How to Enhance CD, SACD, DVD-Audio, Blu-ray Playback

[@anadialog]

ATTENTION: Due to continues misbelief and skepticism, usually without any experience backing up these claims, I would like to signal an audio authority, Paul McGowan who claims the effectiveness of these solutions here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6Kkc595h8d7btk So you think it's just 1s and 0s and that if it's there it's there if it's not it's not right? Wrong! Digital is much more complex and several filters and corrections are at work and may degrade strongly the signal. Here is some info on this topic: 1 - Vibration control helps any type of gear. All producers all over the world in decent CD players have introduced vibration control solutions inside them and for the chassis due to acoustic and mechanical resonance issues (which create vibrations) and issues in the rotation and also the electronic components that are present in all standard players (for example capacitors). Errors may occur and the wrong correction of these can bring to sonic degradation (see point 2), and the reduction of these errors can occur also by reducing vibrations. In any case I am not focusing exclusively on the laser beam. Adding more control will help the existing vibration control solutions integrated in the player and also the other processes that take place inside the player. Vibrations can introduce noise and distortion. Check this chapter of this world famous engineer, Ken Pohlmann and what he says about vibrations with CD players: books.google.it/books?id=Ed388jKoOfQC&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=compact+disc+resonance+vibration&source=bl&ots=SF3LRPJ35e&sig=ACfU3U2InhLfpij7n4HKHUyJD1HOvyHxFg&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXgcPw1qjmAhXH2aQKHb6TBv04ChDoATAEegQIChAE#v=onepage&q=vibration%20is%20bad&f=false 2 - OK, its pits and lands, but let’s not forget that the laser in a CD player is not truly reading data, it is scanning the surface to search for a pit or a land and based on what the laser finds it is reflects back (land=1) or not (pit=0), which then is transformed by the photoelectric cell in electric current according to the received signal (1s or 0s). The electronic circuit recreates the pattern that was scanned etc. As you can imagine things can go wrong here, striating from the lens. People always focus on the pick up but never think of the handling of the signal in its digital form and then analog form in a CD player. Here vibrations already can create issues and the Auric helps in the reading of this scanning and the rotation of the disc, which is never perfect. Going back to the lens cleaner the laser and the reflection may be obstructed by dirt. Yes, the disk can skip in the worse scenario, but it can also introduce sonic degradation do to the INTERPOLATION (concealment) of the error correction codec. That is the software that is guessing how the sound could be, producing a faulty recreation of the signal with a bandwidth lowering and overall quality. Again Ken Pohlmann discusses of the importance to keep the lens clean for best performance: books.google.it/books?id=Ed388jKoOfQC&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=compact+disc+resonance+vibration&source=bl&ots=SF3LRPJ35e&sig=ACfU3U2InhLfpij7n4HKHUyJD1HOvyHxFg&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXgcPw1qjmAhXH2aQKHb6TBv04ChDoATAEegQIChAE#v=snippet&q=lens%20cleaning&f=false Most importantly, in this page of the book by engineers Rumsey and Mccormick you can read about the effects of interpolation during error correction: books.google.it/books?id=Y477AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA263&lpg=PA263&dq=error+correction+interpolation+sound&source=bl&ots=uOwC25bkpa&sig=ACfU3U3P0jdRXZ_YJW4w4SRJF2kha2ysyQ&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiyg76_-ajmAhUhIMUKHZyMDksQ6AEwBXoECAkQBA#v=onepage&q=error%20correction%20interpolation%20sound&f=false On the IMPERFECTION of digital and how these and other solutions can actually help the sound quality: www.stereophile.com/reference/590jitter/index.html Sponsor: Convert DVD to MP4, MP3 and more digital formats for playing on any devices: bit.ly/3muinkB 47X faster | 1:1 quality ratio | 80% smaller

[@zulumax1]

That article is 30 years old, but it has a lot of good information to it. I did not know that the phase of the return light beam caused reduction in output for instance. Recorded CD's that we make on out home CD burners work different by the recording laser turning the CDR darker. I don't think this works the same as pits and lands in commercially produced CD's. That may explain why burned CD's won't play in some players. Need to read more on that topic. Prism breaks up reflected return beam into several images so a servo motor can focus and track the spiral of data that tracks from inner to outside. Modern CD players and DAC's have come a long way in 30 years and have adapted, improved or overcome some of the problems.

[@maartenc6099]

According to an article by Martin Colloms in the April 1990 issue of Hi-Fi News, the green paint selectively absorbs the infra-red laser light that is reflecting around the disc interior,

[@akaFrits1]

@@maartenc6099 Even if that would be the case, it has no significance for the ability of the cd-player to read the digital info correctly. Cd-roms work in the same way. Ever heard of cd-rom tweaks that make better games, Word-documents (better blacks!), or whatever content is present on the disc? The only reason these tweaks are sold to hifi lovers is the pure suggestion that they work. And suggestion is a powerfull thing.

[@Wordsalad69420]

Paul McGowan is super knowledgeable and I own his company's products. But that doesn't mean he is always right. A lot of these ideas are simply snake oil. In theory they may make sense (good luck proving them though). But in practice you won't find a person on the planet who will be able to tell the difference. So then tell me, besides satisfying your OCD, what is the point in doing anything besides maybe #1?

[@anadialog]

Paul is just the tip of the iceberg. Continue reading the post. And BTW several people in the comments are backing up these tweeks. So we are already way beyond a single person on the planet. ;-)

[@dietchapstick7890]

What matters more than ANYTHING is that the CD is well mastered. Garbage in = garbage out. Often times it is worth it to research different CD editions before purchase. Many people will simply buy whatever Amazon has in stock new which means the chance of getting an overcompressed remaster is very high. Many new albums are poorly recorded and poorly mastered and there is really nothing that can be done about those.

[@anadialog]

Very very very true!! Especially the Amazon part!

[@MacXpert74]

Totally agree. Mastering is key for good sound quality.

[@davidcartmill5960]

dietchap

[@geraldperry7779]

Still using my 1989 Yamaha CD player weighs 28 lbs, has built into volume control you can plug a 2 channel power amp directly into it. I don't think they ever made CD player better. Going purchase the cleaning kit,after 30 years am sure laser lens is dirty.

[@paultreneary]

Yeah, vinyl didn't escape the brickwalling/loudness wars either.

