Monitor issues

J

Joshua42777

New member
I have an old pair of maudio dx4 monitors.
I have these connected to my 1st gen scarlet 2i2
For years they have a really loud static noise whenever I turn the volume knob.
Now when there is no signal going through them there is still noise. I thought it was just.
Is there an easy fix or is it time to retire these monitors.

Thanks!
--Joshua
 
Hi Joshua,
Welcome to HR!

If it started with scratchy volume pots, when operated, then constant noise developed it could be just the one problem.
If you're comfortable doing so it would be worth totally unplugging the speakers and getting some electrical contact cleaner into the volume pots, then working them back and forth until (hopefully) they clean up.

Ideally you'd do this from the back of the pot but if you aren't comfortable with disassembly, or they can't be disassembled,
you can set the monitor such that the pot faces the ceiling, take the plastic knob off, then spray just a little onto the shaft, turn back and forth a lot, + repeat a few times.
It might take a little longer and a bit more work but as long as some cleaner gets in there it'll do the same job, eventually.

Don't be tempted to use WD40 or anything you might find around the house. Anything but proper contact cleaner will make it worse in the long run.

Hope that's helpful. :)
 
Steenamaroo said:
If it started with scratchy volume pots, when operated, then constant noise developed it could be just the one problem.
If you're comfortable doing so it would be worth totally unplugging the speakers and getting some electrical contact cleaner into the volume pots, then working them back and forth until (hopefully) they clean up.
Ideally you'd do this from the back of the pot but if you aren't comfortable with disassembly, or they can't be disassembled, you can set the monitor such that the pot faces the ceiling, take the plastic knob off, then spray just a little onto the shaft, turn back and forth a lot, + repeat a few times.
It might take a little longer and a bit more work but as long as some cleaner gets in there it'll do the same job, eventually.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^What he said !
Steenamaroo said:
Don't be tempted to use WD40 or anything you might find around the house. Anything but proper contact cleaner will make it worse in the long run.
Click to expand...
Dang ! My guitar pick up changer lever has long been crackly so a month or so ago, I gave it a squirt of WD. It sorted the problem but I hope I haven't set myself on the road to perdition by doing that.:o:confused:
 
"Dang ! My guitar pick up changer lever has long been crackly so a month or so ago, I gave it a squirt of WD. It sorted the problem but I hope I haven't set myself on the road to perdition by doing that."

No Grim' you have not. I know WD-40 gets a bad rep but it has been used in the electronics industry for over 50yrs and never causes any problems. Unlike SOME early contact cleaners that melted the plastic switch matrix!

I know of a very experienced amp repair guy in Scotland that uses WD and I have used it for 40+yrs. The expensive modern De-fuxit stuff is no doubt better in some respects but in my exp' WD will never do harm.

Dave.
 
My experience is that it 'fixes' the problem while its wet, and leaves it worse than before when it's dry.
Use WD on your hinges and rusty locks. Use electrical contact cleaner/lubricant on electric contacts.
 
Joshua , I'm not seeing volume knobs on the DX4s' Are you talking about being noisy when turning the volume knob on your interface ?
 
Other sources of unattendended noise can come from dried out capacitors - if the noise is constant crackling and NOT from the volume controls, then could be this?
 
Agreed! The two biggest issue seem to be dirty pots and bad caps.

There have been a bunch of issues with bad capacitors over the years. They show up on computer motherboards, monitors, amps. Easy to spot, if you see a cap with a bulging top, its due for replacement. I just repaired a DVD recorder that wouldn't boot. A quick look and there were 3 caps with bulging tops. $8 on ebay and a few days later, I had it back running, and have a stash of about 25 spare caps for the next problem.

Years ago, I had a Sony receiver that would make all kinds of static and crackling noise when I turned it on. It gradually got worse until it was constant. Same issue... bad capacitors.
 
The very first thing , and the easiest I would check is the cables . PS.. We used wd40 in an automotive plant to clean oil and residue "off" of metal parts , and our hands. It has no lasting lubrication properties. It helps for loosening rust and removing moisture. Thus the name .. Water Displacement formula 40
 
If you look at the SDS of WD 40 it has <10% rust inhibitor and <10% lubricant. The majority is light hydrotreated aliphatic naphtha with about 25% propellant, which will evaporate. If you look at DeoxiT its mainly light naphtha with propellant and 5% proprietary corrosion inhibitor. Other than the lubricant, they are probably very similar. The DeoxiT might evaporated a little bit faster and cleaner.

The majority of the work in both is done by the naphtha flushing out any garbage to make the contacts work better. The extra little bit just inhibits the metal from oxidizing so easily.
 
TalismanRich said:
If you look at the SDS of WD 40 it has <10% rust inhibitor and <10% lubricant. The majority is light hydrotreated aliphatic naphtha with about 25% propellant, which will evaporate. If you look at DeoxiT its mainly light naphtha with propellant and 5% proprietary corrosion inhibitor. Other than the lubricant, they are probably very similar. The DeoxiT might evaporated a little bit faster and cleaner.

The majority of the work in both is done by the naphtha flushing out any garbage to make the contacts work better. The extra little bit just inhibits the metal from oxidizing so easily.
Click to expand...

Thank Tee' I have had this discussion scores of times over the Net. Like the bumble bee that theoretically should not fly, WD's detractors tell me how it should not work but over 50 yrs in the service game it just bloody does!

The naysayers don't have to use it.

Dave.
 
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