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

OK, boys & girls, here's the response I received yesterday from Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab:

"We still recommend the classic – LP#9 Stylus Cleaner with an appropriate stylus brush. While we definitely understand the anxiety that comes with having to make any contact on a nice stylus, as long as you are brushing the tip lightly from back to front a couple times there is no risk of damaging the stylus. You have to consider that the tonearm itself puts as much or more pressure on the stylus with daily use – they are definitely fragile, but as long as you are following the proper cleaning technique there is nothing to fear!

I personally don’t have much experience using any of the “gel in a tiny tin” cleaners so I can’t speak much as to their effectiveness compared to a cleaner and brush, but if you are worried about damage from using those then I firmly believe the “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” mantra applies here. Hope this clarifies, let us know if you still had any other questions!

Customer Service

Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab"

Kind of assumed they would recommend their LP#9 which, BTW, the Music Direct website states is "both a stylus cleaner and a stylus preservative". It's not clear, to me, what "preservative" really means in this case (e.g. putting or leaving behind some sort of chemical coating on the stylus or just the inference that a clean stylus helps preserve or prolong its useful life). Can't imagine it would be the former because the Music Direct website also states it "contains a Mil Spec IPA (Isopropyl alcohol)".

I don't blame MoFi for not wanting to wade into this one. A very reserved and measured response, with a sales pitch too, lol!

He's right though, in pointing out that too many audiophiles are too skittish about applying proper brushing. And in comparing that to the (usually greater) forces it encounters during normal playback. Again, watch a stylus slam into the 1st music groove after being dropped in the outer lead groove of a spinning 12" 45 RPM. 

For what it's worth, even though I will absolutely hate going back to using a stylus brush, with or without cleaning fluid, distilled water, purified water, alien Elixer or whatever, I'm now doing some research on liquid stylus cleaners. I asked Music Direct what "both a stylus cleaner and a stylus preservative" meant with regard to Mobile Fidelity's LP#9 liquid cleaner. They responded by saying this solution does not leave behind any kind of coating on the stylus. So, apparently, the mention of "preservative" alludes to the fact that a clean stylus will last longer. LAST Stylus Cleaner basically advertises the same effect but, unlike LP#9, they say their solution does not contain alcohol. They also say their solution removes the most stubborn crud. Mobile Fidelity and The Last Factory are two authoritative sources I have the utmost respect for. I was going to add Michael Fremer to that list, too, because of his support for Audio Intelligent Stylus Cleaner. However, after this latest half *** stunt of his in Analog Planet, he's gone down a couple notches in my pantheon of trusted sources, if you know what I mean.

@oldaudiophile 

Yep, if I take anything from this saga, it's that a liquid stylus cleaner is good to have in the toolkit. I'm not intending to use it daily or weekly - but maybe every once in a while, and definitely to clear up accumulation on previously used styli - I think it's a good idea to have on hand. I just ordered some Last cleaner. Heck I ordered some Stylast too, though I'm not sure yet which cartridge I want to try it on. 

I have a 47 year history in the chemical business, much of which has been involved in polymer chemistry. I have years of formulating and specifying both epoxy and polyurethane coatings, adhesives, sealants & elastomers, aka CASE chemistry. I am now retired.

The Onzow product is very likely to be a elastomeric polyether polyurethane. There would be no need for a fugitive plasticizer in this product as the urethane can be formulated as soft as the Onzow is. Unlike PVC used to produce records that does have a plasticizer. Polyurethanes are reactive 2 component chemistry consisting of the reaction between a Polyol (multifunctional alcohol, think -OH)and as stated it would be a polyether polyol. This is reacted with an aliphatic isocyanate to form the clear water-white polyurethane. This reaction is Not Reversible. The formula would also likely be over indexed with the Isocyanate. Any excess isocyanate not crosslinkied with the polyol would be further reacted with atmospheric moisture, water is H-OH, so it has the -OH available to react. Therefore, there is no fugitive material available to “gum” up the stylus/cantilever. Now the vinyl records do have additives than can be fugitive that could gum up the works. Without chemical analysis we do know what the deposits are. That needs to be determined before jumping to any conclusions.

In regards to using wet cleaning of styli using alcohol or other solvent based solutions this should not negatively affect the epoxy adhesive used to bond the Diamond to the cantilever. Especially if using the recommended drop of solution. Even direct full immersion would take days, weeks and possibly months to have any deleterious effect and even then removing from immersion it could recover. A correctly formulated epoxy adhesive is resistant to solvents except for the most aggressive types like methyl chloride. No manufacture would use this aggressive of a solvent in a stylus cleaner. 
 

I am currently an Onzow user. I have not noticed any deterioration in sound quality since beginning to use it about 1 year ago. I don't have access to a high resolution microscope to inspect my stylus to see what might be there.
 

 I don't have a dog in the fight, but my chemical curiosity has me wondering what is happening. I await further investigative results to determine what is really going on.