{"title":"Cleaning \u0026 Care","description":"\u003cp\u003eA system ages quietly. Contacts oxidise, surfaces collect dust and, over time, a subtle unrest can settle over the sound. It often goes unnoticed because it appears gradually. Care is the quiet answer to this. It helps keep the system in the condition it was built for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this category, you will find our solutions for cleaning and care. Our contact cleaner ensures clean, stable connections, because every contact in the chain is also a transition point. Our surface care and disc treatment look after media and component housings, while the DE-2 demagnetiser frees CDs and components from subtle disturbances that can accumulate over time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe benefit is rarely loud, but it is reliable. Harshness gives way to a smoother presentation, voices and instruments gain finer detail, and bass gains contour. Care is not tuning in the grand sense. It is the simple foundation that allows everything else to continue working as it should.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","products":[{"product_id":"de2-cd-conditioner","title":"DE2 CD Conditioner","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe CD conditioner DE-2 reduces magnetism, electrostatic charge and material tension.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nFor CDs, DVDs and cables.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe DE 2 represents the essence of more than 25 years of development experience in accessories for electronic devices for music reproduction.\u003cbr \/\u003e\n\u0026quot;Demagnetizer\u0026quot;... that may sound a bit mystical. But what matters in the end is only the musical impression. You should feel comfortable listening to music through your home stereo. You can contribute to this feeling of well-being through the consistent use of the DE 2.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nA CD that has been demagnetized with the DE 2 is reproduced with greater acoustic transparency, a smoother presentation and an altogether greater sonic reality. Digital sharpness disappears and the musical action gains emotional conviction.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nWith the sum of all these qualities, the DE 2 justifies the extra effort before listening to your favorite recordings.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nTruly convincing music reproduction can only come from optimal detail solutions for the entire playback chain, and the DE 2 contributes to this in a subtle yet important way at the very beginning of your playback chain.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nThe single knob on the top of the unit controls all functions. No other controls are required.","brand":"Stein Music","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40549592662177,"sku":"","price":498.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3186\/3969\/products\/Produkt_miniatur_de2.jpg?v=1765548993"},{"product_id":"cd-plus","title":"CD Plus","description":"\u003cp\u003eCD Plus is a treatment for the readable surface of optical discs. It safely removes production residue and applies an anti-reflective layer that helps the laser read the disc\u0026#39;s information without error.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Stein Music","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40549598003361,"sku":"10001","price":38.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3186\/3969\/products\/Produkt_miniatur_cdplus.jpg?v=1765548872"},{"product_id":"contact-clear-system","title":"Contact Clear System","description":"\u003cp\u003eSteinmusic Contact Clear is a system for cleaning and stabilizing contact transitions. It improves the transmission qualities of audio and video signals to an unimagined degree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eContact Clear\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSteinmusic Contact Clear is a system for cleaning and stabilizing contact transitions.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nIt improves the transmission qualities of audio and video signals to an unprecedented degree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eApplication\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe contacts are thoroughly cleaned with the cleaner and dry cleaned.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nFor this purpose, a standard kitchen cloth is suitable together with the enclosed cleaners.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nIn the second step, when the contacts are completely dry again, a small amount of\u003cbr \/\u003e\nSteinmusic Contact Fluid from the brush screw bottle evenly on the contacts.\u003cbr \/\u003e\napplied to the contacts. Steinmusic Contact Fluid should be applied to all contacts in a system:\u003cbr \/\u003e\nStarting with the pickup connections, all cynch connectors and ending with the\u003cbr \/\u003e\nspeaker terminals. Even the treatment of the power plugs is clearly audible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eLong-term stability\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSteinmusic Contact Fluid is non-aggressive, non-volatile and temperature stable up to 300\u0026deg;C.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nIts effect is therefore maintained for a long time.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nWe recommend re-treatment after 8 to 12 months.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nSteinmusic Contact Fluid develops its full effect only about 24 hours after treatment.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nof the contacts\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eHazard warnings\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe cleaner is flammable. Steinmusic Contact Fluid is neutral and non-toxic, but must not be\u003cbr \/\u003e\nheated above\u003cbr \/\u003e\n350\u0026deg;C to be heated. Therefore, please keep away from tobacco products!\u003cbr \/\u003e\nNever work on equipment that is switched on! At tube bases can even long after the\u003cbr \/\u003e\nSwitched off still a life-threatening high voltage present.