New Cartridge or New Stylus

Elliott,

Self wear of a stylus is an interesting subject.  One thing I have found to help is Stylast, which I use before playing each side of each record.  Whether you use Stylast or not, it is critically important to keep the stylus clean of course.  As you know, I am a big proponent of frequent inspection of the stylus.  Doing so will reveal early signs of uneven wear or problems of misalignment that went undetected during initial set up.  The use of AnalogMagik is very new for me, but it is hoped that the greater accuracy that it affords will reduce if not completely eliminate such problems.  Time will tell.  I can say that with proper set up, frequent inspection, and with cleaning and Stylast my Hyperion stylus, recently retipped for the first time lasted for not quite 2,000 hours.  It tracks at 2.0 grams and is mounted in a VPI HW40.  I doubt that any of the many Shure V15s that I used for many years lasted that long, but I am not certain.  I still have a Shure V15MR mounted in an SME series III arm, but it is currently not even mounted on the HW19 for which it is set up.

Bill,

I’ve still got a small bottle of Stylast, so many years old, but I don’t use it. Used in back in the day on my Shure V15VMR and V15VxMR, on my SME 3009 II.

I also have slowed down using Liquid Stylus Cleaner, because some of my stylus are glued in position. I bought this refill to get the longer handled and dome shaped wooden brush

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQC1TN25?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2

I use this 30x mirror to inspect, I keep it on my plinth, can move it/angle it below any cartridge

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLLZYBVK?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

It has a LED light, but I keep a dimmable 150 watt halogen table lamp with gooseneck that I can re-position with a lot of light from the side, a lot of light makes a big difference, and I angle the mirror this way and that to see the stylus, cantilever, suspension ....FREQUENTLY! Removable headshell allows great visibility, down to my shop light with magnifier. Not strong enough to asses stylus wear, but enough to clean.

here’s a bargain version of gel pads to use carefully

https://www.amazon.com/ZC-GEL-Universal-Sticky-Removable-Dashboard/dp/B07PFW5SXB/ref=sxin_15_sbv_search_btf?content-id=amzn1.sym.c8b39f81-ded8-4d75-80c2-6dfa03cbb699%3Aamzn1.sym.c8b39f81-ded8-4d75-80c2-6dfa03cbb699&crid=387I1ZJDI69D4&cv_ct_cx=gel+to+fasten+phone&keywords=gel+to+fasten+phone&pd_rd_i=B07PFW5SXB&pd_rd_r=ad4fedde-b864-418f-b361-58825b4a1325&pd_rd_w=2iEzS&pd_rd_wg=kGFDr&pf_rd_p=c8b39f81-ded8-4d75-80c2-6dfa03cbb699&pf_rd_r=EDMEQ88664SCXG5HF09Z&qid=1762113443&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=gel+to+fasten+phone%2Caps%2C127&sr=1-1-5190daf0-67e3-427c-bea6-c72c1df98776

I just had VAS put a new Line Contact in my friend’s Benz Micro Ruby Wood SL’s original boron cantilever. Steve put a note: DO NOT use liquid stylus cleaners, I suppose it can dissolve the glue he used. I found the stylus tip missing from my VAS built AT33PTG Mono with microline on boron, I bet I cleaned it too often, dissolved the glue. tip fell out.

I can imagine a scenario whereby glue softens, the stylus moves, alignment lost, unaware ...

I also stopped brushing my LPs grooves prior to play, they are clean, I don’t want to push anything down into the grooves, I very lightly move any paper or surface dust over/off the edge with an eyeglass cleaning cloth, just let it dangle and move it from center to outer edge, it’s own weight the only force involved.

.................................

I just met Charles Kirmuss at the NY Audio Show, I may give myself one of his Restoration Machines for Christmas, I bought one of his brushes, item 5 here

https://kirmussaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Accessories-List.pdf

he says most brushes are too big to get into the groove, 

Haven’t used it yet.

@yogiboy can you tell me more why you recommend replacing the stylus on the Sumiko Oyster?  I do enjoy the Oyster's sound signature.  But wish it had a little more grunt and boogie.

Because you like the sound signature! Why take a chance with another cartridge that you never heard? You might be taking a step backwards if you change. BTW, how old is the cartridge that you are now using ?

@yogiboy at least 10+ years old.  But probably has less than 1000 hours on it