I've now had my VPI 16.5 for a month now, and I thought I'd post a few notes I have and ask fellow VPI owners what they think.

I find the machine excellent in most regards - sure, it's noisy and it would be nice if the turntable bit could operate in both directions, but apart from that I'm delighted. Damned expensive, though, for what it is, but worth it if you want to get the most out of your vinyl.

I finally managed to track the basic fluids for the player down - the hardest bit was finding the right water - double deionised reverse osmosis water from Tesco, of all places (Pharmacy ordered 5L for me for about four quid). Isopropyl alcohol came courtesy of Mr Pig, thanks again mate. I had a bottle of the VPI concentrate and some photographic wetting agent already.

I've found a decent mix to be 80/20 water:alcohol with the concentrate and photoflow - I cleaned around 25 LPs last night with much success, although I did this with some reluctance as I've read negative things about using alcohol on the records. I figured, so long as I don't leave it on too long and so long as it's hoovered up properly, I'd be OK. I was.

I've never quite established what the best way to clean records is - do you spread the fluid lightly and leave it for a minute or two, or do you work it into the grooves with the brush. If you use the brush, do you press hard once the record is wet, or lightly. What sort of brush angle - straight up or tilted?

I've found decent results to be had by spreading the fluid over the record without too much pressure to begin with, leaving for maybe 30 seconds and then (with the brush at right angles to the groove) pressing down with light to moderate pressure whilst holding the brush roughly straight up. Sometimes I tilt it to begin with (seems to help 'saturate' the grooves).

What methods do you use? Am I in danger of damaging the grooves of the records by pressing harder, or will it simply result in a better clean?

I'm continually surprised at just how little fluid seems to build up in the waste-fluid reservoir - where does it go? I try to tilt and release once every ten sides or so, but sometimes there is next to no fluid coming out (ooh er, matron!)

Does anyone have any experience in using alternative brushes other than the VPI supplied one? I've only done perhaps 100 LPs since getting the VPI, yet the brush is already beginning to go a bit straggly. A new brush s not cheap (for what it is) so alternatives would be welcome...

Well, folks, enough for now. Just thought I'd put my thoughts down for the record, so to speak

John

I've had my VPI 16.5 for a while now and my experience with it is very similar to yours.

Cleaning solution
I use 75% distilled water, 25% isopropyl alcohol, the VPI concentrate and a few drops of wetting agent.

Cleaning technique
Squirt solution onto rotating record with brush at an angle to spread the fluid evenly and when completely wet apply pressure to brush downwards, using both sides of brush. Use vaccuum after a few seconds.

Results
Excellent, old LPs become playable, newer ones lose all their static and benefit from a clean. Never noticed the slightest damage from even scrubbing records with stubborn marks.

Spares
The velour pads on the plastic vaccuum tube do wear out and as you say the tube is about £15 to replace. It may be possible to get self adhesive velour pads separately and fix them to the existing tube. Anyone else know?

Overall, the VPI is a fantastic piece of kit if you are into vinyl.

Phil

I've had my VPI for just over a month now and am completely satisfied with the way it performs. In my youthful days of folly, I had experimented with a range of record cleaning methods, including a peel off mask, that had left more contaminants on my records than they removed. As a result, a few of my prized records were quite unplayable. Well, after the VPI treatment, they are now just like bought ones.

I use 20% alcohol in my cleaning fluid mixture and found that photo wetting agent greatly helped the spread so that the entire record surface is properly bathed.

Most of my own records respond to a single cycle of cleaning where I would apply just enough fluid to wet the entire surface with the standard brush and allow the brush bristles to scrub the grooves for about 4 or 5 revolutions. Two revolutions of vacuuming dries the record completely and it is put away with a new inner sleeve. Almost invariably, all pops and crackles are gone and the music sounds simply magical.

For 2nd hand records, the results are somewhat less predictable. On the surface, the records might appear undamaged and the grooves shiny. Playing these uncleaned records inevitably shows how badly contaminated they are. To remove well ingrained grit and dirt, I normally subject 2nd hand records to 2 cleaning cycles. But some records have not responded well and remain unplayable. I guess even the mighty VPI cannot remove invisible (to the naked eye) groove damage. For less than the equivalent of a quid each, I don't think I'll lose sleep over records that cannot be salvaged.

I do find the standard VPI brush rather coarse and I'm sure it doesn't get anywhere near the bottom of the grooves. I think Disc Doctor makes brushes with much finer bristles and I would probably try those next.

It is always interesting to examine the condition of spent cleaning fluid. Even with the naked eye, the spent fluid is clearly discoloured and murky with suspended dirt and grit. I normally recover about a quarter cup of fluid with each half cup used. The reason for this is that water (and alcohol) evaporates more quickly under reduced pressure and is simply carried away with the vacuum exhaust. But it is important to ensure the drain valve is tightly closed during the vacuuming operation. Otherwise, the vacuum pressure is reduced and you risk sucking up what ever crud is near the outlet.

James

Resistance is Futile