Linn Owners

Humminguru Ultrasonic RCM

Dasher

Wammer
Wammer
Jun 7, 2019
941
1,040
98
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Da youfs are using it and the future belongs to them
Da youfs are lazy when it comes chemistry - shortening and nicknaming everything - They like Butandiol (you can look up why) and the 'Street' trend is to refer to it initially as "BDO" but more recently as  " 1,4-" - I'd love to know how many of them actually know what the "1,4-" means!! - Even worse is the abbreviation of the substance that they use it produce - generally referred to as "G" - you can look that one up too!

Should we also refer to the buttocks that regularly appear in the gaming ad pop up at the top of the Forum page as 'vinyls'? - they certainly don't look real!!

 

ThomasOK

LP12 Whisperer, Lejonklou importer
Wammer
Oct 19, 2018
2,044
4,166
133
Westland, MI USA
AKA
Thomas O'Keefe
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
I note that the petition was closed with only 60 signatures, some who commented that they only signed to give a hard time to grammar nazis.  I would hardly call that a debate.  But here is a musical take on this (that unfortunately doesn't highlight "vinyls").

 
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Dasher

Wammer
Wammer
Jun 7, 2019
941
1,040
98
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I've run the first 8 vinyl LPs through the HG this evening using a twin tank approach. It makes quite a big difference. I have one tank filled with my usual mix (approx. 400ml Distilled Water (DW), 5ml Ethanol, <0.5ml Ilfotol) and the second tank with DW only. I've used new filters in each tank. I have settled on the following regime: 2 or 5 mins on the 'wash' cycle depending on visual inspection using my 'usual' mix followed by 2mins/10 mins on the wash/dry cycle using the DW only as a rinse. The result is a super clean sounding record - any redeposition is removed completely by the rinse stage. This is now at least equalling the best that I can get out of the Okki Nokki (and I have that well dialled in - hardly ever repeating a wash). It's still not a machine for batch processing and I'm still limiting the process to four records per 400ml (now 800ml) charge. It's enough for the night's playlist though! 

I'm now very happy with my regime and see no need to experiment further. This HG cleaner is very good indeed. The rinse stage is well worth adding to the process and the second tank makes this really easy.

I'm spinning Winton Marsalis as I type and have to keep stopping to listen - it is that engaging!

 

Blade

Blade
Wammer
Feb 7, 2021
60
30
23
UK
AKA
Glenn
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I've run the first 8 vinyl LPs through the HG this evening using a twin tank approach. It makes quite a big difference. I have one tank filled with my usual mix (approx. 400ml Distilled Water (DW), 5ml Ethanol, <0.5ml Ilfotol) and the second tank with DW only. I've used new filters in each tank. I have settled on the following regime: 2 or 5 mins on the 'wash' cycle depending on visual inspection using my 'usual' mix followed by 2mins/10 mins on the wash/dry cycle using the DW only as a rinse. The result is a super clean sounding record - any redeposition is removed completely by the rinse stage. This is now at least equalling the best that I can get out of the Okki Nokki (and I have that well dialled in - hardly ever repeating a wash). It's still not a machine for batch processing and I'm still limiting the process to four records per 400ml (now 800ml) charge. It's enough for the night's playlist though! 

I'm now very happy with my regime and see no need to experiment further. This HG cleaner is very good indeed. The rinse stage is well worth adding to the process and the second tank makes this really easy.

I'm spinning Winton Marsalis as I type and have to keep stopping to listen - it is that engaging!
Thats what I am about to move too Dasher. Got the spare tank but I am not at home now until the end of Feb so its a while before I can start the clean.

Only difference to you is that I am not using Ethanol.

 

frans5508

Wammer
Wammer
May 24, 2020
399
302
83
Panama
AKA
Frans
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Thats what I am about to move too Dasher. Got the spare tank but I am not at home now until the end of Feb so its a while before I can start the clean.

Only difference to you is that I am not using Ethanol.
Same here. My spare tank arrived arrived yesterday. I'll be using the Triton X-100 for now, it's giving me good results.

 
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Andyt916

Wammer
Wammer
Oct 27, 2020
984
1,513
113
Hertfordshire, UK
AKA
Andrew
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
The two tank approach certainly seems to be the way to go. A couple of questions from me to clarify the technique:

1) Presumably to switch water between the first wash and second rinse/dry cycle you start a dry only then pause/cancel it after the draining?

2) When you refill with just the distilled water for the rinse/dry cycle do you leave the record in situ?

 

Dasher

Wammer
Wammer
Jun 7, 2019
941
1,040
98
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
The two tank approach certainly seems to be the way to go. A couple of questions from me to clarify the technique:

1) Presumably to switch water between the first wash and second rinse/dry cycle you start a dry only then pause/cancel it after the draining?

2) When you refill with just the distilled water for the rinse/dry cycle do you leave the record in situ?
Hi Andy

(1) Yes, absolutely correct - the centre button is your friend here!

(2) I actually take the disc out and refill whilst holding it. To be clear: I lift the disc out using the finger (not thumb) of both hands and then I place the thumb of my right hand on the centre spindle hole ( fingers on the edge. I hold this to one side whilst I fill the HG from the tank using my left hand. I have the advantage of years of microbiology aseptic technique behind me! (but it's no different to holding one drink in your right hand and pouring another with your left)! 

You could equally do it with the disc in situ but it is a small gap and the tank isn't the most precise pourer (I pour with the lid 'on' as I'm pretty sure that this is the only time that liquid actually passes through the (tank) filter.

