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Magic Eraser Skeptic No Longer

birddog said:
Has anyone here done a before/after comparison with a 10X magnifying glass between the Magic Eraser and a brush/cleaner?

I one of those 'Gotta see it to believe it' kinda guys..... I use the Magic Eraser myself, mostly because of all the recommendations it gets, that and the fact that I don't own a stylus brush! I'd love to hear from anyone who has done a visual comparison, with pics would be even better!
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Yes. I have used both a 10X and 20X loupe before and after Magic Eraser and a brush. For the most part, the brushes I use most, those that came with Denon and Audio Technica cartridges, work very well. I use these after each play. Magnification shows very little dust on the stylus and cantilever after use.

After numerous plays I will use an old Last stylus brush with a little distilled water and IPA (some styluses don't like IPA). Its bristles are a little more course than the other brushes. I also use this brush when there is visible dust that stubbornly won't come off with the other brushes.

On a few occasions, I have noticed some dust/lint that won't come off the stylus no matter how many times I use any brush. This is usually only noticeable after magnification. After dunking the stylus into the Magic Eraser, the dust/lint is gone.

The Magic Eraser works. I have now incorporated its use in between the soft brushes and the Last brush with homebrew stylus cleaner.

I have not noticed any discoloration with any of my styluses. Maybe this is because I avoid build-up by using a brush after each use.
 
I'm not familiar with the Magic Eraser brand here in Australia. Could someone give me an idea of it's other uses and I might be able to find a similar product here? Also what kind of store would one find this?

I have a local hifi guy that has a specialised similar thing (looks like a clear ...actually here's the link

http://www.decibelhifi.com.au/category9_1.htm

A cheaper alternative would be nice to add to the pre-play process.

Lee
 
I'm going to continue to go with a brush, and those pictures show why... How could dropping the tip onto anything actually remove the dirt? If anything, all it is going to do is push ghe dirt up a little higher on the tip. It will not actually remove the dirt.

I can't believe applying a gram and a half or so of pressure onto the tip is enough to actually scrub the dirt away. For me, pictures are worth mre than any words I can speak..
 
similost said:
I'm going to continue to go with a brush, and those pictures show why... How could dropping the tip onto anything actually remove the dirt? If anything, all it is going to do is push ghe dirt up a little higher on the tip. It will not actually remove the dirt.

I can't believe applying a gram and a half or so of pressure onto the tip is enough to actually scrub the dirt away. For me, pictures are worth mre than any words I can speak..
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Of course your choice. Out of curiosity, the Stylus was from what Cartridge, and how old?

The Stylus that was pictured is anything but typical. I myself have never seen a Stylus look like that in my life. I agree with Arkay, that isn't dirt, that's corrosion. This most definitely is a Stylus that has never been maintained-cleaned, and more than likely was in a horrid envoirnment for quite a number of years to get like that.


If one maintains thier Stylus, one wouldn't find such dirt encasing the entire Stylus, and Cantilever, unless you're using some sort of record treatment, or are playing utterly filthy records. And even in those cases, while there's absolutely nothing wrong with using a good Stylus Brush, a brush would remove a large portion of the crud-dust-fuzz-build up of such treatments, but won't remove the thin coating of baked on deposits-crud.

The 1-1/2g to 2g should be more than enough pressure to clean a Stylus. How much would you want to use? If one is so heavy handed, and uses so much pressure to considerably deflect a Cantilever, this isn't doing much good to a Cantilever delicate Suspension's components.

Maybe if it's an old Rat Shack Shure M-44, that might've cost $29 when new, OK, if you bugger it up it's no great loss, but how agressively would you then treat a Stylus-Cantilever on a $400 Cartridge? Or on a $3000 Cartridge?

The ME can be used in a more agressive fashion, to clean neglected "dirty" Styli (note the word dirty, and neglected), take good note that probably no method, or product-cleaner would ever fully restore that Stylus pictured.

There's info here how to more agressively use the Mr. Clean ME when more drastic measures are needed, but if one uses the dunk method on a regular basis, and the use of a good Stylus Brush before-after the use of the ME, it will stay pristine clean without the need to resort to harsh liquid cleaners, or sandpaper methods. Mark
 
I can't agree all of that is corrosion.. How will corrosion stick to the diamond like you see in that picture? What is on the very tip is dirt, and you can clearly see the ME didn't clean it. If anything all it did was push it up just a little higher and make the glob a little bigger around.

