Stylus cleaning
- Thread starter foxwelljsly
- Start date
Craig B
Re:trophile
Perhaps I am remembering it wrong then.
Shure? Nope, that was 'Barbie's Toothbrush'.
audio-technica? No, that was 'GI Joe's Shaving Brush' (Ken used Nair).
Was it AKG?
Yes, the little grey cells, they are still functioning!
Craig B
Re:trophile
YouTube blogger should invest in a brush, his R200 lift/lower device already has a groove worn in the notch below the piston where the cam engages.
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Big Tabs
looking backwards, going forwards
I used to think that just 'blowing the dust off' would suffice.
It was before I had invested in a couple of loupes and a usb microscope.
Things changed when I had a number of new albums skipping. It wasn't the records, it was a dirty stylus that looked clean to the naked eye. It took a wet clean to clean the crap off of the stylus, the records played fine after the stylus clean.
It has to be taken in context that I use my record player everyday.
David W Brown
pfm Member
Ortofon state that for their stylusususssuesses that you should never use any cleaning fluid.
I have seen the aftermath on roughly 10 units in the last 5 years or so where using IPA has damaged the glue that holds bonded stylus tips, to a point where they have detached.
I guess this methodology will be ok on press fit tips, but be very very careful with bonded tips.
FangfossFlyer
pfm Member
Last year I heard that Tiger Paw was looking at developing something along the lines of the AT637 but I have not heard anything since?
Richard
Tony L
Administrator
I’ve never had any issue with the AT cleaner or liquid since I bought it back in the very early ‘80s. I only ever apply a drop of liquid to the pad though, never the stylus directly. I’ve also no idea what the fluid is, but it’s certainly never harmed any of a lot of carts and styli I’ve owned in that period.
Craig B
Re:trophile
Those wishing that they had gone for an AT637 may be interested in the German, Flux HiFi 'Sonic Electronic Stylus Cleaner'.
A bit on the expensive side at 119 quid, but I imagine the A-T would have gotten there too had it continued on.
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Benz also, I believe, as they are glued twice; firstly to accurately position it, then again to bond it permanently. Maybe neat IPA is a wee bit risky in these cases, but a dilute sloution shouldn't have any negative effect. That's what I used on one or two occasions with my Ebony LP.
Craig B
Re:trophile
Never hurts to be cautious, however, Nagaoka Trading's recommendation is still, as always, to use their own Hi-Clean AM-801/2 cleaning fluid. Then again, presumably, the '/2' indicates that something has changed with the formulation (not just the shape of the bottle) since the days of strictly AM-801 in the wee light blue lightbulb shaped bottle.
Having said that, Hi-Clean AM-801 (not /2, as I've never tried it), and the AT634 fluid, would occasionally wipe the bonded tips right off some of the old cheap Tonar replacements on the first go.
Having said that, Hi-Clean AM-801 (not /2, as I've never tried it), and the AT634 fluid, would occasionally wipe the bonded tips right off some of the old cheap Tonar replacements on the first go.
Spider
pfm Member
I use magic eraser if I buy a used cartridge that needs a good clean. But what I find is that if your vinyl is pristinely clean then you’ll not get a load of crud on the stylus and it will help your stylus last the full extent of its life.
A good vinyl cleaning regime and properly cleaning every record you play is essential to keeping your cartridge in good condition.
A good vinyl cleaning regime and properly cleaning every record you play is essential to keeping your cartridge in good condition.
Hazelberry
sister
I still have an Ortofon brush I bought in the 80s. Dry, it’s fine for fluff removal whereas a little IPA (I flick the brush after dipping it) removes baked on gunk effectively.
The magic sponge/eraser method works, too. I didn’t buy the AT vibrating cleaner when it was available because here it cost the equivalent of many second hand LPs, and the brush was adequate.
I used the Hunt kit to clean my records until the liquid was discontinued. I then had them cleaned by machine at a local hi-fi store. I live too far from such a service now so for grubby records I use the Hunt scrubbing brush with a dilute mix of dishwash and IPA, then a rinse and dry with a clean linen tea towel and air. Cumbersome but I’m happy with the results.
I can’t justify buying a RCM of my own when I only have a few hundred records and don’t listen to all of them.
The magic sponge/eraser method works, too. I didn’t buy the AT vibrating cleaner when it was available because here it cost the equivalent of many second hand LPs, and the brush was adequate.
