What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 23, 2016 at 23:51:48
John Elison Audiophile Posts: 23900 Location: Central Kentucky Joined: December 20, 2000 Contributor Since: January 29, 2004	I use Stylast Treatment. I don't seem to need a stylus cleaner when I used Stylast Treatment before playing each record and then brush my stylus afterwards. Good luck, John Elison

You mean Stylast????? ;-), posted on June 23, 2016 at 23:54:19
John Elison Audiophile Posts: 23900 Location: Central Kentucky Joined: December 20, 2000 Contributor Since: January 29, 2004	/nt\

+ 1. Stylast does the job for me. /nt\, posted on June 24, 2016 at 02:02:26
Opus 33 1/3 Audiophile Posts: 4184 Location: D.C. Area Joined: February 19, 2014	Opus 33 1/3

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 24, 2016 at 02:02:33

PAR

Over the more recent years: LP#9, SPT and Disc Doctor.

All do what they say they do. However there are two distinct types in this brief list; with or without a stylus lubricant as part of the formula. LP#9 and SPT have a lubricant. SPT was/is used with my Lyra cart for no better reason than it is what the manufacturer recommends though it is a good product in its own right.

The Disc Doctor has a philosophy of a producing a record cleaner that leaves no residue therefore it is logical that his stylus cleaner does not add some to the diamond instead of the groove. It is my current cleaner of choice for my stereo cartridge. However I use an Onzow Zerodust gel "dipper" for my mono cart which is on an arm mounted at right angles to the conventional right hand position ( a two arm turntable). I am unable to offer up a brush and liquid cleaner as I cannot see the stylus/cantilever in this position given the body shape on an Ortofon 2M, hence the Zerodust is the solution.

+2. Been using it since it came out. (nt), posted on June 24, 2016 at 05:41:00
reelsmith. Audiophile Posts: 13127 Location: CT Joined: June 7, 2005 Contributor Since: January 19, 2010	. reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 24, 2016 at 05:43:25
throwback Audiophile Posts: 762 Location: Colorado Joined: December 8, 2003	The Soundsmith Hyperion has a cactus needle cantilever and the Miyajima Madake has a bamboo cantilever. I now own the Madake. I'm wondering if ANY liquid cleaner should be used on either, since they may be somewhat hygroscopic (liquid absorbent).

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 24, 2016 at 08:10:15
Joe Backer Audiophile Posts: 1033 Joined: July 10, 2011	Lyra SPT. Sometimes I put a drop on my AT-637 electronic stylus cleaner when I use that. I feel like the SPT make the records sound better.... probably in my head.

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 24, 2016 at 08:54:29
bare Audiophile Posts: 1878 Joined: April 14, 2009	Nagaoka 'high clean' A wee Perfume bottle years old. Cleans V well, but I have 'lost' a couple of diamond tips over the years. Now realising that the Cleaner likely loosened the adhesive Bond. Now use a Magic eraser....It works

Is this any good?..., posted on June 24, 2016 at 08:56:03

DeKay

.

Leebio: Price List

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 24, 2016 at 09:35:46
kentaja Manufacturer Posts: 4611 Joined: March 26, 2001	With my Madake I use a few drops of Stylast cleaner on my Signet ultra sonic cleaner. No problems after 1 1/2 years.

it looks like saliva, posted on June 24, 2016 at 15:23:45
hifitommy Audiophile Posts: 15387 Location: canyon country califiornia, orig from buffalo ny Joined: June 9, 2000	..but it'snot. ...regards...tr

RE: it looks like saliva, posted on June 24, 2016 at 22:04:03
Jack D II Audiophile Posts: 1535 Location: Hot Springs, AR Joined: June 17, 2009	Ortofon says not to use a liquid stylus cleaner on my Cadenza Black.

it looks like , posted on June 25, 2016 at 00:28:15
hifitommy Audiophile Posts: 15387 Location: canyon country califiornia, orig from buffalo ny Joined: June 9, 2000	ortofon had the same thing to say about my friend's Kontrapunkt b and Jubilee! ...regards...tr

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 25, 2016 at 06:04:03
throwback Audiophile Posts: 762 Location: Colorado Joined: December 8, 2003	Thanks. I have used Stylast a couple of times, but just got to wondering . . .

