill the tank by visually looking at water level in relation to (stopping short of) outside puck. Since all pucks are same size and larger than all labels, problems averted. Secondly, my preference is to clean a maximum of only 2 records at a time using 3 pucks between. This maximizes spacing to allow more exposure to ultrasonic bombardment. Thirdly, its VERY IMPORTANT to monitor the tank heater temperature with an external thermometer. You don't want to warp your precious vinyl. I found my water temp getting MUCH higher than the dial setting.
Agree totally about monitoring the water temperature. I used the heater when I first started using it and it did not turn off at the temperature that I set it. Having said that what is the consensus on ideal temperature and length? A lot of people with different temperature and times suggested.
If the rotation of the record is too fast for your liking, a variable motor speed control may work. Cheap kits are available from electronic stores like Jaycar and Altronics.
Just bought one and using it for the first time and I have some questions. 1. So the photo flow is just used to prevent drops and streaks from forming? It's got alcohol in it so probably not safe in the long run. 2. What is the isopropal alcohol used for? I'm very skeptical of using any alcohol to clean a record. 3. I have spin clean solution which is alcohol free so I'm assuming adding that might be the best way to go 4. How long can you leave the solution (or water) in the tank? If I only clean a few records a day can I leave it in there for a month if it's not that dirty?
This looks the goods. I am very impressed with the price of these and it is a great review too. I have some old unplayable records that really need a clean. Tim if your dad is willing to clean them for me, I am willing to consider buying the unit.
Great review. I pulled the trigger after watching part 1 and am very happy with the results too. Thanks for including the links for the photo flow at Walkens - will save me some money LOL
For me, these two videos convinced me to purchase one of these units. I see a couple of mentions in other comments about how long to clean records but you make no mention of how long you run yours for. Do you have a certain amount of time you set the timer for to clean your records? I'm sure you experimented with different amounts of time and I'm curious about your personal experience. Thank you in advance.
Wonder if this device could fix my vinyl copy of Breakin' Out by Fat Larry's Band. Listening to the hit single Zoom so many times has made the record much more prone to skipping ☹️
Used the machine for records that were " infected " with mold. When playing those , the vinyl really sounded distorted. The Vevor fixed that very well too. Records sounded as new again. This version of the product did not have a reliable thermostat, when setting it to 30 degrees, the water heated almost up to 40c. So be careful with warping.
I put an aquarium filter on my machine. It keeps the water clean for much longer cycles. No nasty particles lurking on the bottom of the tank. My machine holds 8 records at a time so more crud in the water that is safely filtered out.
very helpful info mate. regarding your paint stains, if the paint was latex based, a small amount of ammonia in the solution may help. ( this is NOT a method I have tried ) but latex is softened by ammonia.
Thanks for posting this extensive review. I'm considering this ultrasonic RCM. Thanks for posting your experiences. I do have a VPI 16.5 vacuum system that I'm thinking to use as a drying solution after the wet records come out of the Vevor. No reason that I can see to spend multiple thousands on name brand ultrasonic cleaners just because they have the right name that all the mainstream pubs keep pushing on us. After all, ultrasonic is ultrasonic no matter its packaging. BTW, the Mardi Gras mask on your fridge is ubiquitous to my home-town of New Orleans. I have a few samples similar to yours. Cheers! 😁
Just bought this but didn't use it yet. I need more distilled water. Wonder if you had any issues tightening the little screw on the rotating shaft of the motor. I can feel a flat part on the bottom side that probably should be at the top. Looking forward to the cleaning results!
Sir, you are adorable. Greetings from Grand Forks, ND, USA and thank you for this fantastic 2 part review. This is EXACTLY what I needed to see to make a decision on which type of record cleaner to invest in. My sincere regards.
This bloke is awesome. I wish he would make more video's cause I really enjoy his work. I am now going to get one of these so I can stop watching the video LOL!!
After watching your video I went and ordered my own Vevor. Great machine and great video mate! They should give you a commission on sales. One question I have, that I hope other Vevor owners can answer is, how many vinyl records can you clean before a water change is needed?
I replaced my spacers with DIY ones that were a little smaller than the label. I also have my water a mm or so lower than the label edge. I've modified my spinner with a 0.6rpm one (or you could get a variable voltage PSU and run at 3.0v). 5 minutes gives three full rotations.
had one for a while best thing ive bought for my vinyl ,never part with it ,i use a dash if windex and soft tissue to dry then 10 minutes on the rack with a tiny fan ,i had many very dirty unplayable records now there like new ...
