Picked up the DS Audio Stylus cleaner later part of last year, and very favourable results.
Yes, expensive, but great results and easy to use (i.e. little chance of damage to the cartridge) with my Lyra Skala.
And given the replacement cost/value of the cartridge and today some of the records, it has to be done.
Anyone with similar experiences?
I’ve been using this for over a year. I got mine free. The DS Audio is great but there are less expensive versions (the Onzow Zerodust costs about half and is essentially the same thing).
A nice touch is that the bottom is leather so you can safely place it on a record, in case you already have it on the platter when you decide to clean the stylus.
Yes, the ZeroDust may be conceptually the same, however the packaging of the DS Audio is much nicer, with its metal case, and leather covered base.
I agree but in the U.S. the premium is about $35 for that nicer presentation and base. I love the DS Audio, but I don’t know that I would pay to get one.
Same type of product, but I’ve been using the AT617a as it’s recommended by the manufacturer of my cartridge.
I found the the Onzow Zerodust to be good although it lost some of it’s effectiveness after a year or two. It seemed to become less “tacky” and therefore less able to remove all of the dust etc.
I also use onzow zerodust for everyday use. I recently bought flux hifi sonic cleaner. I use it once in every 2-3 weeks. Expensive but cleans very effectively.
I am lucky enough to have an Audio Technica vibrating pad cleaner, from the 1980s and still working perfectly. I use this once every few weeks, with a drop of isopropyl alcohol on the pad. The pad is a short/soft bristle arrangement. Day to day I use an audio technica brush, pictured earlier in the thread. Seems to work well!
FWIW Rega do not recommend ultrasonic cleaning. Inevitably vibrations will get transferred to the cartridge.
Phil
Me too, but I use it dry. IIRC that is how it was intended to be used. The vibration dislodges dirt and dust from the stylus, cantilever, and internal coils. Fluids can damage damping rubbers. I would think that alcohol would dry out the damping rubber and make it brittle.
Also a habitual wipe of the stylus after every side with carbon fibre stylus brush.
I used my AT with Rega, Linn, Sumiko, and now Dynavector with no problem. But if Rega advise not too, then best follow that advice.
Yes, I have one of those cleaners somewhere (I use to have a AT OC9) - however they are no longer recommended for the more delicate MC suspensions, as the vibrations applied to the tip of the cantilever are being carried into the body of the cartridge and the suspension holding the cantilever in place.
Hence a styles brush, used very carefully and only in a back to front motion (i.e. direction that the record would going) or the ‘sticky’ pad approach is the best method of cleaning the contact area at the end of the cantilever.
And then within the ‘sticky pad’ solutions, I have found the DS Audio cleaner to be the best and the nicest (ergonomics, finsh and overall looks)
I have one of these from the late 80’s. However it’s not used at the moment as I believe Dynavector advise against it.
No not true, I currently have a Dynavector 17D3 and previously used other Karat models, I have discussed in the past with Pear Audio, no problem just avoid certain fluids, which is why I prefer to use it dry. You do have to be careful due to the short cantilever, lower the stylus tip onto the edge of the pad so it isn’t touching the cartridge body.
I’m into my 3rd Karat using the AT without issue.
This might freak a few people out but I also occasionally place a vacuum cleaner nozzle over the front of the cartridge on a very low suction setting!
I have one too, but AT themselves suggest not using it with the AT-ART1000 that I’m currently running.
It is what I used before with the Kandid after checking with Linn it was OK to do so.
Like Peder, I’ve used the same method of Linn green paper and Audio Technica for 20 years and it’s been very successful for me. The Audio Technica not used very often though. The only other things I use regularly are a small short bristle carbon fibre brush and a very soft make-up brush to remove the debris along the stylus cantilever.
…oooooh…I will have to reconsider my use of my AT vibrating pad cleaner thing (Apheta 3).
Yes, after now having the DS Audio cleaner, I have no reason to go near the cantilever with a brush or device of any kind.
You just place the square box on the platter, place the tonearm over it as you would when cueing up a record and lower the tonearm, wait a few moments and lift up the stylus and all done.
The tonearm cue hight might need to be adjusted before using this. That was the case for me. Mine didn’t clear the DS Audio with the default cue height.
Have always used…