[@ikanderson]

A few points. 1: The quality of digital cables doesn't matter, as long as the cable works at all. Even the cheapest, crappiest cables work flawlessly. VWestlife did a great demonstration of this. 2: Error correction. Yes, there are a lot of errors when reading the pits and lands, and that is exactly why the CD standard is built with error correction, which can correct those errors losslessly. When the error is too large to correct, the music will skip. 3: Cleaning the lens. Those discs are useful if your CD player is not reading the discs, or if it is skipping. As for the "special" lens cleaner disc, any lens cleaning disc will work. It is just a soft brush that wipes off dust from the lens. 4: Dirty disc. Cleaning the disc with a cloth, and soapy water does just fine, but try not to get water on the edges of the disc. Besides, all that error correction means that you need a very dirty disc for it to matter. A real tip: Find a better master.

[@anadialog]

Hi there, Point n.1 don't rely on you tubers for the truth, me included. Check this video I made and most importantly the scientific papers I included in the video description. I was skeptical as well but there is proof of otherwise: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWPVaoiVfZV3bck Point n. 2 it is much, much, much more complex than that. Again, check the documentation I added in the video description of this video. Interpolation for example, always there and working recreating and altering the sound. Skipping is the last thing to take into consideration.

[@MadBiker-vj5qj]

Re the cleaning disc: they are supplied with a special jewel case that has a specialy shaped centre clip which holds the disc a couple of mm away from the tray to protect the brush. Never put the disc in a regular case or, even worse, a slimline case as they could well damage those fine fibres.

[@anadialog]

True!

[@ajeetkang7736]

I think if your CD is free of scratches and dust you should be fine, there should be no errors when playing, sound quality is always constant since it's a digital source, played back digitally.

[@robfriedrich2822]

I think the point is, how errors will be corrected. There's a point, where the correction affects the content and that's let it sound sterile and static.

[@estusflask982]

@@robfriedrich2822 If the disc isn't scratched, there are no errors.

[@CyrilleBoucanogh]

@@estusflask982 have you personally proved that by doing lots of research and tests? Or you just think that?

[@weeethesheeple1754]

@@robfriedrich2822 Error correction is introduced into the system so there are no errors. Hence error correction. You hear music, no error. You hear crackles, dropouts, error not corrected. Nothing in between that.

[@theevilwitchtheband]

@@weeethesheeple1754 you're right, reed solomon error correction ensures that every bit out remains the same on every playback... unless the disc is damaged phisically beyond error correction boundaries these "enhancements" fall into the boundaries of magic and snake oil...

[@michaelfreiberg8057]

Regarding the painting of the disk, as i understand the phenomenon, the light from the laser reflects inside the disk, spreading to the edges then reflect back when hitting the edges. The returned light might in some cases disturb the main light beam, producing some errors in reading some bits. Those bits will be obviously corrected by the error correction circuit, replacing the missing bits with the adiacent bits, giving a not so good sound, depending on the amount of bits being replaced. Now, i can speculate that this issue is more prevalent when the laser is weak, when the disk is burned in a computer (less contrast) or with double layer discs (SACD). It can be one of those causes or all of them combined

[@alexandermikhailov2481]

This myth was debunked a lot of times but the snake oil consumers must have a steady supply of snake oil.

[@LEECC9882]

Psychologically these little tricks all work well !

[@Simon-dn9kv]

The origin of the whole blackening a CD enhances sound myth was actually an article from a German audio magazine which they published as a joke in their April fools day issue.

[@anadialog]

Just stumbled upon this. Maybe can help to dissipate prejudice: www.stereophile.com/reference/590jitter/index.html

[@OM19_MO79]

@@anadialog Jitter is normal and the laser mechanism and the subcode, along with other hardware enchancements and improvements, are there to solve the problem. Painting your CD like an idiot does nothing.

[@OM19_MO79]

@@SpoonFruit That's stupid. The noise floor, which is also the resolution, is fixed at 16-bit. This resolution cannot be improved by painting the CD, it will have to be either in the mastering or in the amp side, never on the media. If the laser is unable to read the disc properly, noises and clicks will be heard, but even in that situation, believe it or not, the resolution is still 16-bit.

[@JeanKatana]

Any source of your claim?

[@barski1960thomas]

Audiophiles are very gullible. LOL!!

[@ProGamer-nx1tv]

I was a teenager of 90s CD era so obviously agree to all mentioned tricks and hacks, few more: - While buying CDs don't buy copies as they use inferior quality disks to write. - That solution used in auric illuminator is same as spectacle glasses cleaner, its a volatile cleaner with a little amount of optical brightening agent, so any good quality glasses cleaner is sufficient.

[@iimv]

I suggest using black tourmaline and shungite pyramids near the audio gear. It immensely enhances the audio experience. Due to continuous misbelief due to lack of experience please connect with a local shaman or wizard and infuse a pyramid with magic and intent and try it yourself. If you after all this still don’t hear difference, trust me there is a very big difference.

[@amnonhoppe]

This is probably why Pink Floyd put a pyramid on the Dark side of the moon CD 😂

[@roelheijmans]

I see a red cd and I want to paint it black 🎶

[@HostiaRecords]

A better clean CD can sound better due to interpolation process used on most players to correct data read errors. I have a question: Are a DVD player good as a CD player? I have a standard DVD player and sounds amazing with my CD'S, but i want to buy a good used CD Player

[@anadialog]

It depends from the model...for example I had a DVD player by Pioneer that was very good or my current Oppo, which is a Bluray player...

[@emiliorodenasgonzalez8568]

My other question is..i want to récord in a CD my récords.. which is the Best option..a CDR..or a DVDR?

[@inamurato]

I forgot to mention... About CD player lens cleaning, I used to use those lens-cleaning CDs, but then I felt uncomfortable with what they do inside. That little brush sweeps over the lens over and over as the CD spins and somehow it makes me feel concerned (you may think I'm mad, but I feel so). So I do "direct lens cleaning", for which you need a screw driver, a drop of alcohol and a cotton earbud. But this applies only to users who feel confident to open the CD player cover and access the lens. It's not rocket science, but it takes caution and "gentleness" to the lens (Here I won't describe how to - I believe most followers of this channel already know, and there are resources on the net that show the process). And of course, do it only if your device's warranty is expired.

[@MacXpert74]

I personally doubt any disc treatment would have any noticeable influence on the sound quality, unless the disc is very dirty and there where audible problems with reading it. But if you'd want to more scientifically analyze it, you could rip a track from a CD before and after the disc treatments and then do a bit comparison between the files. If there is no difference, then you can't hear a difference in the audio. It would be pure placebo.

