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Ever Damage A Stylus Using Cleaning Brush?

I’m having a moment of audiophile anxiety. Help me Obi Wans of this forum!

I’d been using the DS Audio ST50 gel cleaner for my Benz Micro Ebony L cartridge. Due to recent uncertainties about the possible liabilities of those type of cleaners I bought a carbon fiber stylus brush, from boundlessaudio.

I use the Audio Intelligent cleaning fluid.

Everything has been fine, and I’ve never been sure how much pressure to apply to brushing the needle, so I’ve always tried the lightest touch possible. Sometimes, though, the middle aged hands aren’t as steady and I can give it a bit more pressure than I was planning.

So last night I lifted up the needle mid track to clean the needle. Couple of very light brushes just skimming the bottom of the needle, always back to front of the needle as recommended. With the system still on I can also hear how light or not I’m brushing, hearing the sound coming through the speakers. But the last brush stroke went up a bit higher, slightly submerging more of the stylus giving it a bit of a bump up and a louder sound through the speakers. Didn’t think too much of it. But when I sat back to listen I could swear the sound had altered slightly, like the sound had gotten a tiny bit lightened, brightened, forward vs the "inky black background" I’d just been listening to.

Just how plausible is it that I may have damaged or shifted something in the stylus?

In thinking it through it seems to me if any real force had been applied, since the stylus was not at all locked in to the holder, it would have bounced the arm up somewhat. But didn’t. Second, it seems to me there is at least as much force simply dropping the needle on to the record.

But I could be wrong. And I don’t know if the tonal change was all in my head. (I’m hoping it is...but even listening today I still seem to perceive a slightly different tone).

Any thoughts on this truly First World problem?

 

 

prof
cd318
2,636 posts
 

@prof 

I'll be listening to an album and then the sound will start getting very fuzzy, finally shrinking in to totally distorted.

If I lift up the cartridge and place it down again in another spot the distortion is gone.

 

The mystery deepens, and it's not looking good for the health of the cartridge.

I'd check the cartridge wires and possibly replace them first before trying anyhing else.

These are precisely the scenarios where a detachable headshell is a blessing.

 

@mulveling 

Yet another in a long line of informative posts.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

prof OP
3,474 posts
 

The cartridge is only about a year and a few months old.

I actually don't want to fiddle with it unless absolutely necessary.  After a very arduous cartridge alignment session a while back I hit "gold" and got the best sound I'd ever had.  Not sure how easily I can repeat it. 

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
2,018 posts
 

Been using my old dishwasher stylus cleaner for as long as I can remember...not once have I damaged a stylus while using it.  I highly recommend a 10x jeweler's loupe. It is brighter than say a 20x...it really shows you the status of your stylus. Those smaller stylus brushes, at least to me, are harder to use than my go to dishwasher stylus cleaner/brush. I seldom use the fluid, mostly only if I see a stubborn piece of debri on the stylus while viewed through the loupe. 

edcyn
1,876 posts
 

audioguy85 -- Love your word processor’s auto-correct feature! And oh yeah, remember to put the dishwasher on pots n’ pans after playing your 78’s.

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,928 posts
 

The cartridge is only about a year and a few months old.

I actually don’t want to fiddle with it unless absolutely necessary. After a very arduous cartridge alignment session a while back I hit "gold" and got the best sound I’d ever had. Not sure how easily I can repeat it.

Is is possibly still breaking in? You got at least 40 hours on it? I really like my Ebony L (despite having many other fine MCs to choose from here), but there have been PLENTY of ups and downs with it, since new. It always sounds at least good, but sometimes it’s really GREAT.

It’s still probably right around only 50 play hours. It also seems quite finicky with partnering gear for sonic matching, even down to which amp I’m using. Sometimes its bass response has been a bit reticent and other times it’s like HOLY WOW. It’s actually been sounding stellar lately (on my back arm), and I’ve resolved to leave everything as-is for a while and just enjoy the ride.

My front arm is a FR64S with a Koetsu Blue Lace almost permanently affixed (and always sounds stellar), so when the back arm & cart is nearly matching that, I know it’s doing something right!

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