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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 2 responses by larryi

larryi
3,746 posts
 

I will agree with others that it is unlikely that you did damage.  The difference you are hearing is probably more a product of anxiety over your actions.  I would make the following recommendation:  At all times, when not actually playing a record, make sure the cuing lever is in the up position.  If you accidently bump the arm, the needle will not contact anything if the arm is cued up.  This is really the simplest thing to do--when play is over, cue up and leave the lever in that position even when you return the arm to the rest.  Do not actually lock the arm in the rest--there is no need to do this because the arm is cued up.  If the arm or stylus is accidentally bumped, it is better that the arm and cartridge are free to move from the force applied, and there is no problem with that movement leading to the stylus hitting anything if the arm is cued up.  Only cue down in order to play.  When cleaning the stylus, the cued up position, without the arm being locked down to the arm rest prevents damage from excess force applied to the stylus and cantilever--the arm would move from that force instead of excessively stressing the cantilever.

larryi
3,746 posts
 

I don't use the ZeroDust, but I know of some issues involving its use.  I know two people who accidentally pulled the cantilever out of their cartridge using the ZeroDust or similar product.  If you lift it out of gel too fast, that force, which is in the opposite direction of the force the cartridge is designed to take, may do damage.  If you use this product, use the cuing lever to very slowly lift the stylus out of the gel.  Secondly, there are people who have reported a very difficult to remove residue depositing on the stylus and cantilever from the product. There was an article in Stereophile (Michael Fremer) about this in the past year.  

As to the OP reporting occasional distortion at about the same point on a record, that is somewhat unusual, but I've seen it happen.  In one case, the arm would slightly bind when in a particular position--I think it had to do with the tonearm wiring.  In the other case, the curing platform did not get completely out of the way when cued down and would slightly lift the arm at one point of play.  

I agree with Mulveling that excessive wear is not likely with a high quality cartridge after such a short time--if the cartridge is at fault, it is either damage in handling or the cartridge suspension is at fault.  I also don't think your alignment can be that far off as to be the cause of mis-tracking, particularly if you use something as precise as a mint protractor.  

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