Excess glue on your RS-1? Here's a solution..

[Beagle]

There is a (relatively) harmless solution to rectify the problem of excess glue around the wood driver housing area. It is water soluable, or saliva soluable, anyway (I used saliva as it is more "controllable" than water). I put a bit of spit on my fingertip and traced in circular motion and the glue became sticky and blended in with the liquid and, doing this in stages while wiping (also in circular motion) with the edge of a cloth, I was able to remove all of the glue. I'd post a pic but don't have a camera. But if you look at a pic of a PS-1 with the pads off, it looks about the same i.e. just the driver and housing are visible.

It will take numerous rounds over a few days, and a bit of patience, but for those who are concerned with the finish of the RS-1, it makes a great improvement. Seems to help the sonics slightly in that there is less of a damping effect of the glue on the wood and driver.

 

[2.2gotboost]

Interesting. I will have to check my GS 1000's

 

[Zorander]

Could you guys please use normal (clean) water instead? It makes buying used Grados here that much more trustworthy.

 

[Beagle]

Good point. Saliva can have unknown nasties in it. I was basing my instructions/recommendations on the assumption that the RS-1 owner would be keeping them. Go ahead and use warm water but just very sparingly on the fingertip until you get the hang of it. You can moisten the glue and let it soften then rub it away gradually. Don't let any water get on the cloth covering or inside the driver area.

 

[003]

Note to self:
Don't ever buy beagle's RS-1s.

Honestly, it doesn't look all that bad and is not even visible with pads on.

 

[lmilhan]

Interesting.

I don't mind the 'glue job' on my RS-1s at all since I rarely even see it because the pads are on 99.9% of the time.

Plus I would be afraid that removing the glue would cause an undesired effect on the sound characteristics that I may not like.

But it is cool that you found a potential solution for people who are bothered by the glue for whatever reason.

 

[velogreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Note to self: Don't ever buy beagle's RS-1s. Honestly, it doesn't look all that bad and is not even visible with pads on.

Now if they were Keira Knightly's Grados I would gladly pay double what they were worth...

 

[003]

Quote:

Originally Posted by velogreg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now if they were Keira Knightly's Grados I would gladly pay double what they were worth...

True, true. Perhaps the moisture wouldn't need to be saliva, either

 

[spinali]

One of the unspoken rules of headphone use is, "Don't lick your components." This thread leaves me very troubled, as it brings up the whole issue of microrganisms teeming in your phones. In reality, however, there's not much final difference between Beagle's affinity for "moisture" and the invisible bacteria and viruses that typically exist in your standard headphone.

I dunno, I can see how this could almost be a turn-on. No, no, I take that back.

 

[kramer5150]

I think I am going to pass on this one... for now. Cosmetically the glue doesn't really bother me much. The fear of the drivers falling out, to me, outweighs the cosmetic flaw. Doosik had an older pair where the drivers just fell out, so IMHO there is some risk involved with doing this.

It does raise an interesting point about what kind of glue John uses for the RS1 earcups. I always thought it was something more "intense" than a water soluble glue... some epoxy perhaps? Evidently thats not the case. Maybe some carpenter's glue?

 

[GlorytheWiz825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by velogreg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now if they were Keira Knightly's Grados I would gladly pay double what they were worth...

*laughs* And as would I.

 

[kontai69]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer5150 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think I am going to pass on this one... for now. Cosmetically the glue doesn't really bother me much. The fear of the drivers falling out, to me, outweighs the cosmetic flaw.

I agree. I think that the excess glue might be the only thing that is holding the drivers in place. I imagine the drivers are press fitted in, and then a glue ring (aka glue slop) is applied along the perimeter to keep it in. Removing the glue slop would make the drivers much more likely to fall out. I'm like the most anal person when it comes to cosmetics, but the glue slop on my MS-Pro doesn't bother me on bit. I can't see it with the pads on.

I'm very intriqued that Beagle started this thread. I remember him "crapping" my "Late Friday RS-1" thread from awhile ago...
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...te+friday+RS-1
IIRC, he basically argued that cosmetics don't matter to him at all and that everyone was being too nitpicky about their concerns over my cosmetically defective RS-1 with its very noticable splintered edges and poor finish. And now he his picking away at glue that you can't even normally see

, unless he was doing it strictly to alter the "damping effect".

 

[robm321]

I like the excess glue. I'd rather the drivers be screwed on but...

 

[Audiofiler]

sounds a bit too iffy to chance...I have experiences myself with an older RS and its driver on the left enclosure hopping into my hand like a hungry feril kitten. I was carefully removing the twisty on the cabling and well, no pressure whatsoev, just did a swan dive approximately 2 inches down and into my palm. Be careful, that glue, whether globby now or pristine around the circumfrence, may break down over time..

For me, it was the same "itch" I never (thankfully) scratched looking at my dads fancy floor pounders growing up, and seeing that spit-like substance near the center of the woofer...just figured it belonged and was per the design somehow, in all..the glue does not bother me though.

Then again, it didn't bother me in grade school either, but that was more about eating the glue to make it disappear...so not really applicable at all here

 

[Jazic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could you guys please use normal (clean) water instead? It makes buying used Grados here that much more trustworthy.

Who doesn't spit on their cans before wearing? I moisten the sleeves on my E4g's before I put them in my ears so they slide in better.

jkin. Seriously though I'll note this in the back of my mind when I eventually get a pair of Grado's worth spitting on. Haha no really nothing against Grado's as I've never heard. I'll stop now.