Record cleaning brush

[KC Jones]

May I ask a quick question?
Does anybody ideas on an anti static carbon fibre cleaner thingy, where to get one and what sort?
Thanks -

[SquireC]

There are quite a few available, from £5 ones in hi fi dealers to more 'exotic' ones like the Mobile Fidelity one (still not expensive). Not better than a record cleaning machine, but still very useful for getting dust and stuff off before playing.

[Marco]

The best, beyond question, is one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hunt-EDA-Carbon-Fiber-Brush-LP-Record-milty-fibre-/150896546292?pt=US_Record_Player_Turntable_Parts&hash=item23222291f4

Well-made, durable, and extremely effective! :)

Marco.

[NRG]

+1

[KC Jones]

Excellent to the point.
Thanks

[reefjet 1263]

The old decca brush is also excellent, if you can find one.

[julesd68]

I find the Blue Horizon Probrush truly excellent ...

http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/turntable-products/307-blue-horizon-probrush.html

[Marco]

+1. Yes, I one of those too, and they're also excellent :)

Marco.

[AlfaGTV]

The best, beyond question, is one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hunt-EDA-Carbon-Fiber-Brush-LP-Record-milty-fibre-/150896546292?pt=US_Record_Player_Turntable_Parts&hash=item23222291f4

Well-made, durable, and extremely effective! :)

Marco.

I believe this one is the very same?
http://www.btechavmounts.com/file/btbib100-220-200-jpg

Available here (http://www.btechavmounts.com/product-range/products/btbib100)

It even comes with a manual!:
http://www.btechavmounts.com/file/btbib100-2-400-400-jpg
I use another nylon brush though, not the edge ot the holder to clean the surface.

And while i'm at it, this one is quite good at dispensing with static electricity which is generated when using dry cleaning techniques. It is criminally expensive though:
http://www.furutech.com/items/SK2-1[2].jpg
Furutech SK-II

/Mike

[Audioman]

I

And while i'm at it, this one is quite good at dispensing with static electricity which is generated when using dry cleaning techniques. It is criminally expensive though:
http://www.furutech.com/items/SK2-1[2].jpg
Furutech SK-II

/Mike

Insanely expensive :eek:. Hasn't Marco got one :) ?

[Marco]

Of course! :eyebrows:

It's an important part of my record cleaning regime. After records have been thoroughly cleaned on the RCM, and virtually static free, I gently brush them with the SK-II, to remove any risidual static, before popping them in Nagaoka anti-static sleeves. In that role, it is extremely effective, and no other device I've used removes static so well from records, even a Milty Zerostat gun.

It's the same process later. Once a record has been removed from its sleeve, and placed on the platter, ready to play, I give the surface of the record a quick brush with the Furutech, thus removing any miniscule amount of static, caused by the action of removing the record from its sleeve (no sleeve is 100% anti-static), and also any tiny particles of dust that may be present on the surface of the record.

The result? Utterly silent vinyl replay, in terms of absence of surface noise, almost akin to that when playing a CD, and this shows in the quality of recordings I've been making recently of music played on my turntable.

I insist on that level of resolution with vinyl and wouldn't settle for anything less. The notion that music on records is plagued with clicks and pops is, quite frankly, utter nonsense, provided that one's vinyl 'housekeeping' routine is diligently maintained, and one's records are stored/handled properly and kept in pristine condition! ;)

Marco.

[julesd68]

The result? Utterly silent vinyl replay, in terms of absence of surface noise.

Marco - I find that the problem isn't so much cleaning the vinyl effectively but getting good quality vinyl in the first place! It's so difficult to find a totally mint lp that doesn't have a tiny scratch somewhere ... I find classical vinyl is the best as very often it has been languishing unplayed in an old collection. Good rock lp's are much more difficult to find and people aren't as strict about the grading. :(

[Marco]

Marco - I find that the problem isn't so much cleaning the vinyl effectively but getting good quality vinyl in the first place!

I completely agree, and it's a major bugbear of mine! :steam:

Brand new, supposedly audiophile-grade, vinyl pressings that are 'dished', and so don't sit completely flat on the platter, which have 'cloudy' stains on the playing surface, left from a less than totally successful manufacturing process, that no RCM will shift, horribly scratchy, cheap paper inner-sleeves provided, rather than proper 100% plastic anti-static ones, and worst of all, inherently noisy pressings, as a result of the use of poor quality recycled, as opposed to brand new, virgin vinyl.

I don't think it's too much to ask that none of the above is an issue, and that you're presented with a pristine and perfect product, when shelling out £30 (and upwards) for a single record!

One company I can highly recommend is Music on Vinyl. Every album I've bought from them, through my local record shop, without exception (and I have many of their releases), conforms to the standards expected. The pressings (and thus SQ) are also absolutely superb. Not only that, the quality of service that they offer is exemplary, and most importantly, the music titles they stock are wide and varied, and mostly full of stuff I would want to own.

My intention is to slowly obtain the vast majority of their music catalogue. If you don't know of them already, check them out:

http://www.musiconvinyl.com/

:cool:

Marco.

[Marco]

Here's also an interesting guide on eBay, on 'How to Protect Your Vinyl Records': http://reviews.ebay.com/How-to-Protect-your-Vinyl-Records-Sleeve-Selection?ugid=10000000002588902

'Newbies' to the game, should read and take note! ;)

Marco.

[Audioman]

I completely agree, and it's a major bugbear of mine! :steam:

Brand new, supposedly audiophile-grade, vinyl pressings that are 'dished', and so don't sit completely flat on the platter, which have 'cloudy' stains on the playing surface, left from a less than totally successful manufacturing process, that no RCM will shift, horribly scratchy, cheap paper inner-sleeves provided, rather than proper 100% plastic anti-static ones, and worst of all, inherently noisy pressings, as a result of the use of poor quality recycled, as opposed to brand new, virgin vinyl.

I don't think it's too much to ask that none of the above is an issue, and that you're presented with a pristine and perfect product, when shelling out £30 (and upwards) for a single record!

One company I can highly recommend is Music on Vinyl. Every album I've bought from them, through my local record shop, without exception (and I have many of their releases), conforms to the standards expected. The pressings (and thus SQ) are also absolutely superb. Not only that, the quality of service that they offer is exemplary, and most importantly, the music titles they stock are wide and varied, and mostly full of stuff I would want to own.

My intention is to slowly obtain the vast majority of their music catalogue. If you don't know of them already, check them out:

http://www.musiconvinyl.com/

:cool:

Marco.

Marco.

Totaly agree about QC. Often end up settling for an Lp with a few nasty noises. Just returned one today that had a nasty scratch as I'm not tolerating a tick lasting several minutes.

I agree about MOV as far as QC is concerned. They actualy use a modern DMM set up in house though you wouldn't guess. They are fine I find for late 80's through to the last decade titles (digital recording) but many of their older titles are not from the original analogue sources but digital files. Unfortunately that means a clean original pressing is to be prefered. One way of checking is to email them as they are usualy up front about their source if you ask though vague in the description on their web site. They are claiming from the original tapes for some titles now but it is worth enquiring if a digital stage is involved somewhere in between this and the vinyl cutting.

For Sony titles especialy where the master tapes reside in the USA I suspect they are sent hi-res digital files. For these titles it is preferable to source a US Legacy copy or those licenced to Sundazed or Friday Music in the USA. For Hendrix I advise getting the US RTI pressings. The Dylan monos are the only titles I am 100% confident are all analogue as the laquers were cut at Sterling.

Paul.