Post by Owen Y on Feb 10, 2020 15:17:40 GMT 12
A 'surfactant' is... " a compound that lowers the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between two liquids, between a gas and a liquid, or between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants. " (Wikipedia) In short, a detergent IS a surfactant - however, regular household 'detergents' have loads of additives, eg. fragrances, colourings, lathering agents, bleach, etc etc THE AUDIOPHILE MAN tests the sonic effectiveness of 4 surfactants for record cleaning:
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Post by Citroen on Feb 10, 2020 17:35:16 GMT 12
"Testing Process: I tested the four liquids using a simple Control/Reference -> Variable system, undertaken over a few months, when time allowed.
Each test record was cleaned within an Audio Desk Pro 2019. A cleaning cycle consisted of an application of a chosen surfactant using a Kabuki brush and third party pipette, cleaning in the Audio Desk for the maximum allowed time, then a drying process.
Each test record/surfactant underwent eight complete cycles plus a final rinse cycle to wash off the surfactant (otherwise there was a danger that the stylus would be ‘playing’ the surfactant, masking sonic detail), nine cycles in all, to create the desired reference.
Why nine? Because each cleaning cycle revealed improved sound quality and those improvements occurred, generally speaking, up to and including 5-6 cleaning cycles. I then proceeded to eight cycles to ensure that no further sonic improvements could be heard. Then finished with a rinse.
The cleaned disc thus served as the stable reference.
The other surfactants where then applied to the reference for comparison purposes.
In between the application of each new comparative surfactant for testing, the reference record was again cleaned with the reference surfactant over eight cycles (plus rinse) to retain a proper reference state.
Each surfactant took a reference role during the test with the other three tested against it.
In this way, because of cross-testing, a hierarchy, in sonic terms, was gradually found.
I then, finally, tested the ‘worst’ surfactant in the hierarchy against a cleaning system using no surfactant at all. To prove to my ears that a surfactant was a worthy edition in the first place. It was."
I've read this a few times now and still not quite sure of his test method.
In any case he concludes that Ilfotol is much better than Audiodesk, which is better than Kirmuss. But the Ilfotol is bettered only slightly by Tergitol.
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Post by Owen Y on Feb 10, 2020 18:19:24 GMT 12
Pure, surfactant (detergent) is best - no additives, no biocide additives, non-ionic pH (ant-static), no alcohols, etc. That's why (I think) Tergitol 'wins' out.
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Post by Owen Y on Feb 10, 2020 18:26:45 GMT 12
And why, THE AUDIOPHILE MAN says, it's unwise to use (isopropyl) alcohol to clean vinyl records. (More than 0.5% alcohol (in water) makes no further sonic difference anyway, he reckons.) (Paul Rigby is a free-lance journalist, who writes about many subjects - including for Hi-Fi World magazine, way back then.)
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Pundit
Post by Dom on Feb 11, 2020 8:01:33 GMT 12
I have some leftover Real Groovy-formulated RCM fluid that I stopped using (I prefer MoFi One Step) but I use it as an effective surfactant. When it runs out I'll probably buy some more for this purpose.
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Post by Owen Y on Feb 11, 2020 8:22:11 GMT 12
I use surfactant-detergent now, simply because it sounds better. (Than alcohol-based mix that I was using for years.) More open dynamics especially & balanced tone. I'm interested in what others' experiences are, sonically.
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