Has anyone used CD demagnitizers,enhancers?

Tbadder1 · « **on:** 10 Sep 2004, 04:10 pm »

Does anyone know if these things work? They claim to flush your system of magnetic trash and give you more clarity and air. I know Audio Purist makes one. Anyone else? They play like a regular cd, but are expensive.

Psychicanimal · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Sep 2004, 04:03 am »

I have the XLO/Sheffield Test/Burn-in CD. The demagnetizing tracks work very well. I bought mine for $20.

JasonW · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Sep 2004, 04:52 am »

I use auric illuminator, and it makes a HUGE difference. I am a scientist (Doctor in training) by education and a sceptic by nature, so I begrudgingly tried the product. In blind tests, it is easy to hear the improvements in sound, with the CD becoming more analog like. I will never listen to CDs without the product now, and I think it is well worth checking out.

Jason

orthobiz · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Sep 2004, 10:48 am »

Hey Jason,

A doctor in training?
May your use of the word "sceptic" is a
Freudian slip!
LOL,

biz

JasonW · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Sep 2004, 12:39 pm »

Ortho, Yeah, I'm an MSIII right now. Lol...I should have clarified my statement; I am extremely sceptical of the many pseudoscience claims made in audio. In my system (see below), the differences with auric illuminator are real and very, very nice. I assume you are an orthopedic surgeon?

Best
Jason

Speakers: Merlin VSM-MM (my babies...these are beyond belief)
CD transport/SACD: Sony SCD-777es (modified by Richard Kern)
DAC: Audiomeca Enkianthus X dac (Incredible!)
Amp: Belles 150a Reference (I haven’t decided which one I will keep)
Preamp: Joule LA-100 Mk. III
Analog: VPI Aires Scout w/ benz micro H2 cart
Interconnects: all Cardas golden cross interconnects
Speaker Cables: Cardas golden cross biwired speaker cables
Digital cable: Cardas lightning coax

Speaker Cables: Cardas SE-9 single ended.

bob53 · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 Sep 2004, 06:23 pm »

I'll fully admit that I've never used this device, but I can see how some may work and some are a bunch of crap...

Demagnetizers on CD's - no way, all placebo effect... Even if you could remove the static charge from the plastic (there may be a very small amount from dust, not plastic), the field would have to be much stronger before it could affect the ability of the laser to read the grooves in the CD...

Auric products - ok, I buy the black pen idea as this will prevent stray beams from exiting the disc at tangential angles but the "gel"???? C'mon! They claim the laser beam leaves with a more focused "beam"... It's not likey as this new layer should just cause further distortion...

Jason, not to be rude but if you are an M.D. in training then you are not a scientist... I've been through medical school (one of the best in the world might I add), and the amount of science taught to future physicians is minimal. I'm not suggesting that an M.D. cannot be a scientist, I work around many M.D.'s who do basic science research, but Medical School does not train you to be a scientist. I had undergrad degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, and math and shook my head with how little science is taught in modern medicine. I chose the M.D. Ph.D. route and can honestly say that medical school was a breeze compared to getting a Ph.D. This is not a knock on M.D.'s as their role is VERY important, but there day-to-day job has nothing to do with science but rather with following an algorithm.

-Bob

orthobiz · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Sep 2004, 07:11 pm »

Since I'm an orthopaedic surgeon, I'm not really
a scientist. But if you give me a big enough mallet,
I can definitely get that CD player to work just fine!

biz

How many orthopods to change a light bulb?
Two, one to hold it and one to hammer it in.

Jon L · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Sep 2004, 08:11 pm »

Too many doctors driving, and we'll end up in Canada

I'm unfortunately one, too, but I don't need to know how it works to enjoy the benefits. I wrote a review of some of these here

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.pl?forum=tweaks&n=104039&review=1

Psychicanimal · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Sep 2004, 08:25 pm »

Quote from: bob53

but there day-to-day job has nothing to do with science but rather with following an algorithm.
...

One of my calculus teachers said that doctors are the highest paid technicians!!!

Hey, just get a piece of aluminum foil & give it a try...

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 Sep 2004, 10:03 pm »

I think doctors are the worlds highest paid mechanics!

And I sure don't mean that in a negative sense. But if the body is a complex machine, the people who perform maintainance are mechanics, in a sense.

bob53 · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 05:26 am »

Hey Rob, you are right on!

