The pros and cons of Onzow Zerodust and record cleaning in general

Audio Gear Talk
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I would recommend this one. Very happy with it. Yes it’s loud but suction is strong with this one :sweat_smile:

Pro-Ject VC-E, Compact record cleaning machine, Silver https://amzn.eu/d/iFZ1nWG

If I ever win the lottery, I’m buying this :smiling_imp:

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@Jazzfan_NJ It is very much worth the effort, cleaning your vinyl.
I have an old Okki Nokki which is my main cleaning device. I also have a HumminGuru Ultrasonic Cleaner.
I cant see one device doing full service, the Okki will always be the best for coarse cleaning and removal of static electricity but the HumminGuru does seem to clean some of the “harder to reach” parts of the groove.
Okki cleaning is a laborious task with, in my routine, at least three steps:

  1. Dry cleaning with a carbon fiber/velvet brush
  2. Pre-cleaning woth isoprop/clean water and some form of surface reactant
  3. main cleaning using L’Art du Son, Okki or something called Tarkett BioClean
    Each step uses different tools, no filth should be carried to the next step. Also, vacuuming off the dirty fluids is done after step 2. and 3., but never more than two laps. (Never totally dry, as this will cause static rather than dispel it)
    I dont bother with new inner bags unless the record was exceptionallt dirty, i think its an OCD and the crud tht matters is not stored therein…

If the record is cleansed on the Okki, it has also got a free pass for a session in the HumminGuru.
Otherwise the ultrasonic cleaners have a tendensy to spread dirty water all over the current and every next album before water exchange…

63

I went to the source to ask about the claims.

An except from a responding e-mail from J. R. Boisclair at Wally Tools.

Wait for the other shoe to drop.

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Thanks. So in fact he has very little evidence and decided to publish before having it. I can understand why, but it’s definitely problematic. One could get sued for this very quickly if one tried this with a larger opponent, and that’s understandable as well.

I don’t understand all of his explanation. Of course there is a question whether there is transference because clearly the pictures show alleged transference to parts that are never in contact with the gel, and this requires an at least theoretical explanation of the mechanism

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I agree it is a tepid response, but then I’m just Joe Blow who wrote Wally Tools with a question. So, in that context the e-mail is a fulsome reply. I only quoted an excerpt.

Large or small opponent shouldn’t matter. The fact that there isn’t a law suit or even a threat of one tells me that where there’s smoke there’s a fire that Onzow doesn’t want fed in court.

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Maybe shouldn’t but this is probably a small outfit and they need to weigh pros and cons. Suing someone in another country is not to be taken lightly even if one is right

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This may be of no help to you but … Since buying a Pro-Ject VCS Mk2 record cleaner (at a very fortunate open-box price), I haven’t really had these concerns. My stylus now picks up much less grunge because the vinyl is much cleaner and is far less often afflicted by static. So, alongside the VCS, I simply brush ClearAudio “Diamond Cleaner” across the stylus sparingly and very gently.

Before the VCS, I did get some Zerodust. No idea where it is now, in a drawer somewhere I suppose. It is not needed.

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68

I hadn’t heard about this. I do use it, though not very often. I’ll have to investigate this further. I do read Analog Planet, but not lately.

But it looks like one of those endlessly controversial topics that are so common in audiophilia.

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69

I had a friendly conversation with Gilad Tiefenbrun (Linn Audio MD) last Saturday, he would not recommend any vinyl record cleaning machine, just play the LP, and then clean your stylus.

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I’d love to know what his dad thinks.

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Exactly, he then followed up his comment by saying he did what his dad told him.

72

Except his dad said this in the seventies. If Gilad still doesn’t recommend a cleaning machine, he should try one

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73

And his reasons for this were?

Does cleaning the stylus also clean off the releasing agent from new LPs?

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Ivor Tiefenbrun, the Linn Audio founder & CEO, and the LP12 inventor, once said “Most record cleaning devices do more harm than good. We feel the best method is to let the stylus remove any dirt which may be in the groove, then clean the stylus.”.

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Ivor also said that he can hear the change of sound if there is a digital watch in the room, but then failed in a blind test

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Is that true? Was it not Peter Belt who said it? I would say Mr. Belt was a something HIFI conspiracy specialist, he was a good laugh.

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I disagree with Ivor here. The best accessory I have bought in the last few years is this:

It’s made preciously unplayable records a joy to listen to.

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78

I think Ivor was thinking of the good, reasonably clean LPs that you bought, or own from new when he said it, but if you bought something from the secondhand market, who knows what are on the records? Just use your imagination.

I do have a record cleaning machine myself, and I only use it to clean the LPs that I bought secondhand.

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One would immediately think of dear Mr. Belt, but there is a writeup here:
http://www.bostonaudiosociety.org/bas_speaker/abx_testing2.htm

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You didn’t answer this question.

Using the stylus as a plow? Absurd. Can’t be good for the record or the stylus.