I've had the Disco Antistat 2nd Generation cleaning machine for a few years and I'm quite pleased. Here are my thoughts about the pros and cons. Pros: 1, the inclusion of a handle on the clamp is a very useful addition which makes turning the disc easier.(Although the handle is quite flimay). 2, The brushes are removable which I'd useful for cleaning and drying. 3, the clamp, brushes and sealing rins are replaceable. 4, It is relatively inexpensive given the cost of cleaning machines. Cons: 1, for the price, it is expensive given how flimsy the plastic is. The clamp handle is very useful but is in danger of breaking. 2, although the clamp and brushes etc are replaceable, they are EXPENSIVE. 3, the cleaning fluid does work but leaves a residue on the disc. Easy to rectify, buy a better cleaning fluid. My tips: Don't fill the tank to the recommended level as this tends to wet, and sometimes, damage the label. Fill to just below the top of the brushes. Buy a better cleaning fluid. Wipe excess fluid from the dead wax with a soft cloth before stacking. Remove, clean and dry the brushes after each use. Leave the discs to dry for as long as possible. I think that this is the best of the 'cheapest' cleaning machines. It is flimsy plastic and replacements are expensive. Having said that, I have found it to be very effective.
I also have the generation 2, but I can't get the brushes out of the holder, so replacing them is really not possible. I bought a spare set and it is of no use to me, it is better to buy a new container with the brushes already in it, which is a bit more expensive but saves a lot of annoyance. I also threw away the liquid because it is a very nasty attack on your stylus (and I imagine also on your precious vinyl). I also think it is a good device, but the stuck brushes really annoy me
I bought a Disco Antistat with the intention of cleaning all the vinyl albums which I have collected over the last fifty-odd years since I was about eight years old. I have always taken great care with my records so they are all pretty much in great condition but have only ever been cleaned by running a felt-type antistatic cleaner over the surface to remove any dust before playing. I found the Knosti simple to set up and use and found that I could clean batches of twenty or thirty LPs per session and the results were fantastic. I did start by using the solution that came with the unit and found that in some cases it did leave a slight build-up on the stylus on the first play of each side of the record but on a second play there seemed to be no problem. I found that returning the solution back into a sterilized measuring jug through the supplied funnel twice and using all of the 5 filters together and then placing it into a new bottle kept the liquid clean enough to use many times over. You obviously lose a fair amount of the solution over time due to evaporation and general spillage but I made my own by using one part 99% pure isopropanol, three parts distilled water, and a few drops of Triton X-100 and this worked just as good and like before could be filtered and re-used. There is no point in placing nice clean records back in their original inner paper sleeves so I have replaced every album with nice new polly-lined antistatic inner sleeves making sure any old ones which contained lyrics or anything related to that record I kept in with the cover, all covers were then placed into sealable 'Blake' clear outer sleeves. I have so far cleaned about 300 albums and am very pleased with the results so I can thoroughly recommend the Knosti as a budget way of cleaning your prized records. P.S ..... the only problem I have found is that the clamp eventually broke caused by the threaded half which the opposite spindle screws into snapping which may have been caused by overtightening, I have read on other sites that this is a common problem, and seems a poor design. I did manage to repair mine but you can buy replacements but they do seem expensive for what they are so I do suggest being careful when tightening the clamp.
Ive had this system for about 7 years now and Im completely happy with it, what I did was chuck away the fluid , if using this it builds a residue of white gunge which was not good, I also use a clamp that had a bigger circumference which protects the label better. Always wait longer for records to dry. Now I’m looking at a vacuum cleaner to dry the vinyl as I feel this is the way to go!
There is something else to consider: Knosti offers replacement parts for the Disco Antistat. You can order new brushes, replace the gaskets on the label protector and whatnot. Which is a good thing not only in regards to product sustainability. I ordered myself a second Knosti so I can now run a cleaning operation with two different agents: one for cleaning and one for rinsing. For cleaning, I use either the Knosti fluid (albeit diluted 1:1 with distilled water because it is really highly concentrated) which is decent enough for all oil- or fat-based grime and dust. If I run across a second-hand record (I like visiting flea markets and such) that some uneducated previous owner used tap water on, I need something more "convincing" to get rid of the mineral deposits within the groove. Here is where pure vinegar essence comes in. Diluted with distilled water in a 1:20 ratio, it offers enough acidic potential to dissolve any minerals that might have settled into the groove, also gets rid of oily or fatty grime, isn't harmful towards the Vinyl during short-term exposure and is a totally natural product that has almost no health-related implications and also does not damage the environment (interesting for those who care about these issues), as opposed to Ethanol and the cleaning agent within the Knosti fluid. As an alternative, a really mild solution of pure citric acid (available in powder form) also does a decent job. For rinsing, I use the second container, filled with distilled water and just a few drops of rinse aid from my dishwasher which helps the water run off afterwards. I don't really care about that antistatic stuff since my record player runs one of these grounded arms with a carbon fibre brush. I found that this process leaves me with squeaky clean records that play back wonderfully. And yes, brand new records need cleaning as well, maybe even more so than used ones. Which is why cleaning is the first thing I do before the first playback :)
The brushes are only replaceable on the latest version, ie the white bath with the turning handle. The original's black bath's brushes are fixed in place sadly @@riezzkienhuis6962
The Yinyl Styl Deep Groove is a very similar product (hair brushes included) with a few improvements, it has a 3 part clamp with rubber gaskets to ensure labels stay safe, comes with a lid to keep the liquid clean between washes and a slightly better build in my opinion. As with the disco antistat the supplied cleaner is garbage, leaving a residue on the record. I would recommend you pick one up as they are fairly cheap also and do an amazing job
I bought one about a week ago. Since then I've done 2 sessions for a total of 23 LPs. in brief, impressive. It removed a startling amount of snap, crackle, and pop. And, yes, it did make more music visible. No magical thinking; definitely there to be heard. It is a bit fiddly to use at first but by the second session I had a nice little routine going. What it cannot do is remove physical damage arising from knackered sapphire styli and drunken parties in 1973, nor should it be expected to. Thanks for the review. It has genuinely improved my listening enjoyment.
@@o_4972 No,it didn't. The clamp did a reasonable job of protecting the label. I expect that if over- or undertightened you might get ingress of liquid but it hasn't given me a problem.
I got this version of the Disco-Antistat 8 years ago now and have cleaned 100s of records, I have always been impressed with the results. I too make my own cleaning solution. I use a battery powered drill to turn my clamp, it works very well. I intend to get the second generation of it as it has the handle, you can replace the brushes and has gaskets for the labels.
The Disco-Antistat is a superior record washer, however, my results using your record cleaning procedure yielded incredible results. I am going through my collection working from cleanest to worst. Some records will have to take several dips in the pool before recovery is captured. I am very pleased to report Diana Krall let me wash her all over tonight which made me very happy.
I recently purchased the Knosti and cleaned about 16 lps. One of the lps is over 50years old being the first lp I ever bought. I was very pleasantly surprised to find I could now listen to it without being unduly irritated by unwanted noise. It is almost as good as new. I will certainly try the distilled water plus additives to see if I can get an even better result. Thanks for your suggestions. I look forward to meeting old friends and giving them the attention they deserve.
I have had this record cleaner for a number of years and as you said the fluid that came with it is rubbish....But the cleaner itself with a different cleaning fluid is fabulous ...It cleans not only deep into the grooves (With those goat hairs)but gets grime, grease etc from the surface with ease...I generally use an old towel to rest the record edge on whilst taking of the clamp plus any spills stay on the towel The playback is incredible... dont waste your money on an expensive cleaning machine (Spend that money on more vinyl) the Disco Antistatic does the job... Oh by the way Great Review
I am very wary of online reviews but having got my record collection out of fifteen year storage in less than ideal conditions (think dusty attic in the tropics) I really needed a better choice than hand washing and this review seemed to make sense and hit the initial budget. So I just bought a Disco Antistat based on this review and having cleaned my first batch of nine with a distilled water and isopropyl alcohol mix am pretty happy with the result. I cleaned a mix of recent second hand purchases and the old ones and by the time I drained and filtered the tank at the end the water had got a bit yellowish and the drain filter had caught quite a bit of crud that the brushes had got off the records. All but one seem to have come up spotless and sound fantastic. I have no idea who did what to the remaining one but there was something very nasty stuck to the surface which warrants further research. All in all - thank you very much for this review.
This is the most detailed and informative review of such a product, it really convinced me to get one, and it has been a wise investment. The results are amazing. On quite a few stubborn records the static disappeared and almost no pops and clicks at all (only pops left were from scratches or defective pressings). Plus the music is more detailed, with a wider soundstage. I have not had any issues with the solution and residue build up on the stylus either. Thank you.
In the US, they sell this product as the Vinyl Styl record cleaner. Though the tank looks cosmetically different, the underside drying rack is there, the spindle is identical, and so are the two brushes and the funnel.
Nice video! This manual cleaner really works. I have it since it was introduced. That said it isn’t without its flaws. The method itself is fine, it is about the residu the fluid leaves behind once the liquid is used for a second time after the first cleaning session. Thing is, new records contain no human born dirt, used ones from thrift stores definitely do! So when I want to clean those, I give them a thorough wash under the tap (using the Disco Antistat clamp to protect the label) with plenty of luke warm water and a little dishwasher fluid. After washing the record, I use two pieces of normal kitchen paper ( NO toilet paper!!! ) to dry the record by following the grooves. The paper quickly sucks up the water. After the record is completely dry, the normal cleaning process is followed in the Disco Antistat bath. Doing so your fluid stays much cleaner and can be used time after time up to a maximum of I’d say six to seven times. I use thin plastic film to cover the bath after use. Aluminium doesn’t prevent the evaporation of the alcohol enough. The machine and liquid aren’t without their flaws however. The fluid tends to leave some residu after drying. Not so when the machine is still relatively new. Those brushes collect dust and that dust causes very fine lint in the grooves. Not a big problem, the lint is collected and dug out by the needle while plaing. You just have to remove it from the stylus and once you have played the freshly cleaned record the problem is gone completely. Nonetheless, it is a real downside of this machine and method. Furthermore, while drying in the rack, the fluid leaves a trace of dried up fluid. It is a sign the fluid needs to be replaced! Having said all this, the Disco Antistst does make your records anti static, it really works. In all, it is a winner, certainly if you take into account the rediculous prices more sophisticated machines cost! Greetings from Hekelingen, Holland. Willem.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Willem. If you'd like to further explore vinyl cleaning using this product, check out my extensive Guide here: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
I have this and I’ve had it for years. I find it great for cleaning, but originally I found the solution left a film on the disc that clogged the needle. I use my own solution and rinse the disc off after cleaning and it is fab.
I found a second clean with purified water in the bath removed the deposit left by the Disco Antistat fluid. Also you can use a goats hair brush with an RCM to produce a similar equivalent aggressive scrub. More effective than the Disco Antistat in my experience. For really dirty records the Disco Antistat can serve as a pre cleaner before using an RCM.
An excellent overview Paul, thanks for sharing. I've had one of these for a good few years now and I've always used it on my used vinyl where I've had no confirmation that the vinyl has been cleaned prior to purchase. I've always been really pleased with the results. But wow, I must thank you for the tip on cleaning brand new pressings! I never thought about doing this and always thought that they would leave the pressing plant in the best possible state for playback. I've been missing a trick for years it seems! I put your advice into practice this evening and played a brand new record that I've never really been happy with in terms of sonics (Queen's Innuendo). As usual it sounded a bit dull and lifeless, I've always put this down to the mix as the original CD was always a bit lacklustre. Anyway, I've just cleaned it with my Disco AS and I can't believe the difference, it's like night and day! This pressing sounds far better than the original CD and I can finally enjoy it properly. Top advice there and I can highly recommend to anyone that cleaning brand new pressings is a must if you have the means to do so. Cheers, love your channel, thanks!
