Tips for Home Audio Equipment

[Mr V]

Howzit guys
Thought i would start a thread where we can share our tips for maintenance/use of our Home audio equipment with our fellow members....and if we do generate a good amount of helpful tips then we can make this a sticky....

When i say "Tips" i mean like just general stuff like
(just examples)
* What furniture polishes u use and what we should stay away from as it will be harmful to our equipment
*What u use to clean your speakers
*Methods of cleaning
*layout of speakers
*What we should look for in cables we purchase
*What u use to clean cds....
*etc......ya anything that u think will be helpful in some way.....if it worked for you then it might work for someone else.......so please share if you dont mind

Hope there will be positive responses as i've not been long in the Home audio scene and i'm always willing to learn something new if u willing to share

[chipwelder]

Experiment a lot, speaker placement can be very technical and involved, or you can be patient...

[WaterHond]

Howzit guys
Thought i would start a thread where we can share our tips for maintenance/use of our Home audio equipment with our fellow members....and if we do generate a good amount of helpful tips then we can make this a sticky....

Excellent idea...
The "first do no harm" rule applies as much as it does in the medical world - to quote Wiki:

 Another way to state it is that "given an existing problem, it may be better not to do something, or even to do nothing, than to risk causing more harm than good.

Tip 1: Never spray anything onto your equipment to clean it - rather spray onto the cloth and then wipe down gently.

Tip 2: Make sure that your cleaning agent is benign to rubber, plastics and paint!

[chipwelder]

Do not clean drive units

[WaterHond]

Do not clean drive units

Only applies to the Starship Enterprise...

[Viagara]

Do not clean drive units

And be careful of exhaust fumes

[Steerpike]

Never use WD40 or Q20 on anything video or audio !!!

[ludo]

Never use WD40 or Q20 on anything video or audio !!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you... 

Not Cramolin Contaclean either. Oil-based things are generally just evil.

[GearSlave]

Thank you, thank you, thank you... 

Not Cramolin Contaclean either. Oil-based things are generally just evil.

Speaking of which, have you guys noticed how hard it is to get the good stuff? Only RS has Kontakt and no-one has any Servisol. I believe it's no longer being manufactured?

[Mr V]

Come on guys are i'm sure u have much more inputs that can be helpful to one and all

Sharing is Caring

After we get enough tips then mayb the Moderators can clean up this thread and list the relevant tips

Thanx

[WaterHond]

After we get enough tips then mayb the Moderators can clean up this thread and list the relevant tips

Thanx

That reminds me, never never never use KY to lubricate anything other than...

Edit: This post has been submitted for most appropriate use of the "Winkey-smiley".

[frikkie]

That reminds me, never never never use KY to lubricate anything other than...

Edit: This post has been submitted for most appropriate use of the "Winkey-smiley".

 

I would have expected this post from Abe...

[stereo247]

Experiment a lot, speaker placement can be very technical and involved, or you can be patient...

Can't help but stress this point, but most users loose about 30-50% of their systems performance because of speaker placement !

[Mervin]

http://www.getbettersound.com/ and AudioEngineer will agree.

[KenMasters]

I swear by dampening foam for subs.

I originally bought them just so that the sub would be less of a bother to my downstairs neighbour but what a difference, very pleasantly surprised by the improvement.

There are two basic types, the isolation pads like the SubDude http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolation_subdude/subdude.asp or just the foam strips themselves http://www.argonaudio.com/accessories/furniture/argon_damping_feet.htm (I just use the strips).