What would be a recommended course of action for getting rid of these stains? I was thinking of trying out a pencil eraser.
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Cleaning speaker cones
- Thread starter zortation
- Start date
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,035
- 5
- 220,956
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Leave them alone before you create a real problem that’s costly to resolve.
I start with one of these shaving brushes. It also good for cleaning dust on amp panels and mixers, and on instruments around the bridge, pickups, tuners, and nut.
Speaker cone stains could be mould. Not something that you want to breathe. I find that a gritty borax solution with water works. The grit offers mechanical removal, borax will kill the mould. But you have to know what you are doing. It’s easy to do more harm than good.
Speaker cone stains could be mould. Not something that you want to breathe. I find that a gritty borax solution with water works. The grit offers mechanical removal, borax will kill the mould. But you have to know what you are doing. It’s easy to do more harm than good.
If a soft and DRY paint brush used gently on the cone doesn't remove enough, or any of it, leave it alone. Your choice to throw away good driver(s) or cover the metal grills with speaker cloth to hide it, designated speaker cloth. If the looks really bother you enough to go this far of course. It is a shame when this stuff happens (it bothers me I know, so I sympathize). Just avoid making it a worse problem.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,035
- 5
- 220,956
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Never use water on a (paper/pulped) speaker cone.
I once had a dog that had a spot on it... I tried scrubbing it off... the dog bit me... I got a scissor to cut it off... The dog bit bit me... i tried pouring different chemicals onto the spot.... the dog whimpered and died.
Spots gone.
Spots gone.
As I said, you have to know what you are doing. A slightly damp cloth is not the same as using a lot of water and soaking it. Exposing a cone to high humidity or worse, rain as found in live conditions isn’t a good thing. It happens.
As you know, old speakers are mostly pulp based paper, many modern paper formulations offer more protection. Vintage reissues can be an exception.
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I've never considered cleaning my bass cabinet/amp or home audio speaker cones. Why do they need cleaning?
This and what’s left after an hour must stay there for the "road worn"…………....euh "bar worn" look !
Because I live in a dusty state , my white Yamaha monitors are not as white anymore, I don't worry about them. Once is a while very soft makeup brush but cranking is a better solution
That stuff gonna need to go to 11.Rattle it off!
In general they don’t.
Dust can be brushed off. Mould is more serious because it can spread and isn’t healthy. Cabinets can get mouldy as well, often due to poor storage conditions and what’s in the environment. Cat spraying is another problem to contend with. Mouse/rat pee. These sort of issues come up when restoring old cabinets.
That looks organic, yet I'm with the pro on this one. Leave it alone.
If it really bothers you, either try the aforementioned grille cloth mod, or pony up and replace the drivers.
If it really bothers you, either try the aforementioned grille cloth mod, or pony up and replace the drivers.
Reinstall the speaker grills and fuggettaboutit….
Great advice. Paper has fiber content designed to create a basis weight for the caliper which specifies the strength and rigidity factor. This fiber has additional specifications and it not just a filler.
Adding any moisture will be absorbed by the fibers and swell creating a weak spot that is not controlable.
Super soft brush as mentioned above as well as the low tac painter tape to lift off the more stubborn stuff, stick it to your pants first to keep it extra tame.
