Cleaning A Speaker Suggestions For Maintaining Solid Sound

Speakers make up the final component of an audio system. The combination of cabinets and drivers brings music and movies to life, filling a room and enveloping the listener. As such, keeping your speakers clean both inside and out ensures years of high-fidelity performance.

Exterior Cabinets

The cabinets provide more than a structure to hold electronics; the shape, size, and materials help to reinforce low-end resonance and propel the sound forward. 

Whether constructed from fine, rare woods or specially designed composites, keeping them clean prevents the accumulation of dust that can fall into the drivers and maintains the visual appeal. Unless the wood requires special care and oils, using a damp cloth (preferably microfiber) to wipe the surface should be sufficient. If desired, an occasional manufacturer-approved wood polish can be used to protect the surface.

Speaker Grills, the fabric cover that protects the drivers from bumps, pokes, and other environmental dangers, can be cleaned with a soapy sponge. After drying, lift off any remaining debris with a vacuum and a brush attachment.

Woofers and Tweeters (Drivers)

Nearly all speakers will have at least one Woofer (mid- to low-frequency) and one Tweeter (high-frequency) driver; higher-end models include additional units dedicated to specific sound ranges. Over time, dust build-up in the drivers adversely affects the quality of reproduction, making it muddier and less distinct.

Tweeters are made of very delicate materials applied as a thin sheet over a framework; as such, great care must be taken when cleaning. In most cases, using canned or compressed air will remove any dust. Take caution and keep the nozzle an inch or more away to avoid poking the surface physically or from the air pressure.

While the cones (low and mid-frequency drivers) are constructed of more durable material, they should still be handled with care. If applying compressed air does not complete the job, use a small soft brush or microfiber cloth to remove stubborn dirt manually. Again, proceed with care to avoid pushing the cone in or puncturing the skin (The sound Link Ray created by punching holes in his guitar amp may have inspired a generation of rock musicians, but it is a disaster when listening at home.

Connectors

The connectors are the most durable component on any speaker and do not often need cleaning to improve or maintain performance quality. Still, these connection points are made of metals that can deteriorate or corrode over time, including the overhyped use of gold.  

Use a soft cloth to remove dirt or foreign particles from a connection point. If you are experiencing crackling, intermittent connectivity, or hum,  a light application of contact cleaner can help. 

A Little Care Goes A Long Way

While audiophiles can spend hours in isolation tweaking tweeters or adjusting coverage and sweet spots, a few simple actions will keep your system (of any size or quality) sounding great for longer. 

Thoughts on Rejecting Audiophilia in Pursuit of Better Sound

Can we reclaim the heart and soul of Audiophiles by abandoning the word and seeking better sound while rejecting the anxiety of chasing the next shiny claim of fidelity? 

Michael Andrew (aka Michael Perez), founder of Hive Marketing group and writer for StereoNet International, recently posted about declaring his independence from the term Audiophile. It is a very good read that I have long banged the drums about. 

Yes, yes, and yes, again and again! The pursuit of audiophilia is something I have long struggled with. As a trained audio engineer who designed and installed custom home theaters and media rooms, Mr Perez/ Anddrew's enthusiasm and concerns are right on point. 

Birds of a Feather, Leave the Flock Together

I adamantly (to the point of obsession) insist on being surrounded by quality sound, and none of us should have to settle for lousy file formats or subpar reproduction. Yet the audiophile community continues to ostracize anyone who first enters or strays from the cannon.

There is an oft-told joke about modern vinyl fans: What attracts them to the format is its expense and difficulty in making it work right. 

Comedic simplifications aside, there is no better example of the overwrought and avarice of so-called audiophiles than the now-defunct Rocky Mountain Audio Show. This yearly gathering of self-important audio mystics chanting over meteorite-sourced metal tweeters and rare wood cabinets smoothed by exotic virgins from lost islands has killed the better audio aspirations of the masses.

Balance Without Anxiety or Sacrifice

While my technical knowledge and skill sets allow me the freedom to make the most of any setup, I have found Andrew Robinson's (former Home Stereo Review editor) reviews and insights just the right mix. In my humble opinion, Andrew has the right blend of lofty audio aspirations and real-world considerations. 

I applaud Michael's declaration and look forward to hearing more about what discoveries he will make and how he finds a balance between the need for quality without the anxiety and avoiding the drive to continually make 'just one more tweak.'

