Recommended Ultrasonic Machines

Paully

Active Member
I bought a rather cheap Chinese ultrasonic tank, one of those eBay $100 jobs, and was thinking I could do better. Looking at the following two:

Sonix4 Mechanical Ultrasonic Cleaner (vs the digital) - https://www.sonix4.com/product-page/ultrasonic-cleaner-1-1-2-gallons-6-5l-with-heat-st136h

Trusonic - http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Stainle...519352&hash=item488eda96d5:g:ZSEAAOSw-0xYUbDy

It seems to me that the Trusonik doesn’t look all that much better than the cheap one I have. I was under the impression that Sonix is a reputable brand but I am unfamiliar with this particular model and how the controls work and is it a regular 40Khz machine.

So if you have an opinion on these I would love to hear it. Even if you don’t know any of these machines but have built your own cleaning system around another tank manufacturer and have an opinion (especially in the $300 range) I would like to hear about that too! I am sure having a dedicated thread for a general discussion about tank options wouldn't hurt anyway.

Thanks a lot!
 
here is one that i would buy if i had the need right now:

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...vtargid=kwd-6278955935&ref=pd_sl_5d9owve5wh_b

if i had $4k to spend, it would be this one (not the audio deske)

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/klaudio-kd-cln-lp200-ultransonic-record-cleaner-reviewed

the mentioned V8 is $1600, a bit more than the first one and quite a bit less than the KL.

ultrasonic is THE way to clean records the best. get a spin clean if all you can spare is $125. that works WAY better than home methods for the most part:

https://www.musicdirect.com/record-cleaning/spin-clean-complete-record-washer-system-mk2-pkg
 
here is one that i would buy if i had the need right now:

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...vtargid=kwd-6278955935&ref=pd_sl_5d9owve5wh_b

if i had $4k to spend, it would be this one (not the audio deske)

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/klaudio-kd-cln-lp200-ultransonic-record-cleaner-reviewed

the mentioned V8 is $1600, a bit more than the first one and quite a bit less than the KL.

ultrasonic is THE way to clean records the best. get a spin clean if all you can spare is $125. that works WAY better than home methods for the most part:

https://www.musicdirect.com/record-cleaning/spin-clean-complete-record-washer-system-mk2-pkg

I've got a VPI 16.5 and a rather expensive record rotator with the Vinyl Stack, so while all of the suggestions are excellent, it is less about an all in one solution and just an acceptable ultrasonic tank. Those professional tanks are all 40Khz anyway from my reading. So I want to find the best quality stand-alone ultrasonic tank for the money. Seems like there were some good options in the $300 range, could be mistaken though. Thus the inquiry.
 
I read this on the VPI forum. Some advice from Harry.

Harry wrote:Just remember one thing guys, my basement has two USC machines lying there dead with a total retail price of almost $10K. My Chinese USC for $179.99 has cleaned over 3000 records and is still going strong with its Spin-Klean still working perfectly and 1 micron fish filter for $100.00 performing like new.

You do what you have to do but for me separating the project into its individual pieces works reliably, safely, and apparently forever!!

And let's not forget that Cyclone that has cleaned all those records and probably 3000 more just for general cleaning after the USC as they are being used for shows and personal use.

HW
 
I read this on the VPI forum. Some advice from Harry.

Harry wrote:Just remember one thing guys, my basement has two USC machines lying there dead with a total retail price of almost $10K. My Chinese USC for $179.99 has cleaned over 3000 records and is still going strong with its Spin-Klean still working perfectly and 1 micron fish filter for $100.00 performing like new.

You do what you have to do but for me separating the project into its individual pieces works reliably, safely, and apparently forever!!

And let's not forget that Cyclone that has cleaned all those records and probably 3000 more just for general cleaning after the USC as they are being used for shows and personal use.

HW

Good points. And I don't want to spend $5K on a machine! So I completely concur there is a sweet spot. Thought it was around $300. I just hadn't been particularly happy with the results I was getting and I have paid particular attention to the formulations people are using. Seemed like the uber cheap machine I bought might be an issue. Don't know but was willing to spend a bit more to find out if I could get a solid recommendation on what to buy. Thanks for the input!
 
Good points. And I don't want to spend $5K on a machine! So I completely concur there is a sweet spot. Thought it was around $300. I just hadn't been particularly happy with the results I was getting and I have paid particular attention to the formulations people are using. Seemed like the uber cheap machine I bought might be an issue. Don't know but was willing to spend a bit more to find out if I could get a solid recommendation on what to buy. Thanks for the input!

Back in December I bought the Vinyl Stack and at that time they were recommending this unit for machines:

https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Commercial-Ultrasonic-Cleaning-Eyeglasses/dp/B01KBQC2VM

I just checked their site and they are no longer suggesting any specific machines, so I looked up my order history and the one above is what I bought. So far so good! It gets regular but not heavy use. I clean 8-16 records per weekend; about 20 minutes of use at a time.
 
Mine is a 15 liter machine, it has cleaned several thousand records so far without a hitch. I've cleaned upwards of 200 records per day over the course of several days and never had a problem.
 
I bought a rather cheap Chinese ultrasonic tank, one of those eBay $100 jobs, and was thinking I could do better. Looking at the following two:

Sonix4 Mechanical Ultrasonic Cleaner (vs the digital) - https://www.sonix4.com/product-page/ultrasonic-cleaner-1-1-2-gallons-6-5l-with-heat-st136h

Trusonic - http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Stainle...519352&hash=item488eda96d5:g:ZSEAAOSw-0xYUbDy

It seems to me that the Trusonik doesn’t look all that much better than the cheap one I have. I was under the impression that Sonix is a reputable brand but I am unfamiliar with this particular model and how the controls work and is it a regular 40Khz machine.

