Interesting information from Analog Planet on Stylus Cleaner Onzow Zero Dust.

I've seen a stain form on my graphite platter when exposed to a gel which looks and feels a lot like Zero-dust. So I would take @mijostyn 's caution seriously.

As for waiting until the cantilever is so bunged up with goop that you can hear it, well, you first @daveyf  . The ear just ain't that good at perceiving gradual changes.

Maybe a better question would be to ask..and verify, IF a reduction in SQ is heard by any of these ’deposits’...and then IF the answer is ’yes’ to go about a more scientific process of ’cause and effect’...rather than assuming anything! Just IMHO.

I am sure that is what started the investigation....Though I have one in my lab I do not stick my stylus under an electron microscope never have.

Over the years we have heard from numerous ’experts’ in the analog field that there are all kinds of ’no no’s’ when it comes to stylus cleaning. I clearly remember those very same people telling everyone that the Last Stylus cleaner can migrate up the cantilever and cause problems. Then we heard that the same cleaner can damage the glue that is used to hold the stylus. We heard that US cleaning of the cantilever and stylus can damage the coils, we then heard that using BluTac is not recommended ( if I remember correctly it was due to the possibility of BluTac dislodging the cantilever assembly)...and on and on.
Now we hear that the Zerodust can leave a deposit on the stylus, which if one really looks carefully, could be from any number of various culprits...from the vinyl formulation, to the use of a cleaning brush leaving behind a CF strand, to residue left from the inner sleeve and on and on!

Maybe a better question would be to ask..and verify, IF a reduction in SQ is heard by any of these ’deposits’...and then IF the answer is ’yes’ to go about a more scientific process of ’cause and effect’...rather than assuming anything! Just IMHO.

BTW, we then have the disclosure from the source of the information...Wally tools, that they are intending to release a microscope to check on your stylus....hmm, curious timing, if nothing else!!

Remember folks, there are numerous characters in this industry who are 100% sure that all audiophiles are in fact gullible' audiofools' who are just ripe for the taking!! This industry could seriously benefit from a MAJOR clean-out of these very same folk...again IMHO.

@stereo5 , I try to warn people about items that are suspect and I get roasted for it.

@dover 

Yes, I can believe that about fluid residue. Before I had my Koetsu photomicrographed, I cleaned it with 95% pure ethanol. 40 hours later the pump on the electron microscope couldn't pull a sufficient vacuum because of off-gassing - and the only possibility, which I was assured was quite possible, was the alcohol.

Atomic absorption will tell you also as well mass spectrometry.

we use it a lot doing analysis on fluids. 

No we had test samples

worst was Stylast & First.

You could tell under the microscope what fluid it was?

When I was with the Garrott Bros many years ago they showed me on an electron microscope the crap in most cartridges in for repair -

The most common and worst 2 problems were minute pieces of carbon fiber from either record or stylus brushes and gunk and residue from excessive use of fluids that would wick its up the cantilever and gum up the works - worst was Stylast & First.

And wait just a minute here - how about the crap showing on the TOP side of cantilever? I doubt Onzow could be culpable for that. Maybe the pictured cartridge’s owner is a hairspray aficionado. I remember in the 80s I would go to steal my sister’s CDs from her room and they were completely encrusted in the crap - absolutely disgusting.

I’m pretty clean around my stuff. I don’t even use lotion for fear of that stuff getting on my gear. I suffer through the dry scaly skin every winter for the sake of analog :)

@joeyfed55 

I use a method that was approved by Peter Lederman, or so I was told. Blue Tak

Same. I have my Blue Tak mounted on top of my Onzow Box 😁 Which I used to use before the warnings from Peter.

Mulv, I certainly hope you don’t “scrub” with magic eraser. I use it too, but down on the ME and up off the ME, preferably maintaining a 90 degree orientation of stylus tip to pad seems the only safe method.

I've used ZeroDust for over a decade.  Just checked all my styli/cantilevers under the microscope, and not hint of this problem.  

I’m skeptical this can be solely attributed to the Zerodust, without some other "unusual" factors coming to light. Either way, it’s not going to affect my occasional use of the DS Audio gel pad. I also scrub the stylus after each session with Magic Eraser, and vigorously brush around the stylus and cantilever with firm bristles often, so nothing’s gonna accumulate there anyways.

Every single cleaning tool has its weaknesses, but when combined you’ll have a clean stylus for its (long) lifetime. Like with dental hygiene - don't JUST floss, or just brush, or rinse. Do them all. You can tell audiophiles who don’t brush well because their carts always have large particle beards lol.

I use a method that was approved by Peter Lederman, or so I was told. Blue Tak, I put it on an old credit card and simply lower the stylus onto it. Then every few plays I use the MoFi LP9.My Onzow was too high to fit the cart onto. Hope this helps, respect.

I bought mine at 2017 RMAF for a lot of coin and now it is ng?  I am so tired of spending big bucks on something everyone raves about only to find out it is complete junk.  Just goes to show even we seasoned audiophiles can still get scammed.

Dear @jerryg123  : I own that cleaner that I bought several years ago and is totally new because I never used. I was confident on it even that audiophiles said was " marvelous ".

Good to know that does more harm than any kind of cleaning stylus help. Thank's to share it.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

Thanx Jerry, good to know.