I've done another four this morning using the double tank (and rinsed a previously washed one too) - the double tank and rinse is a step forwards - bigger than the move from Lingo to Radikal!

 
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Dasher

Wammer
Wammer
Jun 7, 2019
941
1,040
98
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Only difference to you is that I am not using Ethanol.
I'm only using a small amount. My theory is 'just enough to help with those contaminants that aren't readily soluble in water'!

 

Daveyf

Wammer
Wammer
Oct 12, 2018
782
490
68
San Diego
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Anyone noticing an increase after US cleaning of groove noise...pops, crackles etc.? I have cleaned a few newer records that were basically quiet before, and now they seem to be much noisier..which is very concerning! Not sure if it is the 'Guru' causing this...but?? 

I'm just using the method described by 'Guru'..DW only...no surfactants of any kind. 

 

Andyt916

Wammer
Wammer
Oct 27, 2020
984
1,513
113
Hertfordshire, UK
AKA
Andrew
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Anyone noticing an increase after US cleaning of groove noise...pops, crackles etc.? I have cleaned a few newer records that were basically quiet before, and now they seem to be much noisier..which is very concerning! Not sure if it is the 'Guru' causing this...but?? 

I'm just using the method described by 'Guru'..DW only...no surfactants of any kind. 
For me, no. If anything I'm experiencing the exact opposite; far quieter and significantly reduced pops, crackles, etc..

Although I am using @Dasher's recipe of Distilled Water, 4-5ml Ethanol and a few drops of Ilfotol on dirtier records, Distilled Water only on new/cleaner records. And, since using these, plus switching to 5 minute drying I've also pretty much eliminated the "static lift". 

 

Dasher

Wammer
Wammer
Jun 7, 2019
941
1,040
98
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Anyone noticing an increase after US cleaning of groove noise...pops, crackles etc.? I have cleaned a few newer records that were basically quiet before, and now they seem to be much noisier..which is very concerning! Not sure if it is the 'Guru' causing this...but?? 

I'm just using the method described by 'Guru'..DW only...no surfactants of any kind. 
It could be redeposition of material lifted from the groove  that is then left behind as the fluid leaves the chamber. I hadn't really noticed this with the HG until I added in the rinse stage and then heard a definite difference in the level of quiet (super quiet as opposed to 'quiet'). It wasn't really that noticeable without a rinse stage - just better with it. I've been back to sample a couple of records that were cleaned prior to adding a rinse stage and there is a slight increase in surface noise. Interestingly it appears to be absent (or massively reduced) on a second pass of the stylus. I've since rinsed these records and they are now super quiet. My guess is that the micro debris is first released during the US clean, as the fluid exits at the end of the wash cycle a small amount then redeposits back loose on the groove. It is then lifted off by, and attaches loosely to the stylus. It is then removed by the between-plays stylus clean.  This is a hypothesis but it fits what I'm observing.

With the Okki Nokki I get an almost uniform (low level) surface noise if I don't use a rinse stage.

 

Andyt916

Wammer
Wammer
Oct 27, 2020
984
1,513
113
Hertfordshire, UK
AKA
Andrew
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
So, I'm going to take the plunge and go for the two tank method (it's a lot more cost-effective than a Radikal 🙂), however I now have four weeks of thumb-twiddling to look forward to - due to Chinese New Year celebrations no more orders are being shipped until 21st February.

Happy New Year, HumminGuru team 🙂 

 
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Daveyf

Wammer
Wammer
Oct 12, 2018
782
490
68
San Diego
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I cleaned a few records with just DW and noticed again an significant increase in pops and clicks. A friend owns one of the old KL US models, which is built like a tank. We re-cleaned several LP's that the 'Guru' had made noisy, and sure enough they all came back pristine and with no hash/noise! i am quite surprised as to why the 'Guru' causes this issue. Thank goodness it is NOT a permanent damage sort of thing to the grooves, as I was initially fearing!
The KL audio was using DW and a surfactant mix, which made me notice how wetter the albums were in their US phase. Next I will try a surfactant addictive to the 'Guru'...and hope that this clears up the issue.
 

Moomintroll

Fictional Character - not to be taken literally
Wammer
May 20, 2014
3,516
4,525
148
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I hadn’t realised that the stylus cleaning was an ultrasonic bath, just assumed it would be a vibrating pad like the Audio Technica. Interesting.

’troll
 
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myles

Wammer
Wammer
Dec 27, 2008
4,014
1,932
158
Plymouth
AKA
Myles
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
As you can probably tell from my post above, neither would I
A little too much of the US effect coupled with a poorly fixed diamond and....


dieanotherday22.jpg
 

Andyt916

Wammer
Wammer
Oct 27, 2020
984
1,513
113
Hertfordshire, UK
AKA
Andrew
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Haven't noticed a new thread but has anyone backed this ?

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...are-of-your-stylus-effortlessly?ref=user_menu

I have

Glenn
I had noticed this and posted on another thread. However, I'm not sure that I would want to invest in this...

The HummingGuru RCM was/is a pretty unique product. At least 80-90% of the performance of its nearest rival at a fraction of the price. This - I'm not so sure. I don't have sufficient knowledge to know whether US stylus cleaning is a good idea or not, However whilst people seem pretty much universally in acclaim of record cleaning, stylus cleaning methods seem to evoke widely differing views, substantially diminishing the potential market. And combining with a stylus scale that (may or may not be) substantially different from a myriad of $10 options that seem to offer well accepted performance? I can't see this having the USP that their RCM does.

However, as a very happy HG RCM owner I applaud their ingenuity, and I would love to be proved wrong!
 

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