[Dixielandjazz] Restoring 78's

[starwater_music]

> There's been plenty of digital ink spilled on this subject here lately, 
> but
> I hope you'll allow me to weigh in.  While working on lots of pretty
> wretched 78s for my Two Ton Baker web site, I put together a page
> describing how I restore them.  It has notes, audio samples, and screen
> shots of my audio editing program, CoolEditPro (although they're more for
> decoration than enlightenment).


Thought I'd chime in on this topic. I hope my input doesn't come across as 
argumentative - there are some issues I think are important to those that 
care about records. I haven't seen previous posts on the topic, so forgive 
me if anything I say is a repeat of ground that's been covered.

Dick - you mention using a dishsoap wash, and I assume you're also using tap 
water? This makes me cringe. The whole idea is to remove debris from the 
grooves - dirt, dust, mold & mildew, factory mold-release agents. Dishsoap 
and tap water, while it may loosen some of the crud - but may also not be 
that effective for some things -  also introduces whatever is in the soap - 
surfactants, perfumes, and whatever chemicals. Even worse, tap water 
contains minerals - i.e. little tiny pieces of rock. Further, simply rinsing 
under the tap isn't the best method to remove debris, besides the fact that 
you're introducing the aforementioned minerals to the surface of the record.

I'd really suggest using something that's concocted specifically for the 
purpose of cleaning records - so that besides cleaning the record it also 
won't damage the surface - in combination with a vacuum-irrigation device 
like a Nitty Gritty, readily available online, or building something similar 
if you're mechanically inclined and have a lot of time on your hands. IMO, 
vacuum irrigation is the only way to really clean a record.

Noise-removal software can help, but it's not a magic cure. As Dick 
mentions, really doing it thoroughly is tedious and is far from an automatic 
process. Further, the software - even expensive high-end software like 
Cedar - can introduce artifacts into the sound and can kill fidelity that 
you're struggling to preserve. That's why cleaning is important. The more 
dirt you remove, the less noise there'll be to remove in the first place. A 
clean record also does less damage to the record and the stylus when 
playing.

The cleaning solution I use is Disc Doctor Miracle Record Cleaner.

http://www.discdoc.com/


Looking at the site, I see he now also sells a "no-rinse" formula, but I'd 
stick with the MRC which you dilute with distilled water. A big part of the 
effectiveness is the special brushes he sells. They're specifically made to 
work on records, one for applying the solution and one for rinsing. The guy 
who sells the stuff is a record enthusiast himself and his site has a lot of 
good info. My impression is that he's very knowledgeable. My impression is 
also that his stuff works as claimed.

Just to clarify, I have no affiliation with any of the above mentioned 
products. I just enjoy records and find the product works.

Dick - you mention playing at 45. Do you use a stylus that's designed 
specifically for 78's? If you don't I believe you'll run into tracking 
issues - the grooves on 78's are different that those on 45's and 33's, as 
well as potentially doing damage to the records.

Anyway, that's my .02.

Best wishes


Robert Pulliam