I used the Hunt kit to clean my records until the liquid was discontinued. I then had them cleaned by machine at a local hi-fi store. I live too far from such a service now so for grubby records I use the Hunt scrubbing brush with a dilute mix of dishwash and IPA, then a rinse and dry with a clean linen tea towel and air. Cumbersome but I’m happy with the results.
I can’t justify buying a RCM of my own when I only have a few hundred records and don’t listen to all of them.
I used to be a regular user of the AT 637, but then had doubts when I bought my first Dynavector cartridge. As someone pointed out earlier, Dyna have always advised against using these devices. Then AT suddenly stopped making the 637 in the mid-1990s (if memory serves), and I was told by a local dealer who had directly asked AT why, that they had found some long-term problems with its use, and no longer had total confidence in the device. The claim that production of the 637 ceased because of the advance of CD does not entirely tie in with AT's continued production (and development) of cartridges, and its sales of other stylus cleaning products.
Of course, there are those who insist that use of the 637 for oh-so-many-years hasn't caused them any issues, but there are also those who have smoked 40 fags a day for oh-so-many-years and they are still in this world.
Peter Ledermann of Sound Smith offers some advice on stylus cleaning, and given his background his advice should carry some weight: https://www.sound-smith.com/faq/how-do-i-clean-stylus-do-i-use-wet-cleaner-each-time-or-often. Also Origin Live offers some tips, and a choice of possible methods: https://www.originlive.com/key-info...-cartridge-faq/how-to-clean-cartridge-stylus/. The "Linn" green paper is made by 3M, and is used by jewellers to polish diamonds. This might explain why Peter at Cymbiosis insists that use of the green paper does not damage the stylus. But who knows?
Of course, there are those who insist that use of the 637 for oh-so-many-years hasn't caused them any issues, but there are also those who have smoked 40 fags a day for oh-so-many-years and they are still in this world.
Peter Ledermann of Sound Smith offers some advice on stylus cleaning, and given his background his advice should carry some weight: https://www.sound-smith.com/faq/how-do-i-clean-stylus-do-i-use-wet-cleaner-each-time-or-often. Also Origin Live offers some tips, and a choice of possible methods: https://www.originlive.com/key-info...-cartridge-faq/how-to-clean-cartridge-stylus/. The "Linn" green paper is made by 3M, and is used by jewellers to polish diamonds. This might explain why Peter at Cymbiosis insists that use of the green paper does not damage the stylus. But who knows?
deebster
Half Man Half Biscuit
When I replaced an RP3 with an LP12 I stopped using my AT vibrating cleaner as I was concerned it / I would damage the stylus due to platter movement when the AT was resting on it and buzzing away. Since then I've got a bit lax and haven't done much more than gentle stylus brushing or blowing.
Now I want to take more care of it - a DV20XL. Did give it a gentle brush with the Ortofon hard circular-ended brush mentioned up thread but being the wrong side of 50 and still in denial over reading glasses it was a bit hit and miss, so am thinking of getting a loupe to see it close up and take it from there.
This thread has been an interesting and informative read. Thanks to all who've contributed
Now I want to take more care of it - a DV20XL. Did give it a gentle brush with the Ortofon hard circular-ended brush mentioned up thread but being the wrong side of 50 and still in denial over reading glasses it was a bit hit and miss, so am thinking of getting a loupe to see it close up and take it from there.
This thread has been an interesting and informative read. Thanks to all who've contributed
Seanm
pfm Member
Interesting that Ledermann just uses Blu-tak.
Re loupes these Belomos recommended by Tony are great:
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/loupes-for-stylus-inspection-etc.209510/
I now just have a look before playing each side to see if a clean’s actually needed, rather than doing it routinely.
JemHayward
pfm Member
I use a water based cleaning fluid, that I did at one time think of marketing, but decided that it would be too much work for too little reward. I've never had issues with IPA, but stories of it damaging suspension rubber and ungluing tips put me off. I also use some blue sticky stuff I got from ESCO, on occasion, and I also have a AT vibrator. As a Decca user, fluff is my main enemy and I tend to give the underside of the cartridge a quick brush between sides just in case.
foxwelljsly
Me too, I ate one sour too.
I suspect this is actually the right answer, having yet again had my recently acquired shibata stylus gum up on a manually wet cleaned LP - this time a nearly pristine first pressing of Tim Hardin's first.