Record Cleaning Machine Reviews

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Mike Mettler  |  Feb 01, 2024  |  20 comments

Recently, we here at AP decided to resume reviewing record cleaning machines (RCMs) on a more consistent basis — but where to start? The new Record Doctor X vacuum record cleaning machine (a.k.a. the RDX VRCM) fit the bill perfectly. It’s an RD series update that offers new features like a bi-directional turning motor that alleviates the need to turn records by hand, and it also sports a vacuum swing arm that vacuums the top surface of an LP while the bottom gets vacuumed by way of a slot under a sweeper strip. Read on to see how well the RDX VRCM cleaned both old and new records alike, and if it’s worth the notable price of admission. . .

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 18, 2022  |  17 comments
When SME purchased Garrard it also bought the Loricraft brand of "string type" record cleaning machines. SME then upgraded both models. This video shows how they work and accompany a write-up in the April 2022 issue of Stereophile magazine that will shortly be available on newsstands, mailed to subscribers and available as part of a digital subscription.
Michael Fremer  |  Jan 02, 2020  |  7 comments
Six years have passed since the original review here of the Record Doctor V a $199.95 manual-turn vacuum based record cleaning machine (RCM). At some point since then it went out of production but it's back now at $199.95 and there's a new upgraded 20th anniversary Model VI priced at $299.95.

priced at $299.95

Malachi Lui  |  Dec 04, 2019  |  14 comments
During my initial two years of record collecting, my dumb self rarely bothered to clean my records, and as an 8-year-old, I didn’t think grabbing records by the grooves it affected anything. Three years into the hobby, I began, with a MoFi brush and ONE solution, obsessively hand cleaning my LPs (as well as handling them properly). However, I never owned a vacuum record cleaning machine (RCM) until AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer gifted me one this summer and requested this review.

Michael Fremer  |  Jun 01, 2018  |  124 comments
* Mr. Kirmuss insists that the vinyl residue seen in his cavitation tank in this video is not damage caused by his device. Rather, he insists, it is vinyl residue "locked" into the grooves by soapy residue from other machines that his process has removed.)

We first encountered at AXPONA 2018 Mr. Charles Kirmuss and his "In The Groove" Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Restoration System. The system is based upon an ultrasonic bath-type cleaning machine from China, another of which that looked identical was being sold but a few feet away.

Michael Fremer  |  May 06, 2018  |  2 comments
In this short video AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer provides a short history of Allsop's Orbitrac record cleaning device.
Michael Fremer  |  May 01, 2018  |  11 comments
This video was shot a few weeks ago. The editing was completed today, the day SME announced it had purchased Garrard and Loricraft. Just a coincidence but a neat one! For those who don't know: Loricraft's Terry O'Sullivan is a Garrard 301/401 idler wheel drive expert who rebuilds and restores them for customers world wide.

Michael Fremer  |  Apr 06, 2018  |  31 comments
AnalogPlanet.com editor Michael Fremer describes the features of, and shows you how to use Pro-Ject's recently updated VC-S wet vacuum record cleaning machine. The usual occasional hilarity ensues. Though in the video it appears that more than 2 revolutions are required to dry a record, 2 will do it for most records.

Michael Fremer  |  Dec 26, 2017  |  48 comments
The most expensive record cleaning device in this video is Pro-Ject's $499 VC-S. That's good news! The other gizmos include the new Allsop Orbitrac 3, the Vinyl Vac (about $30 on Amazon.com), which is a wand that you use with a shop vac, and a few others.

Michael Fremer  |  Dec 11, 2016  |  9 comments
We started lobbying Allsop to bring back the Orbitrac almost as soon as its demise was announced. We got no response so started a campaign on musicangle.com to no avail.

Michael Fremer  |  Nov 19, 2016  |  38 comments
Cleanervinyl.com's cavitation-based record cleaning system consists of the One single LP powered cleaning device ($189), the Pro ($389), which allows you to simultaneously clean up to a dozen records, and the $129 Dry, fan-based record dryer. You also need to get a PS-30A Ultrasonic Cleaner, which sells on EBay for around $150 or $169 through Cleanervinyl.com.

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 06, 2016  |  10 comments
If there’s a better looking record cleaning machine than Pristine Vinyl’s ViVac RCS, I’ve not seen it.

Michael Fremer  |  Nov 15, 2017  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2000  |  4 comments
If you were preparing to archive your LPs to CD-R, what would you do first? Right. You'd scrub your records and whip your turntable into shape—maybe even upgrade your cartridge and/or phono section. In March The New York Times's "Circuits" section published "Janis and Jimi, Come Back from the Attic," an article about digitizing and archiving vinyl that I don't think even mentioned the word "turntable." Obviously, analog is news unfit to print.

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 02, 2012  |  48 comments
Getting a review sample of this unique ultrasonic record cleaning machine took years because apparently the small German manufacturer could not keep up with demand. I’ve heard from a few sources that reliability was not high during those early days but that now that’s been sorted out as has manufacturing capacity.

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