Martin Logan Shower Cleaning PDF

[18000rpm]

That's pretty dirty. Do you smoke in the room?

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

That's pretty dirty. Do you smoke in the room?

No but I'm the 3rd owner, I've only had them for about a month or so.

 

[Robert D]

Do you find that you have to turn the volume of your amp up pretty high to get a decent volume, or that the dsp sets the gain high on those speakers? My Prodigy speakers got to where they were down almost 10db, and one was down more than the other. Russ Knotts tested mine and was going to replace them. I ended up just buying all new panels. Mine were made in 2000, and redone in 2021, so over 20 years old. They were original panels. I was just the 2nd owner.

My old panels never popped, but had lost some of their higher end. I thought they sounded great too, but once I got the new panels I was stunned at how much better they sounded. The Audyssey dsp was able to make the speakers sound good, but it was cutting down on the lower frequencies of my speakers to compensate for the loss in the high end. Much better volume too, and didn't have to drive the amp so hard.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Do you find that you have to turn the volume of your amp up pretty high to get a decent volume, or that the dsp sets the gain high on those speakers? My Prodigy speakers got to where they were down almost 10db, and one was down more than the other. Russ Knotts tested mine and was going to replace them. I ended up just buying all new panels. Mine were made in 2000, and redone in 2021, so over 20 years old. They were original panels. I was just the 2nd owner.

My old panels never popped, but had lost some of their higher end. I thought they sounded great too, but once I got the new panels I was stunned at how much better they sounded. The Audyssey dsp was able to make the speakers sound good, but it was cutting down on the lower frequencies of my speakers to compensate for the loss in the high end. Much better volume too, and didn't have to drive the amp so hard.

I didn't really notice a huge amount of volume difference between my MLs and my other sets of speakers, but I haven't owned these from new so it's tough for me to say exactly what they're supposed to sound like in mint condition.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

The deed is done, they look completely spotless front and back, no dirt or grime anywhere.

I added a little contact cement to the edges to fix the panels pulling apart as well. Either this fixes them or I've ruined everything.

 

[Robert D]

Not sure if that Simple Green is safe to use on those, since there is a special liquid applied to the film inside the panels and Im afraid that the cleaner might have washed off some of that. I hope it worked. I never tried it.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Not sure if that Simple Green is safe to use on those, since there is a special liquid applied to the film inside the panels and Im afraid that the cleaner might have washed off some of that. I hope it worked. I never tried it.

Well I don't think anything is really listed as "safe" to use, that includes water. A few other people have used it without issue as it is a natural cleaner and contains no solvents.

The panels are 20 years old and half working, I don't have a whole lot to lose really. Using hot water alone will remove dust but if you have any oils on the panel it won't do anything. The amount of grey water that came out of the bottoms was pretty bad, they were really dirty.

 

[Robert D]

Well I don't think anything is really listed as "safe" to use, that includes water. A few other people have used it without issue as it is a natural cleaner and contains no solvents.

The panels are 20 years old and half working, I don't have a whole lot to lose really. Using hot water alone will remove dust but if you have any oils on the panel it won't do anything. The amount of grey water that came out of the bottoms was pretty bad, they were really dirty.

I wasnt aware Simple Green had no solvents. I figured it was full of them. I use it to clean my electrostatic air cleaner. The water coming off is black. I dilute it quite a bit.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Well well well... Look who's back from the dead.

A good shower cleaning with some simple green and distilled water did wonders! I thought my records were just really dirty, turns out the speaker was instead, I have zero pops and cracks anymore.

The only thing I'd be extra careful of is how bad the ESL panels want to split apart, I used zip ties to hold mine together as most of the tape around the sides wasn't really doing anything. The top and bottom were still very well adhered though so not the end of the world. The wood trim actually clamps the 2 stators together anyway.

This was an overwhelming success. Another thing people should check while you have the speakers apart is how sealed the woofer cabinet is. My woofer isn't sealed up at all and is super spongy, fixing this should also clean up the bass department.

 

[Robert D]

Well well well... Look who's back from the dead.

A good shower cleaning with some simple green and distilled water did wonders! I thought my records were just really dirty, turns out the speaker was instead, I have zero pops and cracks anymore.

The only thing I'd be extra careful of is how bad the ESL panels want to split apart, I used zip ties to hold mine together as most of the tape around the sides wasn't really doing anything. The top and bottom were still very well adhered though so not the end of the world. The wood trim actually clamps the 2 stators together anyway.

This was an overwhelming success. Another thing people should check while you have the speakers apart is how sealed the woofer cabinet is. My woofer isn't sealed up at all and is super spongy, fixing this should also clean up the bass department.