Great review and totally agree with your findings. I’ve been using one for years now and it’s the single most impressive bit of audio gear I’ve bought! I also ditched the included fluid because of the residue. It scrapes out from the grooves and ends up as a ball of ‘fluff’ on the stylus. Rubbish! But replace that and all is good. I use distilled water with a little bit of l’art du son, which is a bit expensive but works well. Although don’t use much else you again will end up with a residue. I’ll have to give some home-made a go sometime. New records really benefit as well. I’d really only swap the knosti for an ultrasonic cleaner.
Hi well said about the fluid with the cleaner... Bloody awful... I use Luke warm water a little squeeze of washing up liquid or negative film clearer plus a cap full of distilled white vinegar.... Great no build-up of fluff and for some reason seems to sort out STATIC....
I have had the generation two for two months, it has a cranking handle and an arm each side of the body to hold the main spindle when the record is in the washer. I found the same problem with the fluid, it leaves a residue that dry's on the surface, the diamond tip then cleans it off and its gone the next time you play the record. I am going to watch your video on surfactant next. Its funny that I thought the same thing though, it really does work and improves the sound quality of your vinyl for peanuts.
I have used this product for a couple of years now on used records, with very satisfying results. Did not know about the need to clean newly pressed records though, thanks.
Hi Paul, I just thought I'd give credit where credit is due. I've now cleaned some of my vinyls using your recommended method of brushing on distilled water with surfactant (i use triton x1 because it was cheap) and then clean in the knosti with distilled water and isopropyl. Well what a difference! Amazing. It revived some albums that were full of crackles. Thankyou. I might even start buying 2nd hand vinyl again .
Great review! The best part is the reference to the goat hair brushes. The Vinyl Styl is similar to the Disc-antisat. It too uses goat hair brushes. Maybe you will do a review/comparison of the two.
I used it many many years ago with a spray named ‘Permostat’ afterwards. Great 👍 product, I remember, simpel and very effective! My Disco Antistat was an even simpler version than this one, but looks the same.
My listening experience will be much improved thanks to your great advice, of which I've been following closely, you sir are one the of the best assets to the vinyl community! as to your advice my kit includes, the Knosti Washer without the cleaner solution even though they say it won't leave a film on the records, a Hudson stylus cleaner, a Kabuki brush, a stylus force guage, some Triton X100, some fancy inner record sleeves, a few dropper bottles, a set of beakers, a trio of Groovewasher pads for that light dusting before play, distilled H2O, Isopropylene Alcohol 99.9%, Propylene Glycol food grade, all this will make my 440 watt 4 ohm speakers and Denon DL 160 cartridge sound pretty amazing, I almost feel like an audiofile, thanks Paul 🎻
Paul, Thanks for the Video it was extremely useful as I was having an argument with Daniel at Knosti regarding an issue I was experiencing with severe debris appearing on the record surface (and stylus) following cleaning, as well as extra noise between tracks and presumably during playing also! Daniel was adamant that I must have received a second hand item from my seller and that the fluid was probably already saturated with dirt from previous use! I tried your recipe for a replacement cleaning fluid and off we go :) I have forwarded Knosti the link to this video and recommended they take note. I won't be holding my breath for a reformulated liquid any time soon however ;) Thanks you for your diligence. James
Great review love the that you highlighted the fact that not only does the knosti clean your records but it also improves the sound reproduction, surprisingly so. Spot on about the fluid leaving gunk on the stylus.. I use pre made fluid from Vinyl Shelter, it's priced well and performs brilliantly. I had some records cleaned by a friend on his expensive Moth cleaner it did improve them but I put them through my knosti once I had purchased it and my word it improved the sound hugely. So expensive is not always the best. Thanks again.
I have used this device for a couple of years with reasonable success. I found the label will get wet if you overfill the bath because the clamp doesn’t form a good seal. I broke the screw on mine by overtightening it. This was me being overzealous. I am now looking for an o-ring that will fit into the grooves in the clamps and form a better seal without too much tightening. (The mk 2 version has this feature). Anyhow I made a new metal spindle and screw for the clamp, so all good. The filter is junk though because the solution can get under the filter paper without being filtered (which will contaminate the next record you clean). Use a normal funnel and filter paper for much better results. The amount of muck that comes off the records after a cleaning session is quite astonishing. I find that it takes two plays to get the excess anti static stuff off the record. Maybe I should dive your 1% solution a try.
I bought one of these this week. I have an old copy of Dark Side of the Moon that's been in storage for 30 years. Having bought a new turntable last week, it was time to get it out. It was unplayable. Snap, crackle and pop from the start. I only managed a few seconds. After one clean with this product, it plays like new. I now have to clean the rest of my old collection - with new sleeves of course.
Definitely (sometimes) causes gunk to build up on the stylus which is annoying. If you have the time and means, play the record once on another turntable first before playing it on your 'good' stylus / deck. Having said that, the cleaning action is superb on this basic system and yields surprisingly good results and the records come out pretty much looking like they're just out out of the pressing plant and with a new level of sound quality.
Super review. Here my horror. I have a new Pro-Ject Debut Recordmaster attached to active speakers. A disco antistat and 21 records. Started playing records again after 40 years. Most of my records are second hand from the 70’s. So i cleaned them in the last weeks at least 3 to 5 times with the knosti. Result was super…. Until out of nowhere my records sounded muddy i think is the word. I clean my stylus with the little black stylus brush every side of the record when i play it. First i thought it was the active speaker, so i connected another one i still had. The sound stayed terrible. Then i put one drop of a mixture of polypropinol alcohol and distilled water on the black styluscleaner and after a few tries, some white rubbish fell off the stylus. This never happened when i used it dry. The Knosti antistat fluid leaves white residu on the stylus for sure as you mentioned. Not visible with the naked eye. I now made your 7% mixture. Cleaned all my records again and the result is amazing. Sound is great again and i can play a whole side of a record with at most a static fiber hanging of the stylus. Thanks a lot!
No problem and yep, Knosti's liquid is poor. My mind's gone - have you seen this link? It may help even further: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Put a small coloured sticker on the clamps to make rotation counting a bit easier....and count 1 to 6 first way round, then 7 to 12 on the counter rotation. Its quite theraputic but i do find myself switching off and losing count quite often....
Hi Paul, Love your videos. I'm a fan! I recently purchased a Project Evo Carbon Turntable on your advice (Invaluable!).... I recently also bought a Knosti Disco Antistat Record Cleaner, but after one use I had a lot of trouble removing the Brushes inside it and also putting them back in. I only cleaned 9 records, but I'm wondering if anyone else has come across this issue? I would appreciate your advice! Thanks a million! Hubert
@@TheAudiophileMan @The Audiophile Man To clean them. They looked like rust stains on them. They sell spare brushes, so I figured the brushes would come out..... WHAT A JOB! Now they won't go back in. Are they not meant to come out? Whoops.....
I bought a Knosti Disco Antistat recently after a bit of research into what was available, but held off using it until I had completed a service of my Systemdek II XE 900 AP deck - (New drive belt, new bearing oil, some tweaks and a bit of a clean). Once that was done I pulled out my Go-To test album, The Blue Nile - "A Walk Across The Rooftops" (Linn records- yes that 'Linn') It was a bit dusty to the eye so I gave it a quick wipe with a carbon fibre brush and played it. Plenty of pops and crackles from dust etc. I then cleaned it using the Disco machine and it was a huge improvement, taking away at least 95% of the noise. I have just cleaned about a hundred 7" singles (then getting them all into Tonar Nostatic inner sleeves, another recent purchase) and have started on the album collection. I consider it a bargain at the price given the price of albums now.
I have been using the vinyl Styl record cleaner for awhile now and yes the cleaning solution that it comes with it is junk it will clog up your LP's and mess up your stylis . I make my own cleaner solution with distilled water and instead of alcohol I use white distilled vinegar and finish dishwasher no spot as a drying agent , then spray them with distilled water and put them in the drying rack. Works great but never dry them with a towel sure to get static that way.
So I recently started watching your videos. I like your scholarly approach to all things audio. I recently watched videos on record care; surfactants and this one. But the more I listened the more confused I got about what the end game is. You know the best way to clean. I own a a Spin Clean and a vacuum machine. I thought that the Spin Clean did a pretty good job of cleaning and am impressed in its ability to rid lp's of static but I didn't think that it did the best job of cleaning, hence the vacuum cleaner and a host of cleaning potions, enzyme wash, super deep first step cleaners triton x-100, etc., etc. But I always lusted for a cavitation cleaner not just for its superiority over the others but its simplicity. I spend about twenty minutes futzing with enzymes that half to sit five minutes on the lp, then clean that with regular cleaner, then a pure rinse. Just drop it in that's it. I know the first machines were not reliable but the Degritter seems to be different. I notice that you use one. But watching this video I get the impression that you prefer the antistat machine with your preferred solution to vacuum cleaners. You didn't really discuss them. And then I forgot how you put it, the antistat and Degritter were the only proper way to clean records. Am I wrong? after this I put a hold on purchasing the Degritter after I was so amped up in purchasing one. So do you have a video that lays it all out in a succinct and no confusion way or maybe you can explain it in the most concise way to someone like me?
Thanks Nicholas. If you need a Guide for manual cleaning, try this recently posted article from my site. I'll be transferring it to video but not just yet. Here's the link: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/ My ultimate cleaning system is ultrasonic via a Degritter. Next down is a vacuum-based system with an Antistat used as a sort of pre-wash. Further down is the Antistat only. Depends on your budget. Here's a review of the Degritter, if you need that: theaudiophileman.com/degritter-vinyl-record-cleaning-machine-ultrasonic-review/
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks for responding. I do have two more questions , the use of glycol in cleaning solution. Is this the same as automotive coolant and how do you get small amounts? Also the use of a kabuki brush to apply Tergitol solution to an lp. All I could find were makeup brushes.
You simply can't have that much fun and experimentation with an all digital system . Thanks for that information and tips regarding the cleaning liquids and the brushes . Yes some really dirty records do need a really good hard wash and scrub .
The rack holds 15 records, now if you clean 15 records you'll see that the first one is already pretty dry and can be taken out. If you look closely though you will notice that there's just a little bit still in the grooves. I then wave the record, holding it with two hands at the edges so that it dries. I NEVER spin the records in the opposite direction while in the machine, because I like to keep the brushes dirty on one side and clean on the other. Now if you feel you need to attack the dirt from both sides, you just lift the spindle and record and turn that over, so by again spinning in the same direction you will spin the record itself in the opposite direction without getting the dirt on both sides of the brushes. I do have one thing that irritates me and that is the absence of a proper way of pouring out the used fluid back into the filter. It drips a lot and you'll have to get used to that. I manage to use the fact that it is dripping and hold the bottom of the machine above the filter and not the actual pouring lid. Oh yes: DO ventilate, open the windows or kitchen door or whatever. This prevents you from getting a headache.
There Is now a New version of this, they have ironed out the problems and Improved It. Now you can take out the brushes for better cleaning, or re-newing. they also provide a Turning handle as well as a better way of cleaning. Never had a problem with mine.I use Distilled Water and the Alcohol, I have never used the solution that came with It.
Glad you liked this & that I picked it out by luck from the plethora of Amazon products. I don't play much vinyl so while being impressed by the initial results will check clean my stylus & re do with your great distilled water alcohol mixture Paul. Thanks for discovering & pointing the residue problem out! Fancy giving Topping DACs another go? Check out the E50 - using mine (in pre-amp mode) via the power amp input of the Audiolab 6000a sounds incredibly detailed & dynamic to my cheapskate audio ears - even at 16 bit 44.1 streaming over Amazon music / Wiim mini! Cheers
the Knosti is a good system highly recommended, though the supplied fluid leaves a sticky residue, a much better fluid is made by Vinyl Shelter. Dont let the fluid touch the record labels. Extra dirty records can be scrubbed first with fluid and a goats hair brush then dipped in the Knosti.