I see that you are a neighbor of mine, whereabouts in MN do you live?

Orthobiz - leave it to the orthopod to use a hammer or saw on everything!

just teasing... Whenever anyone asks what orthopedic surgery is I tell them it's like going to the Sears tools dept., autoclaving everything, then using it on people!

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 10:25 am »

I'm a wannabee Minnesotan!

I'm just across the border in Sioux Falls, SD. Nice little town (okay, the biggest city in the state, but small compared to Minneapolis/St.Paul).

Bob Wilcox · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 11:41 am »

I have used Auric Illuminator and Vivid. Vivid worked better for me but you need to be careful with the cleaning tools or you can scratch discs. This is due to the build up of abrasives. My solution has been to skip using the rubber pads and to use a single Viva paper towel (soft cotton cloth) to buff the disk. Then I toss the piece I used. Other paper towels will scratch discs. But I only use Vivid on problem discs (see below).

I have also used antistatic devices: Bedini, Mapleshade and Furetch. The Bedini probably had a placebo effect but not the other 2. There is more to a transport than a laser. I doubt the laser itself is effected in any way but other components may be susceptable to magnetic effects. Don't know what is effected but the sound changes and becomes more analytical IMHO. Some companies try to avoid magnetic effects while others use magnetic clamps to hold this disc.

The best device I have used is the Audio Desk lathe. This makes the disc more perfectly round - sort of like spin balancing a tire. The effect of this is improvement across the frequency spectrum.

When a disc has been given the Audio Desk and Furutech treatment, I find the Vivid has a neglible effect. I now use Vivid mostly to salvage abused video store rentals so I can watch them.

Bob

JasonW · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 06:19 pm »

Bob, I've been interested in the CD Lathe. Could you tell me a little more about the sonic improvements it provides as well as brand you use?

Bob Wilcox · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 12:48 am »

Jason

Audio Desk System is the company. They also make a CD washing machine.

http://www.audiodesksysteme.de/index.php?kat=10

US dealers include the Ultrasystems and Aberdeen Components.

I think there was a review at EnjoyTheMusic and there is discussion in an article at IAR.

The treated disks have tighter bass and smoother midrange and highs - less edgy sounding.

Bob

orthobiz · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 01:53 am »

I think I read the the lathe definitely improves the sound but might expose the ?aluminum? in the CD to potential future oxidation and sound degradation. Guess everything has its pluses and minuses.

biz

Bob Wilcox · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 02:00 am »

I have not witnessed any signs of deterioration on commercial discs. Many CD-R samples could not survive the lathe because the layers separate immediately.

eico1 · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 02:11 am »

Each drives will react differently to offset centers, I'd avoid cutting and wait for a better drive. My Pioneer advertises Ultra Dynamic Resonance Absorber and other important sounding enhancements...:)

steve

DVV · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 06:13 am »

Will someone please explain what exactly does a demagnetizer do in a CD drive?

Cleaning liquids, CDs I can understand, but demagnetizers?

They were a must for any serious tape enthusiast, but magnteic heads work on the principle of magnetism, so it was to be expected that when you throw astrong counter-polarized fileds, you get rid of residual magnetism, the unavoidable eddy currents.

But CD is an optical medium, not a magnetic one.

Cheers,
DVV

Jon L · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 07:49 am »

Quote from: DVV

Will someone please explain what exactly does a demagnetizer do in a CD drive?

Cleaning liquids, CDs I can understand, but demagnetizers?

They were a must for any serious tape enthusiast, but magnteic heads work on the principle of magnetism, so it was to be expected that when you throw astrong counter-polarized fileds, you get rid of residual magnetism, the unavoidable eddy currents.

But CD is an optical medium, not a magnetic one.

Cheers,
DVV

No one knows. I've heard various theories. Some say demagnetizing helps b/c the ink used on CD label can retain charge, which can "confuse" the digital reading by laser. I've heard several other equally weird theories.

What I do know is these devices do change the sound a little bit. I have both Bedini Ultra Clarifier and Furutech RD-2 device, and they do change the sound a little, and each make different changes from each other. Sometimes, a certain CD can sound worse after "treatment."

These days I tend not to use these demagnetizers at all since they are a pain to use and sometimes makes sound worse. I usually use CD cleaning fluids only and green pen...