Ever Damage A Stylus Using Cleaning Brush?


I’m having a moment of audiophile anxiety. Help me Obi Wans of this forum!

I’d been using the DS Audio ST50 gel cleaner for my Benz Micro Ebony L cartridge. Due to recent uncertainties about the possible liabilities of those type of cleaners I bought a carbon fiber stylus brush, from boundlessaudio.

I use the Audio Intelligent cleaning fluid.

Everything has been fine, and I’ve never been sure how much pressure to apply to brushing the needle, so I’ve always tried the lightest touch possible. Sometimes, though, the middle aged hands aren’t as steady and I can give it a bit more pressure than I was planning.

So last night I lifted up the needle mid track to clean the needle. Couple of very light brushes just skimming the bottom of the needle, always back to front of the needle as recommended. With the system still on I can also hear how light or not I’m brushing, hearing the sound coming through the speakers. But the last brush stroke went up a bit higher, slightly submerging more of the stylus giving it a bit of a bump up and a louder sound through the speakers. Didn’t think too much of it. But when I sat back to listen I could swear the sound had altered slightly, like the sound had gotten a tiny bit lightened, brightened, forward vs the "inky black background" I’d just been listening to.

Just how plausible is it that I may have damaged or shifted something in the stylus?

In thinking it through it seems to me if any real force had been applied, since the stylus was not at all locked in to the holder, it would have bounced the arm up somewhat. But didn’t. Second, it seems to me there is at least as much force simply dropping the needle on to the record.

But I could be wrong. And I don’t know if the tonal change was all in my head. (I’m hoping it is...but even listening today I still seem to perceive a slightly different tone).

Any thoughts on this truly First World problem?

 

 

prof

Showing 1 response by clearthinker

How to clean with a stylus brush.

Free the arm from the armrest/lock and leave the cart between rest and platter.  Lower the lift and allow the arm to drop to its lowest level in that open space.  The arm will now be free to move upwards in response to any pressure on the stylus.  You are probably tracking between 2g and 2.5g.  Load your chosen stylus brush with a small drop of your chosen stylus cleaning fluid and brush it longitudinally along the stylus from back to front - no sideways force.  Yes, leave the sound on low so you can hear what you are doing.  Repeat brushstrokes 6 or 8 times.  If you apply too much upward force the arm will just lift in response, so you will never apply more than the downforce you have set on the arm.  The cantilever and suspension are designed to withstand a bit more than the 2.5g downforce as when playing a record the stylus is dropped onto its surface and will react to the downward force.

Assuming you did this you will not have damaged the stylus or suspension of the cart.