Hello Mark! Amazing and clear video. Whatched it til now year later. And i cant find at simple search this product, do you recommend any other brand similar to this as alternative? Or should i basically seatch for a similar one that is with inconditionally with brushes? Cheers!!! Happy to see your enthusiasm and vida
One thing I noticed about what you said is leaving the solution in the machine. I dont mean to criticize you but it makes more sense to filter the solution every time and use the solution again. Every time you filter it you remove debree from the solution. Although what I am not comfortable with is reusing the solution. i would probably reuse You would have to go through painstaking effort, if you want 100 % clean. Im still deciding on how just to use the machine. I love your channel because its provided me with much insight from you and I am convinced the solution of a simple machine like this really stands out, if it claims to do what you say. I really cringe at the idea of anything slightly abrasive cleaning my record. But the fact that it has something natural, goats hair brush, makes me feel that its the best brush. All things natural have been used for many things and nothing works better than the things made from nature instead of plastic or other man made materials. Sorry about this long post, but Im wondering(because I dont know) what is in the solution.s ince vinyl is plastiic , or same thing as plumbing pipes which is some form of plastic, what solvents will effect it? You had another video about using Tergikleen. This is claimed not to have alcohol or other things that can damage vinyl. One thing I believe in is natural cleaning ability of distilled water and its purity. Is there anything cleaner and know not to harm plastic? I dont really agree on using any alcohol at all because its know efect on certain plastics. Im not a chemist and not going to do chemsitry experiments. Again, natural things such as cotton has proven natures reliability and effectiveness, such as horse hai for violin bows. Im probably going to use what my mom cleaned windows with, vinegar, but very dilluted and clear white distilled vinegar. im going to see what I can figure out whats in Tergikleen, and will use it if I fell its safe. An acid cleans windows very well with water. It may be also that it acts as a drying agent also
Hi Kevin - sure, you can filter. That's perfectly fine. I just didn't hear any performance drop when using the same bath for a time and then replacing the entire bath at that point and filling up anew. And yes, the goat hair brush is excellent and much more preferable/efficient than similar designs that feature sponges. As for the rest? Have you seen my website Guide? Check this one out, have a read and if you have further questions/point, give me a shout: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
My situation involves lots of lint and hair from cats. Even after one clean, I noticed that the brushes were full of hair. I like the idea of cleaning as much debris as I can, so it doesnt go back on the brushes, and stay on the record. l also use the disc machine to catch distilled water off the record, after pouring the cleaner out and filtering it. I think filtering as much debris out, including what cannot be seen, is better idea, seperating as much debris as possible out of the cleaning solution. I use a spray bottle with distilled water and spray with force all the tergekleen solution off the record .I noticed that there is still a white residue in some places on the record, so Im going to reduce the amount of tergekleen to the point there is no residue left, but still wets evenly on the record.(tergekleen seems to be best choice) One thing I believe is necessary, is an antistatic gun to get to get rid of hair statically attracted to the record. The carbon fiber brush is useless trying to remove the hair, and isnt good for anything I can see. After my vinyl is clean it gets put back in the record sleave, and I use distilled water on a brush, clean the record with it,and clean the stylus before playing it again., and check the VTF before playing each record. You use more science to determine things, which is why I like your channel. I myself have not noticed an improvement in sound quality with the machine vs. just using distilled water and a brush.but I believe you proved there is a difference. But it make sense to use the machine to remove any oils, smoke , or anything else that gets on the record, as distilled water cannot do this. I appreciate your exhaustive study and research on this matter. I also used wally tools to align the cartridge, check antiskating, and set overhang according to the smart tractor UNI DIN standard which is 5mm or so close to that more than the denon overhang setting. Sorry about being long winded here. Have you used any tools like Wally tools or smart tractor to set your alignment correctly? I also have Analogmagik which is a cartridge setup softwear & test LPs which Im going to use and do yet. Did your discostat come with rubber seals for the label protector and holder? Mine didnt.
Well Paul how interesting , I’ve been thinking about the new project vinyl cleaner that’s receiving some attention lately. But having seen your review makes me think , what’s to be really gained? . I do use a device of my own making with some degree of success, but it is a bit of a faf . No to me you’ve just made my mind up , so thanks again . Some times simple is often the way to go . Best wishes and kind regards Mike in the U.K. 👍
When using the supplied fluid, I've noticed that my air-quality meter hits red to warn of high readings for HCHO (formaldehyde) and TVOC (total volatile organic compounds). It takes quite a long time to disperse after a cleaning session has ended. Hence, my preference is to shorten exposure to breathing the liquid and return the fluid back to the bottle rather than just cover it with foil.
I don't know if you've seen, but Knosti now have a Disco Antistat Ultrasonic offering at about £1119 - I would love to see a review on that! - It certainly looks interesting
I'm reading do not use the alcohol when using the tergikleen. Only add recommended amount of tergikleen to distilled water only. They also recommend to do a rinse with only distilled water afterwards to rid the record of residual tergikleen.
Hi Tony - I don't recommend adding Tergitol to the bath itself but to the surface of the vinyl. Adding Terigtol to a bath will drastically reduce the efficiency of the Tergitol performance. Once clean then yes, I recommend a rinse to remove all residue.
Thanks a lot for all the advice Paul, much appreciated..Just one additional question on version II of the Disco Antistat. If I understand correctly, it is not worthwhile paying twice as much for the updated version. From what I see, the only differences are rubber feet added, a manivel to turn the record and apparently better protection for the label so that it does not get wet. I don't think this justifies charging double the price as compared to the older version. Grateful for your views. Best regards, Ignacio
Errr, did I share this link with you, Ignacio - can't remember and I'm on the move so can't check. It should answer a heap of questions: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/ I hope to review the 'II' but from what I can see the changes are aesthetic only.
Hey Paul - I've been paying close attention to this video lately b/c I'm coming up with a gameplan for cleaning my vinyl. If I'm understanding your directions correctly, you apply the surfactant to an uncleaned record...that's the first step correct? If so, potentially could you be getting a lot of dirt on the kabuki brush? Would it make sense to do a quick rinse in the Knosti with just distilled water before applying the surfactant? Forgive me if I'm missing something. Also, can you let me know your process for cleaning a record just before you put it on the table? Do you use a brush? If you already did a video on this could you please direct me to it? Lastly, I've seen several reviews on your channel about turntable mats. Is there any one that you like the best? I appreciate the service you're doing for the vinyl community. Especially us newbies. Thanks for all of your time/energy.
Thanks for the review, this has been useful for me with some added tips for use. I have been using this product for a few years now, resisting the urge to invest in the more costlier vacuum based record cleaners. My only gripe with the system is the method of rotating the record in the bath. The lighter weight old albums I have don’t have as much resistance to the brushes as the more modern 180g copies I have, which take a bit of turning on sometimes, sharp edged discs ! I think I am going to buy the mark 2 model, which has a cranking handle for turning the records in the bath. This will enable me to have cleaning and rinsing facilities, as well as the extra drying rack space.
Good video i have a vinyl styl record washer, 2 spin clean record washer, ultrasonic digital cleaner and the record doctor VI vacuum cleaner to dry my records.
Hi Paul, coming back to the original Knosti, is there an issue with the labels getting wet? This seems to be a recurrent problem and version II of the machine claims to have solved it as it provides larger covers to hide/protect the labels. Grateful for your views. And many thanks again for your great videos! Cheers, Ignacio
This randomly popped up on RUclips for my pleasure. As always a great detailed view. I’ve just bought the Degritter MKII, but know that it cannot remove finger prints. I was thinking of adding this as an option to clean up those badly handled secondhand LPs, before they meet the Degritter. In your experience, do you think this cleaner with its attrition, would be effective Paul? Also, now that you don’t recommend tergitol, what would your choice be?
Thank you very much sir, after this review i will be going online and buying one post haste. Thanks for the tip of making your own bath fluid, also about cleaning new vinyl, i will be doing that as well.Brillant video cheer's man Ian.
Hello and congratulations for your work. I was about to perchase a clean system for my vinyl from Project but you have convince me to go for the ANTISTAT. What bothers me is the issue with the cleaning liquid and because i find it hard to use all those other mattirials with alcohol ect i d like to ask if you suggest me to use the cleaning liquid that PROJECT suggests? i would appreciate your replay a lot as i wont be in confiuson and anxus any more, thank you
I have the spin clean. It comes with concentrated cleaner. Just add distilled water and 2 cap full of cleaner. Also it doesn't have the spin adapter. I think for my self I'd hate to have to put that on every single record. I wonder if there is one that includes bother the pads and the goat hair? I have a couple cleaning nights once a year and clean my entire collection.
Agreed, brushes are better than pads, but I think calling the SpinClean things "pads", might be a bit misleading, because they are, if I'm not mistaken, microfiber pads, so they do have fuzzy bits that do scrub into the groove of the record. That being said, I think the optimal device of this type might be achieved by combining the Knosti and the SpinClean, because I find the spindle of the Knosti to be too fiddly and unnecessary. I've cleaned 10,000+ records in the SpinClean and have yet to ruin even one label. Also, I use two SpinCleans for most of the records in my store, one with cleaner, the second with only distilled water, followed by a quick wipe with the supplied clothes then a few minutes in a drying rack. Lastly, I always rinse really nasty records off in the sink first, as to not unnecessarily gunk up the SpinClean with grit and grime. I also have a two stage wet vac system (Tergikleen then distilled water) at the store that I use on my personal collection and for higher priced records.
Do you need to dry off with a soft cloth or drip dry? Many thanks for the video. I got one this Christmas and the instructions are in German so this was very useful.
@@TheAudiophileMan thanks for that. One more quick question. Do you unclamp the middle spindle after it’s dry enough. If there’s still residue does it ever drip onto the label?
I find that lifting the clamped record out of the bath, allowing it to drip dry for a few seconds (so the majority of the liquid immediately falls back into the bath), then unclamping and transferring to the drying rack is the best option.
@Chaggy1978 Depends. Mainly, how warm your room is. What liquid type sits in the bath. Sometimes even the makeup of the vinyl itself. Several minutes? Broadly?
Nice review thanks Paul.. I just wish I’d seen it before I bought a Spin Clean! Haven’t actually used it yet, been researching methods for drying the records eg air dry or using a cloth. It’s a minefield, so many differing opinions.
@@TheAudiophileMan as you say - the price is prohibitive. I’ll give the the Spin Clean a go. I’ve never wet cleaned my records. The albums I have from the late 70s and 80s still sound great on my Pioneer PL-6, Technics SU-Z45 amp and new Sony open back headphones. Found an original Ortofon VMS20E Mk ii on eBay, which sounds great.. although little difference from the aftermarket 10E that I bought last year. Main reason for buying the Spin Clean is I’ve been buying a lot of second hand vinyl online. Some of it is pretty dirty.
While I think it's money well spent and I'm really happy with how it cleans the records. I'm not exactly thrilled with the plastic clamps! They keep undoing while I'm cleaning and when I do them up too tight they get stuck together like they're glued together!
They shouldn't undo - have you tightened them sufficiently? Maybe add a little grease on the screw thread to enable you to unscrew them if you go hard to begin with.
Could you not give the record a rinse with with garden sprayer filled distilled water and 1% alcohol to get the included cleaning liquid off the groove?
It's the goat hair brushes that are, as you say, the star of the show. One error, though: when listing the devices that *don't* use such brushes, you inadvertently included the Disco-Antistat, when, presumably, you meant the Spin Clean.
Hi Paul! Thanks for the amazing content of your website/channel. I’d like to ask your opinion about my record cleaning fluid composition. For a few years I’ve been using this combination of chemicals: 10 drops of triton, 450ml of distilled water, 36ml of 99% pure isopropyl alcohol and 4ml of propylene glycol. I spread the solution on the surface with a brush for a few minutes and then vacuum it off with my VPI machine. I rinse it off with distilled water twice each side. I get incredible results with it, but I wonder if this has been harmful to my records. Do you think so? Another thing, I just purchased Tergikleen from eBay, I’m willing to give it a shot to see if I get better results. However, along with the bottle came a note with instructions saying NOT TO mix it with alcohol, otherwise I would be ruining the solution. So now I found myself completely lost! I’d appreciate if you could help me on this pickle! Thank you.