Thx for the video. I clean my records with knosti disco and I'm considering to buy a okki nokki . Sometimes there is clotted dust on my needle after washing a record . This method looks like that problem will be solved . I might consider the purchase of the ultrasonic over a okki nokki. What kind of dripping rack do you have ? Is it homemade ?
Hi TheBartclaeys, I used to have a Knosti and had good results with it, the lump on your stylus is caused by the Knosti fluid, if you do not remove it quickly only a blowtorch will get it off your stylus 😄. Eventually I looked for alternative solution and I found one that works awesome in a Knosti. On a German Knosti forum I found people using Dr. Wack CW 100 which is essentially a windscreen wiper concentrate. I used about 10ml on a litre of distilled water and added some surfactant used to make the water run off your dishes in the dishwasher, if you feel better using a Photoflow or Ilfotol, be my guest, neither of these fluids were ever conceived with washing records in mind. But Dr. Wack is a great solution and disposable, no need to filter and reuse as it is super cheap. One bottle of Dr. Wack will make about 25 litres of cleaning fluid. As I also purchased an ultrasonic unit like the one Tim is using, I will add some Dr. Wack to the solution. Up to now I used a Clearaudio Smart Matrix, a kind of luxury Okki Nokki model at twice the price, does not clean better than Okki Nokki, but it made a more solid impression. But still a lot of work and definitely a slower process than multiple records in an ultrasonic cleaner. I also looked at the drying rack and hope Tim will let us know if it was built or bought.
i would recommend getting some Tergitol s-9 from Talas in New York it's a surfactant like kodak phto flo, but does not have the added chemicals for film
I just bought one and the bottom of the tank is not flat but the area around the drain is angled (I cant post a photo) - is yours like that as well? I want to make sure it's normal and not defective. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing your honest opinion on this unit. I purchased one today prior to seeing your video. I was previously using Tergikleen and a vinyl vac system. I read many reviews, and saw a few videos, and decided for the price point was definitely worth trying. I have seen many positive reviews, but also my fair share of negative. But I appreciate your advice and your breakdown of doing 1 record at a time vs 5. I also appreciate that the noise level, while loud, isn't a deterrent like many have said. I am looking forward to trying it myself, and your video helped make me feel more comfortable about my purchase
Just to bust few myths. 1. You don't need distilled water if you have clean filtered city water. 2. Do not use anything in the water because it only will leave a film on the record. 3. 5-7 minutes max cleaning cycle as longer will damage the record. How ultrasonic works is it bombards the cleaned surface with air bubbles. Records don't repel water so no solution is needed. Records are made from soft material so don't leave it for half an hour to be cleaned. It will take life out of your records. 4. If you have finger prints on the record you can do a pre wash with a very light solution of alcohol and damp microfiber cloth before the ultrasonic clean.
Very thorough review. I appreciate you sharing the things you learned along the way. I just purchased one of these machines and your video will make my process better. Thank you.
You should really be using hearing protection when using an ultrasonic cleaner. The fact that you can't hear the actual ultrasonic signal does not mean that it won't harm your hearing - it can. I use 3M earplugs and I leave the room as soon as mine is running.
Sounds like a table saw! Pretty noisy. Guess I'll pony up the $3300.00 (USD) for the DeGritter to have a less noisy machine. Seriously, though, aside from the noise, have you been able to compare the Vevor unit with the DeGritter? The latter uses a 120 kHz ultrasonic wave while the Vevor uses 40 kHz ultrasonic waves. I seriously doubt it's worth over $3,000 more than the Vevor.
How is that cavitation bubbles a micron across have trouble accessing a half inch gaps between (say) five records? Ultrasonics are used in industry to get into the tiniest spaces in complex parts. THEY don't seem to need two inches of clear water to form. Is there any scientific basis for this belief, which leads to cleaning taking 5 times as long?
Cleaning many LP's at a time is not the way to go, the records act as baffles blocking the ultrasonics. However I must say even cleaning just one LP often failed to give a decent result, even when cleaning for Five hours! Sometimes a record is unsaveable ☹️ Personally I don't think these are much good.
Is this guy winding me up? You fill the tank to a level that won't contact the labels. And why does he not put the disc protectors on either side of the record, with the smaller plastic bobbins in place to create the gap necessary between each record so the ultrasonic bath can work effectively. I only managed 5mins and had to turn him off. Probably turned out to be an April fools! 😂
"It doesn't look like its purpose built" - of course not. Its an industrial product used by many many applications all over the world. The low price possible because they add a cheap motor and assembly for the records. Imagine by the way that some people spend a fortune on one that looks like a million and cost a fortune. You pay a lot to be able to just drop the records in. - og imagine the machines with vacuum. That's a plain joke. if you want that function, purchase a cheap used player and break off the old arm - and use it as spinning machine - Anyway, this machine makes the difference. We have 21.300 records, of which many are cleaned. easy.