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nPlease consult a specialist here!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eApplication and mode of action of Steinmusic Contact Fluid in detail:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe problem with contact transitions is that never the entire surface of the contacts.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nlies against each other and is thus available to the flow of current.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nPoints that do not conduct perfectly conclusively create distortion in the music signal.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nIf there is also a film of dirt on the contact surfaces, it even comes to semiconductor effects.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nThat is why a thorough cleaning is essential.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nBut this still does not solve the problem of the only unreliably conducting segments of the\u003cbr \/\u003e\ncontact surfaces solved.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nFor this purpose, Steinmusic Contact Fluid is now used.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nIt consistently isolates all areas that do not have 100% contact; the result is a\u003cbr \/\u003e\nclearly more natural sound image, respectively, a cleaner image, if you use it in the video area\u003cbr \/\u003e\nuse.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nTip: Try Steinmusic Contact Clear on the signal plug of your computer.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nMonitor. The picture will be visibly better, smoother and less fatigue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eTubes\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSteinmusic Contact Clear is also ideally suited due to its excellent temperature stability.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nfor use on tube contacts.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nPlease observe the hazard warnings of the device manufacturers when dealing with high voltages.\u003cbr \/\u003e\nGenerally, you should only lightly coat the tube pins with Steinmusic Contact Fluid, but do not treat the\u003cbr \/\u003e\nbases but do not treat. In case of doubt, please consult your dealer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Stein Music","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40549598036129,"sku":"10000","price":118.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3186\/3969\/products\/Produkt_miniatur_contactclear.jpg?v=1765548869"},{"product_id":"maestro-lacquer","title":"Maestro Laquer","description":"\u003cp\u003eMaestro lacquer is a unique surface treatment with resonance-controlling properties. Use Maestro lacquer on speakers, cables and electronics and the sound will be more natural, open, subtle and colorful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMaestro Varnish\u003cbr \/\u003e\nMaestro Varnish is a natural resin varnish with very special properties, optimized for coating loudspeaker cones and electronic devices for music reproduction. Mechanical resonances of any body are reflected at its interfaces. If you change the top layer by applying Maestro varnish, it is able to imprint its sound character on the coated part. Please note the fundamental difference to concepts that aim to achieve a better sound by damping: With damping, you can reduce the amplitude of an unwanted resonance, but you also always change the quality of this resonance peak, which thus becomes wider. That makes itself acoustically again quite unpleasantly noticeable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMaestro Varnish\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHow does it work? As already described, this varnish changes the resonance behavior of what was painted. What effect does this have in relation to hi-fi equipment? Most plausible seems an effect on mechanical systems such as speakers, turntables and also microphones, since here mechanical resonances have a directly apparent influence on the music signal. These mechanical resonances make up the inherent sound of the part under consideration, which you can direct in a positive direction by coating it with Maestro Lacquer. The same is true for active and passive electronic components, all of which are microphonic. The inherent sound they produce when excited to mechanical vibrations, they thus transfer to the music signal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMaestro varnish in practice\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMaestro lacquer is a pure natural resin lacquer, with special optimized acoustic properties. It is produced in a complex process from the best raw materials, is non-conductive, fast drying, and easy to apply. Its consistency is such that in most cases you can use it directly as it is. Light moving parts, such as dome tweeters or foil speakers, should be painted only very thinly to avoid unnecessarily increasing the moving mass. In these cases, Maestro lacquer should be diluted 1:1 with mineral spirits, and only one coat applied. More solid parts require a thicker coat of varnish so that the effect of the varnish takes hold optimally. In principle, at least two coats of varnish should be applied here, whereby the first coat must be completely dry before the second is applied. This takes about half an hour at room temperature. Two things happen during curing: 1. the solvent evaporates.2. the coating polymerizes completely. This means that molecular chains are formed, whose structure is ultimately responsible for the resonance properties. The first process is already completed after about 15 minutes. You can put your device back into operation and already have a direct impression of the result. During the next 6 weeks, however, the characteristics of the coating will change completely. During this time, the sound image will change significantly several times, not always for the better in the short term. After that, the properties stabilize at a very high sound level. In the following we describe how you should proceed in order to achieve the best results with the least possible effort. Painting the cabinets will bring you a good deal further, but due