I'd like to know the story, too. How does the moongel stick to a drum head if it's oily?
Again, I have had zero issues with the Moongel. But here is the full correspondence from a friend:
Friends Post: After reading many good comments on Moongel - the latest from Stereophile (Feb 2016, p.45), I decided to give it a go.
It does clean well - as evident from the shininess of the stylus afterwards. I could see clearly the debris on the Moongel pad. Works better than Magic Eraser, or Last by itself (without follow up with Magic Eraser). Convenient as well.
I clean my stylus after each side of play. After using Moongel for a week, my Expert Stylus paratrace diamond disappeared. Coincidence? I don't know. I've been advised by ES not to use liquid cleaner. Could it be that there is enough "liquid" - judged by its softness - in Moongel that has dissolved the glue used in attaching the diamond?
It helps to know if others have the same problem. I read of another incidence somewhere, but forgot the source. I don't want to make any conclusion from my isolated experience.
Then we went PM:
Friend:
With regard to the cartridge with lost diamond, here is its background. After 10 years in use, sent to Expert Stylus for retip. Only new stylus required - everything inside in good shape according to ES. Two years later, missing diamond after using Moongel for about three weeks. Before Moongel, it had always been Last cleaner for previous 10+ years. Nothing else.
Once more sent ES the cartridge with missing stylus. Advised that inside was in very bad shape and not worth repair. His culprit was Moongel, a sample of which I also sent to him with the cartridge. This happened only within the two years after re-tip? My recording playing habits had remained the same.
So sent cartridge to Axel Schuerholz for second opinion. His diagnosis: "inside - worst case... oil everywhere" The oil reference points to Moongel as the smoking gun.
Since ES's advice not to use Moongel, I had returned to my Last solution, which ES pronounced as non-alcoholic and safe to use. His alternate advice is to use a non-alcoholic lens cleaner sprayed - not soaked - on a baby cotton swab and gently roll it from back to front of stylus without touching the cantilever. I have also tried this with good effect. Lens cleaner cost from an optical shop cost me a few bucks and last a lifetime.
Me:
Hmmm...I am sorry to hear this.
I have been using Moongel for over three years (as well as others) and have heard no bad results from anyone. With what method were you using the MoonGel?
I wonder if there is a difference in the adhesion used for the re-tip?
I will post your results on the AudioKarma forum if that is ok with you...see what others say.
What cartridge and stylus was this?
Friend:
I just dipped the diamond into Moongel vertically. The cartridge was an ES retipped paratrace Shelter 901. The question of adhesive used in retip did cross my mind. But no expert in organic chemistry, I have no answer.
More on Moongel. Just read the post by andyr on this thread:
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/topic/114979-best-stylus-cleaner-to-get/?page=1. You can also see my reply on page 2 of the thread under the moniker ianm0.
His oily experience with his Benz Micro + Zerodust matches mine with my Shelter cartridge. Expert Stylus rendered it not worthy of throwing more money at. Eventually Axel Schurholz cleaned out all the oily stuff from the coils and I am quite happy with the outcome.
The oily build-up is in the coils, not the stylus. On the contrary, the stylus is sparkling clean after each use. I would never imagine the oily substance would creep all the way up the cantilever to the coils.
I had a habit of letting stylus to "sink" all the way into Moongel. That might have done it. Now I am using my trusted Last cleaner.