Stop wasting your time a purchase a Degritter. I used to spread out my vacuum cleaner, potions, etc. on my dining room table. Looked like your setup. Made a mess and was lucky to get thru three lp's in an hour. Now, just drop un an Lp in the Degritter and come back to a cleaner than ever before record, dry and place in a clean bag start again. Worth every drachma that I spent on it. The Vevor wasn't designed to clean Lp's.
Would really like to try an ultrasonic but the horrific sound it seems to make is holding me off. I have 3 adorable cats living with me and I would prob have to take them all to the vet after the first cleaning 🤷🏼♂️😂
So there no good! These machines seen to shake off the grime ( maybe) , I used the Pro-ject VCE RCM , it left water marks on the start of record and run outs after its supposed to vacuum all wetness , took it back , so now using again my old Disco Antistat cleaner
haha for just double the price of your spinclean, you get the real Vevor Ultrasonic Record Cleaner - well worth it, huge difference - you're only going to live one time on this earth Freddie
Well I got me one, let me tell you about one thing, that you will certainly get, a lot of work, and a big headache, from that annoying sound, records cleaned? Barely , you won’t even notice a difference 😅
The worst thing is when a 60-year-old person finds out that even cleaning the LP is not enough... He finds out only when he stuffs his nose and "blows" with his mouth open and holds his breath. Then he finds out that the recording has 10kHz more.. .. Eustachian tube is bad.... And listening to the whole LP with held breath is not comfortable.... 😎
oh man das ist doch nur Geldmacherei da reicht ein ganz normales Waschgerät mit einer guten reinigung's Mixture und dann sollte die Platte natürlich im guten zustand sein weil sonst bringt alles beide nichts
I have a stupidly expensive ultrasonic machine. It is also very noisy. I keep it in a separate room. On new records - I just pop them in. If the record if dirty, I spray them with a solution, wipe them and then drop them in the ultrasonic. I've owned my machine for about 4 years and it's been an absolute revelation. While beaten up records can have a few pops and clicks (though usually very few), surface noise doesn't really exist. I can't imagine playing a record without dropping it into the machine. Changed my life.
I have a vaccum cleaner from Pro-ject but i'm the same..both used and brand new records gets a clean before being spun. I'm also looking to upgrade to ultrasonic but the ones i've been looking at have been crazy expensive. This one looks well worth the money tho.
I bought a vevor also. Cleaned roughly 2000 records. Works wonderfully! You can spend LOTS more, no need, when there's this. Cheap and oh so effective! Once you get one, you will say," WHY didn't I buy one years ago?" They really do work!! Happy Cleaning!!
Vevor seems to have dozens of models, how do you know which to get?
I watched this video several times before ordering mine and I used it this morning. Your tips were great. I keep my temperature at 28 and let it run 7-10 mins.
I would like to add, when cleaning one record, the motor's spindle or shaft that goes through the spacers and record will shift because it isn't a square fit due to the tank and slide down.
One of my record fell partially into the tank, which caused the label to get wet. The screw on the spindle doesn't screw into the motor base spindle, so it will wiggle itself loose. My first record didn't fall, but my second one did.
I added something on top of the motor temporarily and will add a spacer between the motor and tank to close the gap and prevent the spindle from sliding off and hold the motor level and tight against the tank.
When you do this, the the spindle will stay in place and not slide down. I'm so glad that you did this video because you saved others from your pitfalls and made using this extremely easy. It does a great job cleaning and I use Trident 100 surfactant.
Watching this video I myself just realized those were spacers and not doubling as label protectors. I’ve been doing three at a time as a result, so this just improved my cleaning rate! Cheers from Texas!
Greetings, if u shorten the last small and long Plastic Cylinder, what i did, i put 1 Protector out and mark my Cylinder, and cut it there with a small Saw, then u can clean 4 LPs at a Time, and u are correct, the Larger ones are for Label Protection, and keep the Records in Range for better cleaning =)
@@elfguard3991 great idea, thank you!
I found that doing one record at a time is better. I tried to use multiple records but the results were poor. I also find that the motor will often vibrate to the ends of the tank and your vinyl may rub its edge. Saying that, I am happy with my purchase and doing one at a time gets results. I think this with a project cleaner will give great results. I was also worried about my labels getting wet and have some minor damage on some early records I've cleaned. Great to see you managed to do a part 2
Thanks for sharing Michael!
