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Stylus Cleaning Regimes

Bartman

Bartman

pfm Member
I have a lovely XV1s on my LP12 and have an old blower brush to remove end of side fluff, an AT637 to remove dirt build-up, typically every 10 to 20 lps, and a discwasher brush and fluid for a longer term clean, maybe once a fortnight. After 23 years the Discwasher fluid is coming to an end, and it's no longer available so I've had a look at the alternatives, including Nagaoka Hi Clean and AT 607 stylus cleaning fluids. What do other Fishermen use or recommend on their precious styli?
 
VP Dustbuster is what I use - absolutely no faff with fluids, brushes, green paper or minor anxieties about vibrating devices
 
If memory serves me right, Dynavector recommend that you DO NOT use vibrating cleaners like the AT637? I certainly sold mine when I switched to Dynavector.

I use a soft stylus brush (as supplied by Dynavector with its cartridges) after every side and an Onzow Zerodust (the VP Dustbuster is similar) once a week or so.
 
There is only one answer to this question . Do as the manufacturer says .

Benz for example , do not recommend any form of wet cleaning .
 
Gerald said:
There is only one answer to this question . Do as the manufacturer says .

Benz for example , do not recommend any form of wet cleaning .
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Indeed.

Actually, wet cleaning is one of those things that seems a good idea until you speak to the guys who repair carts. Dominic (NWA) suggests that inevitably moisture will wick up into the cart body where it will create a nasty gungy mess (I paraphrase!).
 
When I moved to (in)sanely expensive cartridges I walked away from AT-607 fluid, or even Last preservative. Nowadays I only use a short stiff brush (as typically provided with the cartridge) and Magic Eraser. With a steady hand.
 
Ortofon supply one of those hard carbon brushes. Very unfulfilling to use because it feels so unforgiving. They know best though...
 
Werner said:
When I moved to (in)sanely expensive cartridges I walked away from AT-607 fluid, or even Last preservative. Nowadays I only use a short stiff brush (as typically provided with the cartridge) and Magic Eraser. With a steady hand.
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I have a feeling that the active chemicals in a Magic Eraser are what sit in solution with Lyra SPT. The Lyra blurb hints at something along those lines.

Which makes for very, very expensive diluted Cillit Bang!
 
DavidS said:
Green paper for me.
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Have you actually seen the stylus on an XV1-s? its on a naked boron cantilever! Just got my blue piece of paper from the stylus box and on cleaning says '.....use the soft brush supplied....if a dark deposit like a tan should appear on the stylus use a fine brush with a small quantity of alcohol/water 50/50'. There you go a new use for your triple distilled Vodka.

I just blow off any fluff.....

Cheers,

DV
 
Darth Vader said:
Have you actually seen the stylus on an XV1-s? its on a naked boron cantilever! Just got my blue piece of paper from the stylus box and on cleaning says '.....use the soft brush supplied....if a dark deposit like a tan should appear on the stylus use a fine brush with a small quantity of alcohol/water 50/50'. There you go a new use for your triple distilled Vodka.

I just blow off any fluff.....

Cheers,

DV
Click to expand...

I was always told blowing was bad cos it pushes dust up into the generator. Such a simple question...I hate forums!
 
I follow the medical dictum, 'first, do no harm'. Which means mucking about with the stylus as little as possible. I do use a little hair brush for fluff removal, and the Goo stuff for cleaning after every session.
With my Koetsu this was nerve wracking, with my current £70 cartridge, I feel nice and relaxed. I never realised just how much unconscious strain is involved in using a fragile, vastly expensive, stylus. One slip and..........
 
DV - it is very exposed!

I do my utmost to avoid all unnecessary contact, but beyond the fuzz and distortion from fluff you can hear when it needs a deeper clean. Both the AT635 (as recommended by my dealer) and the Discwasher restore the sound you'd wish to have from a >£3k cartridge. I developed the regime from my first ownership of an LP12 in 1991 with a modestly priced K5, a clean needed to remove distortion every 20 or so LPs. I've not yet gone down the RCM route but my records are all virtually spotless, save the dust that accumulates from playing the Sondek with its lid off. Wetting of the brush is minimal (hence the tiny bottle has lasted since '91) but the benefit of cleaning is very obvious.
 
When I bought my XX2MKII, it came supplied with some green paper, and that's what I use.

I well remember a few years ago, sending a Linn Troika to ESCO, because it was sounding a little sick. I was told that ingress of fluid was the cause of the problem, and the cartridge had to be stripped and cleaned; I've never used any fluid on the stylus since.

Similarly an out of salts cartridge was found to have gunk impacted at the base of the stylus, caused I believe, by the use of a vibrating cleaning device. So now, I only use a soft haired Nagaoka brush for the odd bit of fluff, and a combination of the green paper and the green putty that ESCO supply.

I have found though, that ever since I purchased the Loricraft RCM, pretty much all of my stylus problems have gone, and I hardly ever need to touch the cartridge these days.
 
Mike42 said:
Ortofon supply one of those hard carbon brushes. Very unfulfilling to use because it feels so unforgiving. They know best though...
Click to expand...

Ortofon are also totally against using fluids with their cartridges as they find them more harmful to the cantilever and diamond to the point where they have seen the diamond come off the cantilever!

They highly recommended the Onzow Zerodust to me which I bought and seems to work real nice. They are also reusable after rinsing with water which in essence, becomes a tool for life! :) I would assume this tool would be the way to go with all other brands of cartridges too...
 
VinBob said:
Ortofon are also totally against using fluids with their cartridges as they find them more harmful to the cantilever and diamond to the point where they have seen the diamond come off the cantilever!

They highly recommended the Onzow Zerodust to me which I bought and seems to work real nice. They are also reusable after rinsing with water which in essence, becomes a tool for life! :) I would assume this tool would be the way to go with all other brands of cartridges too...
Click to expand...

I have one which I used with my Troika but not with my XV1-s. Moments of forces aaaargh snap!. The repair has recently increased from £1500.

Cheers,

DV
 
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