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Stylus cleaner

lambo said:
Don’t use it on linn Krystal it cost me a very expensive cartridge :mad:
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I'm sorry for your misadventure. I have only used SPT on Lyra and Ortofon, both with zero issues. I put a tiny drop on my AT637 pad, shake off the excess and lower the stylus onto the pad for about 20 seconds.
 
James said:
I put a tiny drop on my AT637 pad, shake off the excess and lower the stylus onto the pad for about 20 seconds.
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Okay with solid boron canti's, but maybe not with hollow/ally ones.
terrycym said:
Moongel costs £10
just drop your stylus on it
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If that's similar to my Vinyl Passion, and you have an expensive MC, the thought and sound of the canti. being forced downwards (i.e. opposite to that designed) as the stylus separates from the gel may just put you off; it certainly has for me.
 
Mr Pig said:
I use IPA. Have done for years. Cheap and never had a problem.
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Yes, ditto, although I dilute it a bit. In the past, when I've had a cart. off for various reasons, IPA, loupe and fine truncated artist's brush is perfect for gently removing baked-on crud. With hindsight, I think that might be before all my records were cleaned and I'm too lazy/old to change art's and re-align nowadays, more's the pity. Using Dutch courage before changing multi £K coils on fixed h/shells is somewhat counter-intuitive, I find ! :(
 
Hi Mike
You are spot on
“Okay with solid boron canti's, but maybe not with hollow/ally ones”
 
If a cartridge has a solid boron cantilever with a bonded tip it is a pretty safe bet to assume that part was made by Nagaoka (they make tips and cantilevers for many brands). As such their cleaning solution is likely safe!
 
Mike Reed said:
Okay with solid boron canti's, but maybe not with hollow/ally ones.
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I can understand caution around such fragile items. I cant afford cartridges with exotic cantilevers so all of mine have aluminium ones.
As required - every few weeks. I do the following:
1. I remove the brush from the bottle of AT fluid and spend a few seconds wiping the vast majority of the fluid back into the bottle, until the brush is merely damp.
2. I apply the the brush from back to front against the stylus, a few times only (say 6) with the gain turned up so I can hear how gentle I'm being.
3. I examine the stylus and, usually, I can see it catch the light.
My carts are all MC. I have never had a problem. In my opinion there is far too little fluid around to be drawn up further into the cartridge.
 
slawekt said:
Exactly this , I sporadically clean stylus- only dry US cleaner, never have had problem with any cartridges I owned bare one I bought used with already dislodged stylus
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Mike Reed said:
Yes, ditto, although I dilute it a bit. In the past, when I've had a cart. off for various reasons, IPA, loupe and fine truncated artist's brush is perfect for gently removing baked-on crud. With hindsight, I think that might be before all my records were cleaned and I'm too lazy/old to change art's and re-align nowadays, more's the pity. Using Dutch courage before changing multi £K coils on fixed h/shells is somewhat counter-intuitive, I find ! :(
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Any recommendations for what IPA to buy? It seems to come in different forms... Thanks!
 
slim said:
Any recommendations for what IPA to buy? It seems to come in different forms... Thanks!
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IPA is IPA, although it may have another name. Just go for purity; aim for 99% but def. not below 90% If bought on line, it's cheaper by quantity (1 litre rather than 1/2 or 1/4) as postal costs are terrible nowadays. Chemists stock the stuff too, but not sure about the purity of some.
 
slim said:
Any recommendations for what IPA to buy? It seems to come in different forms... Thanks!
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I’d not use isopropyl in this context as it is a solvent which may be very bad for glue. The branded stylus cleaning fluids from the likes of Audio Technica, Nagaoka will be far weaker and safer as they are designed for the task. Between them these two companies make most of the cartridges/stylus assemblies available today, they know what they are doing!
 
No fluids, gels, glasspaper or use of an ultrasonic here bad and expensive experience on all over the years, but I recently discovered this on E-bay, one of the finest synthetic hairbrushes that when passed under the stylus will pick up any loose fibre or hairs without moving the cantilever, for heavy crud I wash and allow a few days to dry off. It is also excellent for cleaning records as the strands are fine enough to get into the grooves, unlike others.

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For Vinyl Record Cleaning Brush - Anti-Static Fiber Cleaner for LP Turntables | eBay

150cm Flexible Fridge Dredge Brush - Soft Cleaning Tool for Refrigerator Hole. Car Windshield Snow Cover Frost Guard Sunshade Winter Ice Protector. 500ml Amber Glass Essential Oil Mist Spray Container - Empty Bottle.
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I wonder about the efficacy of electronic stylus cleaners as what you want is relative movement of the brush against the stylus tip. If you lower the stylus onto the electronic cleaner pad won't they vibrate together and generate some cartridge output but with little/no scrubbing action?
 
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