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Audio Technica AT-637 - Ultrasonic Stylus Cleaner

Natara

Natara

pfm Member
Just purchased one to clean my Benz Micro Ace I have contacted Benz to confirm they recommend use of electronic cleaners but am also interested if any members have had experience with the AT-637 in general and particularly with a Benz Micro Ace? Do you use wet or dry and also for how long?
 
I’ve had my AT-637 since the very early ‘80s and use it regularly and have never done any damage to any cartridge I’ve owned with it. I use the AT stylus fluid with it too (this stuff). Annoyingly I dropped the 637 a week or two after purchase and broke the little removable plastic cover, so that is long gone, but the cleaner itself is in amazing condition and still works perfectly. I think I’ve only changed the battery a couple of times too! One of those vinyl accessories everyone should have.
 
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I cannot believe these things are still going thirty odd years after they were made. Mine is working pefectly. They should relaunch it, it's an absolute classic.
 
There are a couple of newer quite expensive electronic stylus cleaners on the market that use exactly the same principle as the AT but these almost 3x what an original used one can be had for on eBay. Isn't true that Audio Technica broke the tool that made them and whilst CD was in it's ascendance it was too expensive to make a new one.
 
Like Tony I've had mine since the eightys, use it to clean my Benz wood among other cartridges never had any problems with any of them.
 
Ditto here; had mine for yonks and use it occasionally. I would, however, advise against fluid on the pad for Benz cart's, as they're double glued rather than slotted or whatever. Benz themselves advise against fluids. Boron cantilevers are much less prone to capillary action, but I'd think that ally tube cantilevers are a bit tricky in this respect.

Another (and my normal) use for the AT is to warm up the cart. prior to playing.
 
With regard to the fluid I just apply a drop to the 637’s pad with the brush in the lid of the bottle and as soon as you turn the cleaner on it just dissipates into the pad, so the worst the stylus sees is a little slight dampness, certainly not a drop or whatever could wick-up the cantilever. The list of cartridges I’ve used it with is very long to the point I’d likely not be able to remember them all, but as a minimum; Grado F1+, Ortofon M20FL, Rega R101, Linn K9, Fidelity Research FR101, ATF5, ATOC9, AT33PTG, Lyra Lydian B, Dynavector XX1L, Ortofon MC10 Supreme, MC25FL, 540/II, 2M Black, Denon DL-103, various Shure MMs and a lot more. No idea if any of these had a glued-in stylus assembly, but certainly nothing ever fell off!
 
also 20 odd years of use, some of that with the fluid, and including the current benz wood sl. Nere a problem...excellent thing.
 
I have one as well from ages ago ,probably when they first came out , excellent imo , I personally have never used and fluid with mine
 
As Tony's posted, just a tiny drop of fluid on the pad won't do any harm. I've used my 637 on umpteen different types of cartridge without any ill effects.
 
Tony L said:
I’ve had my AT-637 since the very early ‘80s and use it regularly and have never done any damage to any cartridge I’ve owned with it. I use the AT stylus fluid with it too (this stuff). Annoyingly I dropped the 637 a week or two after purchase and broke the little removable plastic cover, so that is long gone, but the cleaner itself is in amazing condition and still works perfectly. I think I’ve only changed the battery a couple of times too! One of those vinyl accessories everyone should have.
Click to expand...

Agreed, and as such they’re highly sought after... I find it bizarre that AT haven't since reintroduced it. The reason it was discontinued was because the tooling got damaged and at the time (late 80s), CD was taking the strong hold and it wasn't economically viable to replace the tooling but that has since changed and it would now sell very well indeed.
 
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Yep, another user here. I've had mine for years & years. Most of the time I use it dry, but once or twice every couple of months I use a drop of Lyra stylus cleaner fluid for a more thorough clean when I feel like it. I still have & use some of the Linn green paper & the little Onzow gel pot as well, but the Linn green paper & AT637 are my favoured methods.
 
I haven't got one but my HIFI dealer does. He's always happy to clean your cartridge for you if you pop in. I'd like one myself though, they're a brilliant tool.
 
Another one here over 30 years old.
Used regularly both dry and wet.
Never had a problem.
 
I'v had mine since 1984, used regularly over that time, sometimes dry, sometimes with a drop of fluid. Still in the original box. Never damaged any of my cartridges either.
 
Another user here - for longer than I can remember.

3 stylus cleaners sit on the turntable top plate here, plus the AT close-by; the AT gets used infrequently, usually wet.
I have a very fine haired Nagaoka stylus brush - good for removing stray fine fibres, a piece of magic sponge for general crepe-removal and probably the best of all and most regularly used - a blob of jewellers/watchmakers blue compound on the end of a cocktail stick - a stick of compound that cost about £5 will last 2-3-4 audiophile lifetimes - it will remove all but the most encrusted goop.

Tip - buy a 30x loop with built-in LED to view the stylus. Higher mag' is better but the focal length of higher mag' lenses is too short to make using one easy or convenient.
 
Had mine for years too, a couple of drops of fluid each time, never had a stylus come adrift. I use a fine artists brush to remove any trapped fibres first, then the AT. Coulde do with a jewlers loupe though!
 
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