What stands out as different about the VC-S3 is the new vacuum motor, which is said to feature aluminum mounting pads and a cataphoretic surface treatment. Rather than a height adjustment screw (which is useless as you'd have to remove the pad over the lower platter to adjust anything) why not have it factory set for 180g vinyl and provide a thin rubber disk to act as spacer under a thin record. Maybe a bit moot as I can clean both as factory set.

The only real anomaly is the clear plastic disc for protecting the underside of a record when cleaning huge amounts of records in one go. Cleaning Records with the VC-E The Pro-Ject VC-S3 did an outstanding job of cleaning a dust-caked record straight from the old sleeve.There is no advice on when to replace the self-adhesive arm "lips" or when best to replace them in the booklet I do have a carbon fibre brush (Originally a Hunt Eda) but it is no way as good as my cleaner. Though it costs a lot less! Start the motor and carefully apply just enough cleaning fluid to cover the record surface, but not so much that you risk breaching the label clamp and saturating the label. 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.

While Pro-Ject recommends explicitly using their own Wash-It fluid with this machine, I’ve found I can also achieve great results with other third-party cleaning fluids. 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. Pro-Ject’s VC-S2 ALU is the biggest, most powerful record cleaning machine we’ve come across, and it’s the ultimate way to restore and maintain your albums. But two groups of people should take note. First, people who have or may acquire someday an ultrasonic machine. You will need to thoroughly rinse any records that were previously cleaned using the Pro-Ject fluid before cleaning them in your new ultrasonic machine. Second, people who are concerned as a matter of general principle about any product that leaves an unintended, invisible residue on their records. For this review, though, I was curious to see what would happen if I simply took the record straight from the record store and cleaned it up with the VC-E2.

Just like the bigger VC-S2, the VC-E ships basically ready to go. There’s a detachable vacuum arm, two pairs of self-adhesive felt pads, a metal record clamp, a 100ml bottle of Pro-Ject’s “Wash it” record cleaning solution, the solution mixing container, and a goat hair brush for fluid application. Our eco-friendly and non-alcoholic vinyl cleaning concentrate, Wash-IT, offers very good cleaning results and reduces static charge, so record wear and stylus wear are significantly reduced. The aluminum enclosure of the VC-S2 ALU exemplifies the high-end build quality, and makes your new record cleaner a long-lasting investment. The increased size allows for quieter operation and improved handling of the record and cleaning liquid application processes. With many practical Features and excellent mechanical operation, the VC-S2 ALU effectively combines industrial design appeal with an easy solution to great sound from your vinyl records. VC-E & VC-S2 Setup Notes With my original model, I would always have to pull the unit away from the wall when cleaning records to allow room for the record to sit on the platter. Cleaning a Very Dirty Used Record with the VC-E2 There are a few videos on YouTube, so I will not bother on pictures or a demo of it, but on my experience of using it.