to their large mass, it is correspondingly more time-consuming and expensive. We recommend that you fill the amount of paint you expect to need into the screw cap of a fizzy drink bottle. From there it can be processed well and diluted with spirit if necessary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMulti-way loudspeaker\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere, the cones are painted in the first place. Also those of the midrange and tweeter to achieve a positive overall sound character. The entire diaphragm should be painted from the visible side, including the dust cap (the cover of the voice coil in the center) but without the surround (the moving edge). Diaphragms made of polypropylene or metal should be painted twice thinly. The same applies to coated cardboard cones . On the other hand, woofers and midrange drivers made of open-pore paper are quite thirsty. Here you will need a somewhat larger amount of Maestro varnish. Dome tweeters should be varnished with a mixture of one part varnish and one part spirit. This only once thinly, in order not to increase the diaphragm mass unnecessarily. For this you should use the small brush from the bottle, and be careful to really only apply a thin layer. The bead should also be omitted here. It is the outer curved part of the membrane. On ring radiators like those made by Vifa and Scan Speak, the surround is much wider. It should be painted as well, since it is part of the diaphragm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eFull range loudspeaker\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSpeaker drivers with very light paper cones and high efficiency, such as Lowther, Fostex, Supravox or are not necessarily always candidates for further coating. If they are, they should be treated like tweeters to avoid unnecessarily increasing the diaphragm mass. Here it is necessary to find a reasonable middle ground between the positive sound characteristics that a coating with Maestro achieves and the \u0026ldquo;dynamic brake\u0026rdquo; of a higher diaphragm weight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eFoil loudspeaker and horn driver\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the meantime, foil speakers such as Magneplanar as well as horn drivers have also been coated with outstanding results. Here, too, the coating thickness should be very low.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eTurntables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother element in a HiFi system that directly involves mechanics is the turntable.varnishing of tonearm, platter and platter mat. Because of its large mass, the platter should be painted thickly and on both sides, while the platter mat and tonearm should be painted in two coats as usual. Extreme care should be taken with the system body to prevent paint from running into the system and gumming up the mechanics. The safest method here is to unscrew the headshell and paint with the needle pointing up. Headshell and connecting cable should be painted as well, without wetting the plug contacts. Painting a system is not witchcraft, but it does require some dexterity. And if you are unsure, it is better to do without the last little things before you destroy something.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMicrophones\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMicrophone housings also thank you for being painted. Here it looks like the extremely low mass of the actual diaphragm is permanently influenced by the resonance behavior of the housing, which is several dimensions heavier. Painting the diaphragm itself razor-thin is likely to be a hopeless endeavor that we cannot recommend. Electronic devices such as CD players, converters, pre- and power amplifiers, tuners and cassette decks or laser disc players\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003ePlease note:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIntervening in complex electronic devices should not be done without a basic knowledge of the internal relationships. Mains voltage can be life-threatening, and even if you have disconnected the mains plug, which is an absolute prerequisite for intervening in a device, capacitors in the device itself may still be charged. Therefore: Start such a project only if you know exactly what you are doing. Any intervention is at your own risk! If you are unsure, better leave this work to a dealer you trust or to us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eHow to use Maestro lacquer\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor electronic devices, the complete circuit board including all components should be painted. Plug contacts, open potentiometers, switches and all kinds of moving components that can stick together and then no longer function should not be painted. Components that get warm and need to dissipate their heat, as well as their heat sinks, should also not be painted. This also applies to tubes. PCBs in SMD technology are also grateful objects for a coating with Maestro lacquer. But even here there are components that get warm and have to dissipate their heat. These should be left out as far as possible to avoid heat accumulation. With a CD player, it also helps enormously to coat the drive as well. Please be careful not to get any splashes or fumes on the laser optics. You should mask these carefully beforehand. And, of course, make sure that no moving parts of the drive and carriage are glued. Please also try painting a CD on the label side. The effect is extraordinary, and especially very good to demonstrate if you have two identical CDs, one of which is not treated. Here you get the best results with\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Stein Music","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40549598134433,"sku":"10011","price":68.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3186\/3969\/products\/Produkt_miniatur_maestro.jpg?v=1765548865"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3186\/3969\/collections\/Produkt_miniatur_maestro.jpg?v=1782467548","url":"https:\/\/www.steinmusicstore.com\/collections\/cleaning-care.oembed","provider":"SteinMusic Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}