An affordable solution to maintaining and restoring your vinyl collection: Globally recognized as the leader with patented technology developed in the usa.
After now 7 years of continued extensive research and trials, audiophile and business owner Charles Kirmuss developed an affordable and simple to use record cleaning and record groove restoration system based on researching the record making process and the environments that records are manufactured and stored in. Indeed manufacturing products for 4 decades, he leveraged a sonic manufacturer to create a base engine to keep costs down. Studying peer products as well as the cause and effect of standing waves, cavitation, plama drive, and the effects of like charges between water and a record, he instituted his own changes and patented embellishments, and thus further created a safe record suspension system. A system not sold by a distributor of sonic cleaners for jewellers and dentists, a system that does not skewer records and damaging them and their labels, rather produce with a patented design and process with proper spacing between records to ensure proper and even effect of removing not only films left from other cleaning processes, including fungus and fingerprints, buit moreover the release agent from the pressing process of 70 plus years ago, hiding those contaminants that are microwelded by the heat created by the dyne of the needle on the record groove creating those unwanted pops.
The invention is not a common sonic cleaner. Not a look alike. The Kirmuss process guarantees 1.3 to 4+ db gain over floor from your cartridge.
With etl c us and ce electrical and safety approvals our affordable system will increase your listening pleasure by removing most of those annoying unwanted pops and crackling sounds from both new and old records and giving breath to the artist and music as fungus as well as remnants of prior cleanings and release agent in that order are stripped off the record.
To note, and as is the case with all cleaning systems: at times as the provenance of the record to be processed is unknown to either us or the record owner as to its pressing, its original grade when new, how it was played and stored, the condition of the playback needle and dyne weight, how the record was cleaned prior and with what chemicals or agents as well as their compatibility to PVC and if the record was played more than once per side in the past period of 24 hours; our process, as well as other methods, cannot repair the inadvertent damage caused to the record by the aforementioned. This said, as we now see the needle "Sit" properly in the groove "Pocket" as residues and films have been removed, we may hear added noise, but in the same breath, at times, no longer hear the click heard on every revolution caused by a "Tonearm skid", as the needle is no longer hitting this "Skidmark" that is on the surface of the record.
The kirmuss audio model ka-rc-1 revolutionizes the way we clean and restore records
First and foremost; our patented and patents pending record suspension system assures that records of any speed and size see their grooves cleaned safely. No damage to the record by mechanical intrusion of skewers and the like. Four records at a time may be processed. The distance between records is critical. Any less distance between the records sees a high standing wave negating the benfits of cavitation.
Secondly; only distilled water with a maximum of 40 ml (1.4 oz) of isa (isopropyl) 70% solution constitutes the initial de-grease bath. It does not clean the grooves. The alcohol in safe quantity per the pvc chemical compatability chart is used to kill the live and dormant fungus that resides on records. Only in the first 5 minute initial wetting cycle does this remove some of the surface dust, fingerprint oils, sand.. This as both the record and the water retain the same charge. In subsequent restoration cycles (of either 2 or 5 minutes, followed by a 5-minute rinse, we apply a PVC friendly, water-soluble, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-static ionizing surfactant spray onto the record. When brushed in using the supplied goat hair brush, the application now changes the charge of the record with relation to the water in the ultrasonic's tank. ...Thus starts the groove cleaning and groove restoration process. The 500 mph (805 kph) plasma wave created by cavitation is now attracted to the both the record and the record's groove. (patents pending). With the plasma wave now brushing against the applied surfactant, this now first removes accumulated surface contaminants present from other cleaning systems and processes. Then as we process the records in multiple cycles, ( of 2 or 5 minutes), we then finally remove the release agent found below and the contaminants that were microwelded into the grooves by the heat of the needle that were causing those unwanted pops and crackles.
Ultrasonics need an ionizing surfactant to aid the plasma wave to be attracted to the record, as vinyl typically repels water. Without this, groove restoration and cleaning may not occur. Putting our agent onto a record or into a tank of water with any other ultrasonic for the reasons explained below will not work. Do not use our surfactant with other ultrasonic systems as permanent damage to records may occur. Special note: with the audiodeske system, we gum up the pump and gear mechanism. Only use our ka-as-1 with our system.
As to determining when a record is clean and restored, our process allows you to see this first hand. As the surfactant is brushed onto the record and into the grooves over multiple 2 or 5 minute cycles, a rise and then a fall, or decrease of the appearance of a toothpaste-like substance that has been brought up by the goat hair brush is noted; this is of materials that were softened by the prior cycles of the ultrasonic cycle process as witnessed. This validates the effectiveness of the system: removing fungus, contaminants, as well as agents applied in prior cleaning methods and systems. The last cycle is determined when these materials rapidly evaporate or diminish in quantity. Records come out virtually dry as water is repelled by pvc. The record is clean and is restored.
...One cannot just place records into any ultrasonic machine and expect where even an hour in a machine will there be any removal of contaminants and the release agent. Our patented discovery: impossible due to the like charge of the record with respect to the like charge of the water in the basin, with or without a solvent solutiuon added to the water.
Yes we offer a process, a process that will as stated by "The absolute sound, march 2020", where we are billed as a record restoration device; (not just a (surface) record cleaner). Quote: " you’ll be rewarded with a more spacious soundstage and truer instrumental timbre.” end quote. (the ka-rc-1) does deliver results as advertised/claimed. April 2020.
