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Tips for cleaning Zyx airy 3

I recently took my Zyx airy 3 to a friend, who looked at it under a microscope. To my horror, the diamond was covered in a ball of dirt and could not even be seen. This is despite cleaning the cartridge with zerodust and a brush every day. All my records have been cleaned by an Okki Nokki and I take great care to remove any dust before playing.
The stylus has now been cleaned and is back to normal and I have ordered a stiffer brush to clean it with.
Has anybody else had problems keeping this cartridge clean?.
fro
fro OP
7 posts
 
It was the amount of crap that was on the stylus that shocked me, especially because of the care I've taken to keep it clean. I did read somewhere that the airy 3 was a problem cartridge for picking up dust etc.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
Zero Dust has been dead for a while.

RIP

Lonestarsouth is wrong btw. Nobody needs to accept a dirty stylus and it's easy to keep your stylus clean with the Magic Eraser per swampwalker's post.

Continuing kudos to dougdeacon.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
You will need always something for a clean needle. there is an advice for the Magic Eraser, or Zero dust, or Lyra SPL fluid, or AT-637, or cleaning fluid from a Record Cleaning Machine or the Vibration cleaner from Air Tight or...don't worry, a Zyx is not more or less sensitive than other cartridges. When you got your solution it is done. You need to clean the stylus, otherwise your high frequency Area, tracking ability ... will suffer.
fro OP
7 posts
 
The other cartridge I use (Denon DL110), doesn't suffer with the same problems as the Airy 3.
stltrains
845 posts
 
Fro i use a Universe and do understand your concern. I m like you and go the extra mile for a clean record and stylus. As hard as i try i do get the same clogged stylus at times. Using a magic eraser cut into a triangle getting small at one end works great for working the ball off. It could take some time as the fibers seem to wrap themselves around the stylus. Between the ME and a good brush you should be able to resolve the problem.
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