This review first appeared in the September 2017 issue of high-end hifi magazine fairaudio.de of Germany. You can also read this Flux-Hifi review in its original German version. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with the publishers. As is customary for our own reviews, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of fairaudio or Flux-Hifi Ed.


Reviewer: Frank Hakopians
Analogue: TW-Acustic Raven AC with Analog Tools and Pyon Sound Iris SE arms and Dynavector XV-1S, Steinmusic Aventurin6, Lyra Titan I and Denon DL 103R cartridges, platter mats by Dereneville und Steinmusic
Digital: Abbingdon Music Research DP-777, Ensemble Dirondo transport, Innuos Zenith Mk.II server
Integrated: Devialet D-Premier
Preamps: Accustic Arts Tube Preamp II Mk.2 linestage, Einstein The Turntable's Choice phono
Power amps: Tenor Audio 75 Wi monos, Audionet Amp I V2
Loudspeakers: Acapella La Campanella, Clockwork Event Horizon
Cables: Analog Tools Reference Serie loom, Steinmusic Highline
Power delivery: Nordost QRT QB4 und QB8
Other: Steinmusic and Moll Audio isolation transformers, Furutech wall sockets, AHP Klangmodule, Steinmusic Harmonizer, racks by Copulare and Audio Lignum, platforms by Symposium Acoustics and Acapella
Listening room: 23.4m² with 2.64m ceiling
Review component retail: €279

Suck that!  Dust. During vinyl replay, it's probably public enemy number one. Aside from regularly dusting off the mechanical contraption that is the record player, it's the dust particles on the actual black discs which most go on our nerves. They not only work against sonic calm. Because they can eventually bond with the pickup's needle which drags them along, they will eventually undermine its proper functioning and possibly even shorten the diamond's life expectancy. How to reliably remove these sticky customers when static attraction keeps inviting them back onto our carousel?

For starters, it's key to clean your records with one of the now more affordable record washers. They dig deep into gunky grooves not just of second-hand vinyl. They will also remove any remnants of the pressing plant's mold release on virgin copies. Sadly the procedure tends to be more involved than attractive to do before each and every sonic spin. Even if you're religious, it only takes moments to watch new dust settle rebelliously onto your studiously cleaned sound carrier.

It's why part of the serious user's ritual is the brush-off, traditionally with carbon fibres, micro composite bristles or goat hairs which carefully guide the spinning culprits from the inner to the outer grooves to there fall off the edge of their black world or get captured. Depending on make and quality of the brush, a few dusties will actually be put out of action. But the rest simply get nicely distributed across the surface like marmalade on toast. Honestly, who hasn't dreamt of just sucking the lot off with a proper vacuum cleaner? Clearly the analogue experts at Flux Hifi did more than just dream.


Our Pforzheim specialists quite recently introduced a savvy concept: a powered record cleaner which combines the traditional record brush with a miniaturized Miehle vacuum. This process runs entirely dry not wet and in use is very similar to a standard brush. But if the maker is to be believed, it's magnitudes more effective. We're not just promised noticeably lower tracking noise and longer life for vinyl and pickup alike. Even the sound per se is supposed to improve.

Typical for the firm, the Vinyl-Turbo arrives in a stout carton. Three included AA batteries and an air filter are quickly installed and presto, the device which looks like an oversized electrical shaver is ready for action. Instead of a cutting head we find an intake slot buffered by u-shaped soft rails to protect the grooves. Behind them hides a carbon-hair brush whose primary function is to transfer static charge to the user's body. The common ground connection is a metal plate at the rear of the device. For improved contact, one touches here with the finger tips whilst the thumb presses the frontal start button to kick off the suction process. Now the Vinyl-Turbo is gently lowered onto the spinning disc, the silky protectors make contact and two or three revolutions later, it is gently pulled off the record's edge which concludes the cleaning.


If used as intended, the maker promises 4 hours of battery life which, at ten seconds per record, should process a solid 1'400 licorice slices. Admittedly I didn't sign up for such a sucky marathon but still managed a few hundred discs spread across my three-month loaner period during which I replaced no batteries. The air filter is advertised for roughly 100 sessions, the protective edging for 50 more. I view these figures as conservative. My air filter showed just marginal dirt and would stay busy for a few more months. My protective rails showed some signs of light use but they too would last longer before requiring replacement. At that time, Flux-Hifi offer new protectors and twin-pack air filters for €19.90 and €29.90 respectively.