Pro-Ject VC-E, Compact record cleaning machine, Silver

Product Information

When cleaning vinyl records, I always typically recommend removing as must loose dust as possible using a carbon fiber record brush before proceeding to any wet cleaning process. The only downside that I can see is that you need to tip the whole machine on its side to empty out the reservoir; it is a heavy machine and this will not be an easy exercise when the time comes. However, I guess this highlights how robustly built the thing is. The second issue concerns not the machine but the included cleaning fluid, Pro-Ject Wash It. I have discovered that cleaning a record with the Pro-Ject cleaning fluid leaves a tiny bit of dried fluid residue, not visible to the naked eye but definitely there. Perhaps this is a “feature not a bug,” for example to provide some anti-static property to the record. Or perhaps it’s unintentional. After a fair amount of research, I’m uncomfortable with anything that leaves any residue on the record, though I cannot discern any degradation in sound quality when I listen to records I’ve cleaned with the Pro-Ject fluid. But those with more resolving systems or better hearing than me might. If you love vinyl and you have the cash, the only way to properly clean your records is with a record cleaning machine. Please note that our couriers will try to deliver as arranged but we will not be held responsible for any costs incurred because of non-delivery or factors introduced by third-parties. This service is based upon best endeavour and is not guaranteed.

Had mine since December 2019. For the first year, it worked beautifully, I cleaned around 200 records and was super happy. I think they both do a very good job of cleaning vinyl records, and to suggest one is better than the other would be hard for me to do. Based on my experience, I didn’t feel one cleaned records better or more substantially than the other. As I continued to use the unit, I found that some heavily soiled records did benefit from multiple cleans, but this is to be expected with any record cleaning process. Whichever cleaning fluid you choose, make sure it’s a fluid you trust that won’t damage your cleaning machine. Avoid using standard household cleaning products or tap water. Conclusion – Which machine is best? I’m having an unpleasant issue with mine, and wondering if anyone else is having the same issue or has any thoughts that might help.

Initial Impressions

Attempting to find best record cleaning machine on the market is a tough task for a variety of reasons. On the one hand, price is of course a factor. A good record cleaning machine can cost hundreds of dollars, and some RCM’s run for thousands. After a bit of practice to refine your technique, the VC-E cleaning machine is capable of transforming your average semi-clean record into a shiny thing of beauty. I’ve found during many years of cleaning records, that whether one manufacturer’s cleaning machine can produce a better final result than another depends more on the user’s technique than the machine itself. Practicing and perfecting your brushwork can make a huge difference in the level of clean you can obtain. How I discovered this: A few months ago, I bought an ultrasonic machine (the Degritter). When I cleaned *some* records, the machine produced excessive foaming on the records. This problem seemed to occur randomly and I attributed it to the machine, at first. But after many hours of research and experimentation, I discovered that the problem only happened when I was cleaning a record that I’d previously cleaned using the Pro-Ject cleaning fluid. It didn’t matter whether I’d previously cleaned the record a month ago or years ago. But there was a 100% match between excessive foaming and whether the record had been cleaned with the Pro-Ject fluid.

The new VC-S3 is our new premium record cleaning machine with completely new superior features. Vinyl records need a specific maintenance. The dry brush cleaning before playing the record is good to roughly remove dust. To effectively clean the grooves you need to wet clean the record. To achieve the perfect cleaning we also need a suitable cleaning fluid. Alcoholic cleaning fluids can destroy musical micro information of the grooves. That‘s the reason why we designed our new eco-friendly non-alcoholic cleaning fluid called „Wash it 2“. Our new Wash it 2 is a pre-mixed liquid, so you don‘t have to dilute the concentrate yourself anymore. This avoids acidentally using unsuitable tap water for mixing. With Wash it 2 we can optimize the cleaning performance again. The VC-S3 is very powerful and cleans records completely in one to two revolutions. Now, this is probably more of an OCD problem than a TRUE problem. No one’s records are now unplayable because the clean side got a bit of cross dust and dirt contamination thanks to laying on a slightly uncleaned Okki Nokki platter for five minutes. The new VC-E2 is our new compact record cleaning machine with completely new, superior features. Vinyl records need a specific maintenance. The dry brush cleaning before playing the record is good to roughly remove dust. To effectively clean the grooves, you need to wet clean the record.

Noise

Please note: TV and larger floorstanding speaker deliveries are not available to Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Scottish Islands, and Channel Islands. The unit weight is a huge improvement on previous Pro-Ject models—particularly for those of us that live in fairly modest size homes where space is at a premium and such devices have to be stored when not in use.

Then there’s the topic of efficiency. To be brief—does a record cleaning machine really do a better job than cleaning records by hand? Is it worth the time and money to invest in one? The Project VCS record cleaning machine is a very nice product that does indeed do what it claims to do—properly clean records. I expected equivalent cleaning results to my original VC-E, and the VC-E2 certainly didn’t disappoint. An aluminum clamp keeps your record in place while it spins to ensure the vacuum can thoroughly clean every inch. Pro-Ject includes a 500mL bottle of cleaning fluid, so you can start using it right of the box. There’s no information on how quiet this record cleaning machine is, but it’s probably louder than our other recommendations because of its more powerful motor. That motor also contributes to its size: at 21.8 inches tall and 17.2 inches wide it’s the largest record cleaning machine we’re recommending.

Technical Specifications

Simply place your record on the platter and screw the clamp on top. The clamp secures the record in place, but also seals the label – preventing fluid damage. Actual measurements (width x height x depth) are 415 x 325 x 272 mm (fully assembled), with a weight of 8KG. The VC-E is more compact at 310 x 266 x 210mm (fully assembled) and lighter at 6.5 KG. Surface noise is certainly reduced, even with a lowly Disco Antistat machine and even more so with the better machines. The Loricraft has a dramatic effect on secondhand records I buy.