Liquid Stylus Cleaners

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

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.

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. 

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. 

I had always (past 25 years) used a short stiff bristle brush and occasionally, after 6 - 8 LP's, a drop of Disc Doctor fluid, no problem.

A few months ago I did another cartridge upgrade to a quite expensive ($3600) new cartridge, which I am very happy with. I decided to make a inquiry to the maker. I received a reply in about 6 hours, quote his reply here.

"The cartridge needs no maintenance except for occasional cleaning of the stylus tip. Use a soft stylus brush to brush only from back to front in order to avoid damage. If a deposit appears on the stylus tip, use a small quantity of alcohol and distilled water mixed half and half."

So, that is what I do.