Hi Diego - might be easier for me to ask you to read my extensive vinyl cleaning guide first. Check that out, see what you think and then I'll be happy to take more questions if you have any after that : theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Hello Paul, many thanks for the very good and educational video. I must confess I still clean my records the old fashioned way and am seriously thinking about getting a cleaning machine. And here come my questions: first: how do the Knosti and the Spin Clean compare besides the price difference? Second: is it worth going beyond manual and getting something like the Project VC-E or VC-S? Linked to that: do these machines do a better/more thorough job than the manual ones? Thanks in advance. Kind regards, Ignacio
Hi Ignacio - The basic difference between the Spin Clean and the Disco is down to how each cleans. The former uses foam pads, the latter uses goat hair brushes. The foam pads are no where near as effective. I've done an A-B test. Yes, it's worth going beyond manual, as long as you have the budget. Next up is a RCM like the Pro-Ject. Up from there is an ultrasonic cleaner.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks a lot for the very quick reply, Paul, much appreciated. Indeed, budget is consideration. Overall, would you say the Disco does a thorough job and that after cleaning the record you can really hear the difference (meaning no more snack, crackle, pop or very little)? Kind regards, Ignacio
@@ignicioperez4647 It does if you follow my manual vinyl cleaning guide :) Check out the link here: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
@@TheAudiophileMan Many thanks again, Paul.Btw, I note there is a version 2 of the same machine. Is there any substantial difference with the previous model? Regards, Ignacio
Thank you for the upload of this video. Very informative as well. I was wondering how many records you can clean with just one litre of Knosti cleaner before you need to replace it with a 'fresh' bottle. My record collection is not that big, just around 180-200 12" records. Some of them, original Beatles albums from the 60's, are very very dirty. Thumps up!!
Zero. That's my answer :) I don't rate the Knosti liquid. The hardware? Best manual cleaner on the planet. The liquid? Not. Please check out my Guide - on my website - for the full explanation. It's a long one, skip the bits you don't need, take the bits you do. There's a step by step cleaning guide in there, liquids info, the lot: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
I have the same device. There is something that keeps me wondering. The records i own, 40 years old seem to have more clicks than in the old days. I read records are pressed and the records are loosened from the metal motherrecord with grease or oil. Is the oil or grease that remained in the grooves the cause of the clicks, oil or grease get thicker over the decades and stuf in it locked. Dear readers, am i right? Thanks in advance. If so,will an ultrasonic cleaner be effective to remove the unwanted?
Hi - it's not grease or oil specifically that remains in the grooves. It is but it isn't. Nothing is added for that purpose. It is a sort of oil I suppose but it's naturally leeched by the record itself. That is the lubricant that prevents the record sticking to the press is actually part of the vinyl recipe itself. The 'oil' is released under heat and pressure by that recipe. So no human, for example, is involved. Similarly, it's not removed when the record is released from the press. No one has the time or the manpower or the money remove the stuff so it stays in the groove forever...unless you remove it. And it will only be removed through abrasion. Which most vinyl cleaning solutions/systems do not include. Ultrasonic cleaners have it. The best low-cost system that offers abrasion is the Disco. It's the tough goat hair brushes, you see. Similar designs to this one that feature sponges instead of brushes only offer a fraction of the cleaning power, I'm afraid and zero abrasive properties. Check out my own vinyl cleaning guide here (produced after many years of research, interviews, testing, etc). It may help you, happy to answer questions after you've checked it out: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Paul: could I please ask you to clarify as I’m a newbie at cleaning and just bought this. It relates to your pre-clean mix & subsequent clean in the Disco anti-stat: Pre-clean: mix the surfactant as diluted according to your own instructions (mine says x2 drops each of the Tergitol 15-S3 & S9 into a 3 to 4 distilled water/alcohol mix at a 500ml volume total) where the S3 is oil soluble & the S9 is water soluble) Mix this diluted formulation with x2 dropper fills of the propylene glycol in the dropper bottle (I use a medical sample bottle actually) Have I got this part correct? The main wash: 70mls alcohol to 1 litre of distilled water (the somewhat higher rate of alcohol to wash away the glycol from the pre-treatment). Now, I ask because before you have said only use 1% alcohol in the wash formulation so I wanted to check. Many thanks for all your advice here & especially in keeping our records safe for future listening & archiving. 👍🏼
Check out my Guide here - that should provide the info you need. Give me a shout if you need more info: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Great reviews on vinyl, Paul. OK so from what you advise here, I'm going to get this one. Just want to check something. First I clean my records (example 10 or 20 records) with the cleaning product with this device. Then I empty the bath and use the distilled water/alcohol/surfucant method of yours as the second cleaning. Correct? Thank you.
It looks to be better than the Spin-Clean record cleaner that uses 2 rollers that are extremely expensive to replace when the rubber tyres stretch and depending on the thickness of your vinyl record tend to pop out of their location grooves when changing rotation direction. Is the cleaning fluid easily available for these Knosti cleaners?
The Knosti cleaner is great - the included liquid is not. Please check out my Guide here for my alternative: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Hi Paul. Thank you for such an interesting in depth informative review following which I've just bought thie Disco Antistat kit. My only query is regarding your comments about the Knosti liquid leaving deposits on the stylus: Are the deposits easy to get off? I clean my stylus before and after playing one side of an LP with a small carbon fibre brush. Would this suffice for removing the deposits or would I need something else to remove them?
Thanks so much for this information, and as I am new on LP and want to clean all my collection, so I have a question how long should the LP work fine before the next cleaning, or how I will know that my LP need to be wash again! And I didn't get exactly what you mean by we can use 1% Alcohol to clean the LP! Do you mean to add 1-7% of alcohol to normal water and just clean to LP with it!
That's a tough question because it depends on you and how you treat your records in the first place as well as your environment (i.e. dust, cigarette smoke, etc). I could say, until you hear sonic issues. Then clean. Failing that? Every 15-20 plays? Also, 1% of alcohol placed in a container of distilled water is enough to clean vinyl. I recommend the use of Glycol if your cleaner is vertical because it helps to hold in the surfactant but then you need 7% to melt the Glycol off the record during cleaning. If you use a vacuum-based RCM machine which cleans horizontally then you don't need the Glycol. So, if you store 2 litres of distilled water then add 1% of that 2 litres to the bottle. Give it a good shake and that can be poured into the Disco bath as a ready liquid. If you need more help for your vinyl cleaning check out my website Guide here: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
I should have a written feature published on my site (at least initially) by the end of this week. So please look out for that if you need the info soon.
Hi Paul, received my Knosti Disco Antistat (version one) today and will try it out later in the day. For starter, would distilled water and isopropyl alcohol be enough (is it 1% or 7% alcohol)? Thanks a lot. Cheers, Ignacio
To clean the stylus of the residue, do you use a simple stylus brush, or one of the gummy things that you place on the turntable and carefully dip the stylus in so that the gummy stuff grabs and holds the the residue?
The Dust Buster sticky pad is the best budget stylus cleaner. This DS Audio example is the best stylus cleaner on the market but it costs more: theaudiophileman.com/ds-audio-st-50-vinyl-clean-review/ and - a quick plug - I do have a full stylus-cleaning buyer's guide on my Patreon Page which also includes interviews with Goldring and Ortofon who talk about this very subject: www.patreon.com/audiophileman
Unfortunately, this unit is not available anymore on UK or EUROPE Amazon. US Amazon has copies that use pads not goat hairs. Do you have any additional contacts where the original version can be purchased other than the few on ebay for a very high price?
Good review Paul I'm no mathematician however. What does 1% mean to a quart of distilled water? 32 oz per quart so .32 of alcohol.. how do you determine .32 once?
Convert that figure to Millilitres for easier measuring (there's a host of online quick convertors out there - its about 9ml) and buy a set of measuring vials on amazon.com rated for that for under $10: www.amazon.com/Pixnor-Measuring-Cylinder-Graduated-Test/dp/B019W5T4CS/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=measuring+vials&qid=1618478770&sr=8-4
I've purchased 2 of the Disco Antistats (one for rinsing), and did step by step, the way you instructed in the Vinyl cleaning guide you left me in a link. Tergikleen, Glycol, the 7% alcohol, everything to a tee. Even did 5 cycles on each record. Tremendous increase in audio. I only have 1 question. When it's time again to re clean everything, and it doesn't need the extreme clean like the first time around, and I leave out the glycol, but continue to use the surfactant, can I get away with 1% alcohol, or stay with the 7%, or somewhere in between?
@@makdonaldo8955 using the small glass pipettes that he used, I put one dropper full into an empty pipette, and filled the rest with the tergikleen/distilled water solution
Depends on your vinyl. Just how dirty is it? On average? 30 cleans. Monitor the bath water visually. Are your records taking longer to clean than before? Are you still hearing pops and clicks where previously there were none from the same type of vinyl condition? Once you get into a cleaning rhythm, you will notice slight differences here and there, away from the norm in sound or visual terms. That's the time to change.
So, just to be certain, for use with the Disco Antistat Vinyl Cleaning contraption it's: Distilled Water, 1% Isopropyl Alcohol and a dash of Tergitol? I've found the alcohol by the litre on Amazon (rubbing alcohol?) and the tergitol is available in very small bottles on eBay. Am I on the right track (excuse the pun)?
I've had the Disco Antistat 2nd Generation cleaning machine for a few years and I'm quite pleased. Here are my thoughts about the pros and cons.
Pros:
1, the inclusion of a handle on the clamp is a very useful addition which makes turning the disc easier.(Although the handle is quite flimay).
2, The brushes are removable which I'd useful for cleaning and drying.
3, the clamp, brushes and sealing rins are replaceable.
4, It is relatively inexpensive given the cost of cleaning machines.
Cons:
1, for the price, it is expensive given how flimsy the plastic is. The clamp handle is very useful but is in danger of breaking.
2, although the clamp and brushes etc are replaceable, they are EXPENSIVE.
3, the cleaning fluid does work but leaves a residue on the disc. Easy to rectify, buy a better cleaning fluid.
My tips:
Don't fill the tank to the recommended level as this tends to wet, and sometimes, damage the label. Fill to just below the top of the brushes.
Buy a better cleaning fluid.
Wipe excess fluid from the dead wax with a soft cloth before stacking.
Remove, clean and dry the brushes after each use.
Leave the discs to dry for as long as possible.
I think that this is the best of the 'cheapest' cleaning machines. It is flimsy plastic and replacements are expensive. Having said that, I have found it to be very effective.
I also have the generation 2, but I can't get the brushes out of the holder, so replacing them is really not possible.
I bought a spare set and it is of no use to me, it is better to buy a new container with the brushes already in it, which is a bit more expensive but saves a lot of annoyance.
I also threw away the liquid because it is a very nasty attack on your stylus (and I imagine also on your precious vinyl).
I also think it is a good device, but the stuck brushes really annoy me
I bought a Disco Antistat with the intention of cleaning all the vinyl albums which I have collected over the last fifty-odd years since I was about eight years old. I have always taken great care with my records so they are all pretty much in great condition but have only ever been cleaned by running a felt-type antistatic cleaner over the surface to remove any dust before playing. I found the Knosti simple to set up and use and found that I could clean batches of twenty or thirty LPs per session and the results were fantastic. I did start by using the solution that came with the unit and found that in some cases it did leave a slight build-up on the stylus on the first play of each side of the record but on a second play there seemed to be no problem. I found that returning the solution back into a sterilized measuring jug through the supplied funnel twice and using all of the 5 filters together and then placing it into a new bottle kept the liquid clean enough to use many times over. You obviously lose a fair amount of the solution over time due to evaporation and general spillage but I made my own by using one part 99% pure isopropanol, three parts distilled water, and a few drops of Triton X-100 and this worked just as good and like before could be filtered and re-used. There is no point in placing nice clean records back in their original inner paper sleeves so I have replaced every album with nice new polly-lined antistatic inner sleeves making sure any old ones which contained lyrics or anything related to that record I kept in with the cover, all covers were then placed into sealable 'Blake' clear outer sleeves. I have so far cleaned about 300 albums and am very pleased with the results so I can thoroughly recommend the Knosti as a budget way of cleaning your prized records. P.S ..... the only problem I have found is that the clamp eventually broke caused by the threaded half which the opposite spindle screws into snapping which may have been caused by overtightening, I have read on other sites that this is a common problem, and seems a poor design. I did manage to repair mine but you can buy replacements but they do seem expensive for what they are so I do suggest being careful when tightening the clamp.
