Sony MD-8HCL Head Cleaner Operation

[catchmenow]

Hello dear minidisc lovers,

I just got a Minidisc deck from eBay. As it is an 1999 model (mds-je630), I decided to get a brand new Sony MD-8HCL Head Cleaner, just to make sure it is fresh and clean for my recordings (I also got the lens cleaner for clean playbacks but no question about this item).

My question is about the operation of the Head Cleaner. First I thought that the instructions were pretty straightforward, but once I followed them suddenly I had a doubt. Here they are so you do not need to (find and) check them:

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1. Insert in the same way as an ordinary disc.

2. Press the REC button. Because the magnetic head does not descend in a normal PLAY state, cleaning is not possible. [the funny fact is that the French version of the same instructions states "...PLAY state, recording is not possible"!!!]

3. After about 10 seconds, press the STOP button, remove the disc and insert it in the case for storage.

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No problem with steps 1 and 3, but I am not sure about step 2. The fact is that once you press the REC button, the recorder is on the record mode but also in the PAUSE one. The question is, "am I supposed to press the pause button" as to start a recording in order to clean the head??? Would that be the right way to do it, or would it damage the recorder (head) and the Head Cleaner? Actually I did press the PAUSE button and it created a track...strange, especially after I found out today on Crutfield's website that the cleaner is supposed to be made of some brush material...ah the power of minidisc! It can even make a track on a brush

Let me know if you know the right way to operate this mighty head cleaner.