View attachment 22504

Well, thats great. You saved a lot of $$. So it sounds like the Simple Green did not take off the coating. Do you have more volume now too?

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Well, thats great. You saved a lot of $$. So it sounds like the Simple Green did not take off the coating. Do you have more volume now too?

No harm done whatsoever, they even look a lot more transparent. I'm sure I picked up some volume after the wash, I'll have to do a better test when I hook them back up to my big tube amps this week.

 

[Robert D]

No harm done whatsoever, they even look a lot more transparent. I'm sure I picked up some volume after the wash, I'll have to do a better test when I hook them back up to my big tube amps this week.

Glad I kept my old Prodigy panels. Always good to have a backup. If needed, I could try washing them.

What dilution of Simple Green did you use?

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

Glad I kept my old Prodigy panels. Always good to have a backup. If needed, I could try washing them.

What dilution of Simple Green did you use?

I didn't dilute it, I setup both panels against the shower wall and gave them a good soaking straight from the bottle front and back. I let them sit for a minute or so to get the cleaner do its work then thoroughly washed them off. After washing them with the shower water I sprayed them down really good with distilled water and then vacuumed them off.

 

[Big Dog RJ]

G'day maties, trust everyone's enjoying their Easter break.

Was wondering whether to place this in another thread but thought I'd just post here since it's a small topic.

That being, vacuum cleaning; last night I heard some very minor rustling noises coming from both the panels on the mids & highs sections of my CLX's. I noticed this only when pressing my ear to the panels, so it's not noticeable from the listening seat. I thought now what... not those small signal tubes again, which I just replaced last month. So I got the powerful Miele vacuum cleaner out, set on high suction she went...
Nice! Collected this little fluff ball of fur along with a few dead wings from flies, mossies and so on... damn! What a beautiful thing!

Now the CLX's are singing sweetly, and no noises at all, ears pressed or not.

I've noticed a few flying insects flying directly into the panels and hearing a sharp zap! Not sure what happened there but later a few wings left in the panels perforated holes. So obviously when this residue collects with dust, no wonder it causes different tunes!

I usually vacuum at least once a month and kind of forgot to do this since Feb... and so this fluff ball was collected from just one speaker!

So make sure those panels are regularly vacuumed as well.
Cheers, and enjoy those fine tunes!
RJ

 

[Tosh]

Yerp! Vacuum often! Put on your magnifiers so you can see what you're doing.

I've seen my Ascenti panel have visible tiny sparking from a bug landing on it. No damage so far, but it is bug season again. Plus the spider droppings from above are worse than vaporized bug, so I have a cardboard brim over one speaker....

 

[Martynka]

Hi,

I'm new owners of CLS I. I decided to clean my stators, mean time I restored wooden frame. Now I have beautifull natural rosewood only with wax.

After 3 days after shower cleaning and I assembled everything ... :

- high tones are bright and shining - WOW !
- midle tones are full range and dynamic
- higher bas is like was

but

- low bas start buzzing.

In both panels the same. Buzzing like distorsion. In both from the same side - right, wires side. Sounds like loosen panels. Both panels play louder than before cleaning. Maybe it is becouse of wet ??

I tried hair dryer on both sides of panels but without any result.

Should I start count my money or stay and wait few days more ??

Regards
Marcin

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

It would be odd that washing the panels caused buzzing. There isn't any electronics in the panels, just steel, mylar and some foam.

When you unplug the speakers from the wall while they're playing does the buzzing go away? Is it the same level in both speakers? Have you tried swapping equipment?

 

[Martynka]

It would be odd that washing the panels caused buzzing.

For me too. I understand in one, but in both, the same resonance level, in both the same buzzing panel side, in the same volume level and frequencies.

Yes, I tried to move it on side and forward. , it's no metter, still the same, like frame play with stators.

I checked foil, looks like new and now I can see other side

 

[Martynka]

I found a problem, the solution will be more difficult but I will try before I send the panels back to re-foil.


This resonance sound goes from tape on back side of panel. In CLS bass section is glued with tape to panel and part of tape is loosen.

in both the same. Glue is stil like glue but I need to separate front panel and use rubber roller, but it will be in another thread.

 

[Mirolab]

A few years ago I washed my old SL3 panels and while it restored them to maybe 80%, one of them did acquire an occasional buzz that i believe was due to the adhesives of the foam separators deteriorating. Spraying water in there created some gaps or loose spots, and certain frequencies would excite a buzz. It was only occasional on loud music, but finally, about a year ago, I got new panels from ML, and now my SL3's are good as new! Maybe even better with the new panels. I bought some new X-over caps too, but haven't installed them yet.