I ordered one of these based on your recommendation and it should be here in a couple of days. What I've gleaned from the internet: 2 lps at a time, about 95 F temp, 5 or so minutes cleaning, pre clean with tergitol solution, no chems in tank just distilled water. I have a vacuum cleaning machine that I'll use to dry. Thank you Tim.
I bought one of these machines about 6 months ago. Before that I was using a Disco Stat. You do 1 record manually at a time in a tank, similar to the Spin Clean. However it has a pair of brushes that really get into the grooves, not pads. I used to think that my records sounded great after using it, until I ran then all through the Vevor. Such an improvement. Very few have any noise, even my 50+ year old discs from my youth. But I always looked after them. I do 5 at a time. Never had a problem with water damage on the labels but I know what you mean. It would have been great if the plastic discs had an O ring on the outside. I use a spacer to fill the small gap between the tank and the motor, which also stops it moving forward. I run it at 20C for 15min. The disco stat has an excellent drying rack as part of the unit. I prefer it to the one with the machine. I have started to put a label on the record sleeve with the date cleaned and played so that way I'll know when to reclean a record. I use MOFI or higher grade inserts.
It is exactly what I thought about Disco Stat and its brushes getting into the groves, that ultrasonic cannot do any better.
Do you use the same ultrasonic bath solution as you did with Disco Stat?
@@danender5555 I do. And I get great results. Turn the temp to 20C and 10-15 minutes. The disco stat has a useful record drying rack and the one you get with the Velcro allows me to do around 30 albums at a time. They air dry in a dust free room in about 1 hour depending on the ambient temperature. I'm really happy with the overall result. The records look pristine. I clean new albums as well as they are always contaminated.
@@ozeskiman I noticed in this and previous video, that the record is not rinsed with clean distilled water after the ultrasonic bath. Do you rinse your records or do you just let your record dry out?
A pristine looking record is alright, but my primary concern is the fact the wetting agent may leave a residue in the grooves which may affect the stylus.
@@danender5555 I don't rinse. I use only a couple of cupfuls of the cleaning agent in the 5 litre tank. I use the Spin Clean product. I've never noticed any residue. But you may choose to rinse. The rinsing will wash off the cleaning fluid , which I think has a surfactant in it to aid run off and drying. I also use demineralised water in the tank. Good luck.
I got mine about 6 months ago. Very happy with it. Of course it has no aesthetic joy and is super noisey ( I’ve got mine shut away in the laundry ) that’s ok as its just super functional. Ive found too the best results are with 1 record, two max. I coat my records in a diluted solution of surfactant and isopropyl first then put them in the machine with distilled water. I also then use a project vacuum cleaner rather than let them drip dry. Very happy with the results. I am absolutely positive the super expensive purpose built machines would work no better, as they would all be using a similar if not the same ultrasonic mechanism. I guess the expensive machines would be more convenient and quieter and look better but the end results would be the same.
How did you decide which Vevor model to get?
Thanks for the review. I bought mine and found your first review before I unboxed it. That's when I realised I needed the photo flow.
I also bought the water distilling machine from the same company and now refill two bottles I originally bought from Bunnings. I agree with you wholeheartedly that this machine makes records sound much better. I did about the same amount of records as yourself over a period of time but only cleaned two at a time. The only other thing to report is that I wear hearing earpieces, which I soon discovered I had to take out while using the cleaner because it caused a nasty static. Apart from that it's great. Thanks again for the second video. Cheers.
Good stuff, good practical advice. Thank you. For badly contaminated lp's I do a manual clean first, then 1 t0 3 cycles in the ultrasonic. No cycle longer than 5 minutes, no temp more than 30C - these are important to prevent vinyl pitting which accumulates over time at longer cycles and higher temperatures. Then store the lp's sensibly, packed away in sleeves etc, to reduce later cleaning requirements. Heh, how could I not guess you are an Aussie...cheers.
Just wanted to thank you as I didn’t even know where to start with this machine. I’m new to cleaning records manually, let alone ultrasonically. Pretty simple to use, just wanted to be sure of the temperature, time, how much water to use, how many records to put in etc
Nearly finished deep cleaning around 150 old records - some of them nearly 70 years old! You can really hear the difference. I recorded how some of them sounded after manual cleaning and then after ultrasonic cleaning. There really is no comparison. The crackles were still very obvious after a manual clean but virtually gone after a US clean. The manual clean was with decent washing fluid I might add.
I think you may have mentioned this but in case you didn’t: if you’re using this machine you will need to use ALL of the spacers or the records won’t rotate.
Thanks for this review. You’re the first video I’ve seen that actually shows the Vevor in operation. I’ve been looking at getting one.
