Wayne Parham Messages: 18789 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
Dust won't hurt speakers but can change the sound if there is an excessive build-up on the diaphragms, e.g. cone, ribbon or dome. If you've let this happen, gently wipe it off with a very soft feather duster. Speakers that are used regularly won't collect dust on the surface of the diaphragms because it is naturally shaken off.
For the most part, loudspeaker cabinets can be maintained just like any other furniture. If the surface becomes dirty or suffers a spill of some kind, clean with a lightly moistened cloth and then towel dry. You can use a furniture wax to protect the wood.
Prevent the speakers from direct contact with standing water or other liquids. This can damage the wood. Also, make sure the humidity is in the 20% to 80% range. Too much humidity can warp diaphragms and too little can make them brittle.
If you obtain a very old speaker that has been stored in low humidity and/or temperature extremes for a long time, subject it to a room-temperature environment with higher humidity for a while. I restore old tube radios and sometimes the cones are so fragile they can crack and tear from any vibration. I set them in a bathroom with a regularly-used shower or an adjacent closet for a few weeks so they are subjected to higher humidity. After a short while, the paper becomes much less brittle.
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