Demagnatizing Phono Cartridges

Aesthetix Demagnitizer works wonders. It should be done about once every other month and with the arm in the play position so that there is weight on the stylus--this should center the coil (MC). I've heard that using this while playing the cardas sweep record is even better. Haven't tried it yet, but I intend to.

Sd: Well, it's okay to stick your neck out, but someone misinformed you a bit. You are not demagnetizing the magnet, you are demagnetizing the wires in the coil. The movements about the proximity of the magnet cause a current flow by induction. The problem is that the close proximity of the magnet to the coil causes the coil to become slightly magnetized over time. It doesn't even have to be in use for this to occur, although it occurs much slower when not in use. When you demagnetize, you are removing as much of the magnetic build up as possible by a controlled induction process that sweeps through a frequency range and neutralizes the magnetic effect. I haven't explained the last part very well, but it's kind of like shaking a towel full of sand out at the beach. If you shake it right--all the sand will fall back to the beach that it came from.

The second thing I would recommend--is try to demagnetize your cartridge. If you have not done it for a year--you will think you just purchased a new cartridge. And you can start the cheap route with the Cardas sweep--only $28--but the Aesthetix works much better.

I have no problems with various opinion, theory, etc. That's what these forums are about. I am a physicist, solid state undergrad training, so I know a bit about the theory--although it sounds like your friend has far more experience than I do. I will still stand behind a difference in clarity after I demagnetize, although now that I do it regularly the difference is much less. Although the configuration is completely different--the principle is not unlike deqaussing a CRT. Instead of the coils it is the grid for the electron gun in the CRT that is being deqaussed. If you do it rarely, it makes a pretty big difference in image quality--if you do it regularly, you can hardly notice a difference.

I'm going to stick to my analog ritual. I think it works--but I buy expensive cables too (electrical engineers don't think much of that either).