@marktomaras : my experience was limited to the original ADS, not the Pro version, and at the time I still had an old VPI. The ADS was life changing in several respects: no more labor, records came out clean and dry (except for some odd water spotting that apparently had to do with the wiper/lips). But then i hit some records-- old UK pressings- that still sounded noisy and distorted after cleaning, like groove wear. Given their value and scarcity, I worked on them with AIVS NO 15, soak, agitate and vacuum several times, with pure water rinse. I got almost all the distortion causing contaminants off the record this way. This didn’t salvage every record, some were just damaged, but the process was effective enough that I changed my methods. For challenging records (I mostly buy older and sometimes obscure or hard to find records), I use both methods. I replaced the VPI with a Monks, which in my estimation does a much better job on the vacuum side. (The wash cycle on these vacuum machines is largely manual effort anyway, so little difference there).
Perhaps the Pro is better built, has fewer issues than the original ADS did; it was a good RCM if you were starting with pristine records. The only other issue is any residue of surfactant left on the record-- the early adopters encouraged the use of less than the full bottle of fluid- it enhanced cavitation while reducing the amount of chemical added to the water (which isn’t necessarily removed by blow drying in my view-that’s why you need the vacuum).
I do know a few folks who replaced their original ADS with the Pro and like it, don’t do the extra steps like pre-cleaning or pure water rinse afterwards. And their records sound good. I think the big variable here is the condition of the record you are starting with, and how much work it takes to remove whatever is embedded in, glued on, or ground into, the grooves.
Perhaps the Pro is better built, has fewer issues than the original ADS did; it was a good RCM if you were starting with pristine records. The only other issue is any residue of surfactant left on the record-- the early adopters encouraged the use of less than the full bottle of fluid- it enhanced cavitation while reducing the amount of chemical added to the water (which isn’t necessarily removed by blow drying in my view-that’s why you need the vacuum).
I do know a few folks who replaced their original ADS with the Pro and like it, don’t do the extra steps like pre-cleaning or pure water rinse afterwards. And their records sound good. I think the big variable here is the condition of the record you are starting with, and how much work it takes to remove whatever is embedded in, glued on, or ground into, the grooves.