[John Casler]

After hearing the Bedini Ultra-Clarifier at Mad DOg's house several weeks ago I was impressed and curious about the "sonic improvement" it made on a couple CDs.

While I was, and am, somewhat skeptical regarding the "science" claimed to accomplish an improved "impression" of a CD, it never the less seems to cause an effect.

To conduct an A/B test, I took two exact copy burned Reference CDs That had never been used.

First I listended to CD-A then "clarified it" and listened to it again.  Then compared that by listeing to CD-B.

I also just did single A/Bs with a couple CDs listed below.

The cuts or CDs were:

Bruce Hornsby's - Thats the Way It Is
Stevie Ray Vaughn's - Tin Pan Alley
Brian Wilson's = SMILE
John Cougar Mellenkamp - Greatest Hits

I listened to all cuts noting Backround noise, Seperation between instruments, Tone, Detail, Clarity, Bass Depth and Definition.

I also listened for attack, dynamics, voice reproduction and in the Hornsby cut, Piano tonality and realism.

The Mellenkamp CD set was just purchased today, and on the first "tour" through, I noticed a "hardness" and extreme edginess to most of the cuts that almost made it fatiquing to listen to.  This was particularly evident on much of the lead guitar parts.

On the Brian Wilson CD, there were also areas of hardness/edginess to vocals, and some instruments at various points, and I was looking to see if this might have some effect on them.

To make it short and sweet, there were subtle but noticable  improvements in each one of those categories.

On "That's the Way It Is" the piano was certainly more tonally pleasing and in the passages with multiple sounds, instruments and voice there was greater "seperation".

This seperation was also evident throughout all the cuts, but the quality that then stood out (probably due to improved seperation) was "DEPTH".

I recently reported on a new sonic speaker tweak that enhances depth anyhow and if it is in the recording, this tweak will make it evident in your system.

I didn't listen to the Mellenkamp discs all the way through, but just a portion of each cut looking to see if the "over raw edginess" was still there.  Actually it was!!, but because it was now clearer and tonally more accurate, it wasn't off putting or irritating as it had seemed upon first listen.

And to keep this succinct, one of the other nice improvements was in the detail, and definition in the bass area.  Weight was maintained, but detail, and definition were slightly improved.  This was evident on most all the cuts, but the Bass Guitar Foundation in Tin Pan Alley showed it exceptionally well.  In fact, although I didn't notice any increase in depth or weight, I did notice that "after" treatment, some things on the wall were "rattling" that I didn't notice before (they may have been masked by the "pretreated" lack of detail)

So all in all, the Bedini has "passed the test" as far as making a nice little improvement.

I'll also give it a try on a DVD or two to see if I get anything.

[Mad DOg]

just to clarify, i believe john has the bedini dual beam model while mine is the regular ultra clarifier....

[John Casler]

just to clarify, i believe john has the bedini dual beam model while mine is the regular ultra clarifier....

No I think it is the "Ultra", at least there is no "Dual Beam" designation that I can see.

Edit:  Hold the phone....It does say "dual beam"...All ya have to do is wear your glasses when you look at it  

[Jon L]

On top of the lid, there is the label.  If it is dual beam, it should read, "Ultra Clarifier dual beam," which is what mine says.  Don't know if sound is any different.  BTW, they now have quad beam version  

[Sedona Sky Sound]

I have to agree with John that there is definitely something to CD demagnitizers (which is basically what the Bedini unit is as far as I can tell). I started using one (but not the Bedini) about a year ago. In general, it seems to make an audible difference on about 60%-70% of the discs I use it on. While there definitely is a difference on some discs, trying to put your finger on the exact difference is often elusive. I tried doing some A/B tests with a few friends and while each person figured out exactly when I demagnitized the disc (I tried tricking them a couple of times but none fell for it), none could agree on what the changes were.

A quick search on the web for CD Demagnitizers will bring up lots of "plausible explanaions" for why these things work. The best explanation I have heard is that the metalic impurities in the ink on the CDs pick up a very weak magnetic charge. When the disc spins in the CD/DVD player, they create an electromagnetic current in the two very small wires that are located near the laser pick-up. The demagnitizer removes this magnetic charge on the CD (at least temporarily) so there is nothing to create the electromagnetic current when the disc spins.

Just my 2 cents.    

Julian
www.sedonaskysound.com

[John Casler]

I just had the opportunity to do another A/B, this time with my daughter (18yo) who has much better hearing than I do.

She also has a "healthy" degree of skepticism (must be in the genes ) and said "Dad, CD's can't be magnetized, they're aluminum and plastic

But, I got her to listen to the 3rd cut on the new Diana Krall CD "Temptations", since by default she has grown to like Krall.

First time through, I noticed that the tamborine sounded incredibly "edgy and steely".  Watching the SoA, I noticed that the tamborine hits caused the right channel's LED to blink (so I'm playing this pretty loud).  Everything else sounds pretty good and well defined.

Then I "clarified" and pressed play.

It was easily more "clear" and detailed.  It had more presence.  But the "steeliness" of the tamborine was much more lifelike, pure, and less edgy.

Bass, was more 3-D and clear.

It is interesting that I keep using the word "clear" and the thing is called a "clarifier".  It seems to live up to its namesake

Oh yes, my skeptical female sibling said she hated to admit it, but she could hear the difference too. (she too likes to know "WHY" something works, not just that it does)

That's my girl

[PhilNYC]

John...am actually most impressed that your daughter knew that CDs are made of aluminum and plastic...

Oh yes, my skeptical female sibling said she hated to admit it, but she could hear the difference too.

um...your daughter is your sibling?  I think this is treading dangerous ground...  

[Marbles]

Apparently he REALLY likes his mother  

Your daughter must call you brother dad......

Damn John, that's just WRONG!!!

[John Casler]

John...am actually most impressed that your daughter knew that CDs are made of aluminum and plastic...

Oh yes, my skeptical female sibling said she hated to admit it, but she could hear the difference too.

um...your daughter is your sibling?  I think this is treading dangerous ground...  

It's freakin Friday, I meant "off spring" what a BRAIN BURP

[John Casler]

Apparently he REALLY likes his mother  

Your daughter must call you brother dad......

Damn John, that's just WRONG!!!

Man, one freudian slip and they all pile on