The Spector

Originally posted to the AVNation.tv site on  June 12, 2013

Infocomm is many things, in particular it is about finding solutions. There are a multitude of distractions, from social engagements to parties and tangential floor shows, but solutions are our ROI.  I come here to find answers, to find the face of exuberance.  It is in the faces of the attendees, the exhibitors even the Infocomm folks who are more buoyant than ever about this show and industry growth.   Yet, I have some questions as there is concern among the technocratic digerati.

There is a possible specter hanging low like a great Wisconsin fog just over the next hill, and it is making folks ride the edge of hysterics and short slide into madness – peeling off clothes as they run down the aisles foaming at the mouth.  It hangs in the air all around us, making folks tense, taught as a bow string.  To get a sense of just how close to gnashing of teeth and tearing of hair the attending are I made my way to the hotel bar for a snifter of inspiration and solace making.  I saddled up to a robust and jolly fellow wearing the logo of a western integrator, his cheeks roughed from being unaccustomed to the  Southern coastal humidity and the empty glasses before him.  He was mopping his brow with the desperate moves of a man not wanting to but subconsciously unable to stop, with his pores opening to the size of dimes.

Laying a Twenty on the bar, I hailed the bartender for a Makers – Neat.  My associate, now switching between dabbing his neck, then his brow and back again, looked over at my drink, stating, “ Mighty Heavy for this weather, no? It could put you into fits with this heat. You should be by the fireplace in a wool jacket with that sort”. I witnessed a flash of rash stripe across his face at the thought, and he dabbed his neck even more frequently. In front of him stood a tall glass with lime, the condensation from the ice beading up on the length. My friend eyed the drink with an expression that showed the internal debate of whether it was to quell the demons or bring them forth.  “Considering a bit of prognostication, are you?” I said. I could see it in his eyes – obviously, he had been reading up on the mystics and their elixirs.

“I see your question, my brother”, I offered. I knew the feeling, the temptation to twitch at the anticipation of the answer which drives us into madness.

I leaned in close to him, shifting my eyes to both sides of the bar, ensuring we had room to talk. My lips nearly brushed his ear as he leaned down to meet me.  “I have it on good authority that the hall is empty – sans one booth with Apple and a smart screen manufacture.  Apparently the Apple developers conference broadcast brought the building to a halt, silencing the hall like a punch to the gut.   Then came an announcement of a smart TV with all the functions needed to control the home, with anticipatory gesture interpretation – you only have to think about making a gesture, and the monitor knows it. 

Well, this last bit took the knees out of folks – it was like watching Neil Armstrong take that final step off the ladder so quiet and still were the sales folks, techs, and assorted company representatives”.  My bar-mate’s jaw began to hang low and he caught himself. I continued, “One would have expected a shrill wail from those on the floor, like the purported recordings of the damned by a Siberian oil drilling company punching a hole into Hades, which Art Bell broadcast on his ‘Coast to Coast’ show.  But the reports are that after a short pause, a universal acceptance set in, and instead of continuing to build up, started to disassemble the whole lot, a week work swept clean in less than a day.”

I could consider my friend's expression as I leaned back to take another pull of my whiskey. His Eyes were just about to pop out of his head, and his jaw was making slight side-to-side movements as if in an attempt to speak.  “I, I…. I thought…. I knew this day was coming, but everyone said we had time.” he trailed off, “so soon, so, so soon.” he looked up straight at me, “ What now?”.

“Well,” I began, “ I hear a word that the Maker Movement folk are raising an army consisting of homemade tanks from discarded Oldsmobile Delta 88s, Trebuchets from the remains of the Junk Yard wars show, and some Tube drive Turntables.  AP just tweeted that a squad of steampunk are nearly at the convention center grounds,  machines hissing while the clackers report positions and tactical movements awaiting the arrival of the North Carolina Maker Faire Battalion under the direction General Jonathan Danforth”.

The expression on my friend's face was full of conflict – the ole fight flight debate was churning around inside him.  He reached for his drink and swallowed it whole in one swift gulp – the ice long since melted in the Orlando sun.  Then a calm washed over him and his eyes narrowed. “ Be dammed if I am not going down without a fight!”.  He shook my hand and turned his heel, muttering about assembling a Myth Busters-inspired rice paper armor.

All of this occurred last night, and now, in the haze of too many O’ clocks without sleep, I am preparing to head to the show floor to see whether it is true.  Reporting from the front lines…. I am your intrepid reporter.

 

Witness Baby! Witness!

AV Evangalism  - Witness Baby! Witness!

 

My fellow RavePubs blogger and all around dynamo Dawn Meade (aka AV Dawn) just published a great call to arms in evangelism for the AV industry.

