Cleaning a K240 Sextet

[scompton]

I just received a K240 Sextet that I bought on eBay. It's very mildewed. The diver housing smells bad even without the pads on. Can anyone suggest how to clean it up without destroying it?

 

[scompton]

bump

 

[swt61]

Unfortunately it probably needs to be taken apart, and the housing parts soaked in a 5% bleach solution for 20 minutes are so.

 

[ericj]

Well, were i in your shoes, I'd take them apart, and see if i could get away with cleaning everything but the baffles.

I typically put all the washables in my utility sink, hose them down with Formula 409, and let them soak for an hour or two. Then rinse with hot water.

If you have a front-loading washer (or access to one), earpads will survive being washed like regular laundry 9 times out of 10. in an agitating washer it's closer to 5 times out of 10.

Chances are, the foam inside the earcup is a big part of the stink. Throw it away and replace it. If it's the super-ultra-coarse open-cell foam, you can replace it with 20ppi filter media for a fish tank or pond. You may have to rig together a jig to slice it thin, though.

I mention this 'cause AKG doesn't sell that stuff anymore.

The paper lining the back of the earcup will warp if you get it wet. It's glued in but will come free pretty easily. Try wiping it down with hydrogen peroxide and putting it between some sheets of paper and pressing it (like between heavy flat objects, say, books) until dry.

If you have to clean the baffles, may $diety have mercy on your soul, because i have no idea what might safely clean the passive radiators.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I mention this 'cause AKG doesn't sell that stuff anymore.

When did they stop? I just bought a bunch of the foam rings from them only a few weeks ago.

 

[ericj]

The open-cell foam rings what look like the coarse stage in a water filter?

Got a part number? The service guy (I forget his name, Frank gave me his number) said they haven't had them in years.

I mean this stuff:

oh, and while we're on the subject of old K240's - got a part number you're sure of for that center-tapped brass screw? I'm missing one. A guitarist tried to fix my K240's after a drummer broke them.

 

[Fitz]

Foam ring is 2073Z1502, and cost $1.26 each. The exact density on them varies from piece to piece, but they all work just the same. Not sure on the brass screw, since they change mounting hardware so much, current K240 parts may not fit it. I should be able to give you the screw off a K240 I have that's gonna be salvaged for parts.

 

[ericj]

thanks.

That's the part number that i got, but the service guy was describing it as a straight strip that gets installed around the inside of the back part of the earcup. Which sounds like what's in my K141.

The service guy gave me a part number - 2040z1201 - that he *thinks is the correct screw. It's the same size and thread as what holds together my K141-M, but the K141-M screw is steel and not drilled through and threaded internally.

Anyway, he told me to have frank personally pull it and visually describe it to me, but given frank's "I know nothing! Call service!" attitude towards parts questions that stretch beyond availability and price, I'm not optimistic about that angle.

I figure I'll order it and see if it's the right one.

 

[kg21]

I think frank seems helpful but doesn't know as much about old school AKG parts, I got his info on here to order velour pads for my K340 but when I asked for velour pads for the k340 he said they don't make those/he couldn't find anything. Luckily the part number was posted on head-fi too and he realized that it's just the K271 pads.

 

[scompton]

Do the grills just pop off? I don't want to break them.

 

[ericj]

What grills?

You pop the little AKG emblem off the back of the earcup, take out a small screw, pop off the lid, take out a large screw, and then you can lift the gold part of the earcup out of the larger part.

After that, you can kinda pry off the outer ring by leveraging something against the cardan.

the cardan kinda sorta pops out. There are slots in the front of the baffle where you can kinda push it out.

And then you're left with a baffle disc containing 6 passives and 1 active, afaik.

It occurs to me that this will go a lot easier for you if you're willing to desolder the drivers and resolder them later. Desolder them at the cable/headband end, not the driver end.

 

[swt61]

If I had to clean the baffles I'd try to find an outfit with an ozone generator (fire and flood restoration, maybe ServePro). They will most likely let you put them in with their next batch of stuff. It's very good at removing mildew smell. If that's not an option I'd use an atomizer bottle with MicroBan. Just a little spritz will go a long way.