I have recently tried the 'new' Auric Illuminator and was impressed. I am also an Audience Dealer and thus represent this product too, so feel free to take my comments any way you like
.
John at Audience sent me a sample of the 'new' Illuminator to try and I set about performing a somewhat scientific comparison.
I haven't read the review in 6-Moons, but I will, after I write this. I should also let everyone know that I am not a TOTAL skeptic, but I tend to approach these types of tweaks with a cautious open-mindedness...if that makes any sense. In other words, it really has to work, for me to accept its benefits.
My approach:
I copied two CD's that I personally like and feel are recorded well, and that also represent two styles of music. Disc one was Flamenco Passion by FIM recordings. The second was Oregon by Oregon, recorded by Chesky records. Both were Redbook recordings.
I used my trusty laptop (definitely audiophile certified
) to make two copies each of the CD's, on black CDR's. Additionally, I treated both original disks with Auric Illuminator and also treated the laser lens of the CDR - upon Audience's recommendation. Now of course I can't comment on what it did to the originals or the CD burner, but I CAN comment on the differences in the CDR's, as one of each was treated and the other not.
So, with two copies of Flamenco and two copies of Oregon, one of each treated and one not, I played the same tracks from both 'Illuminated' and on-'Illuminated' CD's and made my observations.
First of all, I WOULD say that it works and it does make a noticeable and welcome improvement. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a definite drop in the noise floor, as well as a significant reduction in digital 'glare'. There was a much more natural and 'real' sound to the music and the soundstage seemed to open up and extend significantly also.
All of this DOES agree with a reduction in jitter. If the laser is better able to read the disc and there is less interferance, be it optic diffraction, static charge on the disc, etc., there will be improvements in sound. Jitter to me, can sound 'hard', 'bright' and can lend an 'edge' to digital, which also definitely RAISES the noise-floor, resulting in a lack of space, soundstage and gives the music an artificial or 'processed' sound.
So, in short, I found it be a definite improvement subjectively, and objectively it also makes sense to me, based on what it is doing.
As usual, your mileage may vary, but I do feel that it is a worthwhile and legitimate tweak and I can guarantee you that all of the music I use at the CO show will be treated this way.
Now, to Cryo-treat a CD and then treat it with Auric Illuminator....hmmmm
.
Oh and I don't mean putting the CD in your freezer...I mean REALLY cryo-treating it. I HAVE done a direct A/B here and it too is pretty remarkable.
Just my $0.02.
Thanks,
Dan W.
