Great write up on your process John and I think it will work well. An Ultrasonic will definitely augment what you're doing. As for the Degritter, I had the chance to use one at a local shop and I got to say I was disappointed by it. It's nice with all the bells and whistles it has to offer but in the long run, I felt it left some residual static from the drying process. Honestly, it the ultrasonic process you need to go for. The machine that does it shouldn't matter so much. That's just my opinion though.

Thanks for the great comment bulldogdave. I greatly prefer the Upscale Audio version to the one I purchased and I would have gotten that one to avoid the 'bunny.' Your absolutely right about new records too! New records should be cleaned before being placed on the platter.

Like you, I clean all of my new records, in addition to used. For my new records I've gone through the entire Kirmuss process, multiple trips to the bath, spraying and working in surfactant with the goat hair brush, etc.. For used records, this manual portion of the Kirmuss cleaning process is necessary, but for most new records, after reading your comment here, I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time trying to clean new records using the entire process???? Do you run new records through one 5:00 minute cycle, dry and that's it?? Or do you run a shorter cycle, 2-3 mins?? For my new records, I would love to save some time, as my only gripe with this system is the amount of time it takes to clean just one single record, following the Kirmuss process.

And thank you for watching Kevin! Someday, I will try his complete process, I just need to find a good old, dirty LP to try it with. Hope you and your family have a happy holiday.

Thanks Jon for commenting and it's good to know our thoughts and feeling about the machine and Kirmuss are the same ;) It's funny because I am from Wyoming originally and all of my family is still there. I am hoping to hit the RMAF sometime in the future. Hopefully, when all of this COVID stuff abates a bit.

@@BarakaPDub Yeah I’m hoping we actually have RMAF this year. Whereabouts in WY were you originally from. My dad was raised in Douglas, WY and his side of the family has deep roots in Wyoming. I love WY and will hopefully relocate there someday. Only thing I don’t like about it, is the damn wind!! Blows year round!! Summer, winter, the entire year!!!

He replies to emails promptly with detailed replies, that gives him a boost for me too. Many more in this industry could learn a thing from that.

As there is no local dealer in my area I e-mailed. Charles called me soon after and we had a great convo. That has never happened with anybody else. He is committed that's for sure and will 'bend your ear' but he's passionate and it's his 'baby' so I'll cut him some slack. Price and performance wise I think the KA-RC-1 is the best system.

I would love to see your process in a dedicated video. I am sure other budget conscient folks would love to see it since a lot of audiophile gear is priced too damn high. Your process is very sound and exactly what I would do on a budget. On the Ultrasonic front though, you could just buy the cleaner for a little over $100, forgo the motor, and thread an LP through a metal rod and manually turn it.

Hello Ian! I hope you are doing well! It's been a very long time.

Awesome to see you Ian! Hope you had a happy holiday season and a Happy New Year! Miss you in the VC brother! I need to send you an email some time; I made an exciting purchase HiFi-wise last year; following your example and recommendation! Take care and again, Happy New Year!

@@h2vinyl okie Buddy!!!!!!! Thank you and have a great time!°°😄😄😄

Thanks Hanna. There were a few more things I wanted to do with this one but I had a lot of the footage shot early last month. I figured screw it! I need to string what I have together but I am glad it turned out all right. There are ways to do this cheaply for sure and not spend an arm and a leg. The quasi DYI options will work just as good as my unit. It's all really in the process. The rest of it is just added convenience. The NY Taxi Driver was fun but will likely end up in a purge pile at some point down the road.

"Best editing in the VC" - Seriously, if ever there was a VC oscar...

Beware of these adapters that see 6, 8, 10 or 12 records skewered. The ultrasonic's action is canceled by the rejected standing waves. Records too tightly spaced together. If using a cleaner never buy a cleaning solution that does not list the ingredients. Check the ingredients list with the PVC Chemical Compatibility Chart that can be found on the web.

Thanks Ian. I had wanted to do this one for awhile but haven't had a whole lot of time as of late to make videos. I got to say, you've been missed and I've had to refer a number of people your way on the Nagaoka cartridge. In fact, I might just be buying one as a gift for someone.

@@BarakaPDub Buddy Paul, thank you for your reply. It is warm to hear from you again, and see you again... Glad to see the vinyl records behind you as usual. Blissful🎶😁☘

@@BarakaPDub you might want to check out the audio Technica at-VM95ML $150 very good cartridge cheap for microline cartridge, what is more ideal better cartridge micro line. Somebody I follow users the mp500 but he uses a different stylus made by a different company says it's better sorry I can't remember the make cheaper replacement as well.

@@HiViNywschannel Whats up Ian..! why don't you do videos anymore!

Miss you, Ian!

Thanks Kurt! Even now, I have a person that wants to debate me on the use of alcohol but I also have a former Chemist (Michigan Record Club) that confirms it's not reactive in the comments. The ability to easily do 7", 10", and 12" records and just drop them in is what sold me on the unit. I didn't want to mess with taking records on and off a spindle so I am a bit lazy in that regard.

Thank you sir and I hope this garners you a few more sales. Personally, I think the way you've employed your solution is the most practical out there on the market. I am looking to find a good record to try out your entire process and perhaps cover it in another video down the road.

Hey Charles I got a sweet deal on a bridge. You interested?

If the spray is as you say antifreeze, why would it cost $95 for a 10 oz diluted bottle? Although interested in your machine. I can't imagine any reason for the $10 per fluid ounce cost of this. How many records does one 10 oz bottle clean?