Ive had this system for about 7 years now and Im completely happy with it, what I did was chuck away the fluid , if using this it builds a residue of white gunge which was not good, I also use a clamp that had a bigger circumference which protects the label better.
Always wait longer for records to dry. Now I’m looking at a vacuum cleaner to dry the vinyl as I feel this is the way to go!
There is something else to consider: Knosti offers replacement parts for the Disco Antistat. You can order new brushes, replace the gaskets on the label protector and whatnot. Which is a good thing not only in regards to product sustainability.
I ordered myself a second Knosti so I can now run a cleaning operation with two different agents: one for cleaning and one for rinsing.
For cleaning, I use either the Knosti fluid (albeit diluted 1:1 with distilled water because it is really highly concentrated) which is decent enough for all oil- or fat-based grime and dust. If I run across a second-hand record (I like visiting flea markets and such) that some uneducated previous owner used tap water on, I need something more "convincing" to get rid of the mineral deposits within the groove. Here is where pure vinegar essence comes in. Diluted with distilled water in a 1:20 ratio, it offers enough acidic potential to dissolve any minerals that might have settled into the groove, also gets rid of oily or fatty grime, isn't harmful towards the Vinyl during short-term exposure and is a totally natural product that has almost no health-related implications and also does not damage the environment (interesting for those who care about these issues), as opposed to Ethanol and the cleaning agent within the Knosti fluid. As an alternative, a really mild solution of pure citric acid (available in powder form) also does a decent job.
For rinsing, I use the second container, filled with distilled water and just a few drops of rinse aid from my dishwasher which helps the water run off afterwards. I don't really care about that antistatic stuff since my record player runs one of these grounded arms with a carbon fibre brush.
I found that this process leaves me with squeaky clean records that play back wonderfully. And yes, brand new records need cleaning as well, maybe even more so than used ones. Which is why cleaning is the first thing I do before the first playback :)
weel thats superb, but what I try .............the brushes won't come out of the damm thing .
The brushes are only replaceable on the latest version, ie the white bath with the turning handle. The original's black bath's brushes are fixed in place sadly @@riezzkienhuis6962
The Yinyl Styl Deep Groove is a very similar product (hair brushes included) with a few improvements, it has a 3 part clamp with rubber gaskets to ensure labels stay safe, comes with a lid to keep the liquid clean between washes and a slightly better build in my opinion. As with the disco antistat the supplied cleaner is garbage, leaving a residue on the record. I would recommend you pick one up as they are fairly cheap also and do an amazing job
I bought one about a week ago. Since then I've done 2 sessions for a total of 23 LPs. in brief, impressive. It removed a startling amount of snap, crackle, and pop. And, yes, it did make more music visible. No magical thinking; definitely there to be heard.
It is a bit fiddly to use at first but by the second session I had a nice little routine going.
What it cannot do is remove physical damage arising from knackered sapphire styli and drunken parties in 1973, nor should it be expected to.
Thanks for the review. It has genuinely improved my listening enjoyment.
Did it damage your labels?
@@o_4972 No,it didn't. The clamp did a reasonable job of protecting the label. I expect that if over- or undertightened you might get ingress of liquid but it hasn't given me a problem.
I got this version of the Disco-Antistat 8 years ago now and have cleaned 100s of records, I have always been impressed with the results. I too make my own cleaning solution.
I use a battery powered drill to turn my clamp, it works very well.
I intend to get the second generation of it as it has the handle, you can replace the brushes and has gaskets for the labels.
I bought this system years ago and I've been using it since. As far as I'm concerned this is the best record cleaning system I have ever used.
The Disco-Antistat is a superior record washer, however, my results using your record cleaning procedure yielded incredible results. I am going through my collection working from cleanest to worst. Some records will have to take several dips in the pool before recovery is captured. I am very pleased to report Diana Krall let me wash her all over tonight which made me very happy.
I recently purchased the Knosti and cleaned about 16 lps. One of the lps is over 50years old being the first lp I ever bought. I was very pleasantly surprised to find I could now listen to it without being unduly irritated by unwanted noise. It is almost as good as new. I will certainly try the distilled water plus additives to see if I can get an even better result. Thanks for your suggestions. I look forward to meeting old friends and giving them the attention they deserve.
I have had this record cleaner for a number of years and as you said the fluid that came with it is rubbish....But the cleaner itself with a different cleaning fluid is fabulous ...It cleans not only deep into the grooves (With those goat hairs)but gets grime, grease etc from the surface with ease...I generally use an old towel to rest the record edge on whilst taking of the clamp plus any spills stay on the towel The playback is incredible... dont waste your money on an expensive cleaning machine (Spend that money on more vinyl) the Disco Antistatic does the job... Oh by the way Great Review
I am very wary of online reviews but having got my record collection out of fifteen year storage in less than ideal conditions (think dusty attic in the tropics) I really needed a better choice than hand washing and this review seemed to make sense and hit the initial budget.
So I just bought a Disco Antistat based on this review and having cleaned my first batch of nine with a distilled water and isopropyl alcohol mix am pretty happy with the result.
I cleaned a mix of recent second hand purchases and the old ones and by the time I drained and filtered the tank at the end the water had got a bit yellowish and the drain filter had caught quite a bit of crud that the brushes had got off the records.
All but one seem to have come up spotless and sound fantastic.
I have no idea who did what to the remaining one but there was something very nasty stuck to the surface which warrants further research.
All in all - thank you very much for this review.
This is the most detailed and informative review of such a product, it really convinced me to get one, and it has been a wise investment. The results are amazing. On quite a few stubborn records the static disappeared and almost no pops and clicks at all (only pops left were from scratches or defective pressings). Plus the music is more detailed, with a wider soundstage. I have not had any issues with the solution and residue build up on the stylus either. Thank you.
In the US, they sell this product as the Vinyl Styl record cleaner. Though the tank looks cosmetically different, the underside drying rack is there, the spindle is identical, and so are the two brushes and the funnel.
It even has a lid!
Great find!
no drying rack
Nice video! This manual cleaner really works. I have it since it was introduced. That said it isn’t without its flaws. The method itself is fine, it is about the residu the fluid leaves behind once the liquid is used for a second time after the first cleaning session. Thing is, new records contain no human born dirt, used ones from thrift stores definitely do! So when I want to clean those, I give them a thorough wash under the tap (using the Disco Antistat clamp to protect the label) with plenty of luke warm water and a little dishwasher fluid. After washing the record, I use two pieces of normal kitchen paper ( NO toilet paper!!! ) to dry the record by following the grooves. The paper quickly sucks up the water. After the record is completely dry, the normal cleaning process is followed in the Disco Antistat bath. Doing so your fluid stays much cleaner and can be used time after time up to a maximum of I’d say six to seven times. I use thin plastic film to cover the bath after use. Aluminium doesn’t prevent the evaporation of the alcohol enough. The machine and liquid aren’t without their flaws however. The fluid tends to leave some residu after drying. Not so when the machine is still relatively new. Those brushes collect dust and that dust causes very fine lint in the grooves. Not a big problem, the lint is collected and dug out by the needle while plaing. You just have to remove it from the stylus and once you have played the freshly cleaned record the problem is gone completely. Nonetheless, it is a real downside of this machine and method. Furthermore, while drying in the rack, the fluid leaves a trace of dried up fluid. It is a sign the fluid needs to be replaced! Having said all this, the Disco Antistst does make your records anti static, it really works. In all, it is a winner, certainly if you take into account the rediculous prices more sophisticated machines cost! Greetings from Hekelingen, Holland. Willem.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Willem. If you'd like to further explore vinyl cleaning using this product, check out my extensive Guide here: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
I have this and I’ve had it for years. I find it great for cleaning, but originally I found the solution left a film on the disc that clogged the needle. I use my own solution and rinse the disc off after cleaning and it is fab.
I found a second clean with purified water in the bath removed the deposit left by the Disco Antistat fluid. Also you can use a goats hair brush with an RCM to produce a similar equivalent aggressive scrub. More effective than the Disco Antistat in my experience. For really dirty records the Disco Antistat can serve as a pre cleaner before using an RCM.
An excellent overview Paul, thanks for sharing. I've had one of these for a good few years now and I've always used it on my used vinyl where I've had no confirmation that the vinyl has been cleaned prior to purchase. I've always been really pleased with the results. But wow, I must thank you for the tip on cleaning brand new pressings! I never thought about doing this and always thought that they would leave the pressing plant in the best possible state for playback. I've been missing a trick for years it seems! I put your advice into practice this evening and played a brand new record that I've never really been happy with in terms of sonics (Queen's Innuendo). As usual it sounded a bit dull and lifeless, I've always put this down to the mix as the original CD was always a bit lacklustre. Anyway, I've just cleaned it with my Disco AS and I can't believe the difference, it's like night and day! This pressing sounds far better than the original CD and I can finally enjoy it properly. Top advice there and I can highly recommend to anyone that cleaning brand new pressings is a must if you have the means to do so. Cheers, love your channel, thanks!
Glad I could be of help, Karl.
Great review and totally agree with your findings. I’ve been using one for years now and it’s the single most impressive bit of audio gear I’ve bought! I also ditched the included fluid because of the residue. It scrapes out from the grooves and ends up as a ball of ‘fluff’ on the stylus. Rubbish! But replace that and all is good. I use distilled water with a little bit of l’art du son, which is a bit expensive but works well. Although don’t use much else you again will end up with a residue. I’ll have to give some home-made a go sometime. New records really benefit as well. I’d really only swap the knosti for an ultrasonic cleaner.
Thanks for your kind words Wayne and for your thoughts. Glad you’re enjoying your Disco-Antistat.
Hi well said about the fluid with the cleaner... Bloody awful... I use Luke warm water a little squeeze of washing up liquid or negative film clearer plus a cap full of distilled white vinegar.... Great no build-up of fluff and for some reason seems to sort out STATIC....
i believe the fluff is being removed by the stylus because of the removal of static which would otherwise stay on the surface
I have had the generation two for two months, it has a cranking handle and an arm each side of the body to hold the main spindle when the record is in the washer. I found the same problem with the fluid, it leaves a residue that dry's on the surface, the diamond tip then cleans it off and its gone the next time you play the record. I am going to watch your video on surfactant next. Its funny that I thought the same thing though, it really does work and improves the sound quality of your vinyl for peanuts.
I have used this product for a couple of years now on used records, with very satisfying results. Did not know about the need to clean newly pressed records though, thanks.
Hi Paul, I just thought I'd give credit where credit is due. I've now cleaned some of my vinyls using your recommended method of brushing on distilled water with surfactant (i use triton x1 because it was cheap) and then clean in the knosti with distilled water and isopropyl. Well what a difference! Amazing. It revived some albums that were full of crackles. Thankyou. I might even start buying 2nd hand vinyl again .
Glad I could be of help :)
Great review! The best part is the reference to the goat hair brushes. The Vinyl Styl is similar to the Disc-antisat. It too uses goat hair brushes. Maybe you will do a review/comparison of the two.
OMG we love to hear audiophiles describe music and a good recording🙂
Excellent video , 10/10 for explaining everything clearly and concisely!
I used it many many years ago with a spray named ‘Permostat’ afterwards. Great 👍 product, I remember, simpel and very effective! My Disco Antistat was an even simpler version than this one, but looks the same.
