KLAudio returns - new KD-CLN-LP200T RCM

[Ron Resnick]

Wondering if anyone has had contact with KLAudio recently? I am interest in purchasing a 200T. I have emailed and called. I have left messages and sent emails over the last 8 days. No response. Making me reconsider my purchase. Thanks for any info.

Not recently as in this week, but five months ago they were very responsive in repairing a brand new but dead on arrival (due entirely too shipping damage) original version of the record cleaning machine which I purchased from Acoustic Sounds in 2019 but never opened until March.

 

[djsina2]

Not recently as in this week, but five months ago they were very responsive in repairing a brand new but dead on arrival (due entirely too shipping damage) original version of the record cleaning machine which I purchased from Acoustic Sounds in 2019 but never opened until March.

Also responsive when my new 200T arrived with a scratch on the front. I went through Acoustic Sounds who quickly got a new front panel from Klaudio.

 

[Solypsa]

Wondering if anyone has had contact with KLAudio recently? I am interest in purchasing a 200T. I have emailed and called. I have left messages and sent emails over the last 8 days. No response. Making me reconsider my purchase. Thanks for any info.

AFAIK it is only sold through Acoustic Sounds. Might be wrong but that was my impression when talking with Peter...

 

[tima]

AFAIK it is only sold through Acoustic Sounds. Might be wrong but that was my impression when talking with Peter...

Correct -- exclusive US dealer.

 

[rich121]

AFAIK it is only sold through Acoustic Sounds. Might be wrong but that was my impression when talking with Peter...

Yes, new units only available thru Acoustic Sounds as per contract, but Klaudio does sell 'refurb' units direct from their US warehouse for a good discount, when available.
I purchased mine as a 'refurb' last June with full warranty. Only a 1.5 hour drive from my home to pick it up at the main office/warehouse, so no shipping worries. Also got a good look at the business.
Will be very convenient when it will need maintenance as I can just drop it off and pick it up.

 

[Solypsa]

Yes, new units only available thru Acoustic Sounds as per contract, but Klaudio does sell 'refurb' units direct from their US warehouse for a good discount, when available.
I purchased mine as a 'refurb' last June with full warranty. Only a 1.5 hour drive from my home to pick it up at the main office/warehouse, so no shipping worries. Also got a good look at the business.
Will be very convenient when it will need maintenance as I can just drop it off and pick it up.

Did you get to see the listening room? Pretty cool space. I'm local too.

 

[rich121]

Did you get to see the listening room? Pretty cool space. I'm local too.

No, they were having Emplyee meeting and Tim was limited as he was in charge at the moment. Got to see the offices and the testing room... would have loved to have seen the listening room and all the custom gear.

 

[peter.park.KLAUDIO]

Michael Fremer has shared his insightful review of our LP Cleaner T-model. Dive into his expert analysis.
Link: https://trackingangle.com/features/a-year-with-kl-audio-s-kd-cln-lp200t-ultrasonic-record-cleaner

 

[jeff1225]

Did you get to see the listening room? Pretty cool space. I'm local too.

Peter's listening room is probably the coolest room I've ever visited.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Michael Fremer has shared his insightful review of our LP Cleaner T-model. Dive into his expert analysis.
Link: https://trackingangle.com/features/a-year-with-kl-audio-s-kd-cln-lp200t-ultrasonic-record-cleaner

Congratulations on this great review, Peter!

I don't know anybody who has your machine (including me) who doesn't think that it is the best record cleaning machine ever made.

 

[peter.park.KLAUDIO]

Congratulations on this great review, Peter!

I don't know anybody who has your machine (including me) who doesn't think that it is the best record cleaning machine ever made.

Thank you, Ron. We will be receiving reviews for our new turntable, Magnezar. I will share them with you once they are available."

 

[Ron Resnick]

An extremely experienced audiophile friend of mine who is 100% analog and owns many thousands of records has decommissioned his KL Audio ultrasonic record cleaning machine because he believes the cavitation pressure is so high that vinyl is shaved off during the cleaning process and high frequency information gradually is lost. He now uses an Audio Desk.

He believes the biggest concern relates to old vinyl pressings which used a softer vinyl formulation. He believes the black residue in the water reservoir evidences the damage to the vinyl.

Has anyone experienced a loss of high frequency information after repeated KL Audio cleanings of your vinyl records?

 

[tima]

An extremely experienced audiophile friend of mine who is 100% analog and owns many thousands of records has decommissioned his KL Audio ultrasonic record cleaning machine because he believes the cavitation pressure is so high that vinyl is shaved off during the cleaning process and high frequency information gradually is lost. He now uses an Audio Desk.