@Chel Illingworth The liquid is made in Germany, shipped by air to China. The additive is exclusive to us. Liquid not available in any other fashion. It is not antifreeze! It is propanedipl 1,-2-178. Then shipped by air to the US Then shipped to you at no charge. If you are familiar with logistics shipping by air just for the China to USA portion went from $46 a box to $113. Duties went from 3.8,% to 3.8% plus 25% from the Trump Tax. This said the cost to restore a record is between 0.26 and 0.38 which varies with the number of cycles in the machine. Only three squirts of spray are applied to the record. The goat hair brush is used to cover the record and thus change the charge of the record to be opposite to that of water. Following our instructions the record does not have to be drenched in liquid as it is not a cleaning solution. It is s used to attract the effects of cavitation. Take a look at our series of training videos on our channel and in comparison the AudioDeske sees one of their bottles suggested to be used per day, no longer keeping the cleaning solution in the machine for months as agreed the filter cannot filter out dirt and dust of 3 to 5 microns using a filter of 120 to 300 micron diameter pores. Their cost is about $3 per record. Finally, our process is the only one proven to remove the release agent revealing 1.3 to 4 dB gain over floor. Depending on the provenance of the record. Certainly at the maximum cost of 0.38 cents or so per record discounting the need for distilled water, we allow your existing sound system reach its full potential with no change in hardware. This as we now see the needle making full contact with all the details of the pressing, With a restored and not surface shined record, it's a good idest to perhaps now also invest in the Wally Tools set of alignment tools. To expand on your observation, and my response, why do not peers talk about dB gain over floor? Most processes use air or vacuum drying, which leaves a film on the record thus temporarily hiding the flaws and issues. Our process sees records come out virtually dry. Check out our 45 minute video recorded in front of Korean audio journalists this past November. Sorry to be wordy but you need to understand the process. 36 cents per record for the results we guarantee with shipping and tax included is very reasonable for the auditory results you are receiving

Propanediol is the spelling.

Thanks for chiming in Ettore and I am glad I am not alone in the use of a diluted alcohol solution. The Vinyl Stack really is a good option and I've hit their website up several times over the past few years. Also, nothing wrong being AR! All my records get a double distilled water rinse on my vacuuming machine.

Very interesting process Roy&Shashi Brock. I do use a drying rack as I know any dry rubbing of the surface will just generate a static charge on the vinyl.

Thank Peter and the DIY ultrasonic and vacuuming solutions will work just as well. Do you know where you found the formula with enzyme cleaner? I do use enzyme cleaners on occasion and I would be willing to try something different. For me, the rinsing is one of the key elements to the whole cleaning process. Again, thanks for the great comment.

@@BarakaPDub I seem to recall it was in some of this guy's videos. I don't always agree with his methods but some things he suggested makes sense. I like his collection of Jazz material as well. kzfaq.info/love/fDyDCc5IAEruMJhaVwctag

Thanks Peter!

Hello David. Absolutely, nothing wrong with going with the budget route! It's the ultrasonic process you want at the end of the day. How you get there doesn't matter. Everything else is just going to be additional bells and whistles. Thanks for watching and commenting.

So Kirmuss himself, rubs a lot of people raw with his sales tactics and that bled right into his instruction manual. It's all a bit over the top if you ask me but looking past that I was sold on the drop in ability. That said, the Okki Nokki's are good RCMs. They are what I tell people to buy if they are looking to vacuum. My VPI is overpriced for what it is and I wanted an Okki Nokki at the time but they discontinued making them only to resume production after I bought my VPI. Thanks for watching and commenting Joe.

Hey, homemade will work just as well as what I have in this case. It's all about the process ;) I hope all is well with you Paul and hope the holiday's treat you well! Hope to see your review of McCartney III.

After using just a vacuum for a number of years and the Spin Clean before that, I can honestly say, the ultrasonic gets the LPs the cleanest they have ever been. That said, I don't think one needs to spend $950 like I did. I think the cheap DYI solutions will work every bit as good. Thanks for watching as always Melinda and I wish you, your husband, and daughter a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hello Nick. I felt exactly the way you did in the interviews with Kirmuss and the anti-fungal process. The way he was selling it was a turn off but I pushed that aside and bought it for the functionality. I didn't feel like spending $2000 more for a filtering and drying capability, only to have to pay more for spare parts after washing a few hundred records. But I also didn't want to spend time messing with spindle attachments. I liked the drop in feature and the capability to easily clean 7" and 10" records. The colored pencil demo was a must because I hadn't seen anyone do it with a record and showing that demonstration will help people understand the capabilities. Thanks for watching and Happy Holidays!

For me the rinse and repeat is one of the main things for getting a good clean sound. Thanks so much for catching the video. I have been curious about the Humminguru product and have contemplated buying one to try it out.

Ha ha! Thanks Thomas.

Thanks Eric. It feels good to finally get another video out and I am hoping I can squeak one more out before the end of the year. Ultrasonic is definitely the cleanest I have ever gotten my records and honestly, if you go with one of the quasi DYI versions, it should be just as good and cheaper. Even cheaper than most vacuuming machines on the market. The downside is that it's just a little more labor intensive but it's not so bad.

Thanks so much Steve for watching and commenting. I am glad your experience with IPA matches my own. I've been using it for years and have yet to experience any issues.

Eric thank you for watching and I think you left a very long detailed comment which a saw last night but has now disappeared. It's weird, I didn't delete it but I remember getting halfway through it before getting distracted on the home front. Yeah, I try to leave to the viewer to decide what they think of the product as I am not a fan of reviews that paint a rosy picture of every product. I don't think any product is perfect so you got to put out the pros and cons. To answer your first post, based on my recollection, I think everyone has their own process. Is mine definitive? Absolutely not! I recall from your first post something about vacuuming first because if you do it the other way, you get the platter wet. I think either has it's advantages and disadvantages. While I didn't make this video about my comprehensive process, when it comes to vacuuming, you're right, you really don't want to get the VPI platter wet. What I do is I have a plastic sheet which I lay over the platter. After the first side has been vacuumed, I pull the plastic sheet off and vacuum the second side. That way, only the cleaned LP surface is touching the VPI cork platter. As you can see from the pencil demonstration, the debris, while removed during the Ultrasonic process, doesn't settle immediately to the bottom of the tank. When the process stops, some loose debris can wind back up on your LP surface. This is why I do a double vacuumed rinse each side with distilled water afterwards. Two times might be excessive for some folks but I error on the over conservative side. With vacuuming, I am also careful not to over vacuum. I always go one, maybe two, revolutions at most; otherwise, you're just imparting dry friction that transfers electrons to the surface of the vinyl. There might be a small amount of residual moisture on the surface and this is what I let air dry. While it is true that no home is dust free, leaving the record out to dry for ten minutes. at most, doesn't really leave much time for a lot of dust to accumulate. Is there some dust that does accumulate...sure. When I play a record, I do so with my lid completely removed so I am more likely to see dust collect when I play the vinyl. Dust just cannot be avoided but it can be mitigated. For the microfiber cloths, I only use them when dampened, to remove large residual drops of water. I did a video on LP static, where I demonstrated dry rubbing your records with a mircofiber cloth only imparts an electric charge and allows the particles to accumulate. Hope this explains my process which might be a bit for some. I have seen others that take it far beyond what I do or others that just do it differently. If it makes 'em happy, then why criticize?

