Clean 'em out

February 25, 2017 by Paul McGowan

This post might be a bit early. I typically make this suggestion when spring comes but the entire country seems to have had quite a warm winter. Perhaps it's time. One of the best improvements you can make to your high-end audio system is free, though it will require you to set aside about four hours. We're going to clean house.

Using blue easy-pull painter's tape, mark the front and back corners of your loudspeaker position. Put the tape on the floor. If the speakers aren't too hard to move (like mine are) move them off to the side or even out of the room.
Remove all power cords, interconnects, speaker cables. Use the same tape to identify which cable goes where.
Dust off the vacuum cleaner and go to town. If you're truly industrious, remove the components and dust under them, use some Windex to clean their fronts, tops and sides.
Reassemble everything, paying close attention to symmetry and cable dressing
Make sure your spouse doesn't call 911 as they are certain you've lost your marbles. Assure them it's only temporary insanity
Reposition your seating arrangements so you're in the optimum hotspot
Enjoy a new level of sonic purity

Why does this work? Of course, there's the mental process identical to washing your car (she always runs better after a good wash). But more important the removal and reinsertion of the cabling and power cords. This process deoxidized the connection on both sides. Then, there's the organized impact. Ever notice how cleaning and tidying up at the end of one project helps you feel fresh and charged up to begin the next? I don't understand the mechanism, but I do recognize the effect. Today is Saturday. A great day to help your system shine.