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Is my first time, im nervous [message #11840]

Tue, 18 January 2005 22:06

Antonio
Messages: 3
Registered: May 2009

Esquire

Hi!!

This is my first post here and I must say that this is my first "vinyl experience".
I just repair (uhummm....) the turntable i got from a friend as a present (Toshiba S-100, its also a tuner and a tape player), the drive belt was broken, so i bought a new one and replace it (intuitivelly).

Its working fine, but i need the best signal to noise ratio i could get, without expendig USD$1400 on a cleaning machine, i know this has been discussed here, but i need step by step instruccions, 'cause im afraid to screw the records up and i also need to know how to clean up the needle.

Thanks in advance.

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Re: Is my first time, im nervous [message #11841 is a reply to message #11840]

Wed, 19 January 2005 02:25

BillEpstein
Messages: 886
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

You can clean the needle with isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip. Make sure the cotton is just damp, not soaking or the alcohol will be drawn up the cantilever and damge the suspension. Just touch the cotton to the needle and twirl it a bit. When no more stuff comes away it's clean. Then get a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser or one of it's clones. A white brick of micro-fibers. Daily maintenanace is to gently push the needle into the brick and release.
I have gone from using just the Dawn soap to a mixture of 8 parts distilled water to 2 parts 91% isopropyl alcohol and a few drops of Dawn in a spray bottle. Don't bother with trying to find 99% pue alcohol, the other 9% of the cheap 91% stuff is just distilled water anyway.
After the tap water rinse, do a final rinse with distilled water.

Cheap Clean up

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Re: Is my first time, im nervous [message #11842 is a reply to message #11840]

Wed, 19 January 2005 06:37

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

Personally; I would be hesitant to use a q-tip on my expensive stylus. The fibres tend to wrap around the tip and could cause damage. I would spend the 8 bucks for a stylus brush from needledoctor or one of the other sites that deal with turntables. They also carry Disc Doctors Record Cleaner which is what the Library Of Congress uses on their records. It is very inexpensive and easy to use and made specifically for records. There is some anecdotal evidence that Isopropyl alchohol can leach out the stabilisers in the vinyl and cause surface noise. Regular dish soap can do that also. If you value your albums,(and they are the most expensive part of your stereo) then I would spend the twenty bucks to do it right. Elusive Disc is another site that carries this stuff. Good Luck, J.R.

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Re: Is my first time, im nervous [message #11843 is a reply to message #11840]

Wed, 19 January 2005 15:02

Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (1st Degree)

Welcome to vinyle,
I clean my records with excellent results using the disc doctor cleaner and brushes. Cheap and work great, really opens up the midrange even on albums I thought were clean. for the stylus, go to the supermarkets cleaning section and spend 2.00 bucks or so on a "Mr Clean Magic Eraser"
get the all white ones, not the ones with the blue side. Forget the instructions that come with it, you will not be using it in that fashion. Take one of the two erasers out and lay it down like a loaf of bread. Slice off a slice about 1/4 of an inch thick. I use sissors. Stick a small wooden toothhpick in it for a handle. Holding it by the tooth pick,raise the pad up to your stylus carefully until the stylus is buried in it, and carefully and slowly pull it straight down, and repeat. I do this with the arm in its mount, and I use a small brush to dust it before and after the Mr clean treatment. agreat brush can be made from the appropriate size painters brush cut down to 1/2 inch long bristles, and cutting the handle off short. I realize all this sounds like a crock, but under the microscope the stylus is bone clean! So reliable is the proceedure I have all but quit using the scope to look, its always the same. Two bucks gives years of use!

Party on,
Russellc

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Re: Is my first time, im nervous [message #11844 is a reply to message #11843]

Wed, 19 January 2005 15:08

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

I would agree with all of that except maybe the arm in it's mount part. A little too much enthusiasm could cause a problem. I let the arm sit on it's riser then gently use the brush from back to front; using just enough force to lift the arm slightly off the cueing rest with the arm in the unlocked position and the cue lever in the up setting.

