Orthodynamic Roundup

[wualta]

Quote:

Nah, the more dangerous scenario is that the magnet pops up, shifts over, then snaps back down.

Merciful heavens, yes! I should have mentioned this.
 
Has anyone tried an ultrasonic cleaner to clean drivers/diaphragms? It would be best to test on a hopeless diaphragm first; a powerful unit can separate glued things. I've been having such good luck cleaning phono cartridge styli using this method I thought I'd mention it.

 

[nick n]

where dost thou aquireus such a fortunate item?  Assuming the labels are watertight there was mention of cleaning vinyl this way also.

 

[dogwan]

Quote:

where dost thou aquireus such a fortunate item?  Assuming the labels are watertight there was mention of cleaning vinyl this way also.

Great thread here in Ultrasonic record cleaning.
 
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analogue-source/120394-i-made-myself-record-cleaner.html
 
If you set up a motor to rotate the records slow enough there's not so much worry about the labels.

 

[wualta]

Good link! Those guys are serious, so they bought a model with a long, deep tank. Those models tend to be a little expensive, whereas you can get a smaller, simpler but effective piezo-driver model for less than $25 shipped. Those won't do LPs, but they're plenty big enough to dunk some ortho drivers.

 

[Congo5]

I have a cheap $100 unit and use it on many solid objects ....
 
 Have you seen the youtube videos about tinfoil?
I tried that and it blows holes in the foil in seconds...
I have no idea what it would do to the membranes, kapton etc...
The Fostex that I have look way to thin for me to even think about putting them in.
 
am I all wet?
 

 

[wualta]

Even with the little plastic-lined cleaners, I repeat that I'd try an experimental dunk first before trying to clean anything that relies on adhesives, although I've cleaned many phono styli (where the diamond is held on with epoxy) and haven't lost a diamond yet. If it wasn't powerful enough to blow holes in something as fragile as aluminum foil, why bother with it?
 
I should emphasize that I'm only suggesting this as a last-ditch solution for someone with a nonfunctioning driver who has little or nothing to lose (like Nick N's situation), not as a tweak for clearer sound.

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Have you seen the youtube videos about tinfoil?
I tried that and it blows holes in the foil in seconds.

Thanks for the sanity check because I'm about to recable a YH1 and I was really wondering wth an ultrasonic cleaner would do to its drivers....I didn't see much luck of ending up with a clearer sound

 

[nsgarch]

Quote:

Merciful heavens, yes! I should have mentioned this.
 
Has anyone tried an ultrasonic cleaner to clean drivers/diaphragms? It would be best to test on a hopeless diaphragm first; a powerful unit can separate glued things. I've been having such good luck cleaning phono cartridge styli using this method I thought I'd mention it.

The absolute BEST way to clean a stylus is with the Mister Clean 'Magic Eraser' material.  You can find a few threads about it on Audiogon.  Doug Deacon discovered it a few years ago.  Here's how you use it:  Cut a sugar cube sized piece of the material (roughly 1/2 x 1/2 x 3/4 inch) poke a hole in one end with a swizzle stick or similar.  Then glue the stick into the hole w/ super glue.  All you do is lift the material up to the stylus and back down (turn up the volume slightly so you can 'hear' what you're doing).  That's it!  The expanded plastic fibers in the ME will polish your stylus to a new gem-like sparkle, without liquid, ultrasound, adhesives, Onzo gel, etc.  It will even remove the grunge that jambs up behind the stylus/cantilever.  You can finish with a soft camel hair brush to remove any loose debris.
 
For cleaning parts, there's a new solvent out that is amazing!  It's from Dow and is the environmentally friendly replacement (finally!) for good ole (poisonous) carbon tetrachloride.  It's called CC Contact Cleaner (it dries as fast as ether, no residue, won't melt anything ;~)   Music Direct sells it as 'Premier Record Cleaner' but you can buy the same stuff for half the price here:
http://www.all-spec.com/products/Cleaners_and_Aerosols%7CCleaning_Supplies%7CCLN-00/?brand=MicroCare

 

[wualta]

Thanks for the tips. At the risk of taking this thread all the way off-topic into Audiogon territory: You're right about the ME ("Magic Eraser"). I've been using bits of BASF Basotect melamine foam to clean my styli and my countertops for a few years now. It was when I came across some gunk on a very expensive boron stylus that resisted the foam and every solvent I had on hand that I resorted to the ultrasonic bath method. It not only works better for truly abused styli, it also cleans the entire stylus assembly, including the cantilever and the elastomer suspension, if it's exposed. No solvents except water and a little spray cleaner. After that, the ME treatment maintains the diamond's clean.
Some people despise the ME and favor a $50 sticky widget good for only one thing. I prefer multipurpose widgets for my money. It's a choice, y'know?
 