This was great. I've been considering one of the Chinese-made units as the purpose built ones are just exorbitantly expensive and way overpriced. Those companies are gouging. This was a great review and I am going to make the purchase. Thank you very much for sharing.
Thanks for Part 2. After watching Part 1, I bought the same setup and cleaning products. The first vinyl I cleaned was Kylie's "Better The Devil You Know" 12" single (Also the very first 12" single I ever purchased in the 90's). The sound was very crackly and the vinyl was very thin and dull. (Obviously Mushroom wasn't too worried about the quality of singles back then!) Sound-wise, it came up beautifully! Not a crackle at all now, though sadly, it didn't restore the shine on the vinyl. It's still very dull looking. Though a lot of my Mushroom singles are like that, so I assume they used a cheaper vinyl..
To protect the labels, I only clean 2 records at a time now, so they each have a spacer to slow down the water leaking under. I'm going to have a look at some non-slip mats and see if I can cut some to fit between the spacers and records to waterproof the labels a little better.
You mentioned the motor sounding like it's straining. I noticed the same when I added more records. 2 at a time seems like the perfect number.
And, I know how much reviews suuuck to create, so thank you for all you have done here! It's been an amazing help!
One thing to point out is that many records have noise in the pressing. They can look like mint and be sold as mint under the goldmine visual grading standard, but have all kinds of issues. The reasons are plenty, pressing faults, worn out stampers etc. So if you have a record that has maybe 3 cleans and still has lots of noise, it probably is as good as it gets. Also beware of ultrasound cleaning of records with visible pressing contour flaws(bubbles, ridges etc) especially old basement soul, Jamaican and African records, the ultrasound can cause them to unlaminate, crack or open up at the flaw.
Some records have paper labels that easily soak up water and others are either plastic or vinyl or have a coating over the paper that won't get damaged. There is one that has a better motor/record holder that moves up and down, so you load it while it is up and lower it into the water. The cleaner I have has 9 spacers, allowing for a spacer each side of every record. I spray the records with a light solution of Distilled Water, Vinegar and Dawn Dish soap, then scrub with a dish scrubber brush and/or a paint pad. I have been running them for 20 minutes, at 38°C to 40 °C, which is probably longer than necessary. After raising them out of the tank I keep the motor turning and rinse them by spraying each one with distilled water, turning each one around and spraying the second side. Then I pat them dry between a cloth that does not produce lint, wipe with a microfiber cloth then put them into the rack to completely dry. I have cleaned around 50 records and it is very handy to use, but still pretty time consuming. Here is a link to the one I bought. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L3G9TBS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Estimado, saludos desde Chile. El motor de los 9 espaciadores no tiene problemas de rotura o falla?
@@texs21 No probelms to date...I usually only clean 3 or 4 but have done 6 records at once.
Absolutely fantastic video.I thank you very much for that.I do have one question though.Does this cleaner help with the elimination of static that’s on the record.That’s the only question that was running through my mind.
Fantastic video. Really enjoyed listening to this bloke.
I loved the ending.
Thanks for that, it's taken me a few tries to get the process down pat but it works a treat. I bought a 5lt bottle of isopropyl from Sydney Chemicals just easier than buying it from Bunnings in their little bottles (and a bit cheaper). I run my records through at 43degrees C for 15minutes and they come out a treat. I use mine in the kitchen because it's about the only space where everything fits.
Thanks Tim.
Picked up a lot from your video and decided to pick one up myself.
The spacers definitely doesn't protect the lables in case a drop runs down from the top. Most modern labels are more resistant to liquid than older vinyls i.e. 50s and 60s period.
To get around this i bought rubber O ring with inner diameter of 97mm - the ones i got was like 4mm thick. This allowed me a maximum of 3 vinyls at a time stacked with the Oring on every label side.
This allowed me to chill and not worry about the labels getting ruined special the likes of early Blue Note vinyls.
Thanks again and cheers.
Thank You for the video. I'm in agreement with your positive review of this particular machine. In my opinion however, your recommendation to "not think of the spacers as label protectors" is derived from improper usage. My experienced recommendation is that this motor/spindle/spacer set-up, was not designed to clean 5 records at once. Cleaning a maximum of 4 allows a puck (spacer/ label protector) on both sides of each record. Now then, you can fill the tank by visually looking at water level in relation to (stopping short of) outside puck. Since all pucks are same size and larger than all labels, problems averted. Secondly, my preference is to clean a maximum of only 2 records at a time using 3 pucks between. This maximizes spacing to allow more exposure to ultrasonic bombardment. Thirdly, its VERY IMPORTANT to monitor the tank heater temperature with an external thermometer. You don't want to warp your precious vinyl. I found my water temp getting MUCH higher than the dial setting.