I've got several AT stylus, and this is what I use on them. I figure if they make it for their stylus, you can't go wrong. I've also been using it on a couple other stylus with no problems.

at607_fluid_175.jpg
 
bhundu said:
I'm not familiar with the Magic Eraser brand here in Australia. Could someone give me an idea of it's other uses and I might be able to find a similar product here? Also what kind of store would one find this?

I have a local hifi guy that has a specialised similar thing (looks like a clear ...actually here's the link

http://www.decibelhifi.com.au/category9_1.htm

A cheaper alternative would be nice to add to the pre-play process.

Lee
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bhundu,
The 'Zerodust has an excellent reputation.I haven't used it but the testimonials about it are plentiful on the 'net.

You can find the Magic Eraser at Woollies or Coles.Look in the aisle where the kitchen sponges are.My recollection is that it is a flat green cardboard surround with a clear plastic center container with six or so little white 'erasers' in it.
Get the white ones.Not the white and green ones.
Get back to us to tell us whether you found them.:yes:
 
similost said:
I can't agree all of that is corrosion.. How will corrosion stick to the diamond like you see in that picture? What is on the very tip is dirt, and you can clearly see the ME didn't clean it. If anything all it did was push it up just a little higher and make the glob a little bigger around.

I've got several AT stylus, and this is what I use on them. I figure if they make it for their stylus, you can't go wrong. I've also been using it on a couple other stylus with no problems.

at607_fluid_175.jpg
Click to expand...

Keep in mind, that many cheaper old vintage Cartridges in some cases didn't even possess a Diamond Styli, and also as well, that many cheaper Cartridges do not possess a nude Diamond Styli.

There's too little known to make any assumptions what the Stylus is, what Cartridge, etc., and in truth too little known how the ME was used, if at all? Although I cannot clearly see what it is, due to not enough magnification, looks to me to be a Conical Stylus of some sort.

I suggest not basing your assumptions on these pics, assuming that the ME is not a very worthy product, even though it wasn't intentionally-specifically designed
for Stylus cleaning. I know of folks who use the ME on Cartridges such as the Dynavector DRT XV-1, and ZYX UNIverse to good effect.

This Stylus, and Cantilever certainly isn't what you'd find on a Koetsu, Benz, Lyra, Dynavector, ZYX, Shelter, Transfiguration, or even such newer MM Cartridges such as the AT-150MLX.

Many Cartridges of old, such as the old Shures, and AT's, etc seemed to be much more tolerant of considerable abuse, one could literally throw the stylus against a record virtually all day with little harm done, and the use agressive liquid cleaners, as I was myself a user of such 30-35 years ago, with Cartridges such as the Shure V-15 Type III, with VN35E Stylus, that it seemed immune to such harsh cleaners as Denatured Alcohol.

Per given Cartridge-Stylus it is usually best to abide by the manufacturer's, or distributors advice of what to use.

More, and more today, if you ask them, "can I use the Mr Clean ME"?, the answer will most likely be "yes". Mark
 
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day67 said:
I wonder if there would be any advantage to using the ME and the AT 607 liquid cleaner together?
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In a method of using the ME, and Cleaning Liquids with a careful scrubbing action, it might, using both together with the dunking method, no. Mark
 
markd51 said:
Keep in mind, that many cheaper old vintage Cartridges in some cases didn't even possess a Diamond Styli, and also as well, that many cheaper Cartridges do not possess a nude Diamond Styli.

There's too little known to make any assumptions what the Stylus is, what Cartridge, etc., and in truth too little known how the ME was used, if at all? Although I cannot clearly see what it is, due to not enough magnification, looks to me to be a Conical Stylus of some sort.
I suggest not basing your assumptions on these pics, assuming that the ME is not a very worthy product, even though it wasn't intentionally-specifically designed
for Stylus cleaning. I know of folks who use the ME on Cartridges such as the Dynavector DRT XV-1, and ZYX UNIverse to good effect.

This Stylus, and Cantilever certainly isn't what you'd find on a Koetsu, Benz, Lyra, Dynavector, ZYX, Shelter, Transfiguration, or even such newer MM Cartridges such as the AT-150MLX.

Many Cartridges of old, such as the old Shures, and AT's, etc seemed to be much more tolerant of considerable abuse, one could literally throw the stylus against a record virtually all day with little harm done, and the use agressive liquid cleaners, as I was myself a user of such 30-35 years ago, with Cartridges such as the Shure V-15 Type III, with VN35E Stylus, that it seemed immune to such harsh cleaners as Denatured Alcohol.

Per given Cartridge-Stylus it is usually best to abide by the manufacturer's, or distributors advice of what to use.

More, and more today, if you ask them, "can I use the Mr Clean ME"?, the answer will most likely be "yes". Mark
Click to expand...