[@anadialog]

Ok I will do that! Gees...it is tough to convince you guys. As I said in the video, you really hear the difference on person. Not with rips. But something should come across...

[@anadialog]

Hi there, nope! It isn't. Maybe in theory but then noise kicks in on various levels...never going to have a perfect copy through a rip starting from the mistakes introduced by the player, the burner etc. Don't trust me or the comments here...go and ask s REAL electronic engineer...not sound engineer...so many things can go wrong from the digital recording all the way to CD playback it's not even funny...

[@richardm.9821]

@@anadialog No, YOU really hear the difference, not me, because that's what YOU believe that you hear. Placebo effect is real, and very strong.

[@geraldperry7779]

@@anadialog going try it on my 1989 Yamaha CD player, never cleansed the laser lens,a before and after trail I'll do.where did you get the kit,can't find it Canada. They'll never going build a CD player that good!

[@anadialog]

@@geraldperry7779 great! As I said don't expect night and day difference. I just got the Nagaoka CD online several years ago. I hope it's still in production...you should try the Auric Auric illuminator as well! www.nagaoka.eu/index.php?action=article&aid=25&lang=EN

[@janinapalmer8368]

If CDs required light filtering from the circumference ( something I very much doubt by the way.... since the CD is well inside the transport where it is very dark anyway) wouldn't you think the CD manufacturers would print a black border on the disc? I remember similar 'snake oil' ideas using a special green texta marker that tricked you into believing the sonic quality would greatly improve! The only recommendation I can recommend here is use top quality cables and place the CD player on a hard surface that doesn't vibrate

[@masonb9788]

I use Windex and a lint free cloth (old sock or tshirt) on my cds and dvds. Works great for cleaning.

[@Rekmeyata]

I agree with the vibration control and cleaning the CD, but I've read a lot of info about the blackening, or they used to have bands that went around the outside edge of the CD's that also added a bit of weight supposedly stabilizing the CD better plus prevented the supposedly light scatter, but when people used a analyzer the sound difference they found none from doing any of those two things. According to several of the sources debunking the blacking of a CD is that the CD and DVD devices use a laser not a "flashlight" type of beam, and a laser does not have any light scatter outside the beam area, additionally the laser is so close to the CD that simply doesn't allow the room to scatter if a laser could scatter. Any thoughts on that? Even a laser firing long distances for defense purpose does not scatter, unless there is a lot of dust or smoke, or some sort of weather condition like fog or cloud cover, none of that is happening in a CD player. I watched the video from McGowan as well, but man, I'm not convinced. And if marking the CD in black, wouldn't a black magic marker work just as well as the more expensive kit? I do know that a 24kt gold CD sounds better than an Aluminum CD, because I have a couple of CD's of the same albums, and the gold just sounds better, not sure why that is though, some have dismissed the sound quality of gold vs aluminum. It could be that when they put a recording onto a Gold CD they do a better job of mixing and recording than on a standard aluminum CD? Again, I'm not an expert so I can't tell you if they sounds slightly better due to the color or due to the quality of the recording used on it. When it comes to audio there is a lot of puff the magic dragon stuff going on, much of it is to make us spend needless money, especially for the wealthy audio hobbyists, but a lot of it is snake oil, which you find a lot of that going on in hobbies, from cycling (which is my main hobby so I know a lot about the snake oil being sold in that world) to golf, to audio, etc.

[@andrewwilson8374]

Money better spent on more music. Time better spent listening to more music

[@anadialog]

Can't object that...music always comes first! ;-)

[@deemster4249]

Snake oil. How to actually enjoy good digital: 1. Get a good DAC with sound you like 2. Get good speakers with sound you like 3. Research which masters are fine and buy those versions 4 If you bought a CD, rip it losslessly to FLAC 5. Play it with a bitperfect player such as Audirvana and send the bits directly to your DAC, which will convert it back to analog and sends the sound to your speakers

[@kahuna1247]

Amen!

[@leafyleafyleaf]

Bravissimo!

[@zenvultra]

+1 on Audirvāna it really does improve all of my music

[@willpena5254]

Everyone should check this out, in the early 80s I Purchased my first CD player. In every publication that I read they prescribed this technique. I remember reading this in Stereo review. I traded it and Low and behold it worked! My first evaluation was that since I Expecting to hear something I did. Five friends sit on the couch and I play Darkside of the moon. From the first note everyone said yes I definitely hear a difference Also pointing out that the LED indicator’s had dramatically switched. (Try it - you’ll like it - Mikey, He likes it, he likes it) Can’t wait to Hear a difference if any from the anniversary cd’s of Abbey Road,The White album,Sergeant peppers, Ram. Yes I’m a big Beatles fan.

[@endria7152]

What is the best solution for buying good CD’s edition ? I know you talked in the Dark Side of The Moon video of the new editions who lose the clearness of the first. You talked that each generation of mastering loose 1dB. Perhaps CDJapan ?

[@anadialog]

That is a good question. First of all, always check if they made an audiophile edition of that particular album you like. Especially HDCD and XRCD, which I have both treated in dedicated videos. Usually things are done properly. If instead we are talking normal releases, then I believe you must search forums and try to understand what is a good edition. I would tend to leave aside last reissues, like for example the new Phil Collins, and in several cases the very first editions if too early. Middle ground is usually a good choice, stuff reissued during the late 90's and early 2000's and around that.

[@endria7152]

@@anadialog Thank you for response. Yes you talked about in the DSD format video. I read a lot last day, especially about loudness war. And I discovered that first editions of The Police got the best dynamic range and equalization. And ... the japaneses 2014 reissues in SHM-CD. The 2003 edition remastered by Bob Ludwig are highly criticized by fans. Very interesting... Your channel is very interesting. Thank you for all the work you put in these videos ;)

[@천진규-n8t]

I always enjoy watching your challenging and pioneering experimental broadcasts. (From Korea)

[@anadialog]

Thanks!

[@mostirreverent]

My moon 260 CD Player has pretty decent feet, but I also added some inexpensive DiversiTech E.V.A. Anti-vibration pads Have you tried Audioenvy cables? They would make instant cables for review, at only 200 bucks a piece

[@anadialog]

I haven't!

