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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> Turn over the pot(s)!
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Message started by JBzen on 10/05/22 at 14:26:59

Title: Turn over the pot(s)!
Post by JBzen on 10/05/22 at 14:26:59

The Chariot was sounding different this morning. Listening to Loreena McKennitts track 3 "Skeillig" in the "Book of Secrets" album, there seem to be something missing. Ha, plenty missing. The normal sound stage had shrunk to a narrow plane just beyond outside the speakers and depth seem to be shallow. What's up with that? I tried to reseat the interconnects thinking that some of the humid hot air over the long summer may have tarnish the connectors. The room is usually dry but we spent many days on the road this summer and never leave the house air conditioning turned on over extended absences. Sitting back down and hitting play, listening more intently, there was no improvement with the sound stage. More was noticed with increased critical attention. The third track highlights a viola and violin with mandocello plucking. The crispness of these instruments are recorded well here and was gone from the Chariot this morning. The whole album sounded like a hot mess distracting me. Puzzled and concerned, the thought came to me that maybe the potentiometers needed cleaned because those are not usually adjusted except for the CSP2 main volume. The headphone calibration control pots have not been changed since the amp was procured. The line level controls are moved very seldom. The SE84 has no pots. Wiping the controls back and forth a few times brought back the great glorious sound in the room...and my sanity [smiley=tunes51.gif]

Exercise your pots!

John

Title: Re: Turn over the pot(s)!
Post by tempest62 on 10/05/22 at 14:38:16

John, I’m glad you got to the bottom of it. A great reminder!

Brad

Title: Re: Turn over the pot(s)!
Post by Kamran on 10/05/22 at 17:14:12

Thanks for the great tip John!

Title: Re: Turn over the pot(s)!
Post by Beni on 11/18/22 at 07:56:33

Dear John
The same thing happened to me yesterday with the ZROCK2. I only had music coming from one speaker. After I reinstalled all interconnects, nothing happened to improve. After replacing the tube, the sound was still missing. Then I remembered your post and gave the poti a fitness treatment.
The magic was back and the feared shipping of my ZROCK2 overseas did not happen.
Thanks a lot and kind regards
Benjamin

Title: Re: Turn over the pot(s)!
Post by JBzen on 11/18/22 at 13:58:00

Happy to help Beni.

Cheers!

John

Title: Re: Turn over the pot(s)!
Post by Tony on 11/18/22 at 15:27:23

Since I have never cleaned potentiometers, I found a video that helped visualize what is being discussed here. I am sure there are others videos as well. This one covers both sliding and rotating pots in the demonstration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8--qp_j-l40

Title: Re: Turn over the pot(s)!
Post by Kamran on 11/18/22 at 17:34:11

Good reminder, this thread.

John, assuming this also applies to relay stepped attenuators—not just pots.

My Freya Plus has a stepped attenuator and been in service just a year, but I see no harm in giving it some 180 degrees exercise today.

Title: Re: Turn over the pot(s)!
Post by Same Old DD on 11/18/22 at 18:46:03

I would add caution to what the video offers for '80s era controls, most especially regarding more modern faders and potentiometers, made with often esoteric materials.
I have seen standard spray contact cleaner actually dissolve modern guts of faders, costing a lot to replace. Then looking up what to buy for replacement parts, you re-discover a warning to NOT use canned contact cleaners.

:'(

Just make sure what you spray into your controls is compatible with your equipment.
Often, a Q-tip with a dab of isopropyl alcohol will make quick work of oxydation build ups. Then, of course you must sometimes replace the lubricant that came from the factory when the item was new.
That can be tricky as well.
RTFM!

Not everything works the same as the '80s synth the guy was using as a test case.

Use caution.
[smiley=tunes57.gif]

Often, as JBz said, just moving them back and forth will often clean them sufficiently, except for the extremes of the adjustments, where all the stuff you just wiped off of the centers of the controls ends up.