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Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?

69.146.199.92
Posted on March 13, 2017 at 09:21:35
SpotcheckBilly12345
 About to get started on a new DL-103 and I'm thinking about using Stylast stylus treatment. I already use Stylast stylus cleaner, but only on occasion if I suspect that I've allowed the stylus to get too dirty. I'm always careful not to use it in excess, but the warnings that I sometimes read on the 'net about liquids that may cause the jewell to come loose on the cantilever concern me.

My normal stylus cleaning consists of a few needle drops onto a pad of Magic Eraser followed by a light brushing with a cut down artists brush (modified as per Peter Lindemann's instructions).

I remember reading a post here about an Inmate who used Stylast stylus treatment before every LP and how his stylus stayed clean and showed virtually no wear after lots of hours.

Opinions please.

Cheers,
SB

 

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RE: Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?, posted on March 13, 2017 at 09:39:03
Mick Wolfe
Audiophile

Posts: 3364
Location: AZ
Joined: October 10, 1999
Contributor
  Since: September 4, 2000
 I've used it for years. Recently got a fresh bottle in fact. I also use the ME mentioned. No issues on either front.

 

RE: Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?, posted on March 13, 2017 at 10:11:36
jedrider
Audiophile

Posts: 15166
Location: No. California
Joined: December 26, 2003
 I've used it for YEARS. Still have the same bottle, so I guess I apply just a tiny bit on every swipe. My stylus seems to have lasted a long time. I finally had it retipped because I was getting mistracking and I now read the warnings. I think I will continue as usual because I seemed to have had no problem before.

I have the stylus cleaner AND the record cleaner formulations. I wasn't aware there was another formulation for the stylus besides the cleaner??

 

RE: Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?, posted on March 13, 2017 at 10:21:05
Dave Billinge
Audiophile

Posts: 1008
Location: Hampshire
Joined: June 7, 2005
 I've been using both treatments, cleaner (4) and Stylast (5)on both my Ortofon Jubilee cartridges at every playing session for several years. No issues whatsoever. Last time I had these checked for wear - by Expert Stylus - they were declared to have minimal wear and plenty of life yet. That doesn't prove very much, except that neither treatment does any harm. The diamond mounted on the Jubilee is very exposed on the very end of the cantilever and is most certainly not 'loose' :-)

Dave

 

RE: Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?, posted on March 13, 2017 at 10:38:10
SpotcheckBilly12345
 jedrider,

Apparently there is a Stylast Stylus Cleaner and also a Stylast Stylus Treatment. As I understand it,
they are different formulas.

Cheers,
SB

 

RE: Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?, posted on March 13, 2017 at 11:28:17
orthophonic
Audiophile

Posts: 861
Location: Central Florida
Joined: January 21, 2003
 I have used the cleaner and treatment since 1981 or so, no issues or problems.

 

+1 Been using it for 30 years. Totally satisfied. /nt\, posted on March 13, 2017 at 11:41:51
Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014




Opus 33 1/3

 

Those 'stories' are all many many years old!. Try audio myths, posted on March 13, 2017 at 11:56:01
3+4=5
 There are plenty of old audio myths that just never die.
The story of Stylast causing the diamond tips to fall off, and that it damages the suspensions of MC carts.. Both old as Hell.
Both just surviving on audiophiles love of telling stuff they heard or read once.

I also have used Stylast for many many years. Love it.

 

RE: Stylast stylus treatment use means I never have to bother cleaning the stylus, posted on March 13, 2017 at 11:59:14
3+4=5
 I find using the Stylast treatment means I really never have to clean the stylus...

My main reason for replacing a bottle of Stylast is the liquid gets clouded up with traces of dirt... After a few years...
A bottle of this stuff 'Lasts' forever

 

+ 1, never a problem......nt., posted on March 13, 2017 at 13:06:29
ABliss
Audiophile

Posts: 1482
Joined: March 16, 2001
Contributor
  Since: August 3, 2002
 Nt.

 

I used it for years, until....., posted on March 13, 2017 at 17:36:18
viridian
 The suspension of a Shure V15Vmr collapsed after very little use. I have no evidence of a direct correlation between the failure and the use of Stylast. But I never used it again. I just did not have the confidence to use it on my Kiseki, Supex or Klipsch cartridges. Just can't replace them.

IMHO, the Denon's conical stylus will only last 800 hours or so, and it is an inexpensive cartridge so I would not hesitate to use it as the reduced friction may benefit the life of your recordings. I love the 103 by the way.

