The Degritter MARK II is an ultrasonic record-cleaning machine, the follow-up product to the original and very successful Degritter MARK I. The Degritter originated from an Estonian Indiegogo project. After a couple of years beta testing the original machine, Degritter began shipping in 2019. Unlike other ultrasonic cleaning machines, the Degritter MARK II uses a 120Hz frequency to cavitate the water (see image below).

The MARK II is not inexpensive. It retails for $3280. Ultrasonic cleaning has become so popular that other Kickstarter-like companies such as Humminguru have begun shipping ultrasonic cleaners. The Humminguru retails for $377. Audiophilia’s Jesús González-Monreal and Ian Kershaw have them in for review. Humminguru is knocking them out for a fraction of the MARK II’s price. We’ll report on how Jesús and Ian are getting along with their units here in Audiophilia.

Back to the Degritter MARK II and why I think it’s a remarkable product. And far more than a cleaner, after two months of use, I now consider the Degritter MARK II an essential audio component, almost as important as my phono stage and phono cartridges. Yes, its performance is that good.

Technology

While the MARK I and II look similar, there are some technological differences, primarily the new “Pulse Mode”. Degritter says:

It comes down to the technicalities, but this essentially makes the MARK II more energy-efficient (also more cost-efficient for the user), while still more powerful. So how is that even possible?

That happens thanks to the Pulse Mode functionality, which is a sophisticated and resource-preserving way of harnessing ultrasonic power. With Pulse Mode, the machine uses short ultrasonic pulses with higher energy to clean surfaces. However, since ultrasonic cleaning is not continuously on—as is the case with MARK I—the average power consumption is lower, while the peaking pulses are significantly higher, improving the overall cleaning effect.

Degritter uses a 120 Hz frequency to cavitate the distilled water for cleaning. “*The tank has two ultrasonic transducers on either side emitting 120 kHz ultrasonic vibrations, evenly distributing the cleaning energy across the record’s surface.”*

Degritter also says the new model has better fault detection. I have never used an original Degritter, but have read the social media posts extolling its virtues. Degritter suggests its MARK II is 20%-30% more efficient than the MARK I. I have no idea if that’s true, what I can tell you is my experiences with the new product, how it works, why it works, and what I think about the product.

My Use

The design aesthetics are the same for the MARK II as I. Superior materials and quality construction. From the posts on “internet forums of record” such as the Steve Hoffman Forums, many users tell of cleaning huge collections (2000, 3000 LPs and more) with very few problems. I can imagine if there is a problem, Dregritter’s customer service will solve it. So far, I’ve cleaned about 200 records. As it is a hands-off, set-it-and-forget-it product, I place the record in the slot and press the button. About ten fairly quiet and completely uneventful minutes later, a sparkling clean record.

After initially setting my parameters in the very intuitive menu (photo left) (always “Heavy Clean”—why bother with “quickies” when you have this Rolls Royce of a cleaner doing a deep clean and dry in a few minutes?—I set quiet drying time of 3 minutes), I can clean any time of the day or night without disturbing anyone. After living with the very loud vacuum unit of the (excellent) VPI 16.5 for many years, with scrubbing records, squirting cleaner bottles, mixing DIY cleaner, etc., this super slick Estonian device’s performance was a wonderful surprise upon first use.

Messages pop up on the menu to keep you abreast of the unit’s condition. So far, “fill water” (as simple as lifting the rear tank cover and filling close to the top with distilled water; I add only 2 ml of the (provided) Degritter cleaning fluid every 20 tank fulls as it lasts a long time), “change filter” and only once an ominous “Maintenance” with some gentle noises which only lasted a few seconds, then back to all’s well (actually, “Maintenance” is a perfectly normal cycle once every 50 cleans).

The upgraded, two soft-push buttons on the fascia are very tactile. During the cycle, if the water gets too hot, it’ll tell you it’s cooling the water; this is so no damage to the vinyl occurs. Also, no water ever reached the label.

The unit also features “Active Filtering”. The water is pumped through a replaceable filter (a box of the small foam filters is provided—I washed them out rather than replace them each time). Continuous filtration ensures the removed dirt does not back up onto the record.

So convenience, durability, effectiveness and aesthetics. Yes, the $3280 MSRP is high, but you will feel great pride of ownership and the wonderful feeling vinyl lovers get when their prized record is completely clean.

