AudioQuest carbon fiber brush - new and improved model!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Turnaround, Mar 30, 2017.

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  1. motionoftheocean

    motionoftheocean Senior Member

    Location:
    Circus Maximus
    I'm in the market for something, but can't say I was ever too impressed with the "original" Audioquest which didn't accomplish much and had a tendency to shed. I've been using a Hunt regularly for a little over 2 years, and it's a much better brush, but check the state of it now:

    [​IMG]

    now to be fair, that brush was used before and after every side of every record I have played for the last 26+ months, but it's virtually worn down to nothing. On top of that, it not only sheds, but as you can see from the edges, big clumps of fiber drop off it. I do like this brush, but I feel 2 years is not an acceptable life span for a carbon brush.
     
  2. Steelymark

    Steelymark Forum Resident

    Location:
    On the Edge KY
    I love capitalism ! Throw out your old one bring in a new one , sez Dr Woo
     
  3. John Storey

    John Storey Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Hamilton, ON
    After a few months with my brush, while I Love it, some bad news, I’m not sure whether it efffects the preformance or not, but the coating on the contacts is quite obviously wearing off. I haven’t been doing anything fancy either, my fingers are normal as far as I know, they’re clean, after all, I am about to touch a record! I’ll post a photo when I get a chance in the morning.
     
  4. Puma Cat

    Puma Cat Forum Resident

    Location:
    East Bay, CA
    More quality problems, then. The plating of the conductor is too thin; even finger contact causes it to wear away over a few months. This is classified in quality circles as a "durability" problem.
     
    John Storey likes this.
  5. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    I needed a new brush so I grabbed one of these.

    The instructions say after a few spins to rotate wrist and brush counterclockwise to get dust off the record. Why counterclockwise? I’ve always done it clockwise. Counterclockwise seems like your line of dust would spin away
     
  6. tiller

    tiller Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montreal
    The theory, I believe, is that pushing the dust towards the spindle as you rotate the brush (counterclockwise) follows the direction of the grooves, i.e., you're not trying to push the dust in the opposite direction of the grooves. I thought this was strange too, but have found it to be a superior process in practice.

    I like the newer version of the AQ brush a lot actually. Because it's got that metal strip on it, I can touch the underside of my TT chassis (which is grounded) as I am brushing and it effectively kills all the static, along with picking up the dust.
     
    JoFr likes this.
  7. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    So counter clockwise in toward the label. I was picturing it counterclockwise off the record edge, which seems backward
     
  8. tiller

    tiller Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montreal
    Yes, towards the label. If you're looking at the LP from above, I place the brush radially at the 9 o'clock position, do a pass or two, then rotate the brush counterclockwise pushing the dust towards the spindle. Although it seems strange it does tend to work better, in my experience.
     
    Robert C and guidedbyvoices like this.
  9. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    Got it, thanks!
     
    tiller likes this.
  10. johnny q

    johnny q Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bergen County, NJ
    I was also rotating counterclockwise off the record edge. Thanks for the clarification!
     
  11. McGuy

    McGuy All Mc, all the time...

    Location:
    Chicago
    I'm a sucker for gizmos, so I just ordered one. And love my zero onzdust thingy for the stylus
     
  12. tiller

    tiller Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montreal
    To me the big advantage of this new brush is the metal strip that allows you to ground the brush while you're running it on the record, therefore discharging the static, provided your body has a good path to ground. My Orbe has a metal chassis (which is grounded to my phono stage) so I touch the underside of that while I'm using the brush and it discharges any static on the LP quite effectively.

    Someone earlier in the thread mentioned how the gold plating on said metal strip wore away very fast and I can concur with that. I've had it for maybe 6 months now it is has worn significantly.
     
    John Storey likes this.
  13. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    I had the older style brush for a few years. After a week of using the new model, it works for me. I live in a dry climate and usually have at least some pops when lifting the record off after a side, and on some days the cork/rubber mat sticks a little. Using the new brush I get no static when lifting the record up at all. So to replace a worn out brush of the old style, I’d definitely get another one of these in the future.
     
  14. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    I’ve been doing now clockwise first off the edge of the record to get dust off the record, then a second sweep counterclockwise into the label over the spindle for static. Seems weird to only do counterclockwise inward, because then any dust just gets moved to the label
     
    Amoebehemoth and johnny q like this.
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