 

+2 No issues in 30 yrs /nt, posted on March 13, 2017 at 19:47:21
Phil_S
Audiophile

Posts: 1145
Location: Washington DC
Joined: July 17, 2003
 nt

 

RE: Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?, posted on March 13, 2017 at 21:05:40
kitch29
 The ZYX supplied brush is exactly what Peter recommends and its use immediately after each side while the stylus is at least warm if not hot keeps it squeaky clean.

 

means I never have to bother cleaning the stylus, posted on March 13, 2017 at 22:03:44
hifitommy
Audiophile

Posts: 15387
Location: canyon country califiornia, orig from buffalo ny
Joined: June 9, 2000
 i did it that way for years. the main reason for me to buy another bottle was that i left it open and it evaporated. an expensive lesson. applying the stylus treatment prior to each play always kept the stylus nice and clean.

since then i use ME and follow with a discwasher sc2 brushing (the same as but much larger than the stylast brush. the diamond always looks crystalline through my hand held scope.
...regards...tr

 

I would love to get 800 hours out of a DL-103. /nt, posted on March 14, 2017 at 05:21:09
Biff
Audiophile

Posts: 7527
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: January 27, 2002

 

RE: Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?, posted on March 14, 2017 at 07:53:34
bill_stevenson@bellsouth.net
Audiophile

Posts: 418
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Joined: January 6, 2015
 This stuff works as advertised as far as I can tell. I have a microscope and have been checking stylii for years. People who use Stylast before play on each side of every record seem to get somewhere between 2x and 3x the useful life out of their stylus as compared to those who do not use it. That is a very rough estimate, but it is based on a lot of users, a lot of stylii, and a lot of years of periodic observation.

 

Yup, that may be a tad optimistic. Nt, posted on March 14, 2017 at 09:29:09
viridian
 Nt

 

RE: Yup, that may be a tad optimistic. Nt, posted on March 14, 2017 at 19:36:25
Jack D II
Audiophile

Posts: 1535
Location: Hot Springs, AR
Joined: June 17, 2009
 Ortofon warns against using a stylus cleaner for whatever reason. That was with my Candeza Black.

 

Thank You ..........., posted on March 15, 2017 at 07:14:49
SpotcheckBilly12345
 ........fellow Inmates. I appreciate the help. :-)

I'm going to stick with the method of stylus cleaning that I described and add the Stylast Treatment before every play as mentioned in the posts. Far too many positives here to discount the effectiveness of the Stylast Treatment.

Cheers,
SB

 

RE: Yup, that may be a tad optimistic. Nt, posted on March 16, 2017 at 07:42:16
bill_stevenson@bellsouth.net
Audiophile

Posts: 418
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Joined: January 6, 2015
 The Ortofon position concerning fluids on the stylus (Disclaimer: I am not an employee, nor have any other affiliation with any of the companies mentioned herein and what follows is my viewpoint and not official information). Ortofon has been consistent in their concern that some fluids contain solvents that can attack the elastomer used to suspend the cantilever in their cartridges. This has been so for decades and Ortofon's position is across their entire product line. Interestingly enough, other cartridge manufacturers use the same or similar polymers and do not share the same concern. Audio Technica even markets (or did at one time) a liquid stylus cleaner. In any event, Stylast is not a cleaner and although the formula is proprietary there is no reason to assume that there is any solvent in it that would be harmful to the polymers used to make the elastomers found in phono cartridges. For a product that has been on the market for decades there seems to be only praise for Stylast. As others have said, use it sparingly as directed and you should have no trouble. Too, I think it prudent to be more cautious with the use of the the company's Last Stylus Cleaner, which clearly is a solvent.

 

20 years, no problem nt., posted on March 16, 2017 at 13:20:05
Bronica S2A
Audiophile

Posts: 90
Location: S.E. Lower Michigan
Joined: May 15, 2005
 nt.
"When we look into the deepest space with our most powerful telescopes, we see only the past"

 

RE: Stylast - Good, Bad, or Indifferent?, posted on March 18, 2017 at 07:04:40
majick47
Audiophile

Posts: 799
Location: Pembroke MA
Joined: June 27, 2006
 Must be 20 years that I'v been using the Last stylus conditioner and stylus cleaning fluids, both have proven to be well worth the price. All my records are cleaned on a RCM, also purchased preowned cartridges and the Last stylus cleaner removed any dirt/gunk from the stylus. Highly recommend Last.

 

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