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Best brush to use with record cleaning machine

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Posted on March 5, 2015 at 13:20:15
bill_stevenson@bellsouth.net
Audiophile

Posts: 417
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Joined: January 6, 2015
 Recently I watched Mikey Fremer's video and he uses a hand held brush on a VPI HW-17 rcm. I had never thought to try that before so I gave it a whirl. The brush I bought to try is the MoFi one that Music Direct recommends. It definitely seems to do a better job than the VPI brush alone. Has anyone else played with different brushes with their rcm? Is there a "best" brush? If so which one? Also, has anyone compared the different cleaning fluids? Can you provide a link for test results?

 

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RE: Best brush to use with record cleaning machine, posted on March 5, 2015 at 14:47:03
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 I use the Last brush. It's not really a brush, just velveteen.

A lot of the "cleaning" brushes don't clean. The bristles are too large to get into the groove. They are really just meant to spread the cleaning fluid, not clean.

With the Last brush I can scrub the peanut butter and jelly out of the groove. :=)

Tre'


Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

I think the MoFi brushes are the best., posted on March 5, 2015 at 15:56:06
tketcham
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Posts: 6701
Location: East of the 100th meridian USofA
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Contributor
  Since: October 1, 2005
 Hi, Bill,
I've tried using brushes from Audioquest, Last, VPI, Osage, and Nitty Gritty and the MoFi brush that you have is the best brush for wet cleaning. No, it doesn't get completely down into the groove, but no brush does. What makes the MoFi brush work so well is that there is a lot of wet surface area and weight and that serves to agitate the cleaning solution and rinse, which helps to lift the crud from the groove and keep it in suspension until it's vacuumed off.

I use two separate brushes, one for cleaning and one for rinsing, to avoid contaminating the rinsing brush. And even then, I thoroughly rinse and dry each brush after every use.

I've been using MoFi cleaning solutions and rinse for years and they work well. I could try another brand but my hunch is that they're all pretty much the same.

Regards,
Tom

 

+1 nt., posted on March 5, 2015 at 16:08:53
wawa2020
Audiophile

Posts: 399
Location: NC
Joined: October 25, 2002
 •

 

Which is the same as saying Disc Doctor brushes, posted on March 5, 2015 at 16:16:51
PAR
 The same thing except that the Disc Doctor ones are the originals.

BTW, no brushes do much more than spread the cleaning liquid over the surface. None can penetrate the grooves (check out the dimensions of a groove).

 

Same here, posted on March 5, 2015 at 16:17:31
Condorsat
Audiophile

Posts: 1909
Location: NE Ohio
Joined: January 13, 2003
 Works great.

 

Yep, that's the one. (nt), posted on March 5, 2015 at 16:28:01
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 nt

 

RE: Which is the same as saying Disc Doctor brushes, posted on March 5, 2015 at 16:36:26
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 You don't think the little hairs on the velveteen are small enough?

Even it that's true I would rather scrub the surface with velveteen than bristles.

The Mo-Fi and Disc Doctor are both velveteen. I just like the narrower Last "brush" for scrubbing.

Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

RE: Which is the same as saying Disc Doctor brushes, posted on March 5, 2015 at 16:53:26
PAR
 "You don't think the little hairs on the velveteen are small enough?". The smallest groove modulations can be less than 0.1 microns so in comparison the velveteen hairs are gigantic.

Yes. I like velveteen for spreading the liquid better than bristles too.

The dimension thing makes me think that ultrasound cleaning has to be more effective than vacuum RCMs. Of course cost is a disincentive.

 

RE: Which is the same as saying Disc Doctor brushes, posted on March 5, 2015 at 16:59:23
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 I wasn't thinking about the groove walls modulations. I just meant the groove itself.

The bristle won't even go down into the groove.

Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

How often do you change the brush? I assume they are disposable. nt, posted on March 5, 2015 at 17:22:13
dancingseamonkey
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Location: New Orleans, birth place of jazz.
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Contributor
  Since: November 24, 2009
 nt


"Trying is the first step towards failure."
Homer Simpson

 

RE: Which is the same as saying Disc Doctor brushes, posted on March 5, 2015 at 17:48:59
PAR
 Well the groove is kind of made out of modulations.These vary in accordance with frequency and amplitude. The width of the top of the groove is typically about 80 micrometres. But the groove section is roughly V shaped so much of the the music information occupies considerably smaller dimensions than this.

 

At $3.50 each I just throw them away when worn or dirty. (nt), posted on March 5, 2015 at 18:43:35
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 .
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

I agree with the MoFi brushes, and here's my link from 2010., posted on March 5, 2015 at 18:54:59
alaskahiatt
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Posts: 7499
Joined: December 9, 2000
Contributor
  Since: November 1, 2005
 nt

 

Good point..., posted on March 5, 2015 at 19:10:24
tketcham
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Posts: 6701
Location: East of the 100th meridian USofA
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Contributor
  Since: October 1, 2005
 Hi, PAR,
You're correct, the Disc Doctor came out with that style of brush first and I meant to mention that in my reply but forgot to add it before I posted. Also, many of the cleaning products carried by MoFi were products that Record Research Labs (RRL) originally developed.

Regards,
Tom

 

RE: Which is the same as saying Disc Doctor brushes, posted on March 5, 2015 at 20:09:11
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002

.
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

RE: Which is the same as saying Disc Doctor brushes, posted on March 5, 2015 at 20:13:38
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002

,
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

The MoFis are wider so I use the Disk Doctor, posted on March 5, 2015 at 23:26:45
kavakidd
Audiophile

Posts: 20316
Location: Upstate NY
Joined: April 15, 2004
 as they fit between the the platter and the side of my VPI so I can vacuum off any debris
"Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to" Mark Twain

 

Have a couple of MoFi pads, but more often than not,, posted on March 6, 2015 at 03:59:46
Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014
 I just use the brush that came with my VPI HW-16.5.





Opus 33 1/3

 

RE: Best brush to use with record cleaning machine, posted on March 6, 2015 at 06:17:20
Vinyl Valet
Audiophile

Posts: 1346
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Joined: November 13, 2003
 I've been using the Disc Doctor brushes for wet cleaning my LPs on a HW-17 for over a decade. I think they work very well.
Open up your mind, in pours the trash. - Meat Puppets, 1987

 

RE: Best brush to use with record cleaning machine, posted on March 6, 2015 at 07:50:28
truth-be-told
Audiophile

Posts: 6
Location: Las Vegas
Joined: June 16, 2006
 Have tried all of the above but for me the best is the KAB DiscSweep from KABusa. Perfect width and the fluid doesn't "dam up" against it like it does with the others.

 

I really like the ADC Hush Brush............, posted on March 6, 2015 at 09:29:13
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 but it's not made anymore.

It's velveteen with a row of fine bristles (spring loaded) following up behind.

I have one that's still in good shape.

Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

KAB DiscSweep..., posted on March 6, 2015 at 09:51:33
Jive Turkey
Audiophile

Posts: 2409
Location: far left, geographically speaking
Joined: May 5, 2010
 ...is my favorite too for the wash cycle. I use a velvet brush for the rinse cycle.

See ya. Dave

 

RE: KAB DiscSweep..., posted on March 6, 2015 at 11:58:19
bill_stevenson@bellsouth.net
Audiophile

Posts: 417
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Joined: January 6, 2015
 Wow thanks everybody. I have owned a HW-17 since years and never knew any of this stuff. Getting back into playing a large collection of records that have been sitting unused for 30 years or more. I have a lot to learn.

 

Thanks for the excellent photos., posted on March 6, 2015 at 13:27:40
alaskahiatt
Audiophile

Posts: 7499
Joined: December 9, 2000
Contributor
  Since: November 1, 2005
 nt

 

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