Cartridge care - special brush & magnifying glass
The problem is well known - and to this day not every product on the market has really solved it: dirt particles, abrasion and dust agglomerates collect on the stylus tip of the cartridge, measurably impairing the scanning ability of the diamond. The longer you wait, the more stubbornly these deposits become caked on. Martina Schöner has developed the L'Art du Son special brush for reliable, gentle removal - a tool that strikes exactly the right compromise: rigid enough to effectively remove dirt, flexible enough not to subject the sensitive needle carrier to any stress.
The brush is the ideal complement to the L'Art du Son Stylus Cleaner - but can also be used dry. If you also want to know what you really find on the needle tip, you can use the optional special magnifying glass with LED lighting: a precise all-metal instrument with 6x magnification that makes even fine impurities and the condition of the needle cut visible - before they become a problem in terms of sound.
Two-sided brush
Rounded side for main cleaning from back to front - beveled side for side cleaning of the diamond
Dry & wet
Can be used dry or in combination with the L'Art du Son Stylus Cleaner - washable white bristles
Magnifying glass optional
6x magnification, LED lighting, full metal - makes needle condition and impurities visible
The special brush - application & technique
The stiffness of the special brush's white bristles is deliberately calibrated: they are just stiff enough to reliably wipe away caked-on dirt - yet flexible enough to prevent lateral pressure on the sensitive cantilever that could jeopardize the needle carrier geometry. The bristles are washable and therefore permanently ready for use.
The brush is double-sided: The rounded side is used for the main cleaning - gently guided several times from back to front along the cantilever, never in the opposite direction and never with lateral pressure. The beveled side allows targeted lateral cleaning of the diamond from the left and right - for complete coverage of the contact area, which is particularly deep in the groove for sensitive needle cuts such as Micro-Line, Shibata or Van-den-Hul and must be cleaned with corresponding care.
It can be used both dry - for quick care before playing - and in combination with L'Art du Son Stylus Cleaner, whose surfactant formulation optimally complements the bristles of the brush: the liquid dissolves caked-on deposits and the brush removes them in a controlled manner without leaving any residue on the needle tip.
The special magnifying glass - optional, but informative
If you want to know what is really going on at the tip of the needle, you need magnification and light. The optional L'Art du Son special magnifier offers both: 6x magnification with two slightly offset LEDs that illuminate the diamond and the needle carrier from different angles, making even fine impurities, deposits or the first signs of wear on the needle point visible. The all-metal housing can be folded several times, allowing the magnifier to be approached from several sides without having to interrupt playing.
The magnifier is supplied in a leatherette case and is therefore safely stowed away and quickly to hand. The scope of delivery includes two CR927 button cells - the magnifier is ready for immediate use.
| Special brush |
| Bristles |
Fine white hair, washable - two-sided (rounded & beveled) |
| How to use |
Dry or with L'Art du Son Stylus Cleaner - from back to front, never sideways pressure |
| Compatibility |
All cartridge types (MM, MC, MI) |
| Manufacturer / Developer |
L'Art du Son - Martina Schöner, Emmendingen (Germany) |
| Special magnifier (optionally available) |
| Magnification |
6-fold |
| Illumination |
2 × LED, slightly offset |
| Housing |
Full metal, can be folded several times |
| Scope of delivery magnifying glass |
Magnifier in leatherette case + 2 × CR927 button cell (inserted) |
| Battery |
2 × CR927 |