Topic: Need help cleaning dirty mics and capsules - AKG C480Bs

[laptaper]

Hey all, so I've got a bit of an emergency here. Not emergency as in needs to be done right now, but as in omg definitely needs to be done.  My mics have been lying fallow in a pelican case for a few years and when I brought them out of retirement recently to tape a local show recently, I noticed the foam padding was all rotted and falling to pieces. What I didn't notice until today was how much of that sticky junk had gotten onto my microphones and into my capsules. I called Land Audio in Tennessee because they've done good work on my AKGs before, they told me based on my description that it would take about an hour to clean each capsule and each mic and at $95 an hour that's nearly 800 bucks. I was wondering if you all could give me tips on how I could do it safely myself so I don't have to cough up an arm and leg. Here's some pictures of the capsules - the microphone themselves seem to be clean inside, just sticky on the outside. Thanks in advance for any help.

[laptaper]

Okay, for some reason the files I attached didn't show up.Trying again.

[rocksuitcase]

Caig DeOxit *might* do for the connectors and threads. But, the stuff on the metal mesh part of the capsules looks like you cannot use Deoxit on that portion.
There is stuff named BluTack which I used to use to clean remote controls and such. It is sort of like silly putty but with a plasticy adhesive which allows you to suck out dirt from around the buttons, etc. BUT, those are not AKG microphones.
Damn, that is some goey looking stuff.

[jefflester]

Not so sure about solvent-wise after, but I would certainly take a pair of tweezers and pluck all pieces.

Then maybe swab with isopropyl?

[GLouie]

Is the mesh fabric or metal?
I am no expert, but have used pure ethyl alcohol to remove that gooey foam rot. However, it can also remove some paint and lettering. I have no idea if that AKG item can handle that or not.

Also, I'd want to try removing the outer grille housing from the diaphram assembly to clean it. This may not be practical without special tools and training. The mesh is especially problematic. External cleaning with fluids could dribble onto the diaphram unless you remove it. Even careful wiping, plucking and Q-tips on the outside could be risky, depending on the chemicals. But you may be stuck with that.

I think someone could easily spend 4+ hours on each capsule doing this kind of cleaning. $95 a capsule might be worth it, if they'll get them completely clean and undamaged.

I feel for you, I've also had some foam rot problems. PSA: everyone look through your polyurethane foam cases AND windscreens for foam rot. I think it can happen at any time after a few years, depending on the foam manufacturing. When it starts losing springiness and gets a bit tacky, time to toss it and replace it. (The stiffer polyethylene foam seems more stable)

[unclehoolio]

No guarantee that the mesh screen on the capsule has prevented micro-particles of disintegrated foam from getting onto the diaphragms inside the capsules.  Plus, the akg capsules have a foam resonance dampening disc inside of them made of the same open cell foam as your pelican case, and thus also subject to that same degradation and shedding all over the inside of the capsule.  I sent all my ck6# caps (6 pairs total) and bodies to Richard for cleaning and repair, and I think it was well worth it.  I do not recommend sending your gear to AKG for service, my experience is that the quality of their service and repairs amounts to a waste of $$.