[@pwolkowicki]

1. no discussion 2. makes sense but only for speaker because they vibrate to make sound and they can transfer those vibrations to floor in a not so desired manner. Keeping anything on speakers is also no-no for the same reason. 3. You have the signal from CD or you don't have. You also have some skipping correction, control sums and additional data to correct interruptions. If the lens is dirty you simply can't get any sound. Music on a CD is stored as digital data. (also applies to 2.) I've never had problems with a readout even from old CD-player (computer CD). You may need to clear an open-top CD players, but a simple lens cleaner is enough. 4. sneak oil/audio voo-doo 5. sneak oil/audio voo-doo, but at least doesn't cost much

[@geraldperry7779]

My 1989 Yamaha CD player still going strong after 30 years, sounds better than my oppo 203. May just be best CD player ever made.

[@sergiobisonte]

vibration on digital data is BS!! if you copy a file to an usb pen in heaven or if you copy it in hiroshima on 1945, it will be the same data...

[@akaFrits1]

Tip #1: simple, good interlinks are all you need. The only thing an interlink does, is to transfer a low voltage a/c current from your cd-player to your amplifier. Nothing difficult, no need for expensive ones. Ever seen the inside of a cd-player? No gold connections, forged by elves at full moon, in there. Tip #2. Some basics of digital encoding of audio: there are two choices. The first is: you get the original digital code into the DAC, or the digital code is corrected to perfection before it enters your DAC. Original without errors or corrected without errors: the code is exactly the same. The second is: the reading is flawed so heavily that the error correction can't reproduce the original 16-bit word anymore. That is immediately audible: cracking sound, stutters etc. appear. So, ether you have a perfect signal or a clearly audible distorted signal. There is really nothing inbetween. So adding clamps, vibration reduction etc. is useless unless you live in a very shaky environment. Tip #3. Lens cleaning is only necessary if your cd's are getting badly read by the cd-player, with stutters, skipped tracks etc. See tip #2. Tip #4. Problems with static electricity. WHAT? Cd's are read by an OPTICAL system. You know: light, bouncing back from a reflective surface. In no way statistic electricity can influence that process. Indeed: snake oil. Try a really blind test: you will not hear any difference. Promise. Same goes to 'demagnitisation of cd's'. It works. By suggestion only. Tip #5. The illuminator. I couldn't stop laughing. Really? Hey, your cd has info like 001100101011000 in trains of 16 bits. Your cd player reads those and feeds them into the DAC which transfers it to an analog waveform. The reading is usually 100% perfect, or the error correction makes it 100% perfect again (see tip #2). The illuminator shouldn't (and won't) make any difference to that signal. If it does, the reading gets faulty. Simple as that. My tips for better audio quality: Tip A: look into the acoustics of the listening room. Avoid too many hard surfaces. Tip B: vary the placement of your speakers in relation to your listening position (free!) Tip C: close your eyes while listening (free!) Tip D: After you have gotten the maximum out of tips A and B and you still want to spend money: try better speakers and test them at home before buying them.

[@anadialog]

Since you put so much effort in writing this I think it is correct to reply. Please forget about this common snake oil opinions try things for yourself. The auric illuminator does make a change. It is amazing. For the digital preconception, there is so much ignorance out there its unbearable. It is not just 1s and 0s. Start from here your reassessment: www.stereophile.com/reference/590jitter/index.html In the end I just don't care because my heart is with analog but there are ways to make digital better. And it is right to inform people. If things don't convince me I leave them aside. Most of these don't have a strong effect, I agree. But for example the auric does make a difference. Try and then tell us your impressions. Don't deliver preconceptions. That is not helping anyone. We want direct experience. Anyways, thanks for sharing your point of view.

[@akaFrits1]

@@anadialog I've read the Audiophile article. It concludes: 'From my measurements, it is apparent that none of these CD tweaks have any effect on a player's error-correction ability or on the amount of jitter in the HF signal. However, it is beyond doubt that they increase the musicality of CDs.' In no way the article sheds any light upon how he came to that conclusion. If there is any double-blind test that confirms the added musicality, I'm willing to give it some credit. Otherwise it can just be suggestion, which is a powerfull psychologic effect.

[@richardm.9821]

@@anadialog What becomes the audio signal IS just 1's and 0's!! You CANNOT refute that. Along with other metatdata information that has nothing to do with the sound. www.snopes.com/fact-check/bewaring-of-the-green/

[@OMNIDROID2995]

@@anadialog Placebos work frighteningly well. My ceiling light shines much brighter with "Auric illuminator" on the light switch and also distributes the light better😆 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital

[@geraldperry7779]

Still have my 1989 Yamaha CD player paid $2400. Back then,it weight 28lbs I plug my Bryston 4B directly into her,bypassing the pre-amp. I would say mine needs a good cleaning after 30 year's,can't wait get that kit for before and after results.Great video going subscribe.

[@seacampal1425]

Every thing 'can' improve the reproduction. Did you tried the Bedini CD clarifier?

[@anadialog]

No, I haven't...I see its a demagnetizer...

[@biketech60]

Three things in order of increasing cost I suggest #1 the Sound Improvement Disc is a thin green plastic mat that sits atop the CD . It works , but I can't say why , #2 take the player's digital out to a better quality D/A converter ( this could be more or less than the next) #3 the largest improvement and expensive is the Audio Desk Systeme CD lathe which makes the disc perimeter perfectly concentric with the center hole . This allows a better read of the disc and less electrical noise from the tracking and focus motors . This works at all price point transports/players . I've had others review these improvements in A/B/A testing and these are not wishful thinking . #1 is within anyone's budget . There are 2 models for top load or tray . Not for gamers .

[@CYB3RC0RP]

Thanks! I managed to find a used Pioneer Elite Series reference disc changer at a second-hand store. It had some problems starting out, like the tray wouldn't stay out. I managed to fix that, but now I can't get it to stop randomly rejecting discs. Sometimes it accepts them, sometimes not. As soon as I get that issue sorted, I'll have to start trying these tips!

[@anadialog]

Nice! The Auric is the real changer!

[@anadialog]

Nice! The Auric is the real changer!

[@anadialog]

Nice! The Auric is the real changer!

[@anadialog]

Nice! The Auric is the real changer!

[@theklipschcave5593]

Tried out the Illuminator a bit more. Two clear results : SACD CDs should not be treated like it says in the manual. The sound tend to move towards a bit muted. Cleaned the SACD with technical alcohol. All good again. And now the strange thing : Treated normal CD. a few days ago. Like i have stated before, slightly better dynamics and clear detailed sond. After 5 days a played the same CD again. And it was even better. Psychoacoustics is good fun but this was impressive. Tried the day after and it still kept the same higher level og dynamics and forward sound. I thought that the antistatic situation would slowly get worse some time after the first treatment, but so far I got more forward sound after a few days. Anyone with improved sound quality after som use with Auric Illuminator?

