OKKI-NOKKI vacuum plate cleaning machine
Lovers of analog discs spend a lot of money on their turntables: speakers, pickups, cables and phono stages to get the best possible sound out of the grooves. However, none of these audio components can provide maximum performance if the disc itself is a limiting factor. Tiny particles in the grooves of dirty discs degrade sound quality, causing unwanted bounces, squeaks and noises. Surprisingly, even on new, seemingly clean plates, debris left over from pressing can remain. Simple disc cleaning brushes can also help with this problem, but if the brush itself isn’t completely clean, you can introduce new debris - or worse, sand it back into the sensitive grooves on the disc. The best possible results can be achieved with wet cleaning.
The Dutch-based Okki Nokki team is handling this problem with its disk cleaning machine. Okki Nokki is designed to simplify the cleaning process as much as possible: it loosens the dirt on the plate surface and then sucks it out using a vacuum motor.
The Okki Nokki package contains everything you need to start cleaning your discs in minutes. The main cleaning unit consists of a plate and a vacuum motor, a bottle of cleaning fluid concentrate, a suction tube and a cleaning brush, and a plexiglass dust cover.
After mixing the fresh cleaning solution, place a plate on the tray of the Okki Nokki and press it down with the aluminum plate clamp provided. Then turn on the switch to turn clockwise and add about a tablespoon of cleaning solution to the plate. Place the disc brush on the vinyl surface to distribute the cleaning solution evenly and start washing. After about five turns, you have to switch to counterclockwise for a few turns - making loosening dirt even more efficient.
At the end of the cleaning process, the solution full of debris must be removed from the vinyl surface. All you have to do is turn the plate cleaner back clockwise and turn on the vacuum motor switch. Pressing the vacuum tube lightly rotates it to the plate surface for maximum efficiency. Once the vacuum tube has sucked into place, it closes well relative to the surface of the plate and no physical intervention is required, it is sufficient to allow the plate to rotate a few times. The vacuum and the soft cleaning tape at the bottom of the tube together remove the loose particles and finally leave the plate surface completely dry. When switched off, the hum of the vacuum motor stops, the spring-loaded vacuum lever automatically jumps off the plate and moves out of the way.
For vinyl enthusiasts who like to buy used records, or who have a lot of old records in their collection, it is also worth getting a second Okki Nokki vacuum lever because they are easy to replace and there is no point in rubbing old dirt on a new one. The "clean" lever can be used to wash new discs, and the "used" lever can be used to clean dirty discs. If you clean many plates at once, the liquid tank inside the Okki Nokki may be full of dirty liquid, but there is a tube at the back of the machine that makes it easier to empty. With occasional use of the disc cleaner, much of the remaining liquid evaporates automatically.
OKKI NOKKI is a very good investment for vinyl enthusiasts, it can help preserve the record collection, get the best sound out of it and also reduce the wear and tear on valuable pickups. Listening to discs before and after cleaning reduces unwanted hissing, crackling and bouncing, and improves overall music performance. Okki Nokki certainly meets its design goals.
