HumminGuru Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner & Accessories

The HumminGuru Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner began development in 2019. By the end of 2020, a Kickstarter campaign was launched. Less than a year later, HumminGuru began fulfilling Kickstarter and other pre-orders. While I know very little about Kickstarter campaigns, I do know that less than a year between campaign launch and product delivery is massively impressive.

For anyone familiar with record-cleaning machines, it is easy to understand the appeal of the HumminGuru. What jumps out is the absurdly low cost. At $379 USD (HK$2956), this machine is significantly less expensive than even low-cost vacuum-based machines such as the Pro-Ject VC-S I reviewed very favorably a few years ago. At that time, the Pro-Ject VC-S had an MSRP of $499, which was considered very affordable for a motorized, vacuum-based machine. In its current version 3 iteration, the Pro-Ject VC-S3, it costs $799. Additionally, there are far more expensive vacuum-based machines, including well-regarded models from VPI, Nitty Gritty, and the ultra-luxe Nessie Vinylmaster Advance for $2999. To be clear, this is not a knock on the pricing of these or any other vacuum-based machines. This information is simply for context and to underscore how truly insane it is that you can buy a brand-new ultrasonic record cleaner for under $1,000, let alone under $500.

You see, once you actually step through that Ultrasonic door, prices are not only elevated, but they often hit the stratosphere. While I do not pretend to have done a comprehensive market survey, and I realize there are low-price DIY-type ultrasonic cleaners, some of the more well-known and well-regarded ultrasonic plug-and-play models include the Klaudio ($6,499), the Audio Desk Pro X ($4,699), and the popular Degritter ($3,280). I have never used any of those machines, so I am not saying or suggesting they are overpriced, or that all ultrasonic record machines are created equal, but for less than $500, the HumminGuru has, in my view, the potential to radically alter the landscape.

The HumminGuru can ultrasonically clean and dry your records in a single step with the push of a button. Dig deeper and you discover that in addition to two automatic settings, Quick (7 min.) or Deep (10 min.), should you want to break up cleaning and drying functions, you can, because the HumminGuru includes those as separate modes. There is a single Drying mode of 5 min, while the Cleaning mode allows you to choose either Quick (2 min) or Deep (5 min). Logically, these times are equivalent to the total times of the respective automatic modes. The HumminGuru design also incorporates thermal protection, designed to protect it from overheating and/or damaging a record. The unit will stop operating when the water temperature reaches 95 ̊F.

Aesthetically, the HumminGuru is quite sleek. It is surprisingly compact and lightweight, which makes moving it as well as storing it a simple task. As to construction, the internal basin is made of stainless steel. Attractive charcoal gray ABS plastic covers the outside, which includes a translucent tinted cover. In my opinion, whoever decided to abandon the blue plastic shown on the Kickstarter page and switch to gray deserves praise. The cover is designed with enough extra space to store the small, removable power supply. The clear water tank includes a filter, and the dual drying fans are also filtered to prevent blowing dust onto the clean record. All filters are washable and replaceable. Additionally, the wheels that turn the record are replaceable. All replacement parts can be purchased directly from HumminGuru at refreshingly non-extortionate pricing. Overall, this is clearly a thoughtful, well-considered design.

I have been putting off cleaning a large batch of records (mostly new) for over a year. While I ended up purchasing a Pro-Ject VC-S and it works great, the vacuum is very loud, such that my significant other has a hard time dealing with it for very long. It’s also quite large, which requires storing it in a not altogether convenient place. Combined, these factors rarely lend themselves to long cleaning sessions and if I can’t get it all done in one go, it is really demotivating. The other option is hand cleaning, which, in my experience, has limitations. Most importantly, I find it exceedingly hard to eliminate static after hand cleaning. It is also incredibly time-consuming. This means it is not very satisfying given the investment of time. So much so I’d rather just listen to Tidal, play video games, work, do laundry, go for a run, or really do almost anything you can think of other than hand-cleaning records. It really “suuuuuuuucks.” HumminGuru…my salvation?

The HumminGuru website includes an excellent animation that demonstrates how simple and intuitive this thing is to use. I highly recommend taking a look at it. Additionally, it was a pleasant surprise to find a detailed, written manual (in color) included in the box. To get started, you remove the water tank and fill it to the appropriate line with distilled water. The tank has indicators for both 7” and 12” records as well as indicators showing milliliters.

For best results, HumminGuru recommends slightly warm distilled water between 77- 94 ̊F. For reference, tap water is usually around 55 ̊F. As the water temperature should rise slightly as records are cleaned, to me it makes sense not to exceed 85 ̊F to start. As I initially intended to go on a marathon cleaning session, I used 85 ̊F to start. I never experienced a shutdown.

While not strictly necessary, a cleaning agent/surfactant can be added to the distilled water. A surfactant basically breaks the surface tension and, rather than forming droplets on the surface, allows the fluid to get into the grooves of the record. Conveniently, HumminGuru has developed its own, which they call “The Small Bottle”. For $29, the 1.0 oz bottle should easily last long enough to clean in excess of 1000 records. HumminGuru recommends, at the most, three drops per water tank. As HumminGuru included a bottle, I tested the claim it improved drying and found that the claim was absolutely true.

