How often do you clean cables? And which types do you clean most often?


So, how often do you clean your cables? Such as with Deoxit or other cleaning solution?
- weekly?
- monthly?
- annually?
- other?
- never?

And do some types of cables benefit more than others from cleaning? I'm thinking analog cables such as interconnects and speaker cables might need cleaning more often than digital cables such as coax and USB. What's your experience here?

Also, when you clean cables, do you also clean the connectors on the units? Such as RCA or speaker outputs and inputs?

Lastly, for now, I mentioned Deoxit among cleaning solutions. If you do clean cables, what are your favorite products and why?

Dave, who also wonders if cleaning matters less or is simply more difficult with XLR jacks and connectors
128x128sun-warrior
You have to be friggin' kidding me....even the subject of connector cleaning brings the ABX trolls out from under the bridge?

Why do you care?


bcowen, nope, not trolling. Here is some background for you to understand my posts. randy-11and I have an ongoing debate in regards to how to set up systems. He insists that people who recommend aftermarket cables should do ABX testing because he thinks their conclusions are tainted by confirmation bias. I believe he also suspects the motives of reviewers such as myself. I am asking whether he applies his own methods to himself.

I think it would be inconsistent if a person recommended a treatment like Deoxit or construction such as gold terminations based on their listening impressions or received wisdom, not having conducted ABX testing, yet ridiculed others for not doing ABX testing when they offer their listening impressions/conclusions with cables.

BTW, I picked up some contact cleaner, sorry not Deoxit - so I hope the efficacy of cleaning contacts is not reduced to Deoxit brand only - and I will try it. That is the opposite of a troll. I'm showing by my actions that I will not condemn a treatment or method (within reason, of course; I don't want to spent time on sea shells or plastic clocks placed on gear), though I have done many over the years and almost universally the inexpensive tweaks are truly a waste of time and money. At the moment the only cheap tweak I still use consistently is placement of hockey pucks under speakers and subwoofers occasionally. If the contact cleaner is efficacious I will admit it.

I didn't learn how much difference cables make by sitting on my ass and laughing at those who use them. That's what I call trolling. I am showing by example how a person deals with recommendations, even ones which seem laughable; you get off your ass and try it. Imo, the biggest thing stopping half the audiophile community is their death grip on their wallet.



@douglas_schroeder "...the only cheap tweak I still use consistently is placement of hockey pucks under speakers and subwoofers..."

My understanding is that particular tweak is effective only with music from Canadian artists. However, there are so many good to excellent musicians and singers from Canada, it's probably worth it.
@ randy-11 "Golden Retriever slobber will work wonders..."

It would seem, from that comment, that you have little to no experience with Golden Retrievers. I say that for two key reasons:
* Goldens do not tend to "slobber"
* Goldens are friendly to all

Please correct me if I'm wrong. Do you have a Golden Retriever? And if so, do you let him or her near your audio system?

Dave, who says his dogs know not to go near the equipment