Vinyl static ionizers who's used them?

Don't know about the others, but vacuum cleaner usually removes static completely. 

I have been using static eliminator products for many years, starting with the Milty ZeroStat back in the early 80's. I use the Furutech Destat that I purchased back in 2007 which is the first generation of the product. It has worked flawlessly for 15 yrs. When used properly the surface of a record will become neutral, no static charge present.

There seems to be some confusion on how to use the Destat. You can not place the record on your turntable and then use the Destat. You must hold the record in your hand and then use the Destat. I do 2 revolutions around the record and only on the side that I am going to play. Doing the both sides at the same time will not better your results. When you flip the record over to play the other side, you will still have to use the Destat again to neutralize that side of the record.

To validate the process, I use a Simco FMX-004 Electrostatic Field Meter Static Tester. Placing the record on the turntable then using the Destat, static charge is still present on the surface. It can be anywhere from 15 to .10 depending on the record. Point being there is still static present on the record surface.

If you hold the record in your hand and then use the Destat, the record surface will become totally neutral, no static charge present on the record surface. Using the Simco the meter reads 0.00 across the whole record. This is the same for every record that I do with the Destat, it is consistent and repeatable.

I am a little confused when people state that some other product works better than the Destat, how? You can not get any better than neutral. The record surface can not be more neutral. So I am still trying to figure that one out.

Just for the record I think the Milty ZeroStat is a great product but I never got the record surface to be neutral with the Milty ZeroStat. It worked to reduce static on the surface but there was still some static present.

After playing a record, I measured to see how much static was now on the surface, it would vary from record to record but it would range from 2.0 to .10. So yes, some static did return to the surface but mainly because of the stylus moving through the grooves. That is a small amount of static which is easy to remove with the Destat.

Benjie, you’re confusing us with actual data. I’ve been stewing on the question of whether or not to buy that Simco that you own and which I agree could settle all these questions. After nulling the charge in a hand held record, does charge reappear when you then place it on the platter? Does charge increase from baseline after play? Thanks for casting some light on the subject.

One reason for interest in other products that might work is the $350 cost of the Furutech.

@lewm

Sorry I am confusing you, let me try again. I am going to just get an album out of my collection at random and perform all of the step listed here.

Placing the record right out of the sleeve (anti-static) onto the turntable give a reading of 4.0 to 2.0 across the record when measured with the Simco. Using the Destat with the record on the platter drops the static reading down to 1.6 to .04 across the record. No matter how many times I use the Destat I can never get the record to neutral 0.00 when the record is on the platter.

Holding the record in my hand and using the Destat the record drops from the initial reading of 4.0 to 2.0 across the record to neutral 0.00, static charge no longer is measured on the record surface. Next placing the record on the turntable and taking another reading the record is still neutral 0.00. So placing the record on the platter does not introduce any static charge back on to the record.

I play the record all the way through to the end and take another reading and I get anywhere from 0.00 to 0.04 across the record. So playing the album only produced a small amount of static back on to the record surface.

Now here is the crazy part. When I remove the album from the turntable and take another reading with the record in my hand the static charge is back to its original reading of 4.0 to 2.0, give or take a few points but basically it has returned to its original static charged state.

I would be interested in how much static returns to the record surface when using the DS Audio ION-001 Vinyl ionizer or the CS Port Static Eliminator IME1 upon removing the record from the platter. I’ll bet the static charge is back.

when using the DS Audio ION-001 Vinyl ionizer or the CS Port Static Eliminator IME1 upon removing the record from the platter. I’ll bet the static charge is back.

Yes I'm sure the static would return when removing the LP but at that point who cares? Just saying