'affordability
No matter how you store and use your records they inevitably will require maintenance. When playing records, dust particles and contaminants always build up on the stylus as the tone arm moves across the record. This dulls the sound. Then, if a release agent has not been removed, any dust particles in the record's grooves will be microwelded into the agent, resulting in those nasty "Pops".
As to record health: even new and latest pressings are subject to the same conditions as your old collection.
Release agents are found on the record as a residue from the pressing process and must be removed prior to use, otherwise they attract at an alarming rate dust and other airborne contaminants. Heat generated by the contact of the stylus with the record will see micro-dust particles lodged in the grooves. (then microwelded into the release agent)
As to release agents themselves as an explanation, there is not a spray that is applied to the pressing machine's surface or stampers. Rather, as the pvc with plasticizers, stabilizers and liquifiers are added in the mix that are used in the record pressing and as they are heated, a type of scillic acid forms. It is during the pressing process with heat, this release agent then bubbles up to the record's extremities and surface which by design aids in the release of the pressing from the stamper's mother and son. This is the residue that we recommend being removed before a new record is played. It is here where in old records, dust particles and the like have been microwelded into by the heat of the needle. This then allows us to restore old records to their "Breath" and "Magic".
As records when pressed are found to be produced in less than pristine areas and where records are played before packaging, we also remove dust hot welded into the grooves at the record pressing plant.
>>>if you do not have one of our systems, we suggest as a minimum where you use a carbon fiber brush in an aluminum case having 2.5 million bristles to remove static and use a 10 micron parastatic felt brush to remove dust prior to play. (we also offer the ka-b-1 combination brush asd a seperate item).
Before play, use a non alcohol based liquid needle cleaner to remove dust that was collected by the needle, and to remove static. (our model ka-n-1).
With release agent removed by our system, once every 2 or 3 years process the record with a 5 minute cycle. This as through regular play, your fingerprint oils by way of regular handling may reappear on the record's edges and surface.
Use always before play as mentioned the supplied parastatic felt brush to remove dust and a carbon fiber brush to remove both dust and static.
Keep restored records in our hdpe non pvc 4 mil anti-static, anti-fungal sleeves. Store vertically.
Cleaning as offedred by our peers will not remove unwanted sounds caused by scratches on the record's surface and depending on the age and condition of the record; even repeated cleanings may or may not restore the record to like new condition. But with groove restoration we now realize better groove contact by the dyne of the needle with the grooves, and with release agent removed, light surface scratches are no longer an issue. We have noted where in 7 or 8 times out of 10 a "Skid mark" from a tone arm that crossed the surface of a record may no longer be heard once we have processed a record with our system. ... As the needle is now better "Seated" in the "Pocket" of the groove.
Indeed using our process, records may look worse! Scratches hidden by record resellers and repackagers at times see records dressed up for sale. Many use wd40, car wax, lighter fluid...
Not knowing the provenance of the record, in some cases our process will not remove all the pops and crackles, definately not needle drops, but we will reduce the overall undesirable effect previously described. The record now is "Listenable" and "Enjoyable".
Everyone's an expert!
Frankly speaking, there is much nonsense published regarding the cleaning of records...
Soaps, chemical mixes and brews, and especially the use of large portions of alcohol, etc.. Did we mention tergitol, photoflow? These all affect the record negatively either during or after cleaning.
As used in ultrasonic, manual, or vacuum record cleaning systems, air drying or blow drying of chemicals or purported cleaning agents that are not physically/"Mechanically" removed further creates issues that are cumulative over time. ..As well as introduction of static.
These coatings, we term them as "Left over residues", see the needle ride higher in the groove and not make full contact with the left and right channels.
This creates two issues: some of these agents actually are enzyme based and promote fungus, the enemy of the record, and while perhaps records are in fact glossy and shiny these processes remove some of the annoying pops as the needle rides higher the high frequencies and timber of the music becomes "Masked".
Gone are the breath of the artist, and the soundstage.
The ultrasonic cleaners have been around for decades and its use and attributes are well known and while care must also be taken as to the introduction of chemicals in the ultrasonic bath, this cleaning technology is a very valuable tool to use. Let alone frequency. Anything higher than 35khz is detrimental to the health of the record. Nothing to do with the size of the bubble, rather the speed of the plasma wave as it hits the record.
But ultrasonic alone is not enough. Our concern is two fold: removal of the release agent on a new record; (and the dust particles microwelded) as well as removal of fungus as well as the many layers of previous cleaning system residues: thus restoring the record.
We differ from other ultrasonic cleaning machines currently on the market in how we handle the record itself. Properly spaced, records float safely and are not speared or squeezed, (damaging the record and label), and where a temperate distilled water bath is gthe cleaning medium, (plasma wave generated through cavitation), and using water soluble and pvc safe ionizing surfactant applied to the surface of the record. (to attract the plasma wave).
We suggest never to use a cleaner if there is no description as to the make up of the cleaning agent. (found in the mandatory mds data sheet). If there is a list of ingredients, consult a pvc chemical compatability chart to see if any of the chemicals supplied may affect the health of the pvc record. Our anti-static, anti-fungal ionizing surfactant is a diol-1-2 - 178 propaneol, safe for pvc.
