Do these work?

I am thinking about getting one of these to help reduce the crackles in some of my records. Some of them have slight dirt in them but nothing major, however it is annoying when you get the odd loud crackle.

I was thinking of getting one of these to help reduce the problem but do they do any good?

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/416

I am not expecting any miricles from it just an improvement.

 

There not as good as cleaning in a machine, but they will remove much of the surface dust and fluff. I use something similar just before I play any records to remove anything that might have landed between sleeve and platter.

There are some good DIY cleaners on the web if you hunt

 

yeah mate, they work well.

Thats what I use.

I used to have a better one with a felt pad and bristles too..like this..

http://www.audiophilecandy.com/prodet.asp?pcode=CL-VED-GOLD&rel2=&0=More+Info

but a scumbag nicked it!

 

AT

If you can stretch to it, a Knosti AntiStat will do you proud for the price. They go for around £40 i think. A good cheap wet clean.
If not, then as BottleNeck says, the Decca brush is good aswell.
I use both, wet clean for s/h records and old records, brush each time the record gets put on the platter.

If you do go for a Knosti, you might want to think about a decent stylus brush/cleaner. Seems that the Knosti may not always get the crud out, but it seems to loosen it well so sometimes the first play after clean can leave a lot of muck on the stylus. Nowt to worry about, at least you know some of the stuff is getting removed.

 

Thanks I will just see what they have in the shop, £40 is pushing it a bit as my finances are a bit tight at the moment, also as I only have basic turntbale (Project Debut II) a more expensive one will be a waste until I finally get a job and get a proper deck such as Rega 3 or LP12.

Thanks for all your replies, I'm off to town now anyway to see what I can get.

 

Was just an idea mate, but wouldnt be a waste

 

I have a Goldring one of those and I don't like it! It puts too much drag onto the turntable and thus probably stretches the belt. The cheapo one like AT posted I also use, and I much prefer it...

I'm about to clean a few more records on my Knosti - AT - it's WELL worth the £45 - made some records I'd written off as scrap sound like brand new - such as Eagles' Hotel California - which I thought had been played with a broken stylus - sounded really rough all the way through. It now sounds awesome after cleaning...

 

probably cold and wet.

I've got something similar (somewhere), Sponge on one side, brush on the other. Even had a spray thing full of magic fairy water with it too!

 

Hiya I ended up buying the goldring one, I wish I saw your post first! It cost me £12! It does work though I had a Blondie LP that was skipping due to dirt and its stopped skipping now.

I know what you mean about the drag it is almost like you are supposed to place it on a cheap crappy £5 carboot sale machine that dosn't matter. Not a £120 deck.

 

if your worried about drag just dont turn the deck on - hold brush on that black plastic disc thingy and turn the platter by hand

 

Hotel California is a superb album! I want to get Hell Freezes Over on LP (got it on DVD-V and CD already). Aparantly Diverse Vinyl stock at and will be at the Bristol Show, so might well pick it up then.

I've often wondered the same, re: antistatic brushes and wear on TT belts - I use a Goldring and find it pretty effective on the whole. I tend to use the brush when the deck is powered off, these days.

 

I thought everybody did this?

I never clean my records with the platter engaged.

No wonder the belt is dragging when used like that. AT just hold the platter in one hand and press and turn. No probs.

Doing it like that, you can get more crud off than just bristles brushes IMHO

If not, Im happy to swap you!

 

I've found that a lot of records that used to jump now play like new, however if there was a very crackely record it dosn't seem to improve them at all. I am guessing this is due to static. I bought a Blondie LP which jumped a bit for a £1 a few weeks ago, it sounds like new now.

I'm impressed on how well they work as they appear to be so simple. Are the brushes made out of somthing better quality than say a paint brush? I am assuming its designed not the scratch the records.

 

Hi AT

To best of my knowledge most of the half decent brushes are conductive so they will help to drain some static away. I think this is done with the use of carbon or carbon impregnated bristles and a conductive bosy to the brush.
Real crackly records could be caused by a number of things -

Really stiff crud in the grooves that a brush just isnt going to remove
As you say - Static excess
A physicaly damaged record
etc..

Glad its working for you.