Ever Damage A Stylus Using Cleaning Brush?

Well, even though I could swear the tone changed a bit, things still sound fantastic so I'll have to go with "it was my imagination."

Thanks folks.

I'm not an expert on the turntable stuff so still learning.

My concern arose from thinking about just how minute an adjustment it can take to alter the sound with a stylus.  For instance I use the arduous mint protractor when I have to set up my cartridge...requires insane precision, and I've noticed even differences practically not noticeable by eye with a loop or USB microscope can mean slightly different sound.

So I wasn't wondering if I'd ruined my stylus, but rather if perhaps I slightly put it off adjustment somehow, just enough to alter the sound.  

But I infer from the replies this is unlikely.  Is that because to move the stylus off center at all it would actually require a movement of the whole head shell, like when one is adjusting tracking?  (I'm quite sure I didn't budge the position of the head shell).   And that a bit harder brush pressure would be unlikely to bend the cantilever itself off adjustment?

Thanks larryi, I do indeed always keep my turntable arm unlocked for those reasons.

mulveling

That's what I figured.

As to the cleaning lady....

When I made my big turntable upgrade it was from my old micro seiki (donated by my father in law) to an expensive (second hand) Transrotor Fat Bob S, Acoustic Solid arm, and the Benz Micro Ebony L cartridge.  (The cartridge was essentially new, worth thousands).

I spent a month or so specially re-constructing my equipment rack to handle the turntable, including an elaborate isolation shelf.  The turntable sitting in it's box while doing so.  Finally after all that effort I was able to play a bit of a record, just before getting out the door for a family vacation.  It sounded great and I couldn't wait to get back and play my new expensive toy!

Well, we got back, I went to cue up a record and...WTF?  Somehow the whole cartridge was twisted almost all the way sideways!  I was utterly horrified and baffled.  How?

Then I remembered:  Maybe the cleaning lady decided to come while we were gone.  I phoned her.  Sher enough when I politely inquired she said "Oh yes, I came and did your house.  There was that big new shiny thing.  I was cleaning around it and heard a big bang noise.  Then I noticed the long straight thing was hanging down (arm).  So I put it back up.  I hope it's ok?"

Yeah...her cloth had snagged the cartridge.  Luckily it wasn't by the needle.  Ultimately I was able to get it back working again (though I think she did something permanent to the arm).

It's amazing how many cleaning women horror stories there are regarding turntables.  Makes an electric fence seem like a plausible investment :-)

Well, there's also the fact that the reason I lifted the needle in the first place is that I've had this occasional distortion problem.  I'll be listening to an album and then the sound will start getting very fuzzy, finally shrinking in to totally distorted.

If I lift up the cartridge and place it down again in another spot the distortion is gone.   Doesn't happen very often, but it's very mysterious and mirrors a similar distortion problem that drove me insane trying to trace it, a couple years ago.

As I remember it turned out to be the cartridge, which I replaced.   But this one (same model) isn't very old at all, so don't know what's going on.

The cartridge is only about a year and a few months old.

I actually don't want to fiddle with it unless absolutely necessary.  After a very arduous cartridge alignment session a while back I hit "gold" and got the best sound I'd ever had.  Not sure how easily I can repeat it. 

mulveling,

I usually clean the needle after my system is shut off.  But sometimes it's on.

When it's on, it's a bit easier to register the pressure I'm using because I can hear it through the speakers.  It's not too loud.

In fact, I'm not sure how even "too hard" pressure could ruin the speakers. 

The signal level to the speakers is obviously limited by the volume setting.

I mean, if I was just playing Van Halen the signal was already as close to as loud as it would get coming out of the speakers based on that volume setting.  I don't see how a hard brushing would be louder and more threatening to the speakers.

audphile1,

Thanks!

The cartridge is on nice, tight and secure, so I'm sure I'm not knocking it off angle when cleaning the needle.  Also, since I set the overhang precisely with the Mint protractor, I highly doubt it's off.  I'm also not sure why that would cause random distortion, which can happen a track or two in on a record.

My arm doesn't have anti-skate.  Nor, I believe, can I change the azimuth.

I sure hope my cartridge isn't "done" after only a year and a half!  My previous Benz Micro Ebony L lasted at least 4 years of heavy use.  I couldn't afford to replace this one.

The sound is stellar...super clean...no indication at all of stylus wear that I can hear.

It's just this weird, occasional sound turning in to distortion thing.  It's rare, thankfully.  Hasn't happened in a while.