He believes the biggest concern relates to old vinyl pressings which used a softer vinyl formulation. He believes the black residue in the water reservoir evidences the damage to the vinyl.

Has anyone experienced a loss of high frequency information after repeated KL Audio cleanings of your vinyl records?

Evidence is more helpful than listening for the absence of a frequency. Filter the water down to the sub-micron level and produce the vinyl shavings. Iirc Klaudio operates its cavitators at 40kHz which is considered fairly low.relative to the 120kHz Degritter. Elmasonic tanks operate at both 38 and 80kHz. More likely age accounts for high frequency hearing loss.

 

[howiebrou]

An extremely experienced audiophile friend of mine who is 100% analog and owns many thousands of records has decommissioned his KL Audio ultrasonic record cleaning machine because he believes the cavitation pressure is so high that vinyl is shaved off during the cleaning process and high frequency information gradually is lost. He now uses an Audio Desk.

He believes the biggest concern relates to old vinyl pressings which used a softer vinyl formulation. He believes the black residue in the water reservoir evidences the damage to the vinyl.

Has anyone experienced a loss of high frequency information after repeated KL Audio cleanings of your vinyl records?

I have not seen any visual evidence of vinyl particles in the water when changing water in my Klaudio machine. I can save a sample of water next time and look under a microscope if that might be of interest to anyone but to be fair I would need to do the same with an Audiodesk Systeme machine cleaning the same record. I would doubt anyone would be able to discern any loss of frequency from cleaning over and above that experienced by our ageing ears.

 

[Johan K]

I’m faithful to my AudioDesk as well. Works very well for my collection !

/ Jk

 

[XV-1]

An extremely experienced audiophile friend of mine who is 100% analog and owns many thousands of records has decommissioned his KL Audio ultrasonic record cleaning machine because he believes the cavitation pressure is so high that vinyl is shaved off during the cleaning process and high frequency information gradually is lost. He now uses an Audio Desk.

He believes the biggest concern relates to old vinyl pressings which used a softer vinyl formulation. He believes the black residue in the water reservoir evidences the damage to the vinyl.

Has anyone experienced a loss of high frequency information after repeated KL Audio cleanings of your vinyl records?

Hi Ron
I have owned my KL ultrasonic unit for probably 8 years and have cleaned probably 4 - 5000 LP 's.
I have not heard any loss of any frequency.
I don't change my tank that often and there has never been any vinyl particles whatsoever in the tank.

I am afraid your friend is going deaf.

 

[Johan K]

 

[bonzo75]

An extremely experienced audiophile friend of mine who is 100% analog and owns many thousands of records has decommissioned his KL Audio ultrasonic record cleaning machine because he believes the cavitation pressure is so high that vinyl is shaved off during the cleaning process and high frequency information gradually is lost. He now uses an Audio Desk.

He believes the biggest concern relates to old vinyl pressings which used a softer vinyl formulation. He believes the black residue in the water reservoir evidences the damage to the vinyl.

Has anyone experienced a loss of high frequency information after repeated KL Audio cleanings of your vinyl records?

When we compared KL and Audiodesk, the venue ambience was there more on AD and lost on KL. the compares were all on good quality classical. We did many LPs, and the randomised the order. Some were cleaned on AD first and listened, then KL second and heard again. Some the other way round. This was done on two visits. Regardless, both my friend and I preferred the AD. The KL makes the LP sound quiet, but loses the venue ambience. Is that just the high frequency loss your friend is talking about? I don’t know. In Fremer’s review, he heard the KL but kept the AD

 

[Ron Resnick]

Interesting, Kedar!

I am not switching machines. But I will set the machine to only 1 minute of cleaning going forward.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Interesting, Kedar!

I am not switching machines. But I will set the machine to only 1 minute of cleaning going forward.

back in the day, at one point i owned three RCM's. the Loricraft PRC3, the Audiodesk (owned 3 of those as the original version broke twice), and the KL Audio. owned all three for about 18 months. used all three, did compares, never had any loss of HF or ambience.

then last summer cleaned a large collection of about 2000 pressings with my now 8 year old KL. listening they are the most stellar sounding group of LP's i've been around with amazing ambience and HF extension. mostly late 60's to 80's pressings.

i do only clean my records once, then handle with care.

during my 6 week 2000 record cleaning project dumped the water many times. zero evidence of any vinyl residue (not that those tiny particles would be easy to see....but zero evidence of them).

the build quality of the KL Audio makes other RCM's i've tried look like toys.

YMMV.