Stylus cleaning and Onzow controversy

They all have disadvantages. By the time any residue built up it’s probably time for a retip anyway.

Just buy a CD player.

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As Guy noted further-up - the gel visibly removes a lot of crap - you can see the white spot of dust fibres and dirt on the surface after each dab - and that’s each side of carefully-cleaned, carefully-handled, new antistat-sleeve-stored vinyl!

So, even if it does leave a little residue of its own over time, the fact it removes so much abrasive rubbish means I’ll keep using mine - it’s so quick and easy.

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I have looked at a stylus under an electron microscope before and after one of them gel pots.

Lot less crap. No residue.

Seems like something someone made up in their heads and it became fact.

Gel pot things are good.

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Onzow gak

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After trying to scrub onzow gak off

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gak on, gak off

waxonwaxoff_3986

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Gakuon

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Was just about to congratulate you!

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Worn out Linn Asak post clean.

That’s a mole eating popcorn

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Gakuooooohhhh

gakuoh_pse_main

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What removed the gak? thumb :+1:

I’m kind of bummed there’s a question mark over gel cleaners. The story stems from 'Wally analog" and 'The Fremer". I’ve used Onzo for years along with the DS audio gel cleaner.

If you can forgive the naffness (this may be too much of an ask) more of the story is discussed here from 3.08m

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdBEIH7KJgw&t=303s

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It’s not 100% clear from the article that the material adhering to the stylus is definitely gel polymer residue. I have seen micrographs of styluses from before the gel pads became commonplace, and they were every bit as grimy - I’d have thought atmospheric pollutants have to play a part (nictone, vapourised oil from frying, diesel particulates, assorted waxes and lacquers, &c, &c), as well as stuff like mould-release agents on the surface of records.

Also interested to read that the Onzow gel is soft enough that the whole cantilever immerses into it when cleaned - that’s not true of the Vinyl Passion stuff, so I’d wonder if that is going to be much less of an issue if it is the gel polymer that’s gunking these up.

Of course, I also have to wonder what new products WAM Engineering LLC might have that are about to enter the market coincident with this press release…?

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Oooh, you cynic you :grin:

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Maybe as the Onzow has a dome form it touches the cantilever? If you can suffer the film above, he suggests that out of 40 cartridges showing this kind of difficulty 38 of the owners used Onzow or similar. Of the remaining two, the cartridges were second hand… (Conveniently)
To muddy the waters further there is some conjecture about cleaning the stylus after playing a side - The argument being the diamond may be ‘hot’ and therefor have an effect on the gel… The tin foil hat brigade can go banzi with this one, current Onzow owners can be equally nuts in it’s defense (Feels like a pissing match). In the film above he suggests samples taken from the styli of the apparently Onzow damaged tip are being analyzed (Yes this shit is going this far out there) In the mean time, it’s no hardship to use a brush, ultrasonic brush etc etc.

Tomorrow I’m going to splat the onzow on a mirror several times and see if it leaves any shit behind. - … Nobel prize awaits!

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That is actually pretty sensible :ok_hand:

My thoughts too.
Wam was into the protractors and the stylus set up stuff which Fremer was all over as a business. Fremer was pushing for the products to be marketed and had some tie in.
Then Wally died.

I suspect this article is a pre placed shill to lay the way for a new product?

Or not.

Who knows.

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Just don’t let Stronzetto anywhere near it, he might get ideas…

As a very light type of adhesive so far Stronzi has looked down his snout at it.

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