[@artmanjohn2]

Have you ever used "LAST" vinyl record preservative? It's still being sold today, I picked mine up in the mid-1980s. It suppose to really help eliminate vinyl LP wear when playing an LP as the needle makes contact with the Vinyl. It's suppose to change the physical properties of the vinyl making it much more resistant to wear and tear to the LP. I'd love to hear your opinion of this Vinyl preservative, thanks.

[@AmericanConstellation]

I just bought an Onkyo 7030. For 200 bucks...what a deal! It's got one helluva DAC system built into it. You will not believe how good this CD player sounds...And the build quality is awesome. Look it up and read the reviews...Stunning Fidelity from a Stylish and Affordable CD Player For music lovers who enjoy the tangible experience of playing a physical format, the CD retains its enduring appeal. The pleasure comes not just from browsing a collection of discs and reading the liner notes. It also comes from enjoying your music in superior fidelity. By combining high-quality components and decades of Onkyo audio know-how, the C-7030 CD player delivers a superb playback experience. The key lies in keeping the audio signal clean and free from interference, all the way to the output stage. To achieve this, we employ a new high-precision clock to dramatically reduce timing errors, along with our original VLSC™ to reduce pulse noise. Driving the system is a massive, custom-built transformer that provides a clean and stable power supply. Given how affordable the C-7030 is, build quality is exceptional. A 1.6 mmthick flat chassis base helps reduce unwanted vibrations, while the sleek aluminum front panel provides an elegant finish. FEATURES • Plays Audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3 CD* • VLSC™ (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry) for Pulse Noise Reduction • Custom-Designed Massive EI Transformers • Precision Clock (±10 ppm) • High Quality 192 kHz/24-Bit D/A Converter • Differential Headphone Amplifier Circuitry • 25-Track Memory Playback • Random and Repeat Playback Function • 2 Digital Audio Outputs (Optical and Coaxial) • Analog Audio Output • 1.6 mm-Thick Anti-Vibration Full-Flat Chassis • Solid Aluminum Front Panel • 3-Mode Display Dimmer (Normal/Dim/Dimmer) • Auto Standby Function • RI (Remote Interactive) Remote Control

[@anadialog]

Great find!

[@AmericanConstellation]

@var1328 IT's great CD player! Who are you? Charley Tuna?

[@LorenzoNW]

@@AmericanConstellation It's nowhere remotely close to great. I owned a flagship Onkyo CD player many years ago. I think it was around $800. It was good but I wouldn't want to listen to it today after owning a Cary 303/300 CD player with NOS tubes. But that's neither here nor there. $200 is a good price and if you own a system that's commensurate in quality with your Onkyo 7030 and enjoy the way it sounds, that's all that matters.

[@craigadam]

When your CD enters the transport a large magnet clamps it to the transport. Adding more magnets will not reduce static. The triboelectric effect is caused by potential charge, Magnets can only affect the motion of charged gases such as plasma or electron beams in vacuum. I love good hifi that’s why I am here, amp and speakers spend the money there.

[@didioentoro7575]

Have you ever tried Marigo Audio CD Mat? Marigo is the only company in the world who doing R&D in CD Mat, and now the tenth generation is coming in this year 2024.

[@inamurato]

The black painting thing sounds like a joke indeed. As for wiping CDs, it is always recommended to wipe them radially (in straight lines from the center to the edge), and not in circles. You may accidentally scratch the surface and circular (tangential) scratches may result in reading problems. I know it, cos I have the experience.

[@anadialog]

True, but it comes off much better in small circles! If there are scratching particles, regardless the direction you will scratch the surface I'm afraid...

[@inamurato]

I have to disgraee. It's "not regradless of" the direction (axis) of the scratch. If the scratch is somewhat perpendicular to the center (radial; from the center to the periphery) that's normally not a big deal. But if it's somewhat an "arch", which means it's a blemish on the reading path of the laser, that may be an issue. Then the tops and bottoms (1s and 0s) through that scratched path may be misread (or not read at all) by the laser beam. When you unfold the booklets of early CDs (I mean CDs of mid and late 80s), you will find a short instruction on "how to clean your CDs", which do not exist anymore (just like the ADD, AAD, DDD... info which we can't see on today's CDs). By experience again, I would humbly recommend use of a windshield or window cleaning solution to clean your CDs. It works ;) ---> Wipe it radially :)

[@inamurato]

Further on... For anything you wanna do on your CDs; first duplicate them on your PC's CD/DVD writer. Then do anything you want on the duplicate CD (which will be a true copy of your original CD, and that's one big thing you cannot do with your LPs!). Some may think I'm a freak, but I always do this with my favourite CDs. When I grab a CD from a store (or receive it from Amazon, etc.) and if I really like the album, I duplicate it on my CD-writer, then I put the original CD on the shelf, and it stays there untouched.

[@anadialog]

Ok!!

[@anadialog]

Ok Murat. Please, use the originals!! Not only yoy are degrading the sound when burining a CD, yes mistakes are constantly introduced (why do you think fir example there are $$$$ burners?) Plus the quality of yhe medium decays drastically after a few months!!

[@fredfeldmeier8228]

Very interesting.. I've never heard of this bfr.. thanx for the tip.. so.. how about if I apply the same blknd process on Audio-DvD's & Bluray-Audio.. DvD-Audio.. Super-Audio-CD's alike..?? Thanx for the audiophile tips.. 👍😎👆

[@anadialog]

Sure, but the key element is the Auric Illuminator compound...revealing!

[@tonyfrench1081]

Right on Muchacho. The black on the cd edge plus the cleaning gave a much better sound. Thanks for your earnest good advice.

[@tonycolbourne7694]

I've used DNM Reson solid core copper speaker cable and interconnects. Prior to those I tried all kinds of expensive variants. DNM is streets ahead of anything else I've tried. I cannot hear any of my hardware, all I hear is perfectly reproduced music.

[@theklipschcave5593]

The Auric Illuminator works. More dynamics, better bass, clearer vocals. In general a small improved sound. Why don't the manufacturers deliver CDs with this basic treatment? Antistatic treatment and reduction of light spill/pollution internally make sense. Do you know if any manufacturer have picked up on this basic knowledge?

[@anadialog]

Great! No, I don't think so. Probably too expensive and now too late.