My listening experience will be much improved thanks to your great advice, of which I've been following closely, you sir are one the of the best assets to the vinyl community! as to your advice my kit includes, the Knosti Washer without the cleaner solution even though they say it won't leave a film on the records, a Hudson stylus cleaner, a Kabuki brush, a stylus force guage, some Triton X100, some fancy inner record sleeves, a few dropper bottles, a set of beakers, a trio of Groovewasher pads for that light dusting before play, distilled H2O, Isopropylene Alcohol 99.9%, Propylene Glycol food grade, all this will make my 440 watt 4 ohm speakers and Denon DL 160 cartridge sound pretty amazing, I almost feel like an audiofile, thanks Paul 🎻
Paul,
Thanks for the Video it was extremely useful as I was having an argument with Daniel at Knosti regarding an issue I was experiencing with severe debris appearing on the record surface (and stylus) following cleaning, as well as extra noise between tracks and presumably during playing also!
Daniel was adamant that I must have received a second hand item from my seller and that the fluid was probably already saturated with dirt from previous use!
I tried your recipe for a replacement cleaning fluid and off we go :)
I have forwarded Knosti the link to this video and recommended they take note. I won't be holding my breath for a reformulated liquid any time soon however ;)
Thanks you for your diligence.
James
Great review love the that you highlighted the fact that not only does the knosti clean your records but it also improves the sound reproduction, surprisingly so. Spot on about the fluid leaving gunk on the stylus.. I use pre made fluid from Vinyl Shelter, it's priced well and performs brilliantly. I had some records cleaned by a friend on his expensive Moth cleaner it did improve them but I put them through my knosti once I had purchased it and my word it improved the sound hugely. So expensive is not always the best. Thanks again.
I have used this device for a couple of years with reasonable success. I found the label will get wet if you overfill the bath because the clamp doesn’t form a good seal. I broke the screw on mine by overtightening it. This was me being overzealous. I am now looking for an o-ring that will fit into the grooves in the clamps and form a better seal without too much tightening. (The mk 2 version has this feature). Anyhow I made a new metal spindle and screw for the clamp, so all good.
The filter is junk though because the solution can get under the filter paper without being filtered (which will contaminate the next record you clean). Use a normal funnel and filter paper for much better results. The amount of muck that comes off the records after a cleaning session is quite astonishing. I find that it takes two plays to get the excess anti static stuff off the record. Maybe I should dive your 1% solution a try.
Good insight and advice, Richard. Many thanks.
I bought one of these this week. I have an old copy of Dark Side of the Moon that's been in storage for 30 years. Having bought a new turntable last week, it was time to get it out. It was unplayable. Snap, crackle and pop from the start. I only managed a few seconds. After one clean with this product, it plays like new.
I now have to clean the rest of my old collection - with new sleeves of course.
Definitely (sometimes) causes gunk to build up on the stylus which is annoying. If you have the time and means, play the record once on another turntable first before playing it on your 'good' stylus / deck. Having said that, the cleaning action is superb on this basic system and yields surprisingly good results and the records come out pretty much looking like they're just out out of the pressing plant and with a new level of sound quality.
Super review. Here my horror. I have a new Pro-Ject Debut Recordmaster attached to active speakers. A disco antistat and 21 records. Started playing records again after 40 years. Most of my records are second hand from the 70’s. So i cleaned them in the last weeks at least 3 to 5 times with the knosti. Result was super…. Until out of nowhere my records sounded muddy i think is the word. I clean my stylus with the little black stylus brush every side of the record when i play it. First i thought it was the active speaker, so i connected another one i still had. The sound stayed terrible. Then i put one drop of a mixture of polypropinol alcohol and distilled water on the black styluscleaner and after a few tries, some white rubbish fell off the stylus. This never happened when i used it dry. The Knosti antistat fluid leaves white residu on the stylus for sure as you mentioned. Not visible with the naked eye. I now made your 7% mixture. Cleaned all my records again and the result is amazing. Sound is great again and i can play a whole side of a record with at most a static fiber hanging of the stylus. Thanks a lot!
No problem and yep, Knosti's liquid is poor. My mind's gone - have you seen this link? It may help even further: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Put a small coloured sticker on the clamps to make rotation counting a bit easier....and count 1 to 6 first way round, then 7 to 12 on the counter rotation. Its quite theraputic but i do find myself switching off and losing count quite often....
Good idea, Paul - might do that myself, actually.
Hi Paul,
Love your videos. I'm a fan! I recently purchased a Project Evo Carbon Turntable on your advice (Invaluable!).... I recently also bought a Knosti Disco Antistat Record Cleaner, but after one use I had a lot of trouble removing the Brushes inside it and also putting them back in. I only cleaned 9 records, but I'm wondering if anyone else has come across this issue? I would appreciate your advice! Thanks a million!
Hubert
Why do you want to remove the brushes, Hubert?
@@TheAudiophileMan @The Audiophile Man To clean them. They looked like rust stains on them. They sell spare brushes, so I figured the brushes would come out..... WHAT A JOB! Now they won't go back in. Are they not meant to come out? Whoops.....
They are not meant to be removed. And you can easily clean them in situ.
@@TheAudiophileMan why offer
why offer replacement brushes ?
I bought a Knosti Disco Antistat recently after a bit of research into what was available, but held off using it until I had completed a service of my Systemdek II XE 900 AP deck - (New drive belt, new bearing oil, some tweaks and a bit of a clean).
Once that was done I pulled out my Go-To test album, The Blue Nile - "A Walk Across The Rooftops" (Linn records- yes that 'Linn') It was a bit dusty to the eye so I gave it a quick wipe with a carbon fibre brush and played it. Plenty of pops and crackles from dust etc. I then cleaned it using the Disco machine and it was a huge improvement, taking away at least 95% of the noise. I have just cleaned about a hundred 7" singles (then getting them all into Tonar Nostatic inner sleeves, another recent purchase) and have started on the album collection. I consider it a bargain at the price given the price of albums now.
I have been using the vinyl Styl record cleaner for awhile now and yes the cleaning solution that it comes with it is junk it will clog up your LP's and mess up your stylis . I make my own cleaner solution with distilled water and instead of alcohol I use white distilled vinegar and finish dishwasher no spot as a drying agent , then spray them with distilled water and put them in the drying rack. Works great but never dry them with a towel sure to get static that way.
So I recently started watching your videos. I like your scholarly approach to all things audio. I recently watched videos on record care; surfactants and this one. But the more I listened the more confused I got about what the end game is. You know the best way to clean. I own a a Spin Clean and a vacuum machine. I thought that the Spin Clean did a pretty good job of cleaning and am impressed in its ability to rid lp's of static but I didn't think that it did the best job of cleaning, hence the vacuum cleaner and a host of cleaning potions, enzyme wash, super deep first step cleaners triton x-100, etc., etc. But I always lusted for a cavitation cleaner not just for its superiority over the others but its simplicity. I spend about twenty minutes futzing with enzymes that half to sit five minutes on the lp, then clean that with regular cleaner, then a pure rinse. Just drop it in that's it. I know the first machines were not reliable but the Degritter seems to be different. I notice that you use one. But watching this video I get the impression that you prefer the antistat machine with your preferred solution to vacuum cleaners. You didn't really discuss them. And then I forgot how you put it, the antistat and Degritter were the only proper way to clean records. Am I wrong? after this I put a hold on purchasing the Degritter after I was so amped up in purchasing one. So do you have a video that lays it all out in a succinct and no confusion way or maybe you can explain it in the most concise way to someone like me?
Thanks Nicholas. If you need a Guide for manual cleaning, try this recently posted article from my site. I'll be transferring it to video but not just yet. Here's the link: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
My ultimate cleaning system is ultrasonic via a Degritter. Next down is a vacuum-based system with an Antistat used as a sort of pre-wash. Further down is the Antistat only. Depends on your budget. Here's a review of the Degritter, if you need that: theaudiophileman.com/degritter-vinyl-record-cleaning-machine-ultrasonic-review/
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks for responding. I do have two more questions , the use of glycol in cleaning solution. Is this the same as automotive coolant and how do you get small amounts? Also the use of a kabuki brush to apply Tergitol solution to an lp. All I could find were makeup brushes.
You simply can't have that much fun and experimentation with an all digital system . Thanks for that information and tips regarding the cleaning liquids and the brushes . Yes some really dirty records do need a really good hard wash and scrub .
Cleaning a DEAN MARTIN record is really COOL, Sir! 👍👍👍
Well done, perfect!!
Love the King of Cool ! 💓
The rack holds 15 records, now if you clean 15 records you'll see that the first one is already pretty dry and can be taken out. If you look closely though you will notice that there's just a little bit still in the grooves. I then wave the record, holding it with two hands at the edges so that it dries.
I NEVER spin the records in the opposite direction while in the machine, because I like to keep the brushes dirty on one side and clean on the other. Now if you feel you need to attack the dirt from both sides, you just lift the spindle and record and turn that over, so by again spinning in the same direction you will spin the record itself in the opposite direction without getting the dirt on both sides of the brushes.
I do have one thing that irritates me and that is the absence of a proper way of pouring out the used fluid back into the filter. It drips a lot and you'll have to get used to that. I manage to use the fact that it is dripping and hold the bottom of the machine above the filter and not the actual pouring lid.
Oh yes: DO ventilate, open the windows or kitchen door or whatever. This prevents you from getting a headache.
Yes, I've done the wavy vinyl thing too! I must look like a right prat but it works :)
There Is now a New version of this, they have ironed out the problems and Improved It. Now you can take out the brushes for better cleaning, or re-newing. they also provide a Turning handle as well as a better way of cleaning. Never had a problem with mine.I use Distilled Water and the Alcohol, I have never used the solution that came with It.
Yes, I have the new version - just need time to review it :)
@@TheAudiophileMan It will be a Interesting Review. I'll look out for It.
Glad you liked this & that I picked it out by luck from the plethora of Amazon products. I don't play much vinyl so while being impressed by the initial results will check clean my stylus & re do with your great distilled water alcohol mixture Paul. Thanks for discovering & pointing the residue problem out!
Fancy giving Topping DACs another go? Check out the E50 - using mine (in pre-amp mode) via the power amp input of the Audiolab 6000a sounds incredibly detailed & dynamic to my cheapskate audio ears - even at 16 bit 44.1 streaming over Amazon music / Wiim mini! Cheers
No problem and I'll make a note, Andy
the Knosti is a good system highly recommended, though the supplied fluid leaves a sticky residue, a much better fluid is made by Vinyl Shelter. Dont let the fluid touch the record labels. Extra dirty records can be scrubbed first with fluid and a goats hair brush then dipped in the Knosti.
Many thanks for posting another really informative and helpful video! 🙏
Thanks for the review! The older black models are down to £39, so I have picked one up and will use your recommended bathing formula. Happy Days!
What is his recomended cleaning solution?