Agree totally about monitoring the water temperature. I used the heater when I first started using it and it did not turn off at the temperature that I set it. Having said that what is the consensus on ideal temperature and length? A lot of people with different temperature and times suggested.
If the rotation of the record is too fast for your liking, a variable motor speed control may work. Cheap kits are available from electronic stores like Jaycar and Altronics.
Just bought one and using it for the first time and I have some questions.
1. So the photo flow is just used to prevent drops and streaks from forming? It's got alcohol in it so probably not safe in the long run.
2. What is the isopropal alcohol used for? I'm very skeptical of using any alcohol to clean a record.
3. I have spin clean solution which is alcohol free so I'm assuming adding that might be the best way to go
4. How long can you leave the solution (or water) in the tank? If I only clean a few records a day can I leave it in there for a month if it's not that dirty?
This looks the goods. I am very impressed with the price of these and it is a great review too. I have some old unplayable records that really need a clean. Tim if your dad is willing to clean them for me, I am willing to consider buying the unit.
Great review. I pulled the trigger after watching part 1 and am very happy with the results too. Thanks for including the links for the photo flow at Walkens - will save me some money LOL
Glad you enjoyed the review.
Rick Wakeman's No Earthly Connection is a wonderful record. I've been listening to it since the 70's!
For me, these two videos convinced me to purchase one of these units. I see a couple of mentions in other comments about how long to clean records but you make no mention of how long you run yours for. Do you have a certain amount of time you set the timer for to clean your records? I'm sure you experimented with different amounts of time and I'm curious about your personal experience. Thank you in advance.
I love the outtakes.
Nice demo
Wonder if this device could fix my vinyl copy of Breakin' Out by Fat Larry's Band. Listening to the hit single Zoom so many times has made the record much more prone to skipping ☹️
I think it'd be a safe bet that it'll do a good job on your Fat Larry's Band record
Used the machine for records that were " infected " with mold. When playing those , the vinyl really sounded distorted. The Vevor fixed that very well too. Records sounded as new again. This version of the product did not have a reliable thermostat, when setting it to 30 degrees, the water heated almost up to 40c. So be careful with warping.
Great review, thanks for this - very thorough :)
I just ordered this couple of days ago. Good to see it actually works. I paid ~220 euros for it.
I put an aquarium filter on my machine. It keeps the water clean for much longer cycles. No nasty particles lurking on the bottom of the tank. My machine holds 8 records at a time so more crud in the water that is safely filtered out.
very helpful info mate.
regarding your paint stains, if the paint was latex based, a small amount of ammonia in the solution may help. ( this is NOT a method I have tried ) but latex is softened by ammonia.
Thanks for posting this extensive review. I'm considering this ultrasonic RCM. Thanks for posting your experiences. I do have a VPI 16.5 vacuum system that I'm thinking to use as a drying solution after the wet records come out of the Vevor. No reason that I can see to spend multiple thousands on name brand ultrasonic cleaners just because they have the right name that all the mainstream pubs keep pushing on us. After all, ultrasonic is ultrasonic no matter its packaging.
BTW, the Mardi Gras mask on your fridge is ubiquitous to my home-town of New Orleans. I have a few samples similar to yours. Cheers! 😁
Just bought this but didn't use it yet. I need more distilled water. Wonder if you had any issues tightening the little screw on the rotating shaft of the motor. I can feel a flat part on the bottom side that probably should be at the top. Looking forward to the cleaning results!
Sir, you are adorable. Greetings from Grand Forks, ND, USA and thank you for this fantastic 2 part review. This is EXACTLY what I needed to see to make a decision on which type of record cleaner to invest in. My sincere regards.
Yeah, but what did you decide?
@@MaterLacrymarum i got he Vevor ultrasonic cleaner he's using in the vid
This bloke is awesome. I wish he would make more video's cause I really enjoy his work. I am now going to get one of these so I can stop watching the video LOL!!
After watching your video I went and ordered my own Vevor. Great machine and great video mate! They should give you a commission on sales. One question I have, that I hope other Vevor owners can answer is, how many vinyl records can you clean before a water change is needed?
I replaced my spacers with DIY ones that were a little smaller than the label. I also have my water a mm or so lower than the label edge. I've modified my spinner with a 0.6rpm one (or you could get a variable voltage PSU and run at 3.0v). 5 minutes gives three full rotations.
had one for a while best thing ive bought for my vinyl ,never part with it ,i use a dash if windex and soft tissue to dry then 10 minutes on the rack with a tiny fan ,i had many very dirty unplayable records now there like new ...
Good to hear John!
