Do You Brush?

danj

modern primitive

• Mar 25, 2012

• #1

If you have a Pickering, Stanton, or Shure with the brush do you use the brush up, down, or removed?

I use the brush and always have since my very first Pickering, a XV15-400E, back in the early 70s. This is my current Pickering:

 

Jailtime

Standin' on a corner

• Mar 25, 2012

• #2

Dang, that's an awesome picture!

Back when I had my Shure M97, I used it with the brush down. My M75 doesn't have a brush.

 

Glass Prison

Well-Known Member

• Mar 25, 2012

• #3

I use the brushes on my Stanton 881S and 681EEE-S.

 

Stanton681EEES

Addicted Member

• Mar 25, 2012

• #4

Your XSV looks new where did you get it.?
I use all of my brushes on my various Stanton's and Pickering's except for one generic Pickering stylus I use for less that stellar records. The brush for it, is weird it works sometimes and sometimes it causes mistracking.

 

J

jrtrent

AK Subscriber

Subscriber

• Mar 25, 2012

• #5

I've currently got an M97xE mounted, and I use it brush down.

 

catman

Addicted Member

Banned

• Mar 25, 2012

• #6

G'day all, on all but the ULM tonearm of my Dual, on all my other (moderate mass) tonearms the 'dynamic stabiliser' brush on my Shure M97xE's is routinely used. Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

Last edited: Mar 25, 2012

ferninando

Lunatic Member

• Mar 25, 2012

• #7

I have the Pikering 5000 and removed the brush. It gets in the way and adds to the cartridge weight. It dangles down when the arm is lifted and is just a waste. IMO

I clean my cArts with a watts stylus cleaner and my records with a watts preener. dont need further cleaning. IMO. No problems is the 40 yrs I been doin it.

Besides, my 5000 is gloss black. Your's is shiny gold. I wonder when they changed.

 

Aerobat

Class A all the way

Subscriber

• Mar 25, 2012

• #8

I use the brush on my Pickering carts (the original, not the replacement that comes with new styli).

 

mayidunk

A man of dubious taste...

• Mar 25, 2012

• #9

I always took the brush off, as I felt it messed with the VTF I was looking for in those sub-gram VTF days! These days? I'd probably leave it on.

 

Doug G.

Lunatic Member

• Mar 25, 2012

• #10

I used to use the brushes with my Pickering/Stantons until I found that the brush affected the tracking of my XUV-4500Q CD-4 quad cartridge.

Of course, tracking is more critical with CD-4.

So now, the brushes have all been removed.

Doug

 

danj

modern primitive

• Mar 25, 2012

• #11

Stanton681EEES said:

Your XSV looks new where did you get it.?

Click to expand...

I've had it for many years - maybe 30. I don't know why some had a black body and some the gold. The stylus is a replacement from LP Gear.

I've tried brush on and brush off and I couldn't tell a difference. With a Shure I used to own I could tell a difference.

My Pioneer (original model PL570) usually sports a Shure M95ED but I have the Pickering and a retipped Grace in reserve. The Grace is an outstandingly good cart but expensive and therefore reserved for my best records only.

 

Hifirob2

NEC and Klipsch rock!

• Mar 25, 2012

• #12

While I think the brushes look cool, on all my Stantons & Pickerings - the brush stays off at all times. If the brush is on, none of mine will pass the trackability and anti-skate tests (together) on my test record. Without the brush, they pass 100%. That tells me that the brush is doing more harm than good.

 

Ed in Tx

Super Member

• Mar 25, 2012

• #13

I always use the brush on my Stantons (881S, 681EEE) and Pickerings (XUV-4500Q, XV15-625E) and on my Shure V15-VMR. No problem noted with tracking, seems to help vertically stabilize on slightly warped uneven records out toward the edge, then again I use a linear tracking PL-L1000. Maybe the brush generates a lot of inward skating force and messes with the tracking ability on regular tonearms, don't know. The brush develops a bit of static electricity which attracts and draws up minute dust particles that settle on the record while playing exposed to the air. I use them as designed.

 

michaelhigh

mind's eye music

• Mar 25, 2012

• #14

I have a Pickering P/AT on my Thorens TD-165, no brush attached, but I use a Dust Bug and a carbon fiber brush, when not SpinCleaning.

 

gadget73

junk junkie

Subscriber

• Mar 25, 2012

• #15

The OE Pickering brush worked good when I ran a compatible stylus on my V15. The one that came on the replacement stylus was too stiff and caused tracking problems. My 680EE didn't have an original stylus, and the brush that came with the replacement stylus is so stiff as to be unusable. It chatters on the record surface and makes this helicopter sort of noise through the speakers. When I had the Shure M97xE, I ran the brush since it worked just fine. I kind of like the idea of the brush to help keep the stylus clean, but I'll only use it if it doesn't cause me problems.

 

danj

modern primitive

• Mar 25, 2012

• #16

Jailtime said:

Dang, that's an awesome picture!

Click to expand...

Taken with a Canon G10 - a camera with a very good macro mode.

 

media

It's more fun to compute

• Mar 26, 2012

• #17

I use an M97xe from time to time and don't like using the brush. I couldnt hear a difference either way, so I figured it's one less thing to have to clean.

 

Aerobat

Class A all the way

Subscriber

• Mar 26, 2012

• #18

media said:

I use an M97xe from time to time and don't like using the brush. I couldnt hear a difference either way, so I figured it's one less thing to have to clean.

Click to expand...

My 97XE tracked the HFN test record WAY better with the brush down. So it seems to make a real difference.