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Thread: Cleaning my Pins

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default Cleaning my Pins

    Over the last few years I have noticed that cleaning my contacts and valve pins has made a definite improvement especially the contacts on my volume controls. I have also cleaned switches with electrical cleaner and had dramatic results. I did clean my fuse caps in the consumer unit and other plugs but heard no difference. However the other day I read an article about a music journalist who had a chap come round and clean all his plug pins with a very noticeable effect.

    I was a bit sceptical of this but decided to have a go myself and decided to use Autosol. The visual difference before and after was massive but the audible difference was also surprising. It improved the sound of my system noticeably, not as great as the volume control contacts but still enough to make the exercise worthwhile. It cost me nothing other than half an hour elbow grease. I thought about it afterwards and have come to the conclusion that very dirty contacts anywhere in the system must degrade the electrical connections and therefore degrade the sound to a greater or lesser degree depending where the contacts are in the system. I did not think mains plug contacts would make a difference but they do.

    [IMG]IMG_0005 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/162281319@N03/][/IMG]
    [IMG]IMG_0004 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/162281319@N03/][/IMG]
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  2. #2
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Good stuff James...

    Been using Autosol to clean mains pins for years and its brilliant stuff.
    After using it I de-grease the pins using this stuff and apply Caigs De-Oxit Gold One of those tweaks you don't do often but worth doing.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

  3. #3
    Join Date: Sep 2014

    Location: brighton uk.

    Posts: 4,737
    I'm jamie.

    Default

    ah but did you do the contacts that the pins go in as well???
    My System
    John Wood KT88 Amp.
    Paradise Phono Stage
    Sony TTS-8000 Turntable.
    PMAT-1010 MK6 Tonearm.
    Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
    Sony X555ES Cd Player
    Yamaha NS1000m Speakers

  4. #4
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Much Wenlock

    Posts: 1,522
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jamie123 View Post
    ah but did you do the contacts that the pins go in as well???
    Shocking idea ��

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default

    Obviously I have not been thorough enough! Need to get some of that De-Oxit gold!
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2018

    Location: Brighton

    Posts: 47
    I'm Jason.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jamie123 View Post
    ah but did you do the contacts that the pins go in as well???
    It’s not as silly as it sounds! Although it’s far easier and safer just to replace the socket.

    I have come across sockets that have tested 5 Ohms higher via the plug than the terminations on the rear of the socket. The cause; a combination of age (unbelievably they were >25 years old) and environment.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Silver plated switch-less sockets for the win
    (highly recommended folks btw)

    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

  8. #8
    Join Date: Sep 2014

    Location: brighton uk.

    Posts: 4,737
    I'm jamie.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by blackmetalboon View Post
    It’s not as silly as it sounds! Although it’s far easier and safer just to replace the socket.

    I have come across sockets that have tested 5 Ohms higher via the plug than the terminations on the rear of the socket. The cause; a combination of age (unbelievably they were >25 years old) and environment.
    its not silly at all,theres no point going to the trouble of cleaning the pins if the sockets are dirty is there?
    if you can change a plug then you can change the wall socket face plate.
    please remember to turn off the power at the consumer unit though!!

    i bought a while back an old olson extension block,it was as dirty as hell,i spent a few hours taking it apart and cleaning/polishing the contacts and was amazed at the sonic difference.
    My System
    John Wood KT88 Amp.
    Paradise Phono Stage
    Sony TTS-8000 Turntable.
    PMAT-1010 MK6 Tonearm.
    Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
    Sony X555ES Cd Player
    Yamaha NS1000m Speakers

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gazjam View Post
    Silver plated switch-less sockets for the win
    (highly recommended folks btw)

    All sockets are switch less silver plated.
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    All sockets are switch less silver plated.

    Ah ha...!

    Silver oxides a good conductor, listen to more music instead.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

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