Degritter provides a well-done instruction booklet, but even ham-fisted musicians can have it up and running very quickly.

I’d like to thank Emilia and the Degritter team for shipping a MARK II to the island for review. Also, for sending us a micro SD card with the latest hardware update. A plug-and-play install. Your machine will always be up to date.

The unit will strike a handsome pose in your music room. It has a small footprint and can be set so it’s as quiet as a mouse. I’ve cleaned records deep into the night without disturbing anyone.

Effectiveness

You’ll have to forgive the effusive lead in the opening of the review. The improved sound was heard on the first cleaning.

Of course, the Degritter MARK II cleans exceptionally well. You’ll become so attached to your unit, that you won’t be throwing in bargain records with a ton of mould and filth. They’re for an initial scrubbing on a vacuum machine, at least for me (however, the Degritter will get anything clean even if your collection is especially dirty). But your valued collection and used records scored on Discogs and eBay deserve the very best. And that’s “Degritter Care”.

The machine will not, as far as I heard, fix badly damaged, scratched records. So a Degritter cleaning x3 on my €60 Discogs “top condition” “NM” Decca Arcana LA Phil/Mehta, which was a disaster of a record destroyed by wear, was not fixable.

My opening audition for the MARK II was in three steps, very dirty bargain bin, normal audiophile OCD cleaning of everyday listening material and finally, and most importantly, valued old records with annoying stylus skips, clicks and pops. The MARK II passed the opening gambit easily. Used records from record shows were cleaned beautifully. Inherent vinyl scuffs from paper sleeves and years of abuse were minimized and the records played very well. Damage sounding as the odd click and pop was still there, but it was ameliorated. The second stage was a wonderful experience. Place a record from my carefully curated collection (only the best performances in the best sound on the very best pressing I could find) into the slot, press the button and sit back and read for a few minutes ’till the record gleams. In this regard, the Degritter MARK II adds much to my daily life as a vinylphile.

I saved the best for last. Cleaning stubborn dirt from high-value old records. Like all committed audiophiles, I know every click and pop on every expensive record. I work for clean, quiet vinyl. If you hadn’t guessed already, obsessively so. So out came Tchaikovsky's Concerto for Violin with Alfredo Campoli, violin and Ataúlfo Argenta conducting the London Symphony Orchestra from Kingsway Hall on a 1958 London Blueback. I adore this record, not only because it’s a brilliant all-rounder, but also because I toured with Mr. Campoli when he was in his late ‘70s. Even then, he was still a wonderful player and a wonderful person to share the stage with. Gracious. My wife, who always manages to solve audiophile problems, did some serious VPI scrubbing with this record. She managed to eliminate the stylus skip but the stubbornness remained. At least now I could enjoy the performance as a whole. What the Degritter MARK II did to this record was nothing less than miraculous. Truly jaw-dropping.

Not only was every click and pop gone, but the dynamics and the soundstage of the record were improved. Impossible, right? That’s what I thought. But no, after living with this record for a long time with many, many plays, the major differences were there. Dirt and dust are vinyl’s enemy, that’s for sure. And at a microscopic level. The MARK II eliminates that problem and gets it all out leaving you with the original conception of the engineer and artist. Remarkable.

It was the same for my prized 1976 Japanese pressing of Steely’s Dan’s The Royal Scam. One stylus skip surrounded by annoying clicks and pops. Even my wife’s VPI treatment could not rid the record of the skip. One “Deep Clean” with the Degritter and clicks, pops and the skip were gone. As the genre and recording philosophy are so different than the London Blueback, soundstage, imaging and timbres, to my ears, remained, but from a very quiet record.

I have not used other ultrasonic cleaning machines such as Kirmuss and Klaudio. And we’ll let you know how the Humminguru works out for our team.

Summary

My opening, excited giveaway goes. The Degritter MARK II ($3280) is an audiophile dream machine. At a minimum, you’ll be cleaning and experiencing quiet vinyl from your collection, with old records, many suffering years of smoke and grime hidden within the crevasses, given new leases. And with the concomitant effect on your musical life. More vinyl component than simply a “cleaner”, I value the Degritter MARK II as an equal partner to others in my valued analogue front-end. Very highly recommended.

Further information: Degritter