My rack is solid cherry, and the back of it was exposed to sunlight from a window, and it turned darker. Some of my speakers have cherry veneer, but they haven't been exposed to sunlight, and have not changed any. |
Hi Gthirteen, hi Carl, This may seem silly, but you could cover the part of the speaker that was exposed and leave the other part in the same position for the same length of time. Maybe that would even things out a bit. Is it possible it was there to begin with and you didn't take it out of the foam base to inspect it. If so, return them to the dealer as defective. I have had my B&W 805's for about 3 weeks and am very happy. I was primarily compromising for aesthetic reasons when buying them and am pleasantly surprised. They are a bit polite for my taste, but superb at anything with acoustic instruments and voices. What do you think of yours? let us know how it turns out with the finish. |
yES, CARL, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT THE COLOR DARKENED TO A POINT, AND THEN STOPPED (INDICATING THAT if I leave the colored part Uncovered, the color would even out with time) or continued to darke over time (which would mean that if I do not cover the colored part that there would always be a difference in color) ? That is the question....any thoughts???? |
BMPNYC, as indicated in my original posting, that is precisely what I have done, any thoughts on the part of the original posting that is pointed out to be the question?? thanks. |
Some of my furniture (not stereo related)is made of solid cherry with no veneer. I have had them over 3 years. Cherry does darken over time and should reach 70-80% of it's final color within 6-8 months depending on air, sunlight, etc. Afterwards it darkens more slowly and will reach it's final color within 2 years. That's what the manufacturer told me and that's been my experience. So, no cherry does not darken forever, and it does darken faster in the beginning. Just remember my experience is not with veneer. I also want to add one thing. Being that my furniture includes end tables, where various knick-knacks covered parts of the pieces. Sometimes I didn't move things around for weeks and never found "tan lines." Therefore as BMPNYC pointed out maybe they were there to begin with. It would seem that one week with no sunlight would not be enough time to cause "tan lines." I don't know if this info helps or adds more to you dilema. Anyway, good luck. |
G, How is the "cover-up" working?, ( or is it too soon to tell?). I think that there may have been something in shipping, (heat perhaps?), that may have caused a chemical rection with the styrofoam and created the "tan lines". I think you should exchange them. B&W will find a way to fix or use the returned speakers. Why should you spend thousands of dollars, and not be satisfied? have you tried any type of mild cleanser or polish? If you tried it I don't think it will void your warranty. Maybe you might consider trying B&W customer service. They responded quickly to some of my inquiries. |
Thanks, all. I believe that the tan lines were made in my living room, The curtains were drawn, but (I did not mention this before) they are pretty flimsy, and white to boot. I'll give it a week in the same conditions, if it doesnt correct itself, I'll talk to B&W. Right now I have newsapers wrapped around them, and in it's design, at least, my solution seems to be ok. Today I am going to buy some posterboard and use that, as I can just see Murphy's Law kicking in, and the text from the newspaper being burned into my veneer. Unlikely, but perhaps possible. Thanks again, HEY P_MMK, when you moved the knic knacks on your table, did the marks ever go away??? |
I have Avalon Eclipse speakers in quilted cherry. I've had them for about 4 years and they, of course, have darkened. To my eyes -- and those of friends who periodically visit -- the color has remained the same for the last two years. Natural cherry reaches such a beautiful color and richness when exposed to direct and indirect sunlight! My recommendation is to open the shades and allow all parts of the wood to get exposed. At first the direct sunlight will darken areas a little faster, but with time the color will match nicely. Also, been watching my friend's Quilted cherry Avalons go from light to dark with time. Beautiful to watch the transformation. I agree with P_mmk, in about 2 years they will be as dark as they will ever get (as long as they see some indirect sunlight everyday). Good luck! |