Hi, I have the ultrasonic tank but I need the motor that turns the records.
Can I buy just the motor?
Thanks.
Regards.
so how do you protect the labels when cleaning them in this machine? does the water drip down onto the labels?
Thx for the video. I clean my records with knosti disco and I'm considering to buy a okki nokki . Sometimes there is clotted dust on my needle after washing a record . This method looks like that problem will be solved . I might consider the purchase of the ultrasonic over a okki nokki. What kind of dripping rack do you have ? Is it homemade ?
Hi TheBartclaeys, I used to have a Knosti and had good results with it, the lump on your stylus is caused by the Knosti fluid, if you do not remove it quickly only a blowtorch will get it off your stylus 😄. Eventually I looked for alternative solution and I found one that works awesome in a Knosti. On a German Knosti forum I found people using Dr. Wack CW 100 which is essentially a windscreen wiper concentrate. I used about 10ml on a litre of distilled water and added some surfactant used to make the water run off your dishes in the dishwasher, if you feel better using a Photoflow or Ilfotol, be my guest, neither of these fluids were ever conceived with washing records in mind. But Dr. Wack is a great solution and disposable, no need to filter and reuse as it is super cheap. One bottle of Dr. Wack will make about 25 litres of cleaning fluid.
As I also purchased an ultrasonic unit like the one Tim is using, I will add some Dr. Wack to the solution. Up to now I used a Clearaudio Smart Matrix, a kind of luxury Okki Nokki model at twice the price, does not clean better than Okki Nokki, but it made a more solid impression. But still a lot of work and definitely a slower process than multiple records in an ultrasonic cleaner.
I also looked at the drying rack and hope Tim will let us know if it was built or bought.
came with the Vevor Ultrasonic Record Cleaner - it was included in the box - see Part 1, unboxing
@@Resorob came with the Vevor Ultrasonic Record Cleaner - it was included in the box - see Part 1, unboxing
How long does it take to clean a record? Did I hear 5-10 min? Is there a time recommendation?
Did you find a sweet spot as to how long to run a batch through the machine ?
i would recommend getting some Tergitol s-9 from Talas in New York it's a surfactant like kodak phto flo, but does not have the added chemicals for film
I just bought one and the bottom of the tank is not flat but the area around the drain is angled (I cant post a photo) - is yours like that as well? I want to make sure it's normal and not defective. Thanks!
Thanks for the outside. Hilarious. And the info. I’ll get one. Would love the rank solution recipe tho
Thank you for sharing your honest opinion on this unit. I purchased one today prior to seeing your video. I was previously using Tergikleen and a vinyl vac system. I read many reviews, and saw a few videos, and decided for the price point was definitely worth trying. I have seen many positive reviews, but also my fair share of negative. But I appreciate your advice and your breakdown of doing 1 record at a time vs 5. I also appreciate that the noise level, while loud, isn't a deterrent like many have said. I am looking forward to trying it myself, and your video helped make me feel more comfortable about my purchase
Just to bust few myths.
1. You don't need distilled water if you have clean filtered city water.
2. Do not use anything in the water because it only will leave a film on the record.
3. 5-7 minutes max cleaning cycle as longer will damage the record.
How ultrasonic works is it bombards the cleaned surface with air bubbles. Records don't repel water so no solution is needed. Records are made from soft material so don't leave it for half an hour to be cleaned. It will take life out of your records.
4. If you have finger prints on the record you can do a pre wash with a very light solution of alcohol and damp microfiber cloth before the ultrasonic clean.
alcohol damages vinyl
Very thorough review. I appreciate you sharing the things you learned along the way. I just purchased one of these machines and your video will make my process better. Thank you.
how about a link for the machine?
Can you help me? My record because wrapped you know why ? Thanks
You should really be using hearing protection when using an ultrasonic cleaner. The fact that you can't hear the actual ultrasonic signal does not mean that it won't harm your hearing - it can. I use 3M earplugs and I leave the room as soon as mine is running.
Does it come with 7 inch adapter?
record cleaning always makes me break wind as well not to worry its called distilled water in the US
Did you ever find a way to reduce the speed of the motor? I agree that it is going very fast - I'd assume that a very slow spin is more efficient..
I guess that's why it's run for 15 minutes instead of 5.
Yup switch out the 12 wall wart for a 5 volt version and the result ,will get 2.5 rev per minute.
What is the best decision on solution, distilled water + how much alcohol + how much surfacent?
alcohol damages vinyl
Where did you get the drying rack from? Great video
It comes with the machine, I asked the same question and just found out when I received my machine and the rack included with the machine :-)
Sounds like a table saw! Pretty noisy. Guess I'll pony up the $3300.00 (USD) for the DeGritter to have a less noisy machine.
