Diskeeper Stylus Brush Review

The Diskeeper stylus brush is designed to keep your stylus clean and free of dirt and debris.  The brush features short densely packed fibers designed to properly remove dirt and gunk buildup, without damaging the stylus. 

Many people who own vinyl records practice decent maintenance and upkeep by cleaning the platter and their vinyl, but unfortunately, many people tend to overlook cleaning the stylus.  And often, newbies are afraid to clean the stylus simply because they’re so delicate and tend to bend easily.  But cleaning this component is actually crucial to sound quality and the integrity of your records. 

Just listening to your records can create natural wear and tear, especially to the stylus.  The small needle that extends from the cartridge and drags across the record to produce sound is called the stylus.  This tiny needle is very delicate and can accumulate dust buildup surprisingly fast. 

The stylus also puts an impressive amount of pressure per inch on a record, which is why it’s crucial that it’s properly maintained. 

There are many common cleaning methods out there that you can try when it comes to keeping your stylus clean, but using a stylus brush, such as this model by Sleeve City, is an easy, fast, and efficient way to ensure that you enjoy the best sound possible. 

Stylus Brush Overview and Features

A dirty stylus can totally ruin your listening experience.  So, if your vinyl doesn’t sound quite as good as it used to, the first thing you should check out is the stylus. 

Ideally, you should use the Diskeeper and clean the stylus frequently, depending on how often you use your turntable.  Some audiophiles recommend cleaning it once a week if you listen to records daily. 

While there are many stylus cleaning kits on the market, we’ve found that the simplest methods are usually the best and the most effective.  Using the stylus brush you can gently remove dirt and debris build-up without worrying about harmful chemicals penetrating the cartridge.  Brush cleaning the stylus is also probably one of the most popular DIY cleaning methods available and it’s a more affordable option than purchasing an expensive cleaning kit. 

Many experts believe that keeping the stylus free of debris is the key to getting the best listening experience out of your vinyl, not to mention preserving them.  This stylus brush is designed to handle heavy use and works to make cleaning your stylus a fast and efficient process.  Once it’s been cleaned, you’ll notice less distortion, surface noise, and popping.  We recommend always brushing from the back of the stylus, which is the end that’s nearest to the cantilever, and toward the tip.  You never want to brush the stylus from side to side or from the front to the back.  Doing so can damage and even bend the needle. 

Preserving the Life of Your Stylus

• To thoroughly clean the needle, use the brush with distilled water, brushing from back to front.  If you prefer to use a commercial cleaning product, be very careful which product you choose because the wrong one can damage the stylus. 

• When cleaning the stylus, make sure you regulate the changer mechanism or the tonearm set-down in order to prevent the needle from striking the edge of the vinyl or record player. 

• Never handle the tonearm when a record is playing.  Doing so can cause the arm to sweep across the vinyl and scratch it. 

• If a manual set-down is a must, make sure you release the tonearm as soon as the needle engages the groove. 

• Never activate the tonearm without a record on the platter. 

• Never play a severely damaged record. 

• Before use, make sure that the cartridge is mounted to the tonearm correctly. 

• For each type of cartridge and stylus make sure you’re using the appropriate vertical tracking force.  Using a force that’s outside the recommended range can damage the stylus. 

Diskeeper Pros and Cons

Pros: This brush is a great buy for the audiophile on a budget.  In our opinion, the brush not only works better than expensive cleaning kits, but it’s also much easier and easier to use.  The brush allows you to clean the stylus by removing visible gunk and dust buildup. 

The bristle design is perfect for picking up even the smallest dust particles.  The close bristle design ensures that it makes close contact with the entire surface of the stylus.  Some consumers recommend dry brushing for the best results, while others felt that wetting the brush and dipping it into a liquid dish soap and water mixture worked better.  We don’t recommend a wet cleaning technique simply because you’ll risk damaging the internal components of the cartridge. 

Cons: While the brush works great, we wish it was a little larger.  This incredibly small brush can be hard to hang onto if you have large hands.  The size of the brush was probably the biggest complaint among consumers, however, most stylus brushes are around the same size.  A slightly longer and wider handle would definitely solve this issue; however, the size of the brush and handle can actually allow you to access and clean the stylus more efficiently, compared to a brush with a bulkier design. 

Stylus Brush by Diskeeper Conclusion and Rating

This innovative Diskeeper stylus brush is a handy tool to have around, especially if you play your records on a daily basis.  The bristle design ensures that the needle is thoroughly cleaned after use, which can help to prevent poor sound quality and needle and vinyl damage.  While routine maintenance is often overlooked by many vinyl lovers, consistently cleaning the stylus is a must if you want to preserve the quality of the needle and improve your listening experience.  We gave this stylus a rating of four and a half out of five stars and felt it was one of the best models on the market, easily beating out higher priced stylus brushes, due to overall quality and durability. 

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