LP#9 in the past now only Magic Eraser, posted on June 25, 2016 at 06:20:46
jperry Audiophile Posts: 418 Location: Phx, AZ Joined: September 11, 2004	I have used LP#9 in the past but now use only magic eraser. Is works just as well and magic eraser is recommended for my Shindo and EMT cartridges. The Shindo specifies no use of liquid stylus cleaner.

I used to use that., posted on June 25, 2016 at 07:35:57
Dave Pogue Audiophile Posts: 11689 Location: DC Area Joined: October 9, 2001	Told anyone who would listen how wonderful Magic Eraser is. Then I sent a Soundsmith cart to Peter Ledermann after complaining that it sounded "off." He found a bunch of Magic Eraser "gunk" on the stylus. Seems my approach was simply driving the stuff up onto the diamond. I'm back to Stylast and a still brush. Things sound a bunch better now.

RE: I used to use that., posted on June 25, 2016 at 07:51:44
RIQUE Audiophile Posts: 128 Location: Florida Joined: May 15, 2016	I�ve been using stylast for year and my Denon DL103, Ortofon Kontrapunkt b are fine. No problems. My new Koetsu is also under treatment.

I use the ME on all my cartridges....., posted on June 25, 2016 at 07:58:41
Cougar Audiophile Posts: 4572 Location: SoCal Joined: June 25, 2001	but after I use it I clean the stylus with a dry stylus brush.

That was exactly my approach., posted on June 25, 2016 at 08:06:24
Dave Pogue Audiophile Posts: 11689 Location: DC Area Joined: October 9, 2001	Emphasis on "was."

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 25, 2016 at 08:23:09
DeeCee Audiophile Posts: 769 Joined: July 6, 2001	I use Extremephono solid state stylus cleaner. It seems to do the job, however I've mever checked the stylus under a scope. It's also relatively inexpensive. Happy Listening! DeeCee

RE: LP#9 in the past now only Magic Eraser, posted on June 25, 2016 at 10:51:55
AudioSoul Audiophile Posts: 4594 Location: north central AZ Joined: July 9, 2005	Maybe it time I take another look at Magic Eraser. Thanks for the input...

RE: I used to use that., posted on June 25, 2016 at 10:56:49

Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002

"...driving the stuff up onto the diamond"

I don't understand the statement. Maybe your method was to blame.

I have a microscope. After cleaning with the ME the diamond and the cantilever around the diamond are perfectly clean.

Where you dipping the stylus into the ME?

I dip mine several times. The downward pressure of the tracking force is enough to drive the stylus completely into the ME. (This is really not true. I don't use my lift and I "drop" the arm from a low height and that's what forces the stylus fully into the ME. This is probably the reason for the difference between your results and mine) The ME scraps the full length of the stylus clean.

Even the bottom side of the cantilever around where the stylus mounts is driven into the ME enough to clean it.

I would suggest you get a microscope and see for yourself.

Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

RE: I use the ME on all my cartridges....., posted on June 25, 2016 at 11:48:04
jperry Audiophile Posts: 418 Location: Phx, AZ Joined: September 11, 2004	After each listening session I use magic eraser, then a dry brush and inspect under magnification. Occasionally there may be a thread of magic eraser remaining. One more dry soft brush and it is gone. I have not seen any build up at all, and the stylus is totally clean. I think you should use the method recommended by the manufacturer or retipper for your particular cartridge.

RE: I used to use that., posted on June 25, 2016 at 11:55:28

Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001

That's exactly what I did before sending the cart (Soundsmith Zephyr) to Peter. He recommended building a mound of Fun-Tak (Blue-Tak) and dipping the stylus into that while using a stiff brush afterwards. Since what he did to clean the cart certainly did the trick, and since he sees thousands of carts on a regular basis, I figured to follow his guidance while adding the Stylast to my own cleaning regimen.