@@BarakaPDub Thank you for your kind words Paul. I found my excessively long comment again for you. (It disappeared on me too for a bit). You will find it under the replies to DSaudio. By the way, you do vacuuming correctly sir! When working with my VPI for initial chemical treatment sessions, I also lay down a cheap vinyl mat on the cork platter for side one, then remove it for side two. Yes, this keeps things clean. I do two revolutions of vacuum, that's it. That gets the record dry enough that it takes only 10 seconds for anything left in the grooves to dry and it goes back into the sleeve. I hear many complaints that the process takes too long to which I say, if you want the best results you have to be willing to follow the required process. I'm working on a "paper" regarding record cleaning and "restoration" to submit to the science community. (This will take a while though, several months). I can tell you my process if you have an email or something. I used to be an audio journalist (4 years) and met a lot of reviewers. I agree, the constant praise of products does not lend to credibility for reviewer or product. I've seen some real BS in my time. I remain friends with two because they are dead honest and not afraid to speak truths. You might check out Sean Fowler of Zero Fidelity and Thomas from Thomas and Stereo if you haven't already. I don't always agree with everything, but 95% is great odds.

Thanks Downtown Townie. You're right about having too many records. There have been some studies done on the spacing of the records and what is optimal. Being an engineer, I would love to study what was done for them to get to their conclusions. Tergikleen is a product that I have yet to try and I hope to try it in the future.

Actual confirmation from a Chemist! This is exactly what I needed! You're right about Scrubbing Bubbles! I use it but very, very sparingly due to it being caustic and I quickly rinse it well afterwards. Not sure how much of a material breakdown can be observed in short, time limited manner. You're right about the debates. In some cases, there is no arguing with the idiot. It's just wasted energy if people have closed minds. I hope you have a happy holiday and I enjoyed your last tag video with Steve.

Nothing beats a good Okki Nokki! Dr. Deadwax was trying to sell me on one long before I started to make videos. At the time though, I caught them in the window they stopped making them. God Jul my friend!

Nothing wrong with a Spin Clean. It's what I started with and I had the same problem. What I found worked well was to buy a label protector, do a distilled water rinse with a spray bottle, and let the record air dry. The Kirmuss is one of the better budget ways to go ultra sonically.

Thanks for commenting and watching Yohan. While I didn't get into it here, I do a double rinse on my VPI and doing that, I've had zero problems with static. The key is not to over vacuum. Too much dry friction will just induce static.

Quick question my friend. I have seen the video about the cleaning solution you make. Are you planning on keep using it with the Kirmuss or did you came up with a new recipe? if so do you mind sharing? I found the Kirmuss solution super expensive. ($ 85dollars for 10 oz)

@@yohanmarchena9599 $85 for a bottle??? Whoa! Is this his anti-static stuff? I haven't used it at all. As for my cleaner, I do use it on occasion with my vacuuming machine when I know I have some really tough stuff that ultrasonic won't totally eliminate. As for Kirmuss, I do follow his suggestion of putting in 40 ml of 70% iso alcohol.

I do like the Klaudio since it doesn't require the $100 replacement parts or cleaners for every 100 records spun. Thanks for watching audiotomb.

Thanks for the kind remarks about the age Rob but as each year passes, I am seeing more and more grey in my hair. I also think you have me beat on the age thing. I could swear you look the same as you did when I first started watching you! I wish you the best in the coming weeks and I hope you have a safe and awesome Christmas. Here's to 2021!

Hi Rob👋😁👍

Thank you Jorge. I might be able to do one more...maybe two during the next two weeks. Will just see how busy my wife makes me with stuff around the house. Happy holidays.

Thanks Mark. I love the variety you bring to your channel and I am happy you jumped into the video making game. I had been using my VPI for five years before this and was quite content with it but I started to hear about all of the benefits of going ultrasonic. I have found coupling the ultrasonic with a distilled water rinse on the VPI does wonders. With all my new records, I haven't heard the faintest click or pop in months!

Thanks Camera Plus. I can be a bit stingy on where I want to spend my money in this whole hobby but if I had more cash to throw around, I probably would have went after the Audio Desk. It is nice that it's an all in one solution.

I still love the system and it's still working like a champ. I haven't bothered with the defungal stuff that he hypes. With my method most new records end up being 99% pop and click free. Today I got to sample a Degritter with a Classic Records audiophile pressing and I can tell you I was underwhelmed. I think part of the problem is the auto drying and no rinse. The record through the Degritter, while improved, we're not 100% click and pop free. The record looked almost pristine going in and coming out. If I spent over $3000 on a cleaning machine, I would honestly want better peformance out of it. If you're looking to go a bit cheaper than this, the Kirmuss Ultrasonic tank is generic. You'll find the tank on other brands and I would buy it or something like it separately and use something like the Vinyl Stack to rotate the records through the bath. Now as to the Humminguru, I would be worried about the reliability of the unit. I have been hearing stories about breakdowns after 100 to 200 records being cleaned. It's attractively priced though.

@@BarakaPDub good to know, thanks for the feedback!

Thanks Michael. I have cleaned over a thousand records on this unit now and there have been no signs of wear. I am a still a happy user and if I had purchased an even more expensive unit, like the Audio Desk, I would be an extra $500 to $1000 out of pocket buying fluid and rollers. While the DIY machines work just fine, this one will be a little less labor intensive.

