Stylus cleaners

@audphile1 

I'm curious what you replaced the Pass Labs with. Also what speakers you have.

I purchased the Sonus Faber Olympica Nova speakers about a year ago. They are voiced with a more transparent tweeter than the old rolled=off romantic Sonus Fabers. I love the speakers. They are truly high end, but when I play vinyl they can become a bit harsh. Thus, the Pass Labs. The Pass Labs phono preamp XP-25 has a lot of adjustments including capacitance. By playing with the phono preamp settings I was able to tame the tweeter. I love these speakers!

@audio-b-dog

Replaced the Pass separates with Boulder 866 integrated. Wilson Sabrina speakers. Whest Two.2 phono stage. I run Kimber Carbon phono cables from table into phono stage and a pair of Kimber Carbon XLRs from phono stage into amp. 
I’m familiar with SF Olympica Nova. Great speakers. If you feel vinyl can sound harsh trying a different load on the phono usually addresses it but you got it covered! Took me a couple of weeks to fine tune the cartridge/phono stage setup. Also, adding Kimber Carbon interconnects was a very positive change. 

I took a survey ove various stylus cleaning approaches and summarized them in this post

The Magic Eraser method has served me well for nearly two decades.

Thom @ Galibier

There is a real ultrasonic stylus cleaner, the Humminguru Duo-S. This combines a typical digital scale with the U/S cleaner in a device that looks like a computer mouse. I have one, but I am nervous using it. It requires a pretty exposed cantilever which is to be set down into a small depression filled with cleaning fluid. The cantilever is to rest on the rubber rim of the depression, with the stylus sitting in the solution but not touching the base. If this is done on the turntable platter, you have to be careful not to rotate the platter and rip off the stylus as you press the "mouse" to turn on and off the transducer that does the work. However, it does work, and here is a before and after picture of a new Cadenza Bronze, which was pretty filthy on arrival and was improved by the Duo-S.

Before:

After:

This is not something I would do as a routine, but just when nothing else works. I use a soft stylus brush frequently, a firm Ortofon brush less frquently, a Hudson-type non-U/S vibrating cleaner occasionally, and the Duo-S very rarely.

Nice pictures! You can activate it and then lower the stylus onto it @dogberry 

same when lifting off. Lowers the risk. 
 

By the way I am digging the LAST duo. Very audible improvement in clarity. I have played several record I’m familiar with. Confirmed every time - better sound quality. .