While not scientific, I endeavored to make some comparisons. I tried four cleaning variations. The first was distilled water only. The second was two drops of The Small Bottle fluid in one tank of distilled water. The third was a 50/50 mix of distilled water and Audio Intelligent Premium 1-step No. 6 cleaning fluid. Notably, I am aware Audio Intelligent makes its own ultrasonic-specific fluid, but I did not have any to try. The fourth was a 50/50 mix of distilled water and the Groovy Hi-Fi Solutions TM-8 fluid I reviewed very favorably a few years ago. My rationale for the 50/50 mix was that both the Audio Intelligent and the Groovy are one-step cleaners, not concentrated solutions specifically designed for dilution or ultrasonic machines. The results were readily apparent after the drying cycle.

Both the Groovy and The Small Bottle mixes let the records completely dry at the end of the cycle. By itself, the distilled water, as well as the Audio Intelligent mix, left a few random drops of fluid on the record, but nothing egregious. Because the HumminGuru when using only distilled water does a great, but not 100% perfect job drying the record, I give a ton of credit to the fan system. It is super effective. Nonetheless, given surfactants in cleaning solutions primarily aid in the actual cleaning part of the process, I highly recommend the use of The Small Bottle fluid, because it produces perfect results, was developed specifically for this machine, and is very affordable compared to the alternatives.

Most importantly, using the HumminGuru with any of the fluid variations resulted in pretty flawless-looking records. As far as the sound, the HumminGuru eliminated static and surface noise issues to the point I no longer heard them. While it may seem obvious how much of a difference this would make to the listening experience, I have to say it was even better than that. Specifically, I have noticed static and surface noise to varying degrees on almost every record I recall playing and, over time, I just accepted that was part of the analog experience. And I convinced myself this was true because I buy a good number of new records and the used records I buy are in good shape; I clean every record I buy before playing it the first time, and yet the static and noise would always be audible. In other words, the HumminGuru gave me a better result than I thought possible.

As far as records not in overall excellent shape, I do have a fair number of old records that are scratched and/or what I would describe as gunky. Here again, the HumminGuru provided a transformative experience. In sum, the static and surface noise was reduced or eliminated to the point records I had sort of written off, such as an original, noisy copy of Roberta Flack’s debut, “First Take,” were both listenable and enjoyable. In sum, the results achieved with the HumminGuru continually exceeded my expectations.

In addition to the Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner and The Small Bottle, HumminGuru sent along their new “S-DUO,” which is an interesting device. It is both an ultrasonic stylus cleaner AND a tracking force gauge. The retail price is $115 USD (HK$900), and it is powered by four AAA batteries (not included).

The S-DUO operates at a frequency of 110kHz. This frequency was chosen because it creates smaller cavitation bubbles (compared to the record cleaner) to avoid any damage to the stylus or cartridge. The stylus cleaning process takes only 20 seconds using 3-4 drops of water. As opposed to a stylus brush, for example, the ultrasonic method completely avoids physical contact. As someone who has used a stylus brush a few times, I can attest to the anxiety that using it produces. However, the thought of submerging the stylus in even a small amount of water does nothing to really alleviate that anxiety. It is designed to clean any kind of stylus. Helpfully, HumminGuru maintains a cartridge compatibility list. I recommend contacting the manufacturer of your cartridge to determine whether ultrasonic cleaning is appropriate. As I have a relatively new cartridge, I was holding up finishing this review until I tried the S-DUO’s cleaning function, but, unfortunately, the last several months have seen my time available to play records disappear almost completely. I do, however, intend to revisit this in a future review.

The S-DUO’s other function is a vertical tracking force (VTA) gauge. I find such a device indispensable primarily because cartridge manufacturers typically specify a range of tracking force rather than a precise number. Even when varying by a few hundredths of a gram, the tonal balance can be very different, not to mention the opposite ends of the specified range. In general, I have found tonal balance shifts to the bass when VTF is set heavy and shifts to the highs when too light. Most importantly, either too much or too little VTF can damage or prematurely wear both the stylus and the record. Having an accurate, easy-to-use tracking force gauge allows you to find the weight that works for you, remember it, and repeat the result.

The S-DUO display is extremely bright and easy to read and includes a battery-strength indicator. There are no physical buttons, it works entirely by capacitive touch. It has an automatic shut-off function to preserve the batteries. Like the record cleaner, the S-DUO comes with a very attractive translucent tinted cover. When covered, the S-DUO could be mistaken for a computer mouse.

HumminGuru also includes a 5g weight to ensure the S-DUO’s VTF gauge is correctly calibrated. Like the record cleaner, I found the S-DUO easy to use. I also had a bit more confidence in its accuracy as it has a decent heft to it. It sits very flat on the platter and is trimmed on the bottom in grippy rubber. Like the record cleaner, there is pride in ownership here as it is obvious the S-DUO is very attractive, easy to use, and obviously the product of careful, thoughtful design. If you, like me, are someone who appreciates well-designed packaging, the S-DUO is presented and boxed beautifully.

The HumminGuru Ultrasonic Record Cleaner, especially when used with HumminGuru’s Small Bottle fluid, is a game changer. There are no caveats.

I am an avid reader of hi-fi equipment and accessory reviews. One of the go-to tropes is that the equipment or accessory made the reviewer look forward to the next time they could experience it. I get that. What I will say is that if that is your standard, I would argue that you will look forward to cleaning records with the HumminGuru, whereas it would otherwise be drudgery. It really is simple. It is brilliantly designed, easy and intuitive to use, and highly effective. To my knowledge, no one provides a record cleaner as effective as the HumminGuru at or anywhere near its price. Truly, the highest compliment I can pay HumminGuru having lived with the Ultrasonic Record Cleaner, the Small Bottle, and the S-DUO, is that I cannot wait to see what their talent comes up with next.