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Liquid Stylus Cleaners

I know that some of the cartridge makers, including Soundsmith, say not to use liquids and many of you don’t. From a manufacturer’s standpoint, I can definitely understand why - god only knows what some of us dopes (including myself) will be swabbing on there. I have used LP#9 after every side since 2005 when I returned to vinyl, and never had a problem. And I haven’t been surgically careful either. I do use a lighted magnifier to see what I’m doing, but I’ve brushed crap off the cantilever and never had anything migrate into the cartridge or experienced any of these horror stories I hear. So IMO at least, these warnings about liquids are somewhat exaggerated. Do you use them?

 

chayro
dinov's avatar
dinov
845 posts
 

I use Last or stylast, with no problems. If your concerned about liquid use onzow the sticky pad. I had no problems with either. 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,113 posts
 

LP#9 after playing 10-12 records. Sounds great and so far no issues.

bpoletti
1,553 posts
 

I use BruTak (per Soundsmith) to clean off any build up on the stylus. Also use a Disc Doctor fluid on the included stiff carbon fibre brush to make sure there’s nothing left on the cantilever or stylus.  Not sure of the availability of the Disc Doctor products.

avanti1960
1,480 posts
 

I have always used liquid occasionally- e.g. every two weeks or so, using the Audio-Technica stylus fluid.  Never had an issue with stylus / cantilever upwards of 1500 hours on cartridges.  

There are certain deposits that require the liquid to remove.  One brush and followed with the stylus cleaner brush.  

After every play I use the dry brush. 

drbond
422 posts
 

Anecdotally, I had a stylus that had less than 200 hours on it, and I used to Onzow Zerodust regularly.  One channel simply went out on the cartridge, and apparently somehow some wire in the left channel in the MC above the cantilever was simply broken.  I really have no idea what caused it, but since then, I stopped using the Onzow. 

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