For the last 2 years i have been using an Audio Desk Systeme Vinyl cleaner, the "Vinyl CLeaner Pro X"
Since about 6 months, i found that the records cleaned in this machine often had loud pops after washing, especially on the outer tracks. Sometimes i could see tiny shiny particles on the records, I was scratching my head on where these came from and investigated in to their source, was it construction related? where my hands dirty? was it already on the record? ah, i'll just wash it again and it should be gone.
Then Yesterday the machine failed, it stopped working as soon as the record spinning motor should engage. So i contacted Audio Desk Systeme, and asked how to fix the problem, and their reply was sending the unit back to Germany was the only remedy. now this is a unit i paid 4000$ for, not a small sum, so i expected some repairability MUST have been in it's design.
As i was about to find out, nothing could have been further from the truth. Now, i'm no newbie to electronics and mechanical engineering, i have 20 years of experience in design of both mechanical and electronics devices and have repaired electronics since i was 12, so i set out to disassemble the machine.
This unit is glued together all the way, it is impossible to disassemble, harder then opening an Iphone, and that's saying something, with as a major difference that iphones do not have wearing mechanical parts in them!
first I removed the front plate, so i could access the PCB, this is the only user accessible part, i checked the pumps, sensors and then the rotation motor, and i found it was taking way too much current, about 2A at 5V, meaning the motor, or its gearbox had failed. This means i now have to remove it to see if i can fix it.
I proceeded to very carefully cutting out and then hammering with gentle force to remove the top lid of the device so i could remove the record rotating mechanism.
After 2 hours of careful tapping i successfully removed the top lid, so i can access the middle section, only to find that the motor cannot be accessed this way.
Then after removing the Idler, to my horror i discovered a load of brass dust on the bottom, glittery particles all over the place, Ah, i had seen those before on my records! Super fine brass dust from the brass bearing, not really visible from the topside as the lid cannot be removed. This is a Major design fail, the record cleaner actually contaminating my records with fine metallic dust is not a small issue!
Then i wanted to access the motor, pumps and the rest from the bottom. after a few more hours i came to the conclusion that this is literally a $4000,- throw away item, the only way in to the bottom tank is an angle grinder with a cutting disk, it's just unbelievable how anyone could design a fully unserviceable device like this, IT CANNOT EVER BE FIXED BY DESIGN.
So to conclude here:
- Totally glued in construction, which can never be opened again (also meaning the tank keeps accumulating junk, of which i found a thick layer at the bottom)
- Bearings that degrade and release brass dust, ultra fine dust that fits between grooves
- No support from the manufacturer once the unit fails
- Designed to fail, whilst damaging your records in the process.
So at Audio Desk Systeme, they developed a device that was intended to fail and not be repairable by anyone, including themselves. sold for $4000,-
So Folks, it's time to vote with the Dollar, and never buy any product from them again, until they manage to make a fully serviceable device, and support repair and maintenance with parts, schematics and service manuals. Until that time comes, i suggest you avoid them like the plague.
I hope you appreciate my $4000,- Post here, and i hope you can help spread the word, because we, the vinyl lovers ain't having this, such absurdly irresponsible design and build practices cannot remain unpunished.
Since about 6 months, i found that the records cleaned in this machine often had loud pops after washing, especially on the outer tracks. Sometimes i could see tiny shiny particles on the records, I was scratching my head on where these came from and investigated in to their source, was it construction related? where my hands dirty? was it already on the record? ah, i'll just wash it again and it should be gone.
Then Yesterday the machine failed, it stopped working as soon as the record spinning motor should engage. So i contacted Audio Desk Systeme, and asked how to fix the problem, and their reply was sending the unit back to Germany was the only remedy. now this is a unit i paid 4000$ for, not a small sum, so i expected some repairability MUST have been in it's design.
As i was about to find out, nothing could have been further from the truth. Now, i'm no newbie to electronics and mechanical engineering, i have 20 years of experience in design of both mechanical and electronics devices and have repaired electronics since i was 12, so i set out to disassemble the machine.
This unit is glued together all the way, it is impossible to disassemble, harder then opening an Iphone, and that's saying something, with as a major difference that iphones do not have wearing mechanical parts in them!
first I removed the front plate, so i could access the PCB, this is the only user accessible part, i checked the pumps, sensors and then the rotation motor, and i found it was taking way too much current, about 2A at 5V, meaning the motor, or its gearbox had failed. This means i now have to remove it to see if i can fix it.
I proceeded to very carefully cutting out and then hammering with gentle force to remove the top lid of the device so i could remove the record rotating mechanism.
After 2 hours of careful tapping i successfully removed the top lid, so i can access the middle section, only to find that the motor cannot be accessed this way.
Then after removing the Idler, to my horror i discovered a load of brass dust on the bottom, glittery particles all over the place, Ah, i had seen those before on my records! Super fine brass dust from the brass bearing, not really visible from the topside as the lid cannot be removed. This is a Major design fail, the record cleaner actually contaminating my records with fine metallic dust is not a small issue!
Then i wanted to access the motor, pumps and the rest from the bottom. after a few more hours i came to the conclusion that this is literally a $4000,- throw away item, the only way in to the bottom tank is an angle grinder with a cutting disk, it's just unbelievable how anyone could design a fully unserviceable device like this, IT CANNOT EVER BE FIXED BY DESIGN.
So to conclude here:
- Totally glued in construction, which can never be opened again (also meaning the tank keeps accumulating junk, of which i found a thick layer at the bottom)
- Bearings that degrade and release brass dust, ultra fine dust that fits between grooves
- No support from the manufacturer once the unit fails
- Designed to fail, whilst damaging your records in the process.
So at Audio Desk Systeme, they developed a device that was intended to fail and not be repairable by anyone, including themselves. sold for $4000,-
So Folks, it's time to vote with the Dollar, and never buy any product from them again, until they manage to make a fully serviceable device, and support repair and maintenance with parts, schematics and service manuals. Until that time comes, i suggest you avoid them like the plague.
I hope you appreciate my $4000,- Post here, and i hope you can help spread the word, because we, the vinyl lovers ain't having this, such absurdly irresponsible design and build practices cannot remain unpunished.
![IMG_20230816_121557[1].jpg](/forums/data/attachments/2833/2833840-d68c169cf9d63a29b60e53b777068744.jpg?hash=1owWnPnWOi)
![IMG_20230816_163858[1].jpg](/forums/data/attachments/2833/2833865-260e501d6f0b207b7bd6fdbc9c8d8d69.jpg?hash=Jg5QHW8LIH)
