Head Cleaner Tapes: what are the facts?

[brandon0409]

I’m sure this topic’s been thrown around many times in the past 10 years but I want to get a new thread going for those that have either,notbeen able to find on these forums or who have been given misinformation regarding Cleaning tapes.

Scenerio 1:

I have a Sony camcorder and use Sony tapes in my camera. Do I need to use a Sony head cleaner to clean the heads or can I use some other brand?

Scenerio 2:

I have a Sony camcorder and use panasonic tapes. Do I need to use a panasonic cleaning tapes or can I use Sony cleaning tapes or some other brand?

Does it matter?

[Rob]

I use any kind of cleaner. The only think I stayconsistentwith is the tape brand.

[brandon0409]

But my question is this… is it mandatory to match Tape brand to cleaning tape?

About a year back there was a discussion that said that each different tape brand used a different lubricant and that the lubricants and head cleaner chemicals were not compatible between brands.

For example: If you use Sony tape and Panasonic head cleaner, it would gum up the system.

But I’ve know many people that have mixed and matched Tapes and head cleaner brands without any ill effects.

Is this truely an issue with documented proof or just an assumption by some people with random cooincidental bad experiences?

[Rob]

i think it’s just random bad experience. i dont think it’smandatoryto match tapes and head cleaning brands. Maybe “in theory” there could be issues, but I personally have never had any nor do I know anyone who has had any problems.

[Author]

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