CLEAN your VINYL RIG

DARTH AUDIO · « **on:** 14 Jun 2005, 02:38 pm »

If you have a vinyl rig and you haven't demagnetized your cartridge you are missing SOOOOO much music. I thought my system was sluggish and was thinking of replacing some components because of it. I happened to be @ Music Direct buying some analog supplies when I mentioned my situation to Bes (very helpful sales guy and great to deal with). Bes asked if I had Demaged my cartridge. My answer was NO.. I went home and demaged my cartridge and WOW!!!!!!! My whole system became clearer, more focused. Everything got better. "The effects...were not subtle...transient attacks are better articulated...instruments display greater air and focus, resulting in a greater sense of space."
It's as if 5 layers of veils were lifted from my system. This is a great investment. Give this a shot!! You won't be sorry.

Less Expensive way:
http://www.amusicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?cat=&sku=ACAR08
More Expensive way:
http://www.musicalsurroundings.com/aesthx3.html

woodsyi · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Jun 2005, 02:52 pm »

Good call.

I got my one cart used and thought it may need servicing. Then I read your post and ordered both the Cardas Sweep Record and the Benz Aesthetix demagnetizer. I got them yesterday, ran the sweep once and demag, twice.

A must! Thanx.

meby · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Jun 2005, 03:15 pm »

Van Den Hul and the importer of Shelter cartridges both say demaging with a machine like Benz can damage your MC cartridge. Van Den Hul will even void your warranty and not perform any updates on a cartridge that has been demaged.

woodsyi · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Jun 2005, 03:31 pm »

Well, they sure worked good on my Koetsu. I am sure it will be fine on my Ruby when I get to it. I wonder if it somehow messes with the magnets. It does say it is for moving coils, which still have magnets.......

meby · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Jun 2005, 03:56 pm »

Van Den Hul has a white paper that I read a while back that says it effects the magnets. I have heard from other people though that it is the type of metal that Van Den Hul uses for his cartridges and that other cartridges may not be damaged. I did not know who to believe, so I called the importer for Shelter because I have a 501 mkii and he recommended that I bot do it with a machine. So I have stuck with the Cardas sweep record.

DARTH AUDIO · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Jun 2005, 04:10 pm »

I use both and haven't had a problem. I have a ZYX cartridge. I use the Cardas Sweep before every extended listening session. BTW, I had a buddy over to hear my system( he's heard it many times before) after I demaged it and he thought I bought some new peice of equipment..

It is that good.. My system never sounded better. Vinyl & Tubes.. Match made in Heaven!!!!

electricbear · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Jun 2005, 08:19 pm »

If you have a Grado cartridge don't try to de-mag it as it will ruin it.

claud · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Jun 2005, 10:23 pm »

Cardas sweep fan here. If I had a dog instead of a cat, the sweep LP would have him howling.

nathanm · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Jun 2005, 10:33 pm »

Do you guys notice that once that Cardas sweep hits a certain frequency it does not seem to change pitch at all for a few seconds and then fades out, or is it just me? Like around 10-12K (guessing) it seems the pitch stops rising. Hmmm.

orthobiz · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 02:17 am »

OK, so playing a record with certain tones on it demagnetizes the cartridge? How??????

biz

orthobiz · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 02:21 am »

And will the Aesthetix ABCD-1 work on my MM Linn Adikt? Or is it for moving coils only?

biz

meby · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Jun 2005, 03:11 am »

MC only, it will damage an MM cart

orthobiz · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Jun 2005, 12:05 am »

But the sweep record is OK for MM cartridges? And how does it work again?

biz

andyr · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Jun 2005, 12:16 pm »

Quote from: woodsyi

Well, they sure worked good on my Koetsu. I am sure it will be fine on my Ruby when I get to it. I wonder if it somehow messes with the magnets. It does say it is for moving coils, which still have magnets.......

Nono! It won't work on your Ruby! Why you say? (as did I ... I faithfully used my Sumiko Fluxbuster on my Ruby for several years until I found out that, because the Benz Ruby/Ruby2/Ruby3/Ebony use a former made out of ruby - not iron (hence the name!) - it doesn't get magnetised!

Regards,

Andy

orthobiz · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Jun 2005, 02:15 pm »

But the sweep record is OK for MM cartridges? And how does it work again?

biz

andyr · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 12:42 am »

Quote from: orthobiz

But the sweep record is OK for MM cartridges? And how does it work again?

biz

Sorry, biz,

I have no idea how the sweep record works (although, yes, like many people I rushed out and bought one when it was released!

).

However, if it actually DOES do something for MC cartridges with iron formers, I would suspect it might NOT be good for an MM.

Regards,

Andy

DARTH AUDIO · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 04:26 am »

Andy, to demag your cartridge play side one tracks 2a, 2b and 2c. That's it. The rest of the album is set up and burn-in. I use it evertime I'm going to have a long listening session. Hope this helps.

andyr · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 07:35 am »

Quote from: DARTH AUDIO

Andy, to demag your cartridge play side one tracks 2a, 2b and 2c. That's it. The rest of the album is set up and burn-in. I use it evertime I'm going to have a long listening session. Hope this helps.

Darth,

Yes, I can read the track descriptions. However, for any of the Benz 'Ruby' cartridges, using the LP to "demagnetise" the former on which the coils are wound ... ain't gonna do anything, coz this former is not made of iron - like most MC cartridges - but ruby (hence it doesn't get magnetised!).

I believe Cardas claims that the signal from these tracks also "degausses" the rest of the signal chain (he means the wires, I guess?) and therefore makes the music system sound better ... I have no idea whether this is true or not.

Regards,

Andy

Carlman · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 Jun 2005, 01:37 pm »

Quote from: andyr

Darth,

Yes, I can read the track descriptions. However, for any of the Benz 'Ruby' cartridges, using the LP to "demagnetise" the former on which the coils are wound ... ain't gonna do anything, coz this former is not made of iron - like most MC cartridges - but ruby (hence it doesn't get magnetised!).

I believe Cardas claims that the signal from these tracks also "degausses" the rest of the signal chain (he means the wires, I guess?) and therefore makes the music system sound better ... I have no idea whether this is true or not.

Regards,

Andy

I've used a 'system degaussing' cd on my system before and it did make a temporary improvement to the overall sound quality. It's basically a huge sweep that supposedly 'demagnetizes' or something... Can't remember... it was part of a bunch of things 8th Nerve did for me when they came to tune my room. (8th Nerve is truly a great company.)

So, that's what I know... it should help... it 'did' help my system but it's a tweak... and is in that fraction of a percent of improvement category.