Another entry in a continuing series of articles spotlighting new products and brands announced in our brand-new 2020 catalog.

Here's an interesting factoid, penned by Marina Eckersley of the online publication The Conversation. She writes that "Teens of the 1980s (now aged approximately 45 to 54) and the 90s (now aged approximately 35 to 44) were the two largest age demographics buying vinyl in 2018, accounting for 24 and 21 percent [respectively] of new vinyl sales in the U.S."

With the continual upswing in vinyl sales, the hardware needed to keep said LPs sounding good has also seen advancements. Indeed, from basic cleaning protocols to the most complex cleaning devices on the planet, vinyl care has reached new levels of sophistication (and responsibility).

We've recently introduced a half dozen new record-cleaning machines, many featuring cutting-edge processes. Among our new introductions:

Pro-Ject Audio VC-E Record Cleaning Machine
Along with its lesser-priced VC-S, Pro-ject's newest entry into the record-care parade is one of our least-expensive models. VC-E is a semiautomatic machine beautifully built in a tightly framed aluminum composite case. A durable all-metal pickup tube and replaceable strips offer scratch-proof cleaning of your records when you use the company's formulated Wash It record-cleaning fluid. A clamp secures the LP onto a compact platter, reducing contamination when flipping sides, and a half-liter collection tank and vacuum take care of the cruddy stuff collected on those fragile LP grooves. VC-E's compact design makes it easy to store and takes up precious little space.

Nessie Vinylmaster Record Cleaning Machine
Drawing from his background in water treatment and humidity systems at his family's namesake company, industrial engineer Uwe Draabe created Nessie record-cleaning machines that are a breeze to use, especially when dealing with large collections. Engineered as a fully automatic, one-step cleaning workhorse, Nessie Vinylmaster operates with the touch of a button. Its two-armed brush and vacuum system provides a measured amount of cleaning fluid, and the two-brush scrubber offers a great way to lift dirt and contaminants from the sensitive surface of your records. Also notable: The way it carefully addresses fluid distribution and operates with a powerful, remarkably quiet vacuum. Your record surfaces will thank you!

Degritter Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Machine
Originally fueled in part as an Indigogo campaign, the Estonian-based startup has yielded one of the best machines extant. Imagine an ultrasonic cleaning machine that only requires distilled water (enough to clean up to 25 records) and operates on a specially designed software program that offers updates for increased performance and gives you unfettered cleaning options without any pre-soaking requirements. Degritter's modernist appearance and cool simplicity had us stoked the moment we plugged it in and began using it. Our office record collections just got a whole lot cleaner!

As always, our team of Audio Consultants can guide you to the right machine and systems for your cleaning adventures. Just give us a call at (800) 449-8333, and we'll do the rest!

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