RE: I used to use that., posted on June 25, 2016 at 12:15:05

Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17292
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002

Well, that's interesting.

When I first learned of the ME I got out a bunch of cartridges and my microscope. (I have done stereo repair all my life and I'm 60 now. I have a large collection of old cartridges)

I sat there amazed as I cleaned one after another with the ME.

One time a friend had a cartridge that had some yellow build up to the point that he was tracking the record with the build up, not the stylus.

I cleaned and cleaned it with AT 607. Checking it with the microscope. The cleaner was slowly removing the yellow build up but I was going to have to work at it. Three dips in the ME and it was completely gone.

I don't know what else to say. A person has to do what works for them.

The ME works really well for me.

Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

RE: You mean Stylast????? ;-), posted on June 25, 2016 at 12:47:02
genungo	I have never tried Stylast but I guess that I am a bit wary of solvent-based cleaners.

Did you use the ME wet, or dry?, posted on June 25, 2016 at 12:50:20
genungo	It's a few dips into a dry ME and with few whisks from a dry stylus brush for me.

Dry., posted on June 25, 2016 at 13:10:02
Dave Pogue Audiophile Posts: 11689 Location: DC Area Joined: October 9, 2001	I used it exactly as you say.

This is what my Shure M91ED looked like after using Magic Eraser., posted on June 26, 2016 at 00:26:08
alaskahiatt Audiophile Posts: 7499 Joined: December 9, 2000 Contributor Since: November 1, 2005	Before using the magic eraser, this stylus from a thrift store turntable, was completely hidden beneath a mass of dirt. I even thought the stylus had broken off. Magic eraser performed perfectly where a fluid cleaner(Discwasher SC-2) had only wet the surface.

No cleaner, but LAST and the brush it comes with before each side. nt, posted on June 26, 2016 at 08:35:37
Smelly_Socks	.

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 27, 2016 at 15:30:03
flood2 Audiophile Posts: 2558 Joined: January 11, 2011	Any particular reason you require a liquid? Blu-Tac works perfectly! Just drop the tip down onto a blob of Blu-Tac and the tip is perfectly cleaned of debris. Regards Anthony "Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats

RE: Audio-Technica Stylus Cleaner AT607, posted on June 28, 2016 at 18:11:40
mondial Audiophile Posts: 891 Location: S.E. ASIA Joined: January 14, 2007	+1 . Have been using this for quite some time. Mondial

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 30, 2016 at 10:59:14

M3Man
Audiophile

Posts: 356
Joined: May 30, 2004

I started out on Burgundy, but soon hit the harder stuff.

Actually, over the years I've used countless products.Last, Stylast, Lyra...over 40 years I've tried a lot. LP#9 is the best liquid I've tried. I was dipping into ME, but when I sent my cart in to Soundsmith, they said it was very dirty.

They recommend dipping into Blu-tack, and I did the for a while, but I could still hear the sound deteriorate after a day or two. Now I brush with ME and dip into Moongel. This seems to be the best so far. Every 10 hours or so, I do a wet clean. I used to use #9. But the maker of my new Charisma cart suggested a 50-50 alcohol/distilled water mixture. It works as well as #9, but when it starts to get cloudy, its very easy and cheap to pour it out and make a fresh batch.

RE: What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?, posted on June 30, 2016 at 21:12:13
jk Audiophile Posts: 366 Joined: October 4, 1999	This is probably old news for you but I've never used the Magic Rraser for this so let me ask: When you use the magic eraser how do you do it? What I mean is do you just lower the stylus into a stationary ME or do you ever move it across the stylus? The later sounds suicidal but let me ask. Thnks, John

Vinyl Asylum

What Liquid Stylus Cleaner Do you Use?

75.167.8.96