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Gem Dandy LP cleaner


jp11801

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This looks promising for those that are into LPs. This is a new somewhat diyish style cleaner for lps that uses a system like a power washer but for lps. You spread on a cleaner that loosens up the dirt and muck on an lp then with a hose that attaches to your sink you spray off the cleaner. The advantage to this system is no residue from the cleaner gets stuck in the groove and should provide for a cleaner quieter lps. The drawback is it is messy and I would probably do this outside or in a garage. The other thing that immediately struck me was the use of tap water that has several contaminates that distilled does not. George Merrill is the maker and seller of this unit and he has a stellar rep in the industry and he states that most tap water is fine unless you have unusually hard water and then a charcoal filter should do the trick.

Here is a link to the 6moons review http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gem/dandy.html.

I am going to pick one up this week in the hopes of cleaning some records that the VPI just will not get quiet.

what say the peanut gallery

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he recommends pad dry with gerber baby towel, I'll probably do this and get a dish rack as well. There is a pretty big thread over a the hoffman site that discussed various manual cleaning methods and the air dry after a pat down seems effective providing all contaminates are off the record.

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at first I thought the price was high for something that a competent diyer could probably cobble together at home depot but I suck at that kind of thing so I am willing to pay the $120 for $30-40 worth of parts, a $10 cleaning solution and groove lubricant worth about $20.

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at first I thought the price was high for something that a competent diyer could probably cobble together at home depot but I suck at that kind of thing so I am willing to pay the $120 for $30-40 worth of parts, a $10 cleaning solution and groove lubricant worth about $20.

QFT

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Another HUGE discovery was the Steam Cleaning thread on record cleaning on Audiogon. Ok I bought too powerful a steam cleaner and it fucked up the first one but if I hold it 6 inches away WOW I have never heard an LP this clean.

Do not buy a powerful model get a small handheld and read the thread on audiogon in the analog section.

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Another HUGE discovery was the Steam Cleaning thread on record cleaning on Audiogon. Ok I bought too powerful a steam cleaner and it fucked up the first one but if I hold it 6 inches away WOW I have never heard an LP this clean.

Do not buy a powerful model get a small handheld and read the thread on audiogon in the analog section.

Nice one!
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http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1192142257&openfrom&1&4#1

really good stuff once you get though the BS about distilled water...

I have never heard vinyl this clean before, essentially this is the sound of no shit in the bottom of the groove. I have an old blue label london copy of beggars banquet from the Stones that always sounded good but the detail ad complete lack of grunge is remarkable. Again do not get a large steam cleaner get the small hand held they recommend in the thread. This is clearly a step up from vacuum machines and for those on a budget this can be accomplished without a record cleaning machine and will cost you a total of $40-50 bucks that is equal to or greater than the $400-$1500 machines out there.

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How easy is it to damage the label with these small steam cleaners? I make the children I buy off amazon clean my records by hand :popcorn:

to prevent label damage place a cup over the label

Or just make one of the kids hold his hand over the label while steaming. Amazon kids are cheap so you could just buy a new one when the flesh is too damaged and might get on the precious label.

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Or just make one of the kids hold his hand over the label while steaming. Amazon kids are cheap so you could just buy a new one when the flesh is too damaged and might get on the precious label.

If you use high enough heat, the label and all those nasty grooves will fall right off, leaving a nice pretty noise free surface :)

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Or just make one of the kids hold his hand over the label while steaming. Amazon kids are cheap so you could just buy a new one when the flesh is too damaged and might get on the precious label.

I'm through buying amazon.com kids. The last one I bought the seller claimed he could solder, I'm now left with a kid that can't solder and all he does is clean my LPs. Plus I have to feed him :rant:

Anyway I'll keep one eye open for more info on these steam cleaners, people at SH have mixed opinions on these things. I can't say I'm too keen to apply steaming water to my records.

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