This is an Ortofon eliptical stylus from one of my Duals. I bought the TT used and I do not know how it was used.
I lower all my stylus into to Magic Eraser a few times to clean them. I don't know of any other way.
 
Hello Ricohman,
Ortofon, for literal decades have been making very good Cartridges. They carry on this tradition today.

While never owning an Ortofon, I have a best friend, who's had one for at least 30 years, and won't get rid of it. Last time I seen it in play, the Cartridge was literally dragging on the LP, and I asked him what the hell are you doing with that shot Cartridge on a turntable? He said "oh, I like it so much!"

That, and besides probably a shot Stylus as well, I told him "every record that that Stylus touches is being permanently ruined!"

It went in one ear, and out the other, and he has a record collection that makes mine look like a beginners. He's probably still using that shot Ortofon. Oh, and he's still using Discwasher, and Parastats, with 20 year old fluids, even though I sent him about $75 worth of two brand new qt bottles of MFSL Cleaners, MFSL, and LAST Brushes last year for X-Mas.

He's got a shoebox full of Shure V-15's from garage sale tables, just collecting dust, and ready to take a new Stylus, but can't budge him to sell a few, to offset the cost of buying a new Jico Stylus for one of them. His Ortofon must be so far past it's useful life, it's pitiful.

People will do what they must do I reckon, there's no persuading even the most seemingly devout musicphiles.

I've owned a number of very nice cartridges over the years, yet never trusted a used one, unless placing a new Stylus on board if it could take it. PS" "Rant off" :-) Mark
 
markd51 said:
Hello Ricohman,
Ortofon, for literal decades have been making very good Cartridges. They carry on this tradition today.

While never owning an Ortofon, I have a best friend, who's had one for at least 30 years, and won't get rid of it. Last time I seen it in play, the Cartridge was literally dragging on the LP, and I asked him what the hell are you doing with that shot Cartridge on a turntable? He said "oh, I like it so much!"

That, and besides probably a shot Stylus as well, I told him "every record that that Stylus touches is being permanently ruined!"

It went in one ear, and out the other, and he has a record collection that makes mine look like a beginners. He's probably still using that shot Ortofon. Oh, and he's still using Discwasher, and Parastats, with 20 year old fluids, even though I sent him about $75 worth of two brand new qt bottles of MFSL Cleaners, MFSL, and LAST Brushes last year for X-Mas.

He's got a shoebox full of Shure V-15's from garage sale tables, just collecting dust, and ready to take a new Stylus, but can't budge him to sell a few, to offset the cost of buying a new Jico Stylus for one of them. His Ortofon must be so far past it's useful life, it's pitiful.

People will do what they must do I reckon, there's no persuading even the most seemingly devout musicphiles.

I've owned a number of very nice cartridges over the years, yet never trusted a used one, unless placing a new Stylus on board if it could take it. PS" "Rant off" :-) Mark
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He's ruining his records,just out of stubbornness.
By the time that he realises it will be too late.
LORD spare me from that fate....
 
theophile said:
He's ruining his records,just out of stubbornness.
By the time that he realises it will be too late.
LORD spare me from that fate....
Click to expand...

Sorry to be rambling, and taking this thread off to another place.

Yep, that's the one sad thing, and pitfall of the MC Cartridge World, that like his MC Ortofon, there comes a point, where the Suspension, and Stylus are shot, and there's little one can do to "economically" rectify-resucitate it.

That''s where at least many of the olden MM's can still shine, as one can do a 20 second Stylus swap, and be up, and running beautifully again.

Sort of getting back on topic, yes, the expensive MC's are wonderful, but they do seem, that the more expensive they are, the more delicate they are as well, and prone to damage.

That's why I've been advocating the use of the Mr Clean ME, because, generally, if it is safe to use on a $10,000 Cartridge, it should then be safe, if properly used, on any Cartridge-Stylus ever made.

The key points, are of course taking good, careful care of your Cartridge-Stylus, and the understanding that no Stylus will take care of itself. They are components that need regular attention paid to them. Since it's something that will be done over, and over, my thinking is to use the safest, and gentlest approach, while still being effective. The Magic Eraser seems to fit that bill perfectly for me, and as well for many others. Mark
 
So you just cut a chunk of the magic eraser and set the needle on it? Just with the regular weight used for records? Just want to try and not screw something up. John
 
Just cut a small chunk off and dunk your stylus a couple of times using the cuing mechanism and you want to use it dry, never wet. There have been several times that I have done this and a little black dot of stuff has been left on the ME.

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Sorry about the lighting it was all I had at the time and I remembered the little black dot coming off today.
 

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