I have red cherry N801's and they also darkened over time. To help you even out the color, I use Pledge polish which comes in a yellow trigger spray bottle. The product is a wax free pump spray(non-aerosol) and contains silicone polishing agents instead of wax so it can be used regularly. The shine on the finish will deepen each time you use it. Apply with a very soft cloth turning the cloth frequently. Do not touch the polish or the rag accidentally to the drivers. The red finish on my 801's looks outstanding. Visitors compliment on their beautiful appearance regularly. |
The different experiences with cherry darkening that people have had may have to do with how fresh the wood was when it was made into the box or veneer, and how much light exposure it got before it even got to the speaker company. I agree with greysquirrel. About two years should complete any significant darkening (I think it's UV that does it), based on some furniture I made. It's a natural and beautiful process. If the wood is fairly fresh, the process moves fast, and it wouldn't surprise me if one week produced a tan line. I don't blame you for trying to even up the tan line, but after that I'd say leave the wood alone. Don't color it with polish or anything. Just enjoy the process -- it's a gorgeous wood. |
Does anyone have a good tricks for evening out slight scratches or dings in a cherry finish? Generally speaking, all good woods seem to benefit from a little maintenance, but I'm a little wary about what to unleash here. Any suggestions? |
Thanks, everyone... Mezmo, I recently used a wood scratch repair kit on my floor. Basically it is 3 or 4 crayons ( a little softer than I remember) one is pretty clear, one is light tan, one is light brown, one is dark brown. You just rub the crayon across the scratch, and it fills in the valley. Then you take a little scraper(included) and wipe it down the length of the scratch, to take off the excess. Then use a soft cotton cloth to buff it untill you cant even see it. I'm no wood expert, but it's only wax...and it works pretty good on relatively small scratches, I dunno about dings. I got mine at Lowe's hardware store. Good luck!!! |
I've had cherry 805s for about 4 months and only recently noticed the finish was becoming darker and more beautiful. I'm very pleased with these speakers. |
When I add a center channel speaker in a month or two, I assume it will be a few months lighter than my mains. Will they eventually reach a final shade and stay that way, or is the center channel doomed to always be a little lighter than the shade of the mains? |
Bmpnyc, since the darkening process slows down over time, your new center channel speaker should catch up. No guarantee on the final match, however, since we're dealing with a natural material. Different trees, different varieties from different regions, different species -- all can produce differences in grain and color. Chances are the match will be very close. If not, you just enjoy it with pride as a "feature", not a flaw! It's an interesting contrast to the precision and consistency we want from our sound systems. |
Thanks chungjc, Intersting observation, it took me a couple of days to accept that the particular grain pattern of my speakers was "mine" and not defective because of its'"imperfections". I sure get picky these days, but I guess that is OK when spending 2-3k. |
Yeh, bmp, imperfections -- quirks -- give the wood character. Just like quirks can give character to music-- but not music reproduction systems. -------- Mezmo, for a light scratch, the crayon thing should hide it well. Or rub in some oil-based pigment, like what comes in tubes for oil painting, or is lying at the bottom of a can of oil-based wood finish before you stir it up. You could rub in some matching penetrating oil-based finish with fine steel wool to smooth out the scratch a little, but if you're new at this test your technique and aptitude on a non-critical area first. If your ding is a dent, you can raise the surface of the dent by laying a damp facecloth over it and applying heat with an iron -- IF it's SOLID wood. If it's veneer, I'd be afraid of loosening the glue. Try on a dented scrap of wood first to decide if you want to proceed with the real goods. |
Thanks for the scratch and dent fixit tips, all. Very helpful. I'm talking the veneer on some Thiels. I asked the folks down at Thiel what they thought, and figured to add their reply to the discussion as well, so here's the official line: "Natural cherry is tough to touch up. Depending upon the severity of the damage, you may be able to cover it up with a little lacquer. I can have some sent to you if you want to try. We recommend using Endust to care for the finish of the speakers. It is a cleaner that does not contain any silicones or waxes. We do not recommend polishes that contain silicones or wax as they will eventually dull the top coat." Thanks again. |