Read it here

Evangelism contains within it a need for the delft skill of engaging those who want to learn, resisting the desire to teach those who do not care and, most difficult of all, leading the misinformed to see the folly of their own premises.

AV is a grand wide pleasure dome from the DIY to the toys of a Sultan. You can preach to me the lifelong benefits of a Plasma but if this is not my budget no amount of preaching will help. Now, tell me how to make the best of what I can and I will see that the work to do so, in the end is equal to a step or two up. I may need to go though the process but in the end it is gentle evangelicalism that will ring in my ears.

Can I get a Witness!?

*Originally posted on my Tumblr Blog 

Muybridge is So Cool He's Gotta Wear Shades

  Muybridge is So Cool; He's Gotta Wear Shades

3D TV and the Consumer Electronic Follies

 Technical buzzwords are such evocative things, love 'em or hate 'em, they help us to wrap our heads around complicated concepts and give the Marketers something to peddle to the masses and snake oil carpetbaggers a new label to misappropriate. 

When High-definition panels started to really take traction in the home market, HD became the buzzword that every manufacturer, tech magazine, and consumer electronics device had to include – regardless of the actual ability to do anything constructive with an HD signal. 

Many of you who, as I do, spend many undesired hours awake at 2 am will recall ads for HD vision glasses. The ad's line is- 'See in HD'! An associate who will remain anonymous to lessen his shame bought a pair and claimed that they work but give him a headache after a few hours. If the glasses were not enough, a few days ago, I heard an advertisement for a 3D-branded electric shaver; my head hurts thinking about that.

Speaking of Headaches and 3D.

 3D is everywhere, or at least the promise of it for the mass market is the talk of every AV magazine, blog, and Box Store' sales associate'. If you haven't heard the ceaseless din of 3D-ready devices and displays, I can presume you still use a TV that will change channels if an errant slinky is nearby. The last time I heard such over hype was when they announced the (never released) Brenda Starr movie.

The success of Avatar whipped up a frenzy amongst integrators and manufacturers in a down economy looking for any path that could generate revenue. From system upgrades and hardware sales to movie productions and disc sales, yes, indeed, 3D could just save the Earth from becoming an interstellar highway bypass. 

The Road To Nausea  

As a kid, I watched with religious fervor the WPIX broadcasts of the 1940s and 50's movies on Sunday afternoons. The station ran trailers between the Abbot and Costello features to fill in time. Invariably, at least one Vincent Price 3D trailer was shown. Watching these films in the theater must have made one feel like Marty Feldman on a hyperthyroidism bender; at least, that is how I felt upon leaving the theater after watching Avatar. 

Honestly, what other AV technology has the AMA warning against '…pregnant women, the elderly, and drunks…" from using 3D displays? Nintendo has put out a warning that children under six should not use the 3DS at all. Will theaters have to start stationing nurses outside or have patrons sign a release prior to viewing, just as producers for 'The Blob' did? Except this time, will it be for real?

Is this really the legacy of Muybridge's work and gentle afternoons in Victorian sitting rooms with Stereoscopic viewers? Is there a mass audience who wants to enjoy ducking flyspecks or Leonopteryx poop flying out at them from the screen in the comfort of their home? 

 A Short History Lesson

Muybridge created a series of 'animal locomotion 'photos using multiple cameras, strobes, and a wire trigger system. If you do not recognize Muybridge, you have been exposed to his work numerous times; most folks have seen 'woman descending stairs'- whether you intended to or not. The 'locomotion studies' showed animals of all species running and jumping; most contained studies of human locomotion. 

Most of the human locomotion photos studied female models in gauzy material. Not surprisingly, Muybridge's lectures were restricted to male audience members only. Thomas Edison later bought a large section of Muybridge's work and equipment and sequestered himself in his Secaucus, NJ lab, where the first motion pictures were soon after 'invented.'

The connection? Pundits of the time gave very little credence to Mr. Edison or Muybridge's creations aside from a passing fancy.

Shady Shades

Of course, 3D has a future; the question is, will it revolutionize the way we watch media at home? Just as with HD and surround sound, the results are stunning when it is done right; when done wrong, it can make you physically ill.

 

I do not see 3D becoming the de facto way to present media. Gaming and interactive training concepts work really well, but I still cannot see myself and my friends gathered around the TV wearing silly glasses and jockeying for the 'sweet' spot during a game. Yes, I have seen demos at Infocomm and CEDIA, but the experience is always singular- encased and separated from my fellow viewers by a hunk of hardware on my head. 

Besides, I am more of a Blue-Blockers kinda guy.