Walker Vortex Vacuum Wand for VPI

Yes Spencer I am going to try step 4 soon. Most have had a positive responce to step four. Tom Port indicated that some records sounded better with step four and some did not so he is not using it but I will try for myself in a few weeks to evaluate. So glad I purchased the Vortex and now will never look back.

Johnny

I just received mine. It installed too easilly (VPI 16.5; no set pin). Tried it to make sure no scratches on a real throw-away disc and first shot, no problems. I was surprised after reading these posts-I only ordered it cause it was discontinued; I was on the fence before hearing that. Well, I tried it out with the AI cleaning soultion (3 step) and it made my 2nd throw-away disc not a throw away any more. A pretty beat up Boz Scaggs sounded pretty darn decent.

Great job, Lloyd. I just ordered one for a buddy. Nice Christmas gift.

I was talking about this with a vendor who makes RCM fluid and as he explained they tried something like this but it left residue behind drying it to the surface with a technical term for it I cant recall (something with a "v")
anyway if you use some food coloring in the fluid on a old album you may notice this affect with the Walker, you may not as I am only passing on anothers attempts at this idea. He also noted that is the entire reason for the brush on the standard wand, it is only there to prevent this drying affect. Talk amongst yourselves.

Chad,

Not so sure that the food coloring would prove anything. I'm no chemist, but since food coloring is made to adhere color to other things(e.g. cookies), it seems like that happening in your experiment just would show that food coloring does indeed dye things as intended. The food coloring could produce the residue. It wouldn't prove that without it, a residue is left on LPs.
I'd also be hesitant to try this because I wouldn't want to get food coloring inside the tube. Cheers,
Spencer

I forgot to mention previously that older records from the 60's and 70's that I purchased used seemed to benefit the most from the Walker Vortex cleaning. There is definitely record to record variance in terms of improved sound quality with the Vortex but with some of my older original pressings the sonic improvement was remarkable. I cleaned several newer 180 gram reissues with the vortex and although they also sounded clearer the difference was not nearly as great compared to some of my 40 year old vinyl. It is also interesting that, at least in my case, imaging improved both left to right and front to back. Voices and instruments were more clearly placed and better defined on the sound stage after the Vortex cleaning. I am now fully realizing my deep my Dynavector XV1's cartridge can go in pulling out musical detail from vinyl.

Johny