What devices have you found useful when inspecting your stylii for cleanliness?

Dear @noromance : I know that with that Decca cartridge even as the Ikeda 9 have compliance ( very low ).

Now you as many other audiophiles ( I made it in the past too. ) makes that stylus clean after each side with out really make an inspection, just we do it we are accustom to.

In the other side @richardbrand was or is looking for a device to inspect the stylus at the end of each side where that " inspect device " makes a quality difference between what he is looking for and what other gentlemans normally make: no inspect devices.

@richardbrand " One mystery remains: "After each side is played the stylus is inspected".

I can’t be sure if @billstevenson do it in the way I do where I only " inspect " the stylus by my eyes looking mostly for debris/dust threads ( he posted that the true inpspection of the stylus is twice a year. ) . This is the " inspection " I do: only by eyes. I like to listen MUSIC and don’t lost time that often with a " inspection device ", time is to short and is " gold " to take advantage of it.

R.

Dear @noromance  : I don't like to manipulate that often the cartridge suspension where any " thin " mistake and the suspension could goes out or with out been aware it could be weaked at each time and if we do it so often like you just can be aware of any damage till is " to late ".

In the other side the vry tip of the stylus tip is cleaned by it self tracking grooves if the LP are really clean and this is the first premise in that stylus tip cleans.

Only in the new LP the tip can been dirty but after 2-3 playing times everything goes normal. I'm not saying don't clean the stylus tip only do it not so often as each side.

The developed LP surface static mekes more harm to what we are listen it and we need an anti-static gun or the like to be safe down there because the dust threads comes from that static and this is the true dirt that makes the harm to the sound.

The stylus tip cleans always is a controversial issue and we post what we thing already fuctioned for each one of us.

@richardbrand  : "  sound quality is incredibly sensitive to tracking force and to dirt on the stylus.  "

Usually MM cartridges are high compliance ane if the cartridge suspension and the VTF is centered at the manufacturer VTF range " minute " VTF changes normally we can't listen its differences but in the other side been high compliance cartridges the VTF could makes that the VTA changes more easy that with medium/low compliance cartridges design. It's not easy for me to figure out what you are listening with those VTF changes and if your SME is spot on in its original specs and you not named the classical LPs where you listen those differences.

R.

Dear @richardbrand   :  " Really need something I can use after each side is played, and which can stay in place. "

After each side, really?  well you are anal about and that's you but through many years looking/reading several web audio forums this is the first time that a gentleman likes to do that. 

The first hand experiences tolds me that if the LP surface is cleaned with care the stylus tip normally is clean and maybe with a few if any debray down there.

Take care not to manipulate often the stylus tip due that any cartridge suspension

is really fragile and not clean to often the stylus tip with liquid cleaner due that goes against the stylus tip glued down there. 

Regards and enjoy  the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.