Stylus cleaners

There are probably very few of us who haven't had an accident at some time with a stylus or cantilever. You should never assume you are safe!

This thread prompted me to order another one of the vibrating stylus cleaning gadgets from Hudson Hi-Fi that I reported on earlier in this discussion.  This one for our second home.  Anyway, unlike the first one labeled as ultrasonic, this one, otherwise identical, is labeled "lowave" whatever that means.  It vibrates.  You put a wee drop of the provided fluid on a dense brush that faces upward in the base, which is placed on the stationary turntable platter, cue the stylus down onto the moistened brush, turn on the device by pushing the button (I actually push the button first), let the stylus rest on the vibrating brush for 5 seconds and then lift the stylus or push the button to turn off.  This is a very effective way to clean a stylus.  Evaluated using my microscope, it is the best method I have found.  A reliable source informed me that the fluid is actually water.  The unit cost about $30.

I use a brush I received from Ortofon when I purchased my Ortorofon MC Cadenza Bronze cartridge after every listening session and use the Humminguru S-DUO Pro Ultrasonic Stylus Cleaner (+ Cartridge Pressure Gauge) once every month or so.

“A Brush that has a fibre that can tangle, is able to snag on the Stylus.”

Oh sure—nothing says precision audio engineering like dragging a tiny lint trap across a diamond and hoping for the best. If the brush fibers can tangle and snag, congratulations: you’ve invented a stylus stress test. Next up, cleaning your cantilever with a Brillo pad 😊