[@sergiobisonte]

BS

[@juliaset751]

I have noticed that several years after using the Auric Illuminator solution the surface of the disc becomes slightly tacky. I just clean it off with dish soap and then reapply the solution and all is well.

[@anadialog]

Good to know, thanks!

[@hvskyline1368]

I bought a cheap actual CD player and am using it as a transport not a bluray or DVD player the only reason being CD players are meant to sound good so they take more care into the vibration control and power supply and stuff to make sure it sounds as good as it can im on a strict budget so I can't exactly go out and buy a multiple hundred dollar CD player or something but this is just to hold me over I have it plugged into a topping E30 and a cheap amplifier (looking at the denon pma600ne to upgrade this amp was just to get me started) going into the elac debut b6.2 and I love it

[@luisdiego22002]

How do you define “good”? Expensive? Newer? More bells and whistles?

[@chrisharding5447]

I was told while putting anything near the reading surface of a disc, always go from centre to perimeter square to the data stream, so as to not create any damage that can send wayward laser light off on angles, and if deep enough can cut the flow of data, creating a jump. If dusty or printed, I use iso pads to wipe in this way and it does the same thing. Of course, having speakers set up to the best height and distance from the ears (and wall) helps, as does keeping the ears still to get a consistent aural input lol

[@michaelmitchell6089]

So will painting my DVDs make them look better?

[@anadialog]

Sure! I suggest dark red, it goes perfectly with most players! ;-)

[@michaelmitchell6089]

@@anadialog touche lol

[@boating2strokenovice726]

With a top loader. Why not just use isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab to clean the laser lens?

[@hicknopunk]

Why do you need a matt? Just use the top weight provided by the manufacturer.

[@marcfoss7687]

Thanks Guido. Have you come across the carbon fiber CD tuning mat?

[@anadialog]

I haven’t but should be in the same range of effects

[@jeffhunter4395]

Agreed,I do and have them all,it's a small improvement but cheap so overall I'm happy.

[@theklipschcave5593]

Hi. I am looking into the possibility of buying a used Unison Research CD player. This one got valves and I would like to hear if you have some recommendations on this player since it is an Italian made product?

[@anadialog]

I have never had one of their models but they are highly respected so if the price is right I am sure you will be satisfied.

[@FRANDISCOCLASICOS]

ESTOY COMO LOCO REALIZANDO LO QUE APRENDI DE TUS CONEJOS MUCHAS GRACIAS MI AMIGO

[@TechCrazy]

I guess the liquid has the same refractive index as the CD polycarbonate laminate and it fills in the micro scratches with particles for better laser reading.

[@Scottlp2]

Thanks for taking the time to post your tips.Just ignore the skeptics (they post on mcGowan's videos as well). Apparently if reality/experience disagrees with preconceived notions, than experience/reality is wrong.

[@anadialog]

Thanks Scott!

[@emericanchaos]

1. A good interconnect is a working one. Spending tons of money on cables doesn't do you any good. If you want to spend your money on flashy gear that's your choice. But don't buy it thinking it will make a difference. It wont. 2. Vibration control does not affect digital disc playback as you claim. This segment of your video demonstrates a clear lack of understanding. The only threat is skipping which shouldn't be a problem in a home environment. If you insist on proof I encourage you to investigate high end transports and take note of which ones use a digital buffer to cache data (basically anti skip for entire discs). I know PS Audio are one who did this. I would love to hear your explanation as to what exactly the threat small vibrations would be and why decorating your player with little feet would properly address the issue versus proper damping via mass loading or decoupling. 3. This will not affect sound quality. Again you're demonstrating a lack of understanding. If the lens is dirty and causes a read error you wont get inferior playback. You will get a discontinuation of playback. We're talking digital. 1's and 0's. On or off. It works or it doesnt. Every issue you encounter with playing a disc boils down to this simple truth. Skipping and jumping back one second and getting stuck in a loop? Failure to read the next bit of data causing it to repeat what it already has buffered while it attempts to read. Besides, do you have any idea how much dust is swirling around in there? Your lens brush wont fix that. Snake oil. 4. CD is not susceptible to static electricity. You're listening to a digital buffer feeding a DAC. The only static you will notice is the static that's been recorded. In your own words this Talisman product has magnets that "somehow" decrease or eliminate static.. you dont even understand how it works but you're recommending it? Well if that doesn't summarize the whole video. For what it's worth, magnets cannot dissipate static electricity. They can move statically charged ions in a magnetic field but they can't remove static. Proof? Google "esd grounding strap". These are used in IT and electronics fields where static can destroy equipment. None of these products use magnets. Instead they use a conductive fiber that attaches to a wire that connects to a ground. Snake oil. 5. Ohhh this is the big one. Exciting. Hahahahahahahahaha another gadget. Right so scribble on your discs with a sharpie and then clean it off with the special goo. Lol. You're not even writing on the part the laser reads. The data is on the reflective surface. Interesting that the directions say to avoid that area specifically. I had hope. I thought you were going to show us a polishing kit that will buff the surface plastic of the disc removing small scratches that impede the laser's ability to read by causing difraction of the light. You know, something that actually can make a difference. Snake oil. 0/5. Please take this video down. You're spreading false information. Sources: 2. www.psaudio.com/perfectwave-memory-player/ 3. Nothing here. Brushing dust off a lens that will have dust blown away when the disc is spooled anyway. Nice. I'm pretty sure a lot of lasers have a cleaning process where they move outside of the read boundaries. Could be alignment though. 4. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antistatic_wrist_strap 5. There's nothing here. No explanation of how writing on non readable surfaces and wiping it off effects readable surfaces. No explanation of what the liquid is, a secret blend of 27 herbs and spices I'm sure. And just nothing. It's a ritual for neurotic people. Maybe an ESD article? physicsexperiments.eu/1704/diffraction-on-a-cd

[@anadialog]