There are some cheaper solutions out there and some of the DIY rigs work well. I would steer clear of the Hummingguru. I am hearing they are plagued with all kinds of problems and generally have failed after the first 100 or more records. Three years on, my Kirmuss is still running like a champ.

I've heard good things about the Triton X-100. Have you been using it a long time? Thanks for watching and commenting Playback!

@@BarakaPDub Sorry, I just saw your post now. I've only been cleaning my lps for less than a year & after LOTS of online reading as to what mixture to use settled on products that were easy to purchase (Amazon & local drug store) and had been found effective by others who had done their own experimentation = some have put alot of work into publishing their findings. It's such a small amount - I use a 1:1000 Triton/distilled water along with the other couple of ingredients. I only required 100 ml to do 1k lps.

Hello Johnnie. Yes it is a bit laborious and your process seems a bit more involved but you're right about getting good results in the end. It would be nice to do 10 records in one shot.

Thanks Flatrocker. IMO, a DYI solution will work every bit as good as any machine on the market. It's all about the process. Everything else is just features added for convenience.

Thanks TBNTX for commenting. I am glad your experience matches that of my own. I too don't mind a little elbow grease. Paying an additional $2000 for the auto drying just doesn't make sense to me at this point in my life.

Thanks Lis ;) I hope to maybe have one or...maybe two videos out in a couple of weeks. Happy holidays to you as well.

Hello Ron ;) I plan to do my favourites from this year and I hope to do it in the couple of weeks remaining in this year. Incorporating all of the sound samples takes a little time and I want to see how many I can get by with. Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year as well ;)

Thanks Karl! Do you have an Audio Desk, Klaudio, or Degritter then? That's one thing I forgot to mention specifically was the cleaning fluid. That said, I already voided my warranty with my VPI but straying from their preferred solutions ;) Thanks for commenting and have a happy holiday.

How would they know?

Thanks Tom and there is nothing wrong with sticking to a budget and using an injected molded piece of plastic. I was that way for a long time ;) I think cheap DYI solutions to vacuuming and ultrasonic cleaning can do every bit of good as the pricier models. The pricier models just add more convenience features and nothing more. I mean, even I opted for convenience for not wanting to mess around taking records off of spindles. I agree with you on VG land. I want to do a video on vinyl to digital conversion which works fantastic with VG records.

@@BarakaPDub The viny-to-digital concept always intrigued me since I've heard claims that it sounds exactly the same but I've never tried to do it myself to confirm that. It seems to me that if you take the time to rip a record, then you later upgrade the table, cartridge of phono stage, you'll probably want to rip it all over again. And then, you know... it never ends. ;-)

If I were to go for a full up, do everything model, the Degritter would be my product of choice. I've heard a lot of great things about them. And yes, used vinyl, gets treated the same way with me.

Awesome! I am really glad he changed the package to be a bit more professional looking. I am going to run my Disney version until the thing falls apart ;)

@@BarakaPDub it does look more professional without it, I would say. I tried your suggestion of drying the record with vacuum and distilled water. It worked great! Thank you for the suggestion. The Kirmuss is one amazing system. I cleaned about 10 records last night, both mono LPs from the 50s and a handful of 10 inch EPs from the 40s. I listened to a few of them afterwards and I could not believe how good they sound. This system requires some work, but I think it is well worth it. And a must for me because a large part of my collection are those old mono albums and EPs. Thanks again for this video. It was really a fantastic review. I appreciate it. 👍

Outstanding! I am glad you're now experiencing what a really clean album can do to your system. With your comment, I feel like I've done my job so thank you.

Awesome! I am glad to know I am not the only one out there. Thanks for commenting!

Thanks Jimmy ;) Sometimes Library Music is good to put in the background as not to keep things too static.

I seriously considered going for one of the high end machines before I started reading up on DIY solutions. Then I realized, I would rather spend that additional money on records or other equipment. To me, I think the DIY solutions will work every bit as good. You're just missing all of the convenience features. That said, I did opt for convenience when I went for this one and wanted the ability to just drop the records in without having to mess with a spindle and assorted attachments. I hope you are doing well. Things have been crazy here with work and listening time has been strange this year but I hope to explain that a bit more in a video to come in the next couple of weeks ;) Merry Christmas my friend!

@@BarakaPDub you struck a great balance between performance, convenience and price. I hear you there on listening time this year - I can't listen to as much as I want and feel a fraud putting a video out without having listened to the new music I've found! Take care, speak soon :)

Thanks Ron. As much of a pain it was to edit this one together, it was fun to do. Gear videos usually garner the most interest because I think most people want to make informed buying decisions. I hope this helps people a little.

I have seen a few folks just buy a 6 Liter tank and thread a metal rod through the spindle and manually rotate the records. The cheapest tanks run just over $100 and since they're made in China, perhaps, you can find something of the equivalent in Finland? Thanks for watching my friend!

I hear you on the 'Mrs.' factor. Mine was none to happy with more gear coming into the house but I am happy with it. These units do exceed vacuum units in getting rid of accumulated gunk in the grooves. The Kirmuss unit was actually cheaper than my VPI vacuuming machine funny enough. If you don't want to opt for the Kirmuss, I think a DYI until will operate every bit as good but will just be a little more labor intensive to take the LPs on and off spindles. If I don't comment with you before then, have a Merry Christmas Tim!

Thanks Pieter. I hope this does help folks in the long run! Happy holidays to you and your family.

@@BarakaPDub To you and your family too, Paul.

Thanks Michael. This one has been in the works for several weeks now and I really wanted to get out a demonstration of what ultrasonic cleaning could do. The background music is from Artlist. They're great but I wish they had more music in this style I could use. I just wonder how much the artist actually makes from posting their work. I hope you have a Happy Holiday. Any chance we might see another video from you in the next couple of weeks? I am going to try and do one or two more...provided my wife doesn't preoccupy me with a bunch of house work.