Hello Mark! Amazing and clear video. Whatched it til now year later. And i cant find at simple search this product, do you recommend any other brand similar to this as alternative? Or should i basically seatch for a similar one that is with inconditionally with brushes? Cheers!!! Happy to see your enthusiasm and vida
One thing I noticed about what you said is leaving the solution in the machine. I dont mean to criticize you but it makes more sense to filter the solution every time and use the solution again. Every time you filter it you remove debree from the solution. Although what I am not comfortable with is reusing the solution. i would probably reuse You would have to go through painstaking effort, if you want 100 % clean. Im still deciding on how just to use the machine. I love your channel because its provided me with much insight from you and I am convinced the solution of a simple machine like this really stands out, if it claims to do what you say. I really cringe at the idea of anything slightly abrasive cleaning my record. But the fact that it has something natural, goats hair brush, makes me feel that its the best brush. All things natural have been used for many things and nothing works better than the things made from nature instead of plastic or other man made materials. Sorry about this long post, but Im wondering(because I dont know) what is in the solution.s ince vinyl is plastiic , or same thing as plumbing pipes which is some form of plastic, what solvents will effect it? You had another video about using Tergikleen. This is claimed not to have alcohol or other things that can damage vinyl. One thing I believe in is natural cleaning ability of distilled water and its purity. Is there anything cleaner and know not to harm plastic? I dont really agree on using any alcohol at all because its know efect on certain plastics. Im not a chemist and not going to do chemsitry experiments. Again, natural things such as cotton has proven natures reliability and effectiveness, such as horse hai for violin bows. Im probably going to use what my mom cleaned windows with, vinegar, but very dilluted and clear white distilled vinegar. im going to see what I can figure out whats in Tergikleen, and will use it if I fell its safe. An acid cleans windows very well with water. It may be also that it acts as a drying agent also
Hi Kevin - sure, you can filter. That's perfectly fine. I just didn't hear any performance drop when using the same bath for a time and then replacing the entire bath at that point and filling up anew. And yes, the goat hair brush is excellent and much more preferable/efficient than similar designs that feature sponges. As for the rest? Have you seen my website Guide? Check this one out, have a read and if you have further questions/point, give me a shout: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
My situation involves lots of lint and hair from cats. Even after one clean, I noticed that the brushes were full of hair. I like the idea of cleaning as much debris as I can, so it doesnt go back on the brushes, and stay on the record. l also use the disc machine to catch distilled water off the record, after pouring the cleaner out and filtering it. I think filtering as much debris out, including what cannot be seen, is better idea, seperating as much debris as possible out of the cleaning solution. I use a spray bottle with distilled water and spray with force all the tergekleen solution off the record .I noticed that there is still a white residue in some places on the record, so Im going to reduce the amount of tergekleen to the point there is no residue left, but still wets evenly on the record.(tergekleen seems to be best choice) One thing I believe is necessary, is an antistatic gun to get to get rid of hair statically attracted to the record. The carbon fiber brush is useless trying to remove the hair, and isnt good for anything I can see. After my vinyl is clean it gets put back in the record sleave, and I use distilled water on a brush, clean the record with it,and clean the stylus before playing it again., and check the VTF before playing each record. You use more science to determine things, which is why I like your channel. I myself have not noticed an improvement in sound quality with the machine vs. just using distilled water and a brush.but I believe you proved there is a difference. But it make sense to use the machine to remove any oils, smoke , or anything else that gets on the record, as distilled water cannot do this. I appreciate your exhaustive study and research on this matter. I also used wally tools to align the cartridge, check antiskating, and set overhang according to the smart tractor UNI DIN standard which is 5mm or so close to that more than the denon overhang setting. Sorry about being long winded here. Have you used any tools like Wally tools or smart tractor to set your alignment correctly? I also have Analogmagik which is a cartridge setup softwear & test LPs which Im going to use and do yet. Did your discostat come with rubber seals for the label protector and holder? Mine didnt.
Well Paul how interesting , I’ve been thinking about the new project vinyl cleaner that’s receiving some attention lately. But having seen your review makes me think , what’s to be really gained? . I do use a device of my own making with some degree of success, but it is a bit of a faf . No to me you’ve just made my mind up , so thanks again . Some times simple is often the way to go . Best wishes and kind regards Mike in the U.K. 👍
When using the supplied fluid, I've noticed that my air-quality meter hits red to warn of high readings for HCHO (formaldehyde) and TVOC (total volatile organic compounds). It takes quite a long time to disperse after a cleaning session has ended. Hence, my preference is to shorten exposure to breathing the liquid and return the fluid back to the bottle rather than just cover it with foil.
Another reason to not use the included liquid, then :) Thanks for the breakdown though, interesting stuff.
I don't know if you've seen, but Knosti now have a Disco Antistat Ultrasonic offering at about £1119 - I would love to see a review on that! - It certainly looks interesting
I've asked to be put down for a review sample.
I'm reading do not use the alcohol when using the tergikleen. Only add recommended amount of tergikleen to distilled water only. They also recommend to do a rinse with only distilled water afterwards to rid the record of residual tergikleen.
Hi Tony - I don't recommend adding Tergitol to the bath itself but to the surface of the vinyl. Adding Terigtol to a bath will drastically reduce the efficiency of the Tergitol performance. Once clean then yes, I recommend a rinse to remove all residue.
@@TheAudiophileMan thank you for that!
@@TheAudiophileMan would that be after the record dries or right after the cleaning bath?
Thanks a lot for all the advice Paul, much appreciated..Just one additional question on version II of the Disco Antistat. If I understand correctly, it is not worthwhile paying twice as much for the updated version. From what I see, the only differences are rubber feet added, a manivel to turn the record and apparently better protection for the label so that it does not get wet. I don't think this justifies charging double the price as compared to the older version. Grateful for your views. Best regards, Ignacio
Errr, did I share this link with you, Ignacio - can't remember and I'm on the move so can't check. It should answer a heap of questions: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
I hope to review the 'II' but from what I can see the changes are aesthetic only.
Hey Paul - I've been paying close attention to this video lately b/c I'm coming up with a gameplan for cleaning my vinyl. If I'm understanding your directions correctly, you apply the surfactant to an uncleaned record...that's the first step correct? If so, potentially could you be getting a lot of dirt on the kabuki brush? Would it make sense to do a quick rinse in the Knosti with just distilled water before applying the surfactant? Forgive me if I'm missing something.
Also, can you let me know your process for cleaning a record just before you put it on the table? Do you use a brush? If you already did a video on this could you please direct me to it?
Lastly, I've seen several reviews on your channel about turntable mats. Is there any one that you like the best?
I appreciate the service you're doing for the vinyl community. Especially us newbies. Thanks for all of your time/energy.
Thanks for the review, this has been useful for me with some added tips for use.
I have been using this product for a few years now, resisting the urge to invest in the more costlier vacuum based record cleaners. My only gripe with the system is the method of rotating the record in the bath. The lighter weight old albums I have don’t have as much resistance to the brushes as the more modern 180g copies I have, which take a bit of turning on sometimes, sharp edged discs !
I think I am going to buy the mark 2 model, which has a cranking handle for turning the records in the bath.
This will enable me to have cleaning and rinsing facilities, as well as the extra drying rack space.
I am so impressed with your video , I have now subscribed!
Good video i have a vinyl styl record washer, 2 spin clean record washer, ultrasonic digital cleaner and the record doctor VI vacuum cleaner to dry my records.
Hi Paul, coming back to the original Knosti, is there an issue with the labels getting wet? This seems to be a recurrent problem and version II of the machine claims to have solved it as it provides larger covers to hide/protect the labels. Grateful for your views. And many thanks again for your great videos! Cheers, Ignacio
Many thanks and well, I must admit that I have never had that problem.
This randomly popped up on RUclips for my pleasure. As always a great detailed view. I’ve just bought the Degritter MKII, but know that it cannot remove finger prints. I was thinking of adding this as an option to clean up those badly handled secondhand LPs, before they meet the Degritter. In your experience, do you think this cleaner with its attrition, would be effective Paul?
Also, now that you don’t recommend tergitol, what would your choice be?
Thank you very much sir, after this review i will be going online and buying one post haste. Thanks for the tip of making your own bath fluid, also about cleaning new vinyl, i will be doing that as well.Brillant video cheer's man Ian.
Hello and congratulations for your work. I was about to perchase a clean system for my vinyl from Project but you have convince me to go for the ANTISTAT. What bothers me is the issue with the cleaning liquid and because i find it hard to use all those other mattirials with alcohol ect i d like to ask if you suggest me to use the cleaning liquid that PROJECT suggests? i would appreciate your replay a lot as i wont be in confiuson and anxus any more, thank you
Wow, J.D. Emmanuel. Wasn't expecting to see such esoteric music on an audiophile channel.
Great video!! How-to get hold of your magical receipe please for the cleaning bath? Thank you
Check out my Guide here and give me a shout if you need any help: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
I have the spin clean. It comes with concentrated cleaner. Just add distilled water and 2 cap full of cleaner. Also it doesn't have the spin adapter. I think for my self I'd hate to have to put that on every single record. I wonder if there is one that includes bother the pads and the goat hair? I have a couple cleaning nights once a year and clean my entire collection.
Agreed, brushes are better than pads, but I think calling the SpinClean things "pads", might be a bit misleading, because they are, if I'm not mistaken, microfiber pads, so they do have fuzzy bits that do scrub into the groove of the record. That being said, I think the optimal device of this type might be achieved by combining the Knosti and the SpinClean, because I find the spindle of the Knosti to be too fiddly and unnecessary. I've cleaned 10,000+ records in the SpinClean and have yet to ruin even one label. Also, I use two SpinCleans for most of the records in my store, one with cleaner, the second with only distilled water, followed by a quick wipe with the supplied clothes then a few minutes in a drying rack. Lastly, I always rinse really nasty records off in the sink first, as to not unnecessarily gunk up the SpinClean with grit and grime. I also have a two stage wet vac system (Tergikleen then distilled water) at the store that I use on my personal collection and for higher priced records.
Hi, did you mention why you use 7% as opposed to 1% alcohol in another video? I can't seem to find it.
Thanks
Do you need to dry off with a soft cloth or drip dry? Many thanks for the video. I got one this Christmas and the instructions are in German so this was very useful.
Glad I could be of help. Wouldn't recommend a cloth because you'll only recontaminate the disc if you do that. Natural drying is best.
@@TheAudiophileMan thanks for that. One more quick question. Do you unclamp the middle spindle after it’s dry enough. If there’s still residue does it ever drip onto the label?
I find that lifting the clamped record out of the bath, allowing it to drip dry for a few seconds (so the majority of the liquid immediately falls back into the bath), then unclamping and transferring to the drying rack is the best option.
@@TheAudiophileMan How long does the record take to completely dry in the rack please? Thanks
@Chaggy1978 Depends. Mainly, how warm your room is. What liquid type sits in the bath. Sometimes even the makeup of the vinyl itself. Several minutes? Broadly?
Nice review thanks Paul.. I just wish I’d seen it before I bought a Spin Clean! Haven’t actually used it yet, been researching methods for drying the records eg air dry or using a cloth. It’s a minefield, so many differing opinions.
Hi Graham - the best drying method is to hoover the liquid using a high quality RCM but cash might get in the way there.
@@TheAudiophileMan as you say - the price is prohibitive. I’ll give the the Spin Clean a go. I’ve never wet cleaned my records. The albums I have from the late 70s and 80s still sound great on my Pioneer PL-6, Technics SU-Z45 amp and new Sony open back headphones. Found an original Ortofon VMS20E Mk ii on eBay, which sounds great.. although little difference from the aftermarket 10E that I bought last year. Main reason for buying the Spin Clean is I’ve been buying a lot of second hand vinyl online. Some of it is pretty dirty.
I can remember having a battery operated vinyl cleaner in the 80s made by I think it was by the company RONCO
While I think it's money well spent and I'm really happy with how it cleans the records. I'm not exactly thrilled with the plastic clamps! They keep undoing while I'm cleaning and when I do them up too tight they get stuck together like they're glued together!
They shouldn't undo - have you tightened them sufficiently? Maybe add a little grease on the screw thread to enable you to unscrew them if you go hard to begin with.
Could you not give the record a rinse with with garden sprayer filled distilled water and 1% alcohol to get the included cleaning liquid off the groove?
It's the goat hair brushes that are, as you say, the star of the show. One error, though: when listing the devices that *don't* use such brushes, you inadvertently included the Disco-Antistat, when, presumably, you meant the Spin Clean.
I did? Then yes, I meant the SC.
Hi Paul! Thanks for the amazing content of your website/channel. I’d like to ask your opinion about my record cleaning fluid composition. For a few years I’ve been using this combination of chemicals: 10 drops of triton, 450ml of distilled water, 36ml of 99% pure isopropyl alcohol and 4ml of propylene glycol. I spread the solution on the surface with a brush for a few minutes and then vacuum it off with my VPI machine. I rinse it off with distilled water twice each side. I get incredible results with it, but I wonder if this has been harmful to my records. Do you think so?
