Audioquest Carbon Fiber Brush

I have a question. Why does my AQ carbon fiber brush generate so much static when I clean LPs with it?? It's supposed to be anti-static.

Sean

 

I don't know. It's possible that it's removing little or no static from the record, and the static problems you're having are what was on the record and not caused by the brush. I've found that the only way to really kill the static charge on a record is to wet-scrub/vacumn it.

Slight threadcrap - I've found that (in my experience) carbon-fibre brushes (to varying degrees) shed their bristles on the record. I used an Audioquest brush for a little while at one time, but didn't care for it. I regularly use a Nitty Gritty velvet brush before I play a record that I've already vacummed before. I will use my Hunt carbon fibre brush if I haven't vacummed a record yet, and even then still follow that up with the velvet brush. I know some (many possibly) will disagree with this, but that's OK - it works for me!

 

Heya Martin --

I have the Audioquest brush, and haven't had any bristles fall out. Had it for about a year.

Before that, I was using the HUNT carbon fibre brush - and hated it. The center velvet part was impossible to keep clean, and I didn't feel that I could get the carbon fiber bristles into the groove well enough.

jeff

 

Maybe I just caught a bad AQ brush Jeff. Mine sheaded quite a bit. I also didn't care for the "floppy" feel of it. I clean off the Hunt brush with a toothbrush - it gets most of the junk off of it, though I don't have to use it regularly.

 

I prefer the Audioquest brush. I haven't had any bristles fall off in 5 or so years. I agree that the Hunt brush is hard to use. I bought one to replace the AQ and went back to the AQ.

 

If your Audioquest brush is molting significantly, you've got a defective piece. I've had one of these before and it's awful. You should only see about 2 or 3 fibers on your record surface after using the carbon fiber brush. To deal with this, here is my ritual:

1) Brush with carbon fiber brush.

2) Remove record from platter.

3) Blast with compressed air.

4) Inspect in bright light for loose carbon fibers and re-apply compressed air if needed.

5) Play record.

 

I understand those brushes can become 'tired' after some use and not de-staticize LPs as well as when new.

I've been told to leave them soaking overnight (bristles only) in a small amount of Disc Doctor fluid.. probably gets all the accumulated grease and gunk off the bristles or something.

 

Well, my brush is only a month old so it can't too old. I've never heard about using Disc Doctor to clean off the grease. I'll have to remember that.

So far my brush isn't "molting" yet. Prix, I like your idea of using compressed air after you've cleaned a record with a you AQ brush. Are you using cans of compressed air? I've considered buying a small compressor to use for LP cleaning. I figure that I play enough vinyl to justify the purchase.

Sean

 

Warning about using compressed air...

Be careful using compressed air on your LP's. Unless you have a very nice compressor, you will have a problem with condensation accumulating in the tank.
I always had a residue of water/oil coming out of my air nozzle at work with a standard compressor.
I upgraded to a very expensive Kaeser(screw type) compressor and dryer combo and no problems with water anymore, but that cost in the neighbourhood of $7k. I can't have ANY moisture entering the spindle bearings on my CNC equipment in the shop.
If you use the small cans of "Dust off" that they sell in stores, that should be fine but be careful with inexpensive compressors.

 

Is there a grounding path from the record, through the brush, then your body, to the earth? What kind of shoes are you wearing? What type of floor do you stand on? The brush and and your body are relatively good electrical conductors. Whatever between you and the earth could be an insulator.

Don't want to be bare footed? Wear a grounding strap (wrist band). However, for it to work it has to be grounded, too.

 

Totally agree. The highly conductive cleaning fluid (water) makes the record surface charge neutral. But if a record is vacuumed too dry, it can get charged with static again right away.

I experienced bristle shedding problem with a Decca Triple and a Hunt EDA Mark 6. Both are carbon fiber which is, to be fair, a very brittle material especially in the thin brush bristle form.

I don't like the Audioquest, which is not wide enough to cover the whole groove area. I'm using a Decca 2+2, which has 2 sets of brushes (long and short if inverted) made of 2 types of fiber (aromatic polyamide and carbon). IMO, it's the best record brush for dry cleaning.