@emericanchaos...and though you like to go and watch these videos huh! How is that? First: Did you ever try these methods? If you haven't you just babbling. If you did, gimme proof. Second: I see you are citing PSAUDIO a lot. Great because Paul McGowan, CEO and founder of PS Audio just released this video where he claims the effectiveness of most of these solutions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6Kkc595h8d7btk Third: Here are some comments on the points you discussed: 1- If you'd watch my videos a little more you would know that I made a few where I suggest what to buy or how to do them on your own at a very cheap price but using top notch materials. High quality conductors, connectors and a good geometry do enhance the quality of the signal, especially in power cables. This is a huge debate. I am not going to go in it here and now. 2- Vibration control helps any type of gear. According to you, all producers all over the world are idiots since ALL decent CD players have vibration control solutions inside them and for the chassis due to acoustic and mechanical resonance issues (which create vibrations) and issues in the rotation and also the electronic components that are present in all standard players (for example capacitors). You talked about pick-up, not me! In any case errors may occur and the wrong correction of these can bring to sonic degradation (see point 3), and the reduction of these errors can occur also by reducing vibrations. In any case I was not focusing exclusively on the laser beam. Adding more control will help the existing vibration control solutions integrated in the player and also the other processes that take place inside the player. Vibrations can introduce noise and distortion. Check this chapter of this world famous engineer, Ken Pohlmann and what he says about vibrations with CD players: books.google.it/books?id=Ed388jKoOfQC&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=compact+disc+resonance+vibration&source=bl&ots=SF3LRPJ35e&sig=ACfU3U2InhLfpij7n4HKHUyJD1HOvyHxFg&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXgcPw1qjmAhXH2aQKHb6TBv04ChDoATAEegQIChAE#v=onepage&q=vibration%20is%20bad&f=false 3- Of course I know how a CD player works… do you? OK, its pits and lands, but let’s not forget that the laser in a CD player is not truly reading data, it is scanning the surface to search for a pit or a land and based on what the laser finds it is reflects back (land=1) or not (pit=0), which then is transformed by the photoelectric cell in electric current according to the received signal (1s or 0s). The electronic circuit recreates the pattern that was scanned etc. As you can imagine things can go wrong here, striating from the lens. People always focus on the pick up but never think of the handling of the signal in its digital form and then analog form in a CD player. Here vibrations already can create issues and the Auric helps in the reading of this scanning and the rotation of the disc, which is never perfect. Going back to the lens cleaner the laser and the reflection may be obstructed by dirt. Yes, the disk can skip in the worse scenario, but it can also introduce sonic degradation do to the INTERPOLATION (concealment) of the error correction codec. That is the software that is guessing how the sound could be, producing a faulty recreation of the signal with a bandwidth lowering and overall quality. Again Ken Pohlmann discusses of the importance to keep the lens clean for best performance: books.google.it/books?id=Ed388jKoOfQC&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=compact+disc+resonance+vibration&source=bl&ots=SF3LRPJ35e&sig=ACfU3U2InhLfpij7n4HKHUyJD1HOvyHxFg&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXgcPw1qjmAhXH2aQKHb6TBv04ChDoATAEegQIChAE#v=snippet&q=lens%20cleaning&f=false Most importantly, in this page of the book by engineers Rumsey and Mccormick you can read about the effects of interpolation during error correction: books.google.it/books?id=Y477AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA263&lpg=PA263&dq=error+correction+interpolation+sound&source=bl&ots=uOwC25bkpa&sig=ACfU3U3P0jdRXZ_YJW4w4SRJF2kha2ysyQ&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiyg76_-ajmAhUhIMUKHZyMDksQ6AEwBXoECAkQBA#v=onepage&q=error%20correction%20interpolation%20sound&f=false As you can read your conclusions are completely wrong. 4- First of all, I want to make clear that I do not recommend anything if not the Auric Illuminator. I am illustrating different solutions and I have clearly (this time) stated in several occasions in the video that these solutions do not have much of an impact, a little, but not that much. I don’t call this recommending. Walker Audio does not explain how its Talisman works so I can only guess! That is why I said somehow. It is a fact that CDs may be charged with static electricity. If this does affect sound or not is a matter of debate. A lot of people claim that it affects the rotation of the disc and the nearby electronics and others the reading of the medium. This aspect is also at the base of the Auric Illuminator. I think it does have an effect. I am presenting these products and I do find some change in the sound. As I said in the video, nothing dramatic. Just subtile differences…placebo? Maybe. When its so small it could be. I have no problem admitting this. In interconnects and power cables? No, I am sure. But as I have claimed in different comments. Things change from system to system. BTW what I the world does the strap has to do with this. There are several solutions to remove static. I did a whole video on this topic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5CnfJ6iobmqr9U 5- Whoa! You really got this wrong. Watch the video again, you got mixed up. Again, I have no idea how it does it but IT DOES. For instance serious Hi-Fi people like those at TNT audio think the illuminator is amazing: www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/auric_e.html. Paul McGowan use to use the marker and he said it really works. I believe him. His reputation talks for him. Once you have sent me a video of you using the Auric Illuminator with before and after results. Then I can pay attention to your comment and reflections. You are moved just by prejudice, not experience. Otherwise you would have said so.

[@emericanchaos]

@@anadialog he said he used to do the things you mentioned. He said he doesn't do it anymore. He said there's no scientific basis for thinking any of it made an improvement. He said he sells "audiophile" power cables with no scientific basis for claiming it's better. It's because guys like you buy it. Cables are cheap and easy to make. I make my own. Your own source of proof shits on your video.

[@anadialog]

@@emericanchaos that is your answer to everything I reporter you? You need to be intellectually honest and step back on some of your assertions. But I see how you are. You are now changing the words of Paul. He said he does not do it anymore because, like me, it's annoying to do, but he also clearly said: IT WORKS. He also said in several videos that cables do make a difference. His assertions actually fully support my claims and you know that! ;-)

[@emericanchaos]

@@anadialog Paul says " there's no scientific merit but we sell them anyway" you hear "it works". Paul says "I dont want to talk about whether or not it works" you hear "it works". Keep your head up your ass dude. Maybe that's why you need all the snake oil in the first place. Can't hear the music over your own flatulence.

[@LorenzoNW]

@@anadialog Wow, I can't believe you wasted so much time on such a rude, jealous, and mean spirited troll. Comments like "placebo effect", "double-blind study", and "snake oil" are Red Flags announcing some idiot know-it-all whose closest experience with high-end audio are KZbin reviews.

[@glennjohnson172]

I'm confused. What are hearing (or not hearing) in the "before" test that makes it necessary to do these things?

[@vinylcity1599]

I have a CD lens cleaning disc (memorex), and it does work!

[@anadialog]

Good to know! Thanks!

[@dan4466]

When I first saw the name of this video, I jokingly wondered if one of the things would be the green marker product I used to do the edge and center 30 yrs ago. Can’t remember the exact name but the marker was a bright green instead of black. I don’t remember if there was anything else besides the marker to do to the CD. I still have CD’s with the green edges. Myself, I thought it did nothing to the quality of the sound, but it was worth trying.