So if you have an opinion on these I would love to hear it. Even if you don’t know any of these machines but have built your own cleaning system around another tank manufacturer and have an opinion (especially in the $300 range) I would like to hear about that too! I am sure having a dedicated thread for a general discussion about tank options wouldn't hurt anyway.

Thanks a lot!
I've been using the Trusonic machine along with the Vinyl Stack for a few years now with great results. At one time I used the VPI. After cleaning the records again with the ultrasonic, I immediately noticed improved dynamics in sound.
 
I have the Vevor machine too, it looks exactly like a link dcmfan posted. Maybe mine just has something wrong or I am doing something wrong. Hard to tell. But people seem to like the Trusonic. I think I will do some more research on the Sonix and then just choose a new one.
 
Maybe mine just has something wrong or I am doing something wrong.
I have posted a ton of info and I'll link it here, you can burn out these units and you should look at run time as limited, a consumable. So the best goal is to clean more records in every cycle run. Lets say two machines will run 35 hours till it dies, one is 10L and the other 5L. In the 10L take you have it setup to clean 8 records ever ten minute run, the 5L is setup to clean 4 at the same amount of time. Your cost per record for cleaning will be half using a 10L tank over a 5L.

But people seem to like the Trusonic.
My first one died at the 35 hour mark and 1600 records and was slightly used when I got it, but I learned a few things. My second one is still working after 2900 because I changed my pattern of how I use it.
The cooling fan in this unit only comes one with the sonic motor switch, motors stop so does the fan.
The tank heater is on a switch all by it's self, I used to turn that on to heat the water. <This gets the tank hot and surrounding areas that the fan must be needed for on the motor switch.

I now strain the water though paper towels into a big pot and warm it on the stove, then put that in the tank. I turn on the heater and see where the temp is and I'm pretty close I start running records. I do full loads of 8 at ten minutes, because again get as much out of the tank that you can to lower per record cost. If you do a couple at a time you'll be throwing money away.IMHO I also don't leave the tank on when I'm done cleaning even if I think I might start again in a hour or so. If I do get back to it it doesn't take long to strain and reheat.
 
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I have posted a ton of info and I'll link it here, you can burn out these units and you should look at run time as limited, a consumable. So the best goal is to clean more records in every cycle run. Lets say two machines will run 35 hours till it dies, one is 10L and the other 5L. In the 10L take you have it setup to clean 8 records ever ten minute run, the 5L is setup to clean 4 at the same amount of time. Your cost per record for cleaning will be half using a 10L tank over a 5L.


My first one died at the 35 hour mark and 1600 records and was slightly used when I got it, but I learned a few things. My second one is still working after 2900 because I changed my pattern of how I use it.
The cooling fan in this unit only comes one with the sonic motor switch, motors stop so does the fan.
The tank heater is on a switch all by it's self, I used to turn that on to heat the water. <This gets the tank hot and surrounding areas that the fan must be needed for on the motor switch.

I now strain the water though paper towels into a big pot and warm it on the stove, then put that in the tank. I turn on the heater and see where the temp is and I'm pretty close I start running records. I do full loads of 8 at ten minutes, because again get as much out of the tank that you can to lower per record cost. If you do a couple at a time you'll be throwing money away.IMHO I also don't leave the tank on when I'm done cleaning even if I think I might start again in a hour or so. If I do get back to it it doesn't take long to strain and reheat.

I would say 35 hours means something is a piece of junk. I thought it was interesting the bit about doing multiple records. I have only been doing one at a time. I know the sides facing inwards get just as cleaned as the outer, according to everyone's posts, even when doing multiple records but as of yet I had just been doing one at a time. I suppose I should try a couple.
 
I have this one, from Tindie

https://www.tindie.com/products/VibratoLLC/vibrato-6-quart-80khz-ultrasonic-cleaner-/

Mine is a 68KHz version, but it looks like they now just make the 80KHz version. I use it with the Vinyl Stack. Works great. The only issue I've had is that you have to watch that the temperature doesn't get too high during long sessions. I think the ultrasonic energy heats up the solution as you use it.

That looks really nice. Very nice actually but man, just a bit more than I wanted to spend.
 
I would say 35 hours means something is a piece of junk.
Non of them last forever and when your looking at buying really good ones start thinking about spending $2000. At that point one might as well buy a purpose built US record cleaner.

There isn't all that much different with most the Chinese ebay tanks. I ended up buying the same tank that burnt out from over heating. Take my tips above and do what you will, another member here did not. They started a rant thread because they used the motors and heater to heat the tank up prior to cleaning (not the truesonic). I advised him not to do that but he knew better till the unit burnt out in 10 days.
 
Yeah, just buy a 10L 40Khz Chinese machine and some sort of rotation device. I've lost track of how many LP's that I've done.

Unless they are thrift store beater records I usually limit the cleaning to 4 LPs at a time.
 
I now strain the water though paper towels into a big pot and warm it on the stove, then put that in the tank

That's a good idea. The heater on my tank just keeps heating the water no matter where I set the temp setting. I've been warming it up and shutting off the heater manually.

But I am concerned that doing it your way sets up the next round of record cleaning arguments:
"Stoves - gas better than electric?".
Or
"Non stick vs stainless - will this hurt my records?" :D
 
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