Seriously, though, aside from the noise, have you been able to compare the Vevor unit with the DeGritter? The latter uses a 120 kHz ultrasonic wave while the Vevor uses 40 kHz ultrasonic waves. I seriously doubt it's worth over $3,000 more than the Vevor.
I have mine in my garage. Yes its noisy. But it works great.
Where did you get the drying rack. I’ve been looking for one for a while.
came with the Vevor Ultrasonic Record Cleaner - it was included in the box - see Part 1, unboxing
How is that cavitation bubbles a micron across have trouble accessing a half inch gaps between (say) five records?
Ultrasonics are used in industry to get into the tiniest spaces in complex parts. THEY don't seem to need two inches of clear water to form.
Is there any scientific basis for this belief, which leads to cleaning taking 5 times as long?
Thank you very much. Great videos.
Is it dirt or your records disintegrating
Great album on your counter buy the way.
Few drops of vinegar is good to
Dose it removes Scratch on record let me so I can my friend
nope
Why would it?
Cleaning many LP's at a time is not the way to go, the records act as baffles blocking the ultrasonics. However I must say even cleaning just one LP often failed to give a decent result, even when cleaning for Five hours! Sometimes a record is unsaveable ☹️
Personally I don't think these are much good.
Listened to you so well! Clicked like and subscribe! 😂
Is this guy winding me up? You fill the tank to a level that won't contact the labels. And why does he not put the disc protectors on either side of the record, with the smaller plastic bobbins in place to create the gap necessary between each record so the ultrasonic bath can work effectively. I only managed 5mins and had to turn him off. Probably turned out to be an April fools! 😂
"It doesn't look like its purpose built" - of course not. Its an industrial product used by many many applications all over the world. The low price possible because they add a cheap motor and assembly for the records. Imagine by the way that some people spend a fortune on one that looks like a million and cost a fortune. You pay a lot to be able to just drop the records in. - og imagine the machines with vacuum. That's a plain joke. if you want that function, purchase a cheap used player and break off the old arm - and use it as spinning machine - Anyway, this machine makes the difference. We have 21.300 records, of which many are cleaned. easy.
Get a Kirmuss, You may trust this bit of advice..
there is a nice video in German from Bavarian Vinyl Nerd
FRIEND SO MUCH NOISY
Can you tell what it is yet Great Video
Do you think the sound of the machine has loosened the wax in your ears that's why they sound better?😂
Stop wasting your time a purchase a Degritter. I used to spread out my vacuum cleaner, potions, etc. on my dining room table. Looked like your setup. Made a mess and was lucky to get thru three lp's in an hour. Now, just drop un an Lp in the Degritter and come back to a cleaner than ever before record, dry and place in a clean bag start again. Worth every drachma that I spent on it. The Vevor wasn't designed to clean Lp's.
but works just as well
Would really like to try an ultrasonic but the horrific sound it seems to make is holding me off. I have 3 adorable cats living with me and I would prob have to take them all to the vet after the first cleaning 🤷🏼♂️😂
Great effort man, but stay away from the beans before hitting the spotlight. That fart stunk!!🥴🤢
👍👍😎✌️🤟
Sorry mate, I find these ultrasonic cleaners a waste of money I'm just sticking with the spin clean it seems they both do about the same job🤔
So there no good! These machines seen to shake off the grime ( maybe) , I used the Pro-ject VCE RCM , it left water marks on the start of record and run outs after its supposed to vacuum all wetness , took it back , so now using again my old Disco Antistat cleaner
haha for just double the price of your spinclean, you get the real Vevor Ultrasonic Record Cleaner - well worth it, huge difference - you're only going to live one time on this earth Freddie
Well I got me one, let me tell you about one thing, that you will certainly get, a lot of work, and a big headache, from that annoying sound, records cleaned? Barely , you won’t even notice a difference 😅
Hola, NO funcionò la maquina ultrasonido?
Leave in the fart.
The worst thing is when a 60-year-old person finds out that even cleaning the LP is not enough... He finds out only when he stuffs his nose and "blows" with his mouth open and holds his breath. Then he finds out that the recording has 10kHz more.. .. Eustachian tube is bad.... And listening to the whole LP with held breath is not comfortable.... 😎
Yep got mine its awesome - 30c 15 minutes - spin clean first! it really works!
oh man das ist doch nur Geldmacherei da reicht ein ganz normales Waschgerät mit einer guten reinigung's Mixture und dann sollte die Platte natürlich im guten zustand sein weil sonst bringt alles beide nichts
after how many washed plates should you add new distilled water? thanks