Cleaning Records

[Grainger49]

Even old vinyl can be silent.  No crackles no pops, no background noise at all.

Once there is a grain of something in the groove it might deform the groove and leave a noise even if removed.  I've probably posted here about using wood glue to deep clean LPs but if not here is a link:  http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=99837

This can remove or reduce the magnitude of impulse noise, ticks and pops.  The link includes a number of video links.

The routine is to squeeze out a spiral of glue on a slow turning LP, I use Titebond II on my 16.5 cleaner.  Then smooth it out with a credit card and allow to dry.  When dry pick the edge at the outer perimeter of the LP and then put painter's tape on and pull.  In the winter it can be brittle.  All of the glue can be removed with the painter's tape.  It is not perfect but it helps.

[cpaul]

In my experience, all vinyl except new has at least SOME crackle.  But that could be b/c I don't use a vacuum LP cleaner.  

As for the wood glue treatment, I've used it quite a bit, but even it does only a decent (not perfect) job and doesn't remove ALL crackle.  And...be very careful using wood glue, as it's very difficult (edit:  oops, I mean easy) to leave small traces of the glue on the LP.  When that happens, it can be VERY difficult to remove it without damaging the vinyl.  Water helps if it's standard wood glue and not waterproof glue.  Be sure to apply a decently thick layer of glue, spread it as evenly as possible, let it dry long enough (virtually clear and no yellow areas) but not too long (to the point of getting brittle, could be 10 hours, could be 24 hours).  And use tape tabs on both the lead-in groove and the runout groove to facilitate removal of the glue.  These tabs can leave their own residue...  Oh, and under no circumstances let the glue get on the label!

[Grainger49]

I think some crackle is caused by static discharge in the cold dry winter months.  I use a humidifier to keep my listening room between 50 and 60 percent relative humidity throughout the winter months.  

[Noskipallwd]

Unfortunately, I never had very good results with the spin-clean. Not for the lack of trying though. That is why I finally popped for the VPI and have never regretted it. With the right fluids and diligent care of the records after cleaning I have some pretty dead silent discs. I deal with lack of humidity all the time, it's about 14 right now. You can make a record full of static with a machine if you over vacuum it!

Cheers,
Shawn P.

[Grainger49]

I received Edgar Meyer Unfolding last week.  I played it three times before cleaning.  This LP was open but unplayed, I am convinced.  It had about 9 or 10 pretty loud pops or zaps during playing.  After cleaning there are 4 very low pops and the others are completely removed. 

You, of course, never get this performance with old dirty LPs no matter how much you clean them.