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Re: Is my first time, im nervous [message #11845 is a reply to message #11843]

Wed, 19 January 2005 15:19

Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (1st Degree)

Forgot to mention, Using the disc doctor products like any record cleaning fluids, proper rinsing is important if you dont want residue. I don't care if it says it "leaves no residue" in my experience all will if not appropriately rinsed. The disc Doctor set is two brushes (one wash one rinse) two replacement pads, and a bottle of concentrate. You do not apply pressure, just guide the brush as directed. Once done, I go to the sink and blast warm (not hot, mildly warm) water on them, carefully at an angle, turning the album until all is exposed. Then rinse well with distilled water, THEN do the recommended rinse step in the disc doctor intructions. I still pick up a little residue the first time or two I play them, but if really well rinsed, it isn't audible, and appears under magnification as pure white fluff which if dried, brushes right off. (Let albums dry well) If I only follow the instruction method, I had residue which was audible for the first 2 or 3 plays, then great. Maybe I didn't rinse well, but I like the sink method.

Russellc

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Re: Is my first time, im nervous [message #11846 is a reply to message #11840]

Wed, 19 January 2005 15:23

Antonio
Messages: 3
Registered: May 2009

Esquire

I cant thank you enough for your fast replies guys!!!

ill be trying some of this advices later on, and then ill come back and post my results.

Thanks again!!!

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Re: Perhaps I should point out........ [message #11847 is a reply to message #11842]

Wed, 19 January 2005 15:24

BillEpstein
Messages: 886
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

......that I got ticked at the V.O.A. when they raised the price from 50 cents to 69 cents each album. And my cart cost $39. Perhaps when the Ariston/SME is up and running I'll buy a few lightly used or even new records and some bottled cleaner.
I should also point out that my late lamented vinyl colleciton was mostly acquired through years when my stereo consisted of a Panasonic 2 piece player with ceramic cartridge, then a Garrard Lab 80 with Shure cart of obscure origin and length of service. When I moved on up to the East Side and acquired first a Kenwood 650, then an AR-XA and finally a VPI HW-19 III with ET arm and Talisman Virtuoso DTI cart the albums still sounded good and quiet. My care regimen back then was the Discwasher brush with the fluid bottle in the handle and never touching the playing surface with my hands.
Now I read all this obsessing over the care of a polymer that is designed to have a piece of diamond dragged over it at very high P.S.I. and temperatures over 120 Celsius.
I appreciate the advice but will remain a curmudgeon for now.

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Re: Is my first time, im nervous [message #11848 is a reply to message #11844]

Wed, 19 January 2005 15:34

Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (1st Degree)

Agreed, but with the Mr clean method, you have to use Very little force of any kind, shakey hands should dose themselves with a beta blocker! I put it in the "locked" position because of the extremely light touch involved, plus, you must use enough upward pressure to make sure the needle buries into it. I stare fixedly at the cantalever for minimum movement. Also, the eraser will ever so slightly stick to the stylus, and when you get a good clean you can almost feel the popping free of the release. This is EXTREMELY slight and can only be felt with the lightest of safecracker touches. If the eraser were to stick (hasn't happened to me) DO NOT pull it away until it pops! If you don't lock it, I'm afraid the arm would just go up with no penetration ( I use an ultra low mass black widow arm), or fly off upon release, or follow your downward movemnt until it hits the rest, etc. With the arm in its "holder" I lightly and carefully do the mr clean thing. So slight is the touch of my brush and this clean proceedure, I can perform it with the sound on and every thing fired up, with out making anyone winch! This with well over 100db efficient altecs!

Try it, you'll like it,
Russellc

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Re: Is my first time, im nervous [message #11849 is a reply to message #11842]

Wed, 19 January 2005 15:41

Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (1st Degree)

You can also just go to disc doctor dot com, call him on the phone and talk to the guy! I had it in 2 days! It did cost more than 20 bucks however, but with the larger bottle of fluid and the audioquest carbon fiber brush, I think it was less than 90.00 shipped. The audioquest carbon brush is an important part of preplay maintenance after use of the disc doctor products. All sorts of archival type places use this system.

Russellc

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