@@BarakaPDub the colored pencil demo was impressive to say the least. i wish i had you as a chemistry professor in high school. haha. we have the big four corners vid publishing sunday am. and i have a couple more in the wings before year's end. highly anticipating finding our permanent home with a new listening space and the good bright west coast light to make videos in. tell the wife you have content that people are depending on, sorry...! happy holidays, PW.

I am looking forward to the four corners!

@@BarakaPDub you out-did yourself w/ your submission! wow. you and i also chose the same lp. nice taste, buddy!

@@NotedArchived Its funny because the real one I wanted to do didn't work out. I was shooting myself behind a Green Screen with an LP title X-mas cards from space. I didn't get my lighting right and couldn't key out the green completely so I had to can the idea. Anyway, the Ansermet is really my favorite and really the only Christmasie thing I have on vinyl. Working in a big box media store for five years while in college, killed most Christmas music for me because we had to play it non-stop starting on Black Friday.

So I had followed the antifungal controversy for a bit. Personally, I didn't buy into it and his pushy attitude about it was a bit off putting. I think it really put him on the offensive in a lot of online forums. That said, when I encounter an LP that I really can't get click or pop free, I would be willing to try it but to answer your question about my process; the Ultrasonic coupled with a vacuumed, distilled water rinse and an air dry has left all of my records virtually pop and click free so I can't complain. The key on the vacuuming part is not to over vacuum. If the LP surface becomes totally dry then you run the risk of just inducing static so I do one rev on a vacuum and let the rest air dry. If I were Charles, I would drop the antifungal stuff or sell it separately to lower the overall price of his package. The ability just to drop in records of multiple sizes is what sold me on his model.

I can't recommend it enough and the cheap, quasi DYI solutions will work just as well. Everything else is there for convenience. Thanks Andreas for watching and commenting.

Thanks Ole Rocker. In this case, I don't think you can go wrong!

Thank you Richard! I hope you found it useful.

Thanks Jerome. Someone was advertising a model that's half the price of this one that's got a Kickstarter campaign going. It's also has a drying feature. I just hope it actually does hit the market because this whole hobby does not have to be an expensive one.

Cool. If you pick one up, please let me know what you think of it.

It's funny, I am looking at setting up a reverse osmosis system in my home. Just as long as you can filter out all of the hard elements, I suppose it could be fine. Thanks for watching and commenting Paul.

@@BarakaPDub funny I watched your video again I for got I had made this comment Almost mad it again! I get reverse osmosis water at Whole Foods for $0.98 for 2 gallons My jugs there water. Yes it does work well with my Project VC-s machine . Happy Spinning my Friend..

Kirmuss bugged the s%&t out of me too on pushing his anti-fungal solution. Looking past it, the one thing that sold me on it was the record drop in capability. I opted for the convenience of not having to take records on and off of a spindle. Honestly, I think even the DYI solutions will work just as good. It's just a little more hassle. Thanks for watching Wes and happy holidays.

Ha ha! Love it Dave and thanks for watching and commenting...as always!

Thanks Patrick. Even with a cheap, Do It Yourself (DIY) version, it should be just as good as anything on the market. I hope you have a happy holiday my friend!

@@BarakaPDub Thank you very much Paul. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones.

Good question Nathan! So I can say without a doubt, that regardless of the cleaning method, you're always going to get stuff on your stylus. Basically, even if the vinyl was pristine, your stylus diamond is lightly, and I mean lightly, scrapping the walls of the record groove. Both your diamond and the record groove wall wear down with time. Not to fear though, you would have to play the same record hundreds, if not a thousand times to really have impact to the sound of the record if it's well cared for. If you listen to the hardcore audiophiles, there are those that clean their stylus after every side of the record played to remove the small bits of vinyl and dust that do get collected. I am not that anal retentive but I do clean my stylus after every three or four LPs in one session. Some would call that amount of cleaning anal retentive but it is good to regularly clean your stylus less you accumulate things that could do lasting damage. I hope this helps.

You are looking for absolute perfection. it does not exist.

I use it with new records all of the time. I only used it with old to give a visual representation of what an ultrasonic can do.

Thanks Peter and for the catch on the Klaudio. I always thought is was based in the United States. I saw quite a bit of debate on the Steve Hoffman forums on the frequencies and record spacing. And I didn't really want to wade into those territories as I am no expert on the subject at all. I do agree, the higher the frequency the smaller the bubbles. Heating elements aside, all of these machines will generate some heat as you're transferring all of that energy right into the water. So far I have run into any issues with warped records at all but I am trying to overdo it.

@@BarakaPDub Ultrasonics are great for cleaning, im not knocking them, its just there are a number of things that anyone planning on using one needs to know. I have built my own based on the same base unit that kirmuss uses, but i have a spindle motor running at one rpm, also put a temp sensor in that cuts the heater off at a set temp. i also replace the tranducers with 80khz tranducers since the chinese factory point blank redused to supply 80khz units. i use 1inch spacers/label protectors and do eight lps/single/10inch at the same time. i also use a vinyl styl for pre clean and another for post clean and a vac unit to dry. its a process but gets them super clean. im not an expert, just trying best i can to get the results i want. really like your videos. take care, enjoy the music.

You know. I was really, really tempted to get the Audio Desk they year before I bought this guy. But I looked at it and thought I would rather put my money in a new cartridge. The life of an audiophile...where do you choose to spend your money. Thanks for watching my friend!

@@BarakaPDub Indeed.

Hello Bill. With work and family, it took me forever to pull this one together. I also had periods where my motivation waned because I work in the same room I am shooting in so I hate being locked in the same place for 16 hours ;) Ultrasonic is definitely the way to go and I find it better than just vacuuming alone but I was content with vacuuming alone before this. In terms of the loudness, it is loud but my vacuuming machine is louder. The loudness issue really confines when you can do it with a family in the house. If you're going for a vacuum, I would go with an Okki Nokki or Project (but not their lowest end model). I have a VPI but I think Okki Nokki and the ProJects do it better and cheaper. Hope that helps and no worries on the Christmas Cards! I am terrible with those.

