Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

[HayesWeighsIn]

I know Ortofon says to not use solvents on their styli, but I find that simple distilled water on a stylus brush like yours cleans the stylus as well as anything. It has not harmed my 2M Blue, but YMMV.

Soundsmith recommends lowering the stylus into Blu-Tack, but I have not tried it. Some use little squares of magic eraser. I’m wary of the ZeroDust after WallyTools’ reports of microscopic residue that can accumulate.

Always been a magic eraser guy myself. Always seems to do the trick, have yet to have any issues.

 

[Nee Lewman]

Always been a magic eraser guy myself. Always seems to do the trick, have yet to have any issues.

I was eventually getting some white residue in my grooves with the magic eraser which is why I bought the onzow. I’ve had mine about five years now. I would also characterize mine as well cared for. Don’t really want to shell out for another every three to five years. May try the blue tack route. May just get another onzow… who knows?

 

[Nee Lewman]

View attachment 189516
I just put a little on my record weight.

I have a little pad of Blu-Tack that I've flattened to the backside of a CD-R. I just set the whole thing on a platter and then dip the stylus like you would with a ZeroDust.

Do you clean it at all or just toss it when it gets funky.

 

[kvetcha]

Do you clean it at all or just toss it when it gets funky.

The latter. The stuff is so cheap and one package can make a few dozen cleaning pads.

 

[HayesWeighsIn]

I was eventually getting some white residue in my grooves with the magic eraser which is why I bought the onzow. I’ve had mine about five years now. I would also characterize mine as well cared for. Don’t really want to shell out for another every three to five years. May try the blue tack route. May just get another onzow… who knows?

Ooh interesting, I will keep an eye out for that. Truthfully, really only have to clean my stylus once in a while. I'm typically not spinning anything too suspect!

 

[kvetcha]

Ooh interesting, I will keep an eye out for that. Truthfully, really only have to clean my stylus once in a while. I'm typically not spinning anything too suspect!

I feel like I barely ever have to clean mine since I got the Humminguru.

 

[Ghost]

I feel like I barely ever have to clean mine since I got the Humminguru.

This^ since getting my Humminguru I've only had to rely on a simple brush for the stylus and I go from cleaning it after every spin to every dozen or so.

 

[HayesWeighsIn]

@kvetcha @Ghost do y'all use any sort of vacuum clean as well? Or find the ultrasonic to be sufficient?

 

[Ghost]

@kvetcha @Ghost do y'all use any sort of vacuum clean as well? Or find the ultrasonic to be sufficient?

Nope, I'm one and done with the HG, 5 min clean, 5 minute dry and I've been good to go.

Everything comes out ready, clean, and dry outside of the odd album. I feel like I have to wipe a couple beadlets of water off of 1 out of 20 records I clean.

 

[kvetcha]

@kvetcha @Ghost do y'all use any sort of vacuum clean as well? Or find the ultrasonic to be sufficient?

Just the ultrasonic!

 

[dansomeone]

This stuff? Do you just keep a ball of it by the table?
Blu-Tack Reusable Adhesive 75g Amazon.com
Do you store it in anything? Someone show me what y’all are doing.

You could flatten a small ball on a quarter

 

[Hemotep]

Do you clean it at all or just toss it when it gets funky.

Yeah this stuff is so cheap and you need so little that you can replace it often, but it probably doesn't need to be replaced that often either.

 

[tvham]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to give Blu-Tack a shot.

 

[Angsty]

I feel like I barely ever have to clean mine since I got the Humminguru.

True. I use the dry stylus brush as a matter of habit every few spins. I only have to wet clean the stylus 1-2 times per year with the Humminguru cleaning the records.

 

[MikeH]

Go to the local music supply store and get Moongel blue sticky drum-damping pads. It's apparently basically the same as an ONZOW ZeroDust but is only like $10. I've been using it and it works beautifully. Magic Erasers do not work very well in my experience.

Since I’m a crazy person, I put moongel under my Ikea butcher block as an isolation platform

 

[NoTrend]

yeah, I have an onzow stylus cleaner but have read Ortofon doesn't recommend that either.

This is true? I have an Ortofon bonze. Any recommendations? Been using an Onzow...

 

[MikeH]

I have a little pad of Blu-Tack that I've flattened to the backside of a CD-R. I just set the whole thing on a platter and then dip the stylus like you would with a ZeroDust.

now I know what to do with the 10,000 CD-Rs I got at Comp USA!

 

[HiFi Guy]

This is true? I have an Ortofon bonze. Any recommendations? Been using an Onzow...

I wouldn’t use an Oznow on anything. The way I see it, its stickiness will put strain on the cantilever as the stylus is lifted from the pad. Probably less important with a user replaceable stylus like your Ortofon, but would definitely make me anxious with a non user replaceable stylus.

I’ve had good luck with the Magic Eraser for dry cleaning. Don’t use any liquids with an Ortofon. I’ve seen a few cartridges shed their diamonds over the years. Each and every one was an Ortofon.

 

[NoTrend]

I wouldn’t use an Oznow on anything. The way I see it, its stickiness will put strain on the cantilever as the stylus is lifted from the pad. Probably less important with a user replaceable stylus like your Ortofon, but would definitely make me anxious with a non user replaceable stylus.

I’ve had good luck with the Magic Eraser for dry cleaning. Don’t use any liquids with an Ortofon. I’ve seen a few cartridges shed their diamonds over the years. Each and every one was an Ortofon.

Thanks for this.

So like something like this Amazon product ASIN B08492Q875 ?

If so, how do you use it (sorry for the dumb questions?

 

[HayesWeighsIn]

Thanks for this.

So like something like this Amazon product ASIN B08492Q875 ?

If so, how do you use it (sorry for the dumb questions?

That's it! Literally just cut a small square off it, and gently place the stylus on it a few times. Done.

And btw - they're usually like 5 or 6 bucks at the supermarket as opposed to what Amazon is asking!