That MicroCare/Dupont Vertrel-based contact cleaner might come in handy as an adjunct to DeoxIT. Or a tape head cleaner to replace good old Freon TF.

 

[nsgarch]

Quote:

 
That contact cleaner might come in handy as an adjunct to DeoxIT.

I am (soon) going to be rewiring a YH-1 (and making it balanced too) and thought the CCC would address the subject of cleaning the driver, etc. and (so far anyway!) has not destroyed anything I've applied it to.  Music Direct sells it (at twice the price!) as a record cleaning solvent, but it steam all my records, so wouldn't use it for that anyway (and even at half the MD price it's not cost effective ;~)
 
BTW, could you direct me to posts on this very long thread, or perhaps on some other threads where damping mods, etc, for the Yamahas are gathered (photos etc.)
 
Thanks
 
Neil

 

[wualta]

We are fortunate to have a[n updated! thanks, ludoo!] dedicated search engine for both text and images on this thread, which has obviated the nightmare of trying to collect, edit, evaluate and re-post the mod posts, especially since people tend to have eureka moments months, sometimes years, after their initial mod rush. It was given to us by longtime ortho stalwart ludoo, and it can't help but help you. Besides, there is no single formula, no "best", no "so good no one could possibly pick it apart or improve it" mod.
 
It's best, I think, to try to understand some of the underlying mechanics that make sound, and the things that try to reproduce it, work; then listen, decide what needs improving the most, come up with a strategy, then see if anyone's tried it. Learn about reflection, absorption, diffusion, waves and wavelength, pressure, resonance, standing waves and cancellation and do some reading on the weirdnesses of the human ear-brain. If you read the first few pages of this thread you'll at least have an idea of what you're up against and how to solve some of the most glaring failings of the typical vintage ortho. I should say that a non-vintage ortho like the popular Fostex T50RP requires a very different problem-solving set, although all of the underlying mechanics are the same.

 

[ludoo]

Quote:

It hasn't updated itself for a few months now because of changes HF made to its website...

 
Erm, it hasn't updated itself because I'm too lazy to schedule the update script to run each night by itself... I'll do it soon, in the meantime I've just launched an update.
 
 

It's best, I think, to try to understand some of the underlying mechanics that makes sound and the things that try to reproduce it work, then listen, decide what needs improving the most, come up with a strategy, then see if anyone's tried it. Learn about reflection, absorption, diffusion, waves and wavelength, pressure, resonance, standing waves and cancellation...

 
+1 I remembed a post by rythmdevil which was the best summary I've read in this thread on damping techniques and effects, it should be pinned somewhere, but I cannot find it anymore...

 

[bruma]

hi nsgarch, the mod, that you can find as

Tomek's guide #2 to YH-100 modification

on wikiphonia gave me some ideas. The yh/hp-1 has similar "problems": there is not much space behind the driver and in the center of the back there is a nasty metal part (for the joint). but before going that far it would be a good idea to try the classic sandwich felt-foam-felt and hear what you get.

 

[kalbee]

Erm, it hasn't updated itself because I'm too lazy to schedule the update script to run each night by itself... I'll do it soon, in the meantime I've just launched an update.



+1 I remembed a post by rythmdevil which was the best summary I've read in this thread on damping techniques and effects, it should be pinned somewhere, but I cannot find it anymore...

http://www.head-fi.org/t/111193/orthodynamic-roundup/18570#post_8023377
In fact we should all print it (along with the monkey picture) and stick it near our workbench!

 

[nick n]

Erm, it hasn't updated itself because I'm too lazy to schedule the update script to run each night by itself... I'll do it soon, in the meantime I've just launched an update.



+1 I remembed a post by rythmdevil which was the best summary I've read in this thread on damping techniques and effects, it should be pinned somewhere, but I cannot find it anymore...

ludoo :
This general discussion starts at post #18578 onwards. Page 1239. memory here is still good it seems.

oh ooops I noticed KALBEE beat me to it. At least it is mentioned two times two times so we don't miss it so we don't miss it