Thanks for the question Tom. My process is usually the same regardless of the record. Most new records coming from the factory usually have small amounts of debris on them. Likely from the trimming process to form the outer edge but I also have found paper debris if they are using cheap paper inners. I always start with the Kirmuss and the ultrasonic process does require a surfactant; otherwise, the water will continue to cling to the surface. After the ultrasonic clean, I move to my vacuuming machine and do a rinse with distilled water. As you can see from the demonstration, not all the debris immediately settles to the bottom of the tank. Some will float back on the surface but it's loose enough now to be picked up by the vacuum. I realize this is probably pretty involved for most people but if you don't have a vacuum, I would rinse with a Spinclean or spray a fine mist of distilled water with a spray bottle and wipe down with a damp microfiber cloth. I highly recommend a dampened rag because wiping down with a dry cloth will just impart static back on the surface of the LP. I then let it air dry for a short time before putting it in a new record sleeve. Hope this helps.

@@BarakaPDub Excellent. Thank you for taking the time to reply. I do have both. Do you have a preference for surfactant?

I normally use alcohol as my surfactant but I have also used Kodak Fotoflo in small amounts.

@@BarakaPDub Hi Paul, For any records, new or used, I would like to suggest somewhat reversing your steps and see what you think. Instead of putting the records first into the Kirmuss machine, I would suggest either a run through something like a SpinClean or if you have a vacuum RCM do either a rinse and vac cycle or a chemical (MoFi SuperWash or AVIS #6 or more intense kit depending on the record), rinse and vac first, then a run through the Kirmuss machine if needed. (In my experience, some records get plenty good just from a MoFi or AVIS treatment alone, especially new records or used Classical records are almost a sure bet). Why do I suggest this? Well, first of all, it makes less work for the Kirmuss machine in the sense that you are not wasting surfactant, but more importantly is that the Kirmuss machine, like most others, does not have a filter system, so if you run a very dirty record through it and then go to run another, you run the risk of the previous debris (especially from new records) becoming projectiles launched at your record. (In cavitation those little bits of PVC, some of which may be microscopic, from the edges of new records or what have you will end up floating around and can do damage). That is why my hard and fast rule is never to put a very dirty record into an ultrasonic bath. Another reason is that the idea is to have the ultrasonic bath get deep into the grooves from the get go, so by first putting a new or unrinsed record in the USRCM you are just getting the first layers and would need to run the record through at least twice. On top of that, you would have to change the water after each record that way because it would get too dirty quickly. That is a waste of surfactant as well. By at least rinsing the record first initially, you could then run something like 20 records through the Kirmuss machine before needing to change the water. By the way, the point of the surfactant is to get the water attracted to the surface of the record, without it the water will just bead right off, but the other important point is to change the atomic or molecular charge of the record to the opposite of the distilled water so that it (and the bubbles or plasma/energy waves) does get onto the whole surface and in the grooves. A record is a similar positive charge as the water in this case, so like magnets of similar polarity, they repel instead of attract. By changing the charge of the object to be cleaned (a record in this case) with a surfactant, the water or cavitation bubbles if you prefer are attracted to the record. Surfactants come in different varieties and the type depends on what you are trying to do. In this case, you want to attract the water and bubbles to clean the object, so an ether-based surfactant is desired. Alcohol is an ether and can work to a point to change the molecular charge of the record, but the problem is that it evaporates too fast to be effective enough. A polypropylene (many types of those as well), which is formulated as an ether-based surfactant has a longer shelf life so to speak. It takes about 2 minutes to evaporate and is structured in a way that is a better surfactant choice in this case. We are not trying to change the molecular charge of the water, which is a herculean task, it is easier to do so with the object to be cleaned. Part of why I personally, would not use Fotoflo is that it is actually the opposite of what we want. I used to be a darkroom photographer. Foto-flo is the last step in print development. It is used to stop the fixer bath, prevent water spots, stains and excessive soaking or impregnation with fluid of the photo paper. Without it, the prints would get too much fixer, which will destroy them by crystallization and the photos would not dry quickly and be a mess to handle, not to mention have a very short shelf life. It's like a wax or sealant on your car to protect the paint for one analogy. Microfiber towel drying won’t build up static if done correctly. Like vacuum drying it doesn’t require much. In the method I do, I start with a dry microfiber towel and wipe going with the grooves, it usually takes the equivalent of two revolutions on a vacuum machine before it is “dry enough” to be gone over once with the velvet peristatic brush, which makes sure the grooves are completely dry. (About 10 seconds later the record is bone dry and ready to be sleeved, no static charge in my experience). In my experience, the towel automatically gets damp enough the second it touches the record, no need to pre-dampen. It gets to the point that I have to get a fresh dry towel about every 5 or 6 records or so. Yes, overdoing it will build static just like overdoing vacuum drying (anything beyond two revolutions on a VPI 16.5, which is plenty, will increase the chance of building static exponentially in my experience). As always, your mileage may vary. This may save a step or a little time for you, not sure.

Happy holidays to you as well! I can't recommend this process enough and I think the demo speaks for itself. If you can't find it in Greece, I would hope you could find some similar solutions that are just as good. The DYI method should work just as well if you ask me.

Yes. There is filler material added to change the properties. How much of that is actually affected by the alcohol might be debatable.

Here is a 8 year long discussion on a DIY. Lots of great info. www.diyaudio.com/forums/analogue-source/218276-version-ultrasonic-record-cleaner.html

Thanks Michael. I do agree that the higher the frequency the better but yes, there are limitations to where you lose the useful benefit of it all. Thanks for the link. I'll be sure to check it out.

Do you know of any vinyl that doesn't have any plasticizers or stabilizers? Gimme me a break. I've even had someone from Dow chemical debunk this myth. If you don't want to use alcohol...then don't.

Oh geez...I am a terrible one to ask on that point. There's only a few records I have returned to clean but usually my rule of thumb is when I start to hear an increase in clicks and pops, then I reclean the records. I am okay with a click or pop hear or there because sometimes it's the vinyl itself that's the problem but for the most part after a good clean, most of my records are tick and pop free. I do know people that are extremely anal and clean their records before every play. While I can be anal, I am not that anal.

