Cleaning vinyl

[oldleodensian]

The Knosti disco anti stat is a brilliant piece of kit for the money and has worked wonders on some of my vinyl that was visually in excellent condition but sounded rubbish or didn't play properly.

However, I have one or two albums with persistent "crackles" at the beginning of songs, despite several cleans with the Knosti. The worst offender only does this during the quiet intro to first songs on both sides.

Does anybody have experience of such persistent problem being solved by professional cleaning?

 

[John Duncan]

Can't say I have, since if a couple of goes with the Knosti doesn't sort it I kind of figure that's as good as it gets. However, Chebby has his done by a local record store I think - wait for him to appear...

 

[chebby]

If I buy any new or used records from ebay or amazon then I don't play them at all until I have taken them to my local s/h record shop for a 'Keith Monks' cleaning first. (Obviously if I buy records at the shop then I get them cleaned too before I leave.)

As a result I don't really know how much the cleaning improves the sound. I have it done as a 'preventative' rather than a 'curative' measure.
The fact that your crackles only occur at the beginning of the first tracks on both sides suggests the previous owner didn't have a queueing lever or chose not to use it and didn't have a very steady hand! It is probably groove damage rather than dirt.

 

[mushroomgod]

Ill get linched for this, but I tried this the other day on a second hand LP from ebay..

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=99837

It turned a mucky, cracky, poppy album into one thats as good as the day it was new. After treatment not a a single click or pop anyware, more detail in the sound too, and theres no question that its improved the sound of the record. I recomend it totaly if you have a LP thats in real need of fixing.

That said, not quick, and involves a good eye as not to get it everyware

 

[The_Lhc]

What kind of glue did you use and how long did you leave it on for?

I think I might have found a use for that "Hammond Organ Party" LP my missus bought me a while back...

 

[mushroomgod]

I tried 2 glues...One was a decorators PFA (b&qs own) that was not very elastic...It came off in a few sections and was a little fiddly.

The other glue was cheap craft glue from Asda...once dry it was very very elastic, came off in one simple peel, much better than the decoraters PVA.

I also added small slips of paper to help lift the dried glue once dry. In the case of the craft glue, removing it once dry was dead easy!

As for drying time...thats the killer! Took about 12 hours. But that might just be my not so well ventilated house. A few people on the link got there glue to dry in a few hours with the help of fans.

 

[The_Lhc]

Ok, cool, I'll have a look in Asda!