International CES, Venetian Hotel Suite 29-139 Las Vegas, January 6th 2016. Keith Monks Audio today unveiled the new discOvery microLight Record Cleaning Machine. The microLight is the smallest ever Keith Monks RCM and is the smallest precision record cleaning machine ever.
The cliché of a picture is worth a thousand words is so apt for the microLight, and in fact pictures don’t really capture its interesting and innovative design. Is it modern, post modern or classic? In reality all of the above. Caught in its naked pose the design is post modern industrial perhaps, appealing to the technocrat but with a quick insertion of a high definition image and with the illumination on, it’s anything you wish it to be. Anything that suits the mood or the room.
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Keith Monks is working with a growing number of fine artists and photographers from their Isle of Wight UK and US bases, together with a specialist print company, to develop a unique layered acrylic printing process and create exclusive limited editions and one-off custom print options.
Keith Monks machines bring the original record cleaning technique developed with and so prized by the BBC, the US Library of Congress and the British Library National Sound Archive in a modern, easier and more affordable package. Jonathan Monks – The Record Doctor and son of Keith – will be demonstrating the new MicroLight at CES 2015 in Suite 29-139 of the Venetian Hotel.
Key Features
- The ultimate upgrade for your turntable system, is now a stunning illuminated art display for your home.
- The world’s smallest ever precision Record Cleaning Machine – just 15” (39cm) wide.
- Worried about safety or recontamination from newer ‘tribute’ brands or ultrasonics? Relax – use the system the Professionals use.
- The Keith Monks is the only cleaner for sound enhancement and record restoration trusted by the world’s greatest sound archives including the British Library and US Library of Congress.
- Unique automatic features – whisper quiet – real record cleaning has never been so easy, and more fun. It’s quiet enough to enjoy listening to your records while cleaning another.
- Backlit acrylic art panels – unique hi res printing process – exclusive limited editions and one-off custom print options.
- Why let the audio manufacturer execs tell you how to style your home? We give you the blank canvas – you select the art to suit your mood or decor. Insert it into the front, turn on the light … later, switch it for another and in seconds, instantly redesign your room.
- Create your own artistic statement to intrigue and delight all your family and friends.
- Restore, preserve, improve the sound and preserve the value of all your precious new as well as vintage records – for life.
- Zero recontamination for safe, consistent results
- Original point suction vacuum system with SuperSilent medical grade suction pump imported from Germany
- NEW forward-reverse turntable rotation for wash cycle
- NEW “Used fluid jar full” warning light
- NEW transparent acrylic casing and back lighting strip with diffuser displays your art
- Automatic reel-out of nozzle buffer thread
- Automatic shut off at end of side
- Supplied with Keith Monks discOvery precision 12” LP wash brush and Pyr/\Mat stay-clean mat
For best deep clean results, use Keith Monks discOvery Natural Precision biodegradable cleaning fluids
Keith Monks. “Making records sound better since 1969.”
Background
Jon and his father both agreed on the three key issues of record cleaning: Firstly, the washed record must be left completely dry and free of all contaminants accumulated both before and during the cleaning process. And secondly, to ensure regular usage the experience must be as pleasurable – and quiet – as it is effective. Jon’s new design stays faithful to these original vital concepts while adding and enhancing a few of his own.
Washing the record is a simple process of applying cleaning fluid using the Keith Monks discOvery precision 12” LP wash brush. The original Keith Monks Point Suction nozzle then vacuums up all traces of fluids and contaminants – but unlike the traditional Keith Monks machines, it automatically shuts itself off at the end of the side. So the user needs spend only a few seconds operating the machine for each record side.
The recommended Keith Monks discOvery Natural Precision cleaning fluid is always fresh and previously unused, and contact with the record during the Precision Clean vacuuming process is by a virgin piece of buffer thread that is constantly renewed. This combination promises Zero Recontamination, making the Keith Monks the only system to guarantee consistently perfect results on every record cleaned.
A critical point that many miss is that a record cleaner must be quiet enough to enjoy the record you’ve just cleaned, while you are cleaning the next. Without this simple and obvious feature, record cleaning becomes a chore and fewer records are cleaned.
Vinyl record sales are growing worldwide and more enthusiasts including younger age groups are finding, or experiencing again, that vinyl records deliver music and emotion that most newer playback systems seem to have missed.
BBC News recently reported, ‘More than one million vinyl records have been sold in the UK so far this year – the first time the milestone has been achieved since 1996”. Close to 10 million records were sold in the USA in 2014. Estimates for 2015 are closer to 24 million
Pre-owned records are a fabulous source of music often at very attractive prices and here a good record cleaner is ideal for restoring the best performance. Cleaning also improves the performance from new records as it removes the excessive mold release agent frequently left after manufacture.