Launched thanks to a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter in December 2020 and supported by Happy Well Tech (a subsidiary of Happy Well International Enterprise LTD), the HumminGuru Ultrasonic Vinyl Cleaner from Hong Kong aims to offer optimal vinyl record cleaning quality thanks to ultrasonic technology at a particularly affordable price. With its compact size, all-in-one design and ease of use, the HumminGuru is a particularly relevant choice in a booming competitive market.
Principle of ultrasound
Many collectors have nothing but praise for ultrasonic cleaning for its ability to thoroughly clean vinyl records. These waves of mechanical vibrations, inaudible to the human ear, with a frequency above 20 kHz, create a phenomenon of rapid compression and decompression in the water, where the water is transformed into small vapour bubbles, thus releasing a large amount of energy. This is what is known as the phenomenon of cavitation. The repeated implosions of these bubbles clean the disc deep down, breaking up residual material and releasing dirt and dust from the grooves of the disc. But in general this type of machine is notoriously expensive and rather bulky. This is where the HumminGuru hits the mark.
Set up and use
Straight out of its cardboard box, the HumminGuru attracts attention with its design. With a plastic and stainless steel chassis in an elegant grey finish, the cleaner is strikingly simple and compact, so it can be ideally stored on the vinyl shelf. A clever idea: the power cord can be stored inside the lid. The box also contains numerous replacement rollers and filters, a maintenance tool that also serves as a water level gauge, and two adapters for cleaning 7‘ and 10’ discs in the premium version.
Clear and precise instructions enable the machine to be put into service in a matter of minutes. Importantly, only demineralised, deionised or distilled water is recommended for use, with the latter being preferred, as tap water can contain limescale and other impurities that can cause undesirable side effects during cleaning and leave residues in the machine’s pipes. In addition, it is strongly recommended to use a mild, non-alcoholic surfactant, such as The Small Bottle sold by the brand, for optimal cleaning and drying, allowing greater penetration of the grooves during ultrasonic cleaning and a reduction in drying time.
Use
Once the liquid has been poured according to the appropriate markers depending on the size of the disc, place it in the basin and choose either a two or five minute cleaning cycle, or a five or ten minute drying cycle; both can be combined with the auto mode. The machine then rotates the disc while stirring the water with a 40 kHz signal, thus removing dirt and dust from the vinyl grooves. A second cleaning cycle will be necessary with older discs for the result to be completely effective.
Tests
For the tests, several original and recent pressings were cleaned with the HumminGuru, and let’s get straight to the point: the results are impressive. With slightly dusty discs, as reissues often are, all clicks, pops and surface noises have disappeared, as has the static. On the more worn and often dirtier originals, the results are just as impressive. Listening to the records again after cleaning them is revealing and quite magical on some records, notably an original pressing of Pink Floyd, which restores warmth and finesse to the sound, previously buried under the dirt, as well as bringing back some sound details that were inaudible before cleaning. But let’s not forget that cleaning a vinyl record, even with ultrasound, is still no match for the scratches and signs of wear and tear caused by repeated playbacks. And while the HumminGuru strives for excellence through its prowess and ergonomics, it can’t work miracles on really damaged vinyl records.
Our conclusion
The most discerning of enthusiasts will argue that the HumminGuru lacks the power and effectiveness of higher-end ultrasonic cleaners, but in our opinion, it offers a very good alternative at a particularly attractive price. Its remarkable performance is in addition to its specific design in a single block, which combined with a low power supply and a specific chosen frequency, allows powerful cleaning of all types of discs, even the oldest. Elegant and compact as well as being fairly quiet and very easy to use, this small machine full of promise will quickly find its place with any analogue disc enthusiast. At a very attractive price, even with shipping, conversion and customs fees to be included for its purchase directly on the humminguru.com website, the brand does not yet have a distributor in France.
Author: Nicolas Chestier
Technical sheet: HumminGuru Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner
- Origine : Hong Kong
- Prix : 346 €/393 € avec adaptateurs 45 t et 25 cm
- Dimensions : 340 x 150 x 280 mm
- Poids : 3,1 kg
- Fréquence ultra-son : 40 kHz
- Cycle nettoyage : 2 et 5 minutes
- Cycle séchage : 5 et 10 minutes avec double séchage
- Alimentation : 100-240 V AC 50-60 Hz
- Niveau de bruit : >60 dB ≤ 75 dB