@@BarakaPDub Good to know, then there will be more listening time 😀

Thank you for watching and commenting Wolfgang!

Thanks Chris for watching. The one good thing about the Nitty Gritty's is the vacuum benefits from being below and taking advantage of gravity. I have always liked them for that reason.

In my opinion, regardless of the ultrasonic machine, not all of the removed particulate immediately settles to the bottom of the tank. Some may actually end up back on the records surface. I use the vacuum to do a distilled water rinse for a final cleaning step. The key to vacuuming is not to over vacuum as it will just end up inducing static on the surface. I will vacuum for one or two revolutions and let the remaining fine water droplets to evaporate in short air dry process. Doing this, depending on the quality of the record pressing and condition, will leave the surface 97 to 100% free of any clicks or pops. My process might be a bit too extensive for many but I have found it to work for me. Hope this helps.

@@BarakaPDub That’s a great idea. Thank you for letting me know your process! 👍

@@BarakaPDub what you are doing, is what i will eventually do. i have the kirmuss right now, and in a few months get the vacuum.

Hello Paul. Good question but I haven't seen any real difference doing two records or one record at a time. I know the internet forums are filled with debates on the number of records you can do and the spacing but I didn't want to wade into that territory here. While I didn't go over my whole process here, once my records are done in the Kirmuss, they go right on my VPI for a dual distilled water rinse/vacuuming. As you can see from the demo, without the active filtering, some debris can land right back on the LPs surface after the process stops. This means without the active filtration, the rinsing becomes a little more critical. You're right about getting records the cleanest they have ever been. My VPI could not remove as much debris as the ultrasonic could.

If you can afford the Degritter, that's the one I would shoot for. Yes, they are pricey but it's always nice to have a one shot solution. There is a comment here from someone in the thread with a much cheaper solution (~$300) with a Kickstarter campaign. They met their funding goal. I do like the Kirmuss and it should do well if you can get it in Europe. The down side is that you won't get the automatic drying and will have to do that independently.

So the Vacuum machine is the VPI MW-1. Would I recommend it to others...no. I think the Okki Nokki (if you can find it) and the Pro-Ject VC-S2 are better options for the money. The MW-1 overheats and will automatically stop working after cleaning 20 records in one sitting. You have to let it cool down. VPI put an undersized motor in it IMO and they could have done better. That said, it does great but I think it's overpriced for what it is. The reason why I bought it is because the Okki Nokki stopped production at the time of my purchase and the Pro-Ject wasn't on the market. This was the first VPI priced at $1000 that could vacuum forwards and backwards. The 16.5 model, which is cheaper, can only vacuum in one direction and is housed in fiber board. Fiber board and water are not a good combo ;)

@@BarakaPDub Thanks. I have the Kirmuss and it is capable of restoring records that are in pretty bad condition. It takes some patience and a bit of elbow grease, but it's a terrific system. Its only weakness is drying which requires either a towel or drip-dry, neither of which is optimal. I'd even take a DIY solution with a shop vac, a hand-held PVC pipe wand and something sqweegee-like (what Michael Fremer calls "magic lips") embedded lengthwise into the wand. Thanks again from all of us vinyl folks.

Sure. I am happy to help. Not all stylus or needles are designed the same and all have a different amount of surface area that touches the grooves of the record. The Shibata, on the 2M Black touches lot more of the surface so it's also more sensitive to debris. The best write up on stylus geometry that I have seen has come from Peter Ledermann who owns and runs Soundsmith. www.sound-smith.com/articles/stylus-shape-information Hope this helps.

@@BarakaPDub thank you so much, will read it and see how it goes. Thank you again.

It's definitely loud enough to bother someone in the same room for sure. It's not as loud as my VPI vacuum cleaner but it's up there. Thanks for watching and commenting.

The Humminguru is definitely the product of the year for me. While I don't own one, I do think having something more at that level will get more people into it. This shouldn't be made so expensive. As for the vacuuming, I do it afterwards. Why, you might ask? When you ultrasonic, not everything ends back up at the bottom of the tank. Some particulate that's removed can float back on the vinyl surface so a distilled water rinse on the vacuum machine, to me, ensures everything is removed. I hope that helps explain my thought process.

I have to laugh because I agree with your comment totally! In the videos he did with Michael Fremer and the 'fear' type advertising, rubbed me the wrong way. I still don't buy into the fungus growth but there are people who swear buy it now. Thanks for the link to the Hoffman forums and I'll be taking a look at it. Michigan Record Club, who was a chemist for Dow, also agreed with me that it was a myth. My thing is that the alcohol is so diluted and doesn't remain on the record long enough to even have an impact. There could be some additives that react to it but I've been using alcohol for a decade now without any adverse effects. God Jul my friend! I think your in Sweden, right?

@@BarakaPDub Yes indeed, and some very line skirting practices like claiming they have photos showing how effective the unit is when its actually a competitors photo. Another thing to consider is that there have been quite a few record compounds over the decades and we are never really sure what these contain, so who knows how different records may or may not react. God Jul to you too! Its getting cold here in Sweden so its time to start preparing the anti static measures ;^)

Hey Leon. I've seen your comments on various sites for years now. You always make sense and I usually relate to what you have to say. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate that. I had the same turn-offs about Kirmuss and his system. Like you said, I know it probably does a great job but I couldn't bring myself to get one. If only he had just kept his mouth shut I would probably be a customer. Glad to see I'm not alone. I'm also looking forward to the HumninGuru. Seems like a pretty sweet deal.

@@goboslament5535 I appreciate the kind words, cheers!

Hello Ira. I still recommend the system. I have cleaned over a thousand records on it over two years and it's still running like a champ. I have no qualms with it at all. As for the surfactant, I still haven't bothered to use it. Personally, I find if I do an Ultrasonic clean, followed by a distilled water rinse with a light vacuuming, and air dry, 95% of my records have been tick and pop free.