Another thing, I just purchased Tergikleen from eBay, I’m willing to give it a shot to see if I get better results. However, along with the bottle came a note with instructions saying NOT TO mix it with alcohol, otherwise I would be ruining the solution. So now I found myself completely lost! I’d appreciate if you could help me on this pickle! Thank you.
Hi Diego - might be easier for me to ask you to read my extensive vinyl cleaning guide first. Check that out, see what you think and then I'll be happy to take more questions if you have any after that : theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Hello Paul, many thanks for the very good and educational video. I must confess I still clean my records the old fashioned way and am seriously thinking about getting a cleaning machine. And here come my questions: first: how do the Knosti and the Spin Clean compare besides the price difference? Second: is it worth going beyond manual and getting something like the Project VC-E or VC-S? Linked to that: do these machines do a better/more thorough job than the manual ones? Thanks in advance. Kind regards, Ignacio
Hi Ignacio - The basic difference between the Spin Clean and the Disco is down to how each cleans. The former uses foam pads, the latter uses goat hair brushes. The foam pads are no where near as effective. I've done an A-B test. Yes, it's worth going beyond manual, as long as you have the budget. Next up is a RCM like the Pro-Ject. Up from there is an ultrasonic cleaner.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks a lot for the very quick reply, Paul, much appreciated. Indeed, budget is consideration. Overall, would you say the Disco does a thorough job and that after cleaning the record you can really hear the difference (meaning no more snack, crackle, pop or very little)? Kind regards, Ignacio
@@ignicioperez4647 It does if you follow my manual vinyl cleaning guide :) Check out the link here: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
@@TheAudiophileMan Many thanks again, Paul.Btw, I note there is a version 2 of the same machine. Is there any substantial difference with the previous model? Regards, Ignacio
In basic terms? No. I think it's mainly cosmetic.
First I clean dry with brush and some velvet cleaner, before using the washer.
Brilliant video thank you for sharing. Now on my shopping list.
Looks like something from "K-Tel" back in the mists of time🧐
Thank you for the upload of this video. Very informative as well. I was wondering how many records you can clean with just one litre of Knosti cleaner before you need to replace it with a 'fresh' bottle. My record collection is not that big, just around 180-200 12" records. Some of them, original Beatles albums from the 60's, are very very dirty. Thumps up!!
Zero. That's my answer :) I don't rate the Knosti liquid. The hardware? Best manual cleaner on the planet. The liquid? Not. Please check out my Guide - on my website - for the full explanation. It's a long one, skip the bits you don't need, take the bits you do. There's a step by step cleaning guide in there, liquids info, the lot: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Thanks alot! Your Cleaning Guide was a long but well worth reading. Let's clean the records now!! 👍🏻
It's a reference really, Robert - something to pick through and take what you want from. But glad you found something useful in there :)
Enjoy watching your videos. When hanging your records out to dry (so to speak), do you end up with watermarks?
Not with the system I use. Check out the link: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you for the link - very helpful.
I have the same device. There is something that keeps me wondering. The records i own, 40 years old seem to have more clicks than in the old days. I read records are pressed and the records are loosened from the metal motherrecord with grease or oil. Is the oil or grease that remained in the grooves the cause of the clicks, oil or grease get thicker over the decades and stuf in it locked. Dear readers, am i right? Thanks in advance. If so,will an ultrasonic cleaner be effective to remove the unwanted?
Hi - it's not grease or oil specifically that remains in the grooves. It is but it isn't. Nothing is added for that purpose. It is a sort of oil I suppose but it's naturally leeched by the record itself. That is the lubricant that prevents the record sticking to the press is actually part of the vinyl recipe itself. The 'oil' is released under heat and pressure by that recipe. So no human, for example, is involved. Similarly, it's not removed when the record is released from the press. No one has the time or the manpower or the money remove the stuff so it stays in the groove forever...unless you remove it. And it will only be removed through abrasion. Which most vinyl cleaning solutions/systems do not include. Ultrasonic cleaners have it. The best low-cost system that offers abrasion is the Disco. It's the tough goat hair brushes, you see. Similar designs to this one that feature sponges instead of brushes only offer a fraction of the cleaning power, I'm afraid and zero abrasive properties. Check out my own vinyl cleaning guide here (produced after many years of research, interviews, testing, etc). It may help you, happy to answer questions after you've checked it out: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Any chance to have a review of the knosti ultrasonic disco-antistat?
I've asked them twice but I'm still waiting for a reply - they can be a bit...elusive.
Is an entry, but not the solution. (The Knosti has a crank😉)
I love my Pro-Ject VC-E2!
(They changed the old one, into a new for 100€❣️)
Paul: could I please ask you to clarify as I’m a newbie at cleaning and just bought this. It relates to your pre-clean mix & subsequent clean in the Disco anti-stat:
Pre-clean: mix the surfactant as diluted according to your own instructions (mine says x2 drops each of the Tergitol 15-S3 & S9 into a 3 to 4 distilled water/alcohol mix at a 500ml volume total) where the S3 is oil soluble & the S9 is water soluble)
Mix this diluted formulation with x2 dropper fills of the propylene glycol in the dropper bottle (I use a medical sample bottle actually)
Have I got this part correct?
The main wash:
70mls alcohol to 1 litre of distilled water (the somewhat higher rate of alcohol to wash away the glycol from the pre-treatment).
Now, I ask because before you have said only use 1% alcohol in the wash formulation so I wanted to check.
Many thanks for all your advice here & especially in keeping our records safe for future listening & archiving. 👍🏼
Check out my Guide here - that should provide the info you need. Give me a shout if you need more info: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Great reviews on vinyl, Paul. OK so from what you advise here, I'm going to get this one. Just want to check something. First I clean my records (example 10 or 20 records) with the cleaning product with this device. Then I empty the bath and use the distilled water/alcohol/surfucant method of yours as the second cleaning. Correct? Thank you.
Try this Guide - it will walk you through: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
It looks to be better than the Spin-Clean record cleaner that uses 2 rollers that are extremely expensive to replace when the rubber tyres stretch and depending on the thickness of your vinyl record tend to pop out of their location grooves when changing rotation direction. Is the cleaning fluid easily available for these Knosti cleaners?
The Knosti cleaner is great - the included liquid is not. Please check out my Guide here for my alternative: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Great review I've just purchased a Knosti after watching this. Have you got a link to the video about the Glycol liquid. ?
Working on that one :)
Hi Paul. Thank you for such an interesting in depth informative review following which I've just bought thie Disco Antistat kit. My only query is regarding your comments about the Knosti liquid leaving deposits on the stylus: Are the deposits easy to get off? I clean my stylus before and after playing one side of an LP with a small carbon fibre brush. Would this suffice for removing the deposits or would I need something else to remove them?
Hi Martin - my website-based, manual cleaning guide may be of use here: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks Paul, I will do that.
What equipment did you use to gauge the sound characteristics?
Your ear is subjective.
Thanks so much for this information, and as I am new on LP and want to clean all my collection, so I have a question how long should the LP work fine before the next cleaning, or how I will know that my LP need to be wash again!
And I didn't get exactly what you mean by we can use 1% Alcohol to clean the LP! Do you mean to add 1-7% of alcohol to normal water and just clean to LP with it!
That's a tough question because it depends on you and how you treat your records in the first place as well as your environment (i.e. dust, cigarette smoke, etc). I could say, until you hear sonic issues. Then clean. Failing that? Every 15-20 plays?
Also, 1% of alcohol placed in a container of distilled water is enough to clean vinyl. I recommend the use of Glycol if your cleaner is vertical because it helps to hold in the surfactant but then you need 7% to melt the Glycol off the record during cleaning. If you use a vacuum-based RCM machine which cleans horizontally then you don't need the Glycol.
So, if you store 2 litres of distilled water then add 1% of that 2 litres to the bottle. Give it a good shake and that can be poured into the Disco bath as a ready liquid.
If you need more help for your vinyl cleaning check out my website Guide here: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
thanks for great video. Do you have any update on when the video about 1% vs 7% alcohol and record cleaning in general will be published?
I should have a written feature published on my site (at least initially) by the end of this week. So please look out for that if you need the info soon.
Hi Paul, received my Knosti Disco Antistat (version one) today and will try it out later in the day. For starter, would distilled water and isopropyl alcohol be enough (is it 1% or 7% alcohol)? Thanks a lot. Cheers, Ignacio
Have you read my Guide? The answers are there. I can send a link.
What about the 2nd Gen. of this system? Same, better, worse?
To clean the stylus of the residue, do you use a simple stylus brush, or one of the gummy things that you place on the turntable and carefully dip the stylus in so that the gummy stuff grabs and holds the the residue?
The Dust Buster sticky pad is the best budget stylus cleaner. This DS Audio example is the best stylus cleaner on the market but it costs more: theaudiophileman.com/ds-audio-st-50-vinyl-clean-review/ and - a quick plug - I do have a full stylus-cleaning buyer's guide on my Patreon Page which also includes interviews with Goldring and Ortofon who talk about this very subject: www.patreon.com/audiophileman
Unfortunately, this unit is not available anymore on UK or EUROPE Amazon. US Amazon has copies that use pads not goat hairs. Do you have any additional contacts where the original version can be purchased other than the few on ebay for a very high price?
Sure - try here: www.amazon.co.uk/Knosti-1300001-DISCO-ANTISTAT-RECORD-CLEANER-Black/dp/B000BFXIVW/ref=asc_df_B000BFXIVW/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310815861304&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10846611589405278&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9073566&hvtargid=pla-385817883067&psc=1
Good review Paul I'm no mathematician however. What does 1% mean to a quart of distilled water? 32 oz per quart so .32 of alcohol.. how do you determine .32 once?
Convert that figure to Millilitres for easier measuring (there's a host of online quick convertors out there - its about 9ml) and buy a set of measuring vials on amazon.com rated for that for under $10: www.amazon.com/Pixnor-Measuring-Cylinder-Graduated-Test/dp/B019W5T4CS/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=measuring+vials&qid=1618478770&sr=8-4
I've purchased 2 of the Disco Antistats (one for rinsing), and did step by step, the way you instructed in the Vinyl cleaning guide you left me in a link. Tergikleen, Glycol, the 7% alcohol, everything to a tee. Even did 5 cycles on each record. Tremendous increase in audio. I only have 1 question. When it's time again to re clean everything, and it doesn't need the extreme clean like the first time around, and I leave out the glycol, but continue to use the surfactant, can I get away with 1% alcohol, or stay with the 7%, or somewhere in between?
Hello ,What amout of glycol did you use ?
Thanks
@@makdonaldo8955 using the small glass pipettes that he used, I put one dropper full into an empty pipette, and filled the rest with the tergikleen/distilled water solution
Could you please send me this vinyl cleaning guide link?
How can I clean the goat brush?😮
and also roughly how many cleans (on average) before changing the bathwater?
Depends on your vinyl. Just how dirty is it? On average? 30 cleans. Monitor the bath water visually. Are your records taking longer to clean than before? Are you still hearing pops and clicks where previously there were none from the same type of vinyl condition? Once you get into a cleaning rhythm, you will notice slight differences here and there, away from the norm in sound or visual terms. That's the time to change.
Can you buy a spare drying rack for this product.
www.knosti.de/vinyl/21/disco-antistat-trockenstaender?c=5
So, just to be certain, for use with the Disco Antistat Vinyl Cleaning contraption it's: Distilled Water, 1% Isopropyl Alcohol and a dash of Tergitol?
I've found the alcohol by the litre on Amazon (rubbing alcohol?) and the tergitol is available in very small bottles on eBay. Am I on the right track (excuse the pun)?
This Guide may be of use: theaudiophileman.com/vinyl-cleaning-guide-part-1-manual-cleaning/
Alcohol I use:
www.amazon.com/dp/B005DNQX3C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_1NE7SCP3NABQ09MQX6Z6