How do you clean your stylus?

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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I suspect that the risk he is talking about is probably far greater with the Onzow if one has to bring it up to the cantilever by hand! Since I am not doing that, I feel a lot more comfortable with the product.

Davey, did you ask your dealer this question about which method is more risky? Without knowing, perhaps you are just assuming there is a difference in risk and that bringing the Onzow up to the stylus is worse. I asked Larry (Astrotoy) how he used his Onzow during his monutental vinyl ripping sessions and he replied that he lifted the Onzow up to the stylus, which is what I also do. Neither of us has had any issues.

It would seem to be more risky to bring the Onzow up to the stylus, but we don't seem to have any data that supports that assumption. Did you ever ask your dealer on what he is basing his warnings and recommendations to you?
 

DaveyF

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Jul 31, 2010
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Peter, I asked the dealer about Onzow, which he is very down on as a product. He told me that the problem is that the polymer can snag the cantilever if you are not careful. Seems to me common sense that if you bring the Onzow up to the stylus, then there is a good possibility of lateral movement! That would ally with my dealers thinking. Not so much if you are able to lower the stylus onto the polymer, which is what I have always done.(far less likelihood of lateral movement of the cantilever/stylus while it is on the polymer.)
BTW, I would think the issue must apply to the DS product as well, if you raise it to the stylus.
 

ack

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I hate the Onzow, have one, stopped using it. Went back to Ortofon's brush that came with the A90... done.
 

ack

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Tasos, what are you using to remove the crud on the stylus ( usually burnt on) that a brush won't address?

Nothing; no liquid solution will do, lest it dilutes the stylus glue. The Ortofon brush is dense, hard and gets just about everything off; and hasn't pried the stylus off yet.
 

ack

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spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Any other users of the Flux HiFi ultrasonic stylus cleaner? I've been using it for a year now w reasonably good results.
 

dminches

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Oct 22, 2011
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Is it necessary to adjust one’s phono preamp (change input selection) when cleaning a stylus so you don’t send something nasty to the preamp? I always have but I can’t say I ever ventured to hear what might come through.
 

ack

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Didn't realize the Ortofon brush is so easily sourced https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1038122-REG/ortofon_stylus_brush_carbon_fib_stylus_carbon_fiber_brush.html/?ap=y&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_J3ciY-A4AIVysDICh0QgQWPEAQYASABEgKaJPD_BwE&lsft=BI:514&smp=Y



Mine has a sexier shaft
 

dminches

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ack

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Bone dry; it's a really dense brush with fairly hard but smooth bristles
 

tima

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Mar 3, 2014
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sticky, dangerous, just didn't clean well enough as seen under a magnifier

Yes - the key is to actually look at the stylus with relatively high-powered magnification before and after cleaning. A 3x magnifying glass is not enough. Use a loupe, at least 10X. This will tell you what your stylus looks like what the cleaner and/or technique accomplished.

I stopped using the Onzow not because I thought there was Danger in using it. I stopped using it because it was only partially effective. The way it works is to be sticky and permeable. However you cause the stylus to penetrate the Onzow is one thing, but all it does is grab stuff on the stylus and retain it. That's fine for dust and surface particles. In my experience, dipping the stylus into the sticky Onzow does nothing for yellowish material baked onto the stylus. That is based on actual examination of the stylus before and after Onzow use.

This is what I do - I'm not saying what works for you. But it seems hard to argue with actually looking closely at real world results.

Instead of looking at the stylus, some people look at the Onzow - "just look at the black spots on my Onzow, that proves its working". Well yes it will pick up stuff and hold onto it thanks to its stickiness. Examine and compare a dirty stylus cleaned by the Onzow versus the ME versus a liquid. If the stylus only has dust on it, all three may yield similar results. If the stylus has dirt/stuff firmly attached or coated, you'll likely see different results.

Do the experiment - learn for yourself.

Wrt 'Danger': Some people say: "When used properly, the XXX should work." Implying that if XXX did not work, it was used improperly. I don't accept that implication. Yes, if you use any tool or method in a clumsy way you can cause damage. However that does not establish that a damaged stylus resulted from user error.
 
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TooCool4

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Feb 7, 2013
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Any other users of the Flux HiFi ultrasonic stylus cleaner? I've been using it for a year now w reasonably good results.

This is what i wrote in post No 31

"I clean the stylus after every side with DS Audio ST-50 and after every listening session I use the Flux HiFi sonic cleaner.
The records are clean with my Loricraft PRC3 .

These method works well for me."
 

TooCool4

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Feb 7, 2013
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Is it necessary to adjust one’s phono preamp (change input selection) when cleaning a stylus so you don’t send something nasty to the preamp? I always have but I can’t say I ever ventured to hear what might come through.

I always switch input and press mute.
 
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ack

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So here's why I consider the Onzow really dangerous: once the stylus is touching the material, your hand had better be very steady, otherwise it and the goo will drag the stylus in any which direction, potentially breaking it off. This is not the case with a brush.
 
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PeterA

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So here's why I consider the Onzow really dangerous: once the stylus is touching the material, your hand had better be very steady, otherwise it and the goo will drag the stylus in any which direction, potentially breaking it off. This is not the case with a brush.

Ack, I agree that the Onzow goo can drag the stylus in any which direction if your hand moves. Why is this not also the case with a stiff short bristle brush? My soft long hair brush can't move the stylus but I have one similar to yours in post #90 and it will move the stylus/cantilever. Would you feel safe brushing your stylus from front to back or side to side? That is possible with my art supply brush but not the one that came with my cartridges.

I understand your concern and guess I've just been very lucky to never have a problem with the Onzow.
 

mulveling

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2017
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The Onzow goo is very very compliant to handle slight lateral movement, and even when new it's not THAT sticky. I still feel that if a Onzow grabbed your stylus or cantilever off without the aid of significant user error, then that cartridge wasn't going to be long-lived on its own anyways.
 

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