I already own a DIY unit utilizing the Vinyl Stack system with a generic Chinese-made ultrasonic tank, along with a Humminguru (that I just use for a quick clean), and a Pro-Ject vacuum unit. I’m wondering if the Kirmuss unit would really take my cleaning regimen to a whole new level and truly “restore” my record collection.

I haven't used his anti-fungal stuff at all and personally, I think if the Vinyl Stack is working for you, I am not sure I would change anything. The Kirmuss would just save you a little bit of time for destacking the records.

I haven't tried that particular mixture at all. It might clean a little better but I would have to experiment with it a bit. I do think you will get to the point of diminishing returns after a certain point.

Thank you Mike! I am glad you liked it.

Thanks for the great questions Israels & Neuman. So to answer your last question, no matter what machine you buy it's going to be almost impossible to avoid getting the occasional label wet. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it to much as they quickly dry and it's almost impossible to notice that the label was wet. There are some exceptions though. I have some records which were made in the former Eastern Block (i.e. Poland, Czechoslovakia, etc.) that used cheap dies in their labels and it cause the die to run. Now for the vacuum, most people don't bother. They go one way or the other with the cleaning but I do both. The reason why I do both is because the particulate that's removed from the ultrasonic doesn't immediately settle back at the bottom of the tank. I use the vacuuming machine to do a distilled water rinse, removing any remaining particulate and I let the remaining, fine water droplets, air dry after a rev or two of vacuuming. This process usually gives me an LP that's 97 to 100% click and pop free if it's a well pressed record. Just doing the ultrasonic alone is going to get rid of the vast majority of residue that's collected on the surface though. The AudioDeske and Degritter just have a few more bells and whistles by blow drying the record after the ultrasonic bath. If I had to chose between the two, I would go with the Degritter. The AudioDeske has proprietary fluid and rollers which can be an expensive proposition if you buy a lot of records. If you add the vacuuming machine, I think I would go for the Pro-Ject VC-S2 ALU. I am using a VPI MW-1 which is way overpriced for what it is. I honestly think the Pro-Ject is better designed and half the price. Hope this helps.

@@BarakaPDub Thanks!

@@BarakaPDub I do the same system. I traded up from the Pro-Ject machine to the VPI. The motor in the Pro-Ject is louder, and I felt the VPI had better suction power and was actually quieter. The Project looks nicer, but all of these machines look pretty bad sitting around your house except maybe the degritter. I sometimes think of selling Kirmuss and VPI to fund a degritter, but I can't seem to care about record cleaning enough to make the time to do it LOL. Most days I brush the dust into a line on the record with a basic CF brush and roll it off w/ a record roller. It is shocking how much dust records have, but the surface dust brushes off easily on clean records.

After having cleaned over a thousand records, this is still running like a champ and really no signs of wear at all. I do recommend this machine if you're looking for something in between a total Do It Yourself (DIY) unit and a full up machine on the order of a Degritter. I would avoid the Humminguru as I've heard those don't last long. As cheap as it is, I have heard them falling apart between 100 to 200 records.

Ah. Your question is fair but honestly, it was terrible. We're talking a click and pop every 5 to 10 seconds without the cleaning.

Hello Chris. This wasn't really a before/after demo at all. This is just showing that the clicks/pops were all eliminated through the course of the cleaning. The source material is variable and that's due to how it was recorded. Unfortunately, longer sound samples are likely to get flagged with a copyright strike and I didn't want this video taken down. It would have been fun to use a well known audiophile record. If I ever do a demo like this again, I will consider doing a before and after demo.

Correct on the process but unfortunately, I don't think I can give you an answer on the frequency. I read somewhere it's the same as the Audio Deske but I can't remember where I read that.

@@BarakaPDub Cheers. What drying rack are you using? I like that design.

I am just using a letter filer that I found at the Office Depot. One of the best $5 I ever spent! Plus, the metal only touches the labels and not the vinyl...if you're careful.

@@BarakaPDub Oh great, thanks for the tip. You might consider dipping the parts that touch the labels in that Plasti-dip... the stuff used for tool handles and things. Thanks for your help and advice!

My logic is that I use the vacuum cleaner after the Ultrasonic. A lot of the particles can float back on the LP surface after the cleaning so I vacuum rinse with distilled water afterwards. I let it go a rev or two only and let the rest air dry. Over vacuuming, like VPI will sometimes recommend, just introduces more static if the LP surface gets too dry.

@@BarakaPDub ok this is what I was thinking was needed, also to clean out any left over surfactant? I usually leave 2 revs, and then use the anti stat gun before putting a record on the table.

A shop vac should work fine but with vacuuming, my only warning is not to over do it. With my VPI, I've noticed that if I over vacuum, I just induce static back on the surface. You get to the point where your surface becomes too dry and you just generate friction which just deposits electrons on the vinyl surface. For vacuuming, I usually do one, maybe two, revolutions at most and leave it on a rack for five minutes for a final dry. Thanks for watching and commenting Tim. Merry Christmas.

I heard the new models don't have it. I think he got wise as no vinyl collector wants something that's cutesie.

Interesting thought. Have you tried it? I would be curious to know the results.

Thanks Teddy Rasputin. Yeah, if there is a downside to the units that don't have active filtration, when the process stops, you could just end up with some debris back on the platter. While I didn't get into in this video, I do a double rinse with distilled water on my VPI. The important part of the ultrasonic is dislodging/loosing all of the imbedded debris.

So you're right about the water usage and I could filter it out but I get the distilled water cheaply. Long term though, I am thinking about filtering. A DYI solution is pretty easy to do. On the drying...so my process is, once I have pulled them out of the Ultrasonic, they end up on the VPI for a dual rinse on each side, and then on the drying rack for a final dry of any fine mist that remains. The key is not to over vacuum. Since doing this, it's a very, very rare event to hear a pop or a click. Hope that explains my process a bit and I didn't want to get into it in this video.

@@BarakaPDub thanks for the clear explanation, this is what I meant, over vacuum is an issue and I do it like you, having a final drying just putting the vinyl on a rack, because on some areas of a vinyl, and every vinyl is different, a little film of water remains,