[@anadialog]

The black or green does little, I agree, but the Auric is truly effective

[@Gregor7677]

Do you recommend this treatment for CDs you are going to rip? It seems that would be worthwhile.

[@anadialog]

Sure! Original and copies...

[@goldeneggduck]

For method 5, the explanation is : laser bounces around INSIDE the transparent material of the disc and takes a lot of rounds of bounces before being attenuated, i.e. dying away. The "old light" will jam into the "new light" being read so the read head is reading extra rubbish/second hand old light. There is limited imperfect error correction scheme in the playback hardware that never does the job however much money you pay. I think, unlike the CD-ROM for computer data, it was not DESIGNED to be be error free considering the early age the standard was created, when microprocessor power was not easy to come by. The error correction scheme has a lot to deal with. The CD stamping process may introduce further errors as well. So the "wisest" thing to do (at that time) was to design it to "slur over" the errors rather than trying to correct it in real time. Remember the CD was invented before we had DISCMAN that reads ahead many many seconds so that you can do jogging with it? The old standard reads and processes the disc in real time (or just in time without much margin). With the blackening the bouncing around of light is stopped earlier before the light is eventually attenuated. Some people shave the edge of the disc to a knife edge for a similar effect. Many Philips/Decca CDs has a roughened/painted edge. Some playstation discs are complete black (including the main surface) and so are some "audiophile version CDs" So this optical trick deals with the way laser bounces around (refraction?) inside the transparent substance and doing the track prevents optical mix-ups that cannot be corrected by the electronics given how they were designed. I have never tried this on DVD and blur ray because they sound good enough and on the back of my mind they could have been designed for 100% error-free read given the abundance of processing power when such standards were created (more recently). It should be remembered that there were fierce debates about what colour of ink to use. Of course Black is the nobrainer. Any permanent marker does the job. No need for specific brands. It is just an optical issue. Look at early documentary of laser (as an invention), you can clearly see how light bounces around within clear materials. Just basic physics, no expensive products please.

[@exMuteKid]

You're right about the light behavior in transparent materials but this does not apply in any way to the quality of playback from a CD or DVD. the information is read digitally, so it doesn't matter how distorted the laser is as long as the photosensor can differentiate a 1 from a 0. (This is why expensive shielded HDMI cables won't give better image quality) I hate pseudoscience

[@LorenzoNW]

The Vibrapod is a good solution if you have an entry-level to mid-end system. I have a high-end system and a Star Sound Technologies Sistrum platform with APCD2 Coupling Discs makes a night and day improvement. Tweaks that yield significant improvements in a high-end system include the Bedini Ultra Clarifier HEX- BEAM (not sure it’s still available), IsoTek Full System Enhancer CD (run Track 2 weekly), Furutech destat III, Furutech Flux-50 NCF (expensive but freakin' amazing!), Bybee iQSEs, and Synergistic Orange Fuses. And of course, good power conditioning is critical to high-end audio. Annual maintenance for every mid to high-end system should include deoxidizing and enhancing all electrical contacts with foam tipped swabs (not cotton, which leaves micro-fibers that can damage the electrical connection) and a good contact enhancer like DeoxIT Gold, Furutech Nano Liquid, or Stabilant 22. Some products like Stabilant 22 are only contact enhancers so contacts should first be deoxidized with 99.9% pure isopropyl alcohol and foam swabs. This should be done annually, as oxidation builds up over time and degrades the sound. And yes, the Audience Auric Illuminator is great stuff. I’ve been using it for years.

[@anadialog]

Wow! You are really setup. Congrats!

[@LorenzoNW]

@@a1c3c3u Audience makes high quality Hidden Treasure In-Wall AC Power Cable. Normally a good idea but I live in a condo so no can do. My post is 2 years old. Since then, I’ve upgraded to a Synergistic Master Fuse in my CDP and two Purple Fuses in my integrated amp - obscenely expensive but worth it relative to the improvement gained and the overall cost of my stereo. I also use the Furutech Nano Liquid exclusively now. As with almost all tweaks, YMMV. A few people have complained that the Nano Liquid made their stereo sound too energetic and artificial. My guess is that they had a sterile sounding SS system to begin with and the Nano Liquid exaggerated anyweaknesses in their systems. And I got rid of the Bedini Clarifier. As I improved my system, I was able to hear how it was adding weird artifacts to the sound.

[@indigoTALKx]

i am an Audio-frick, and always love this your comment's editions...

[@theklipschcave5593]

I understand. But the extra cost for each CD would be minimal. And since the CDs are not the flavor of the day in these vinyl-times I thought there would be a need to improve the media all around?

[@paultreneary]

Ah, I have a damping disc somewhere still and had tried that green pen thing back in the day (and like Simon Scneider below I seem to recall there being no proof about the scattered light it absorbed and it even being a joke). It doesn't get anymore logical though than ripping a bit perfect copy to a drive and playing through a DAC - once done it never needs to be repeated. I was going to tweak my CD player with Burr Browns etc but it's now in it's box in the garage.

[@leonardopapantoniou4227]

So a Discman Is a bad type of gear?

[@revensteed9539]

I need more reassurance before blacking up my cds. Does this really work? Wouldn't all cds already be blacked up if it did work?

[@anadialog]

It helps. The important is the auric illuminator. That is a clear jump in quality

[@gregoryreid8106]

Does the auric Illuminator affect CD ripping as well? 😭

[@anadialog]

You bet! All spinning media!

[@gregoryreid8106]

@@anadialog oh god! Does this mean I have to rerip my entire collection 😭😭😭

[@anadialog]

Naaah

[@theklipschcave5593]

Hi. Regarding use of Townshend supertweeter. Users claim thye benefit form a supertweeter regardless of format-use. CD, vinyl, streaming, all formats seems to give a better sound with several users equipment. That implies that a cut off at 22 000 hz. is not a important point with CDs?

[@anadialog]

The whole point is to get super tweeters for high-resolution analog and digital material. It's true that most speakers reach 20Khz and that a CD can reach 22Khz, but l wouldn't spend all that money JUST for those 2Khz. If you are listing also di extended frequency material go for it otherwise better spend that on other parts of your system IMHO.

[@vicarsanc]

Hi! thank you for the video!!! There are a lot of comments... can anyone tell me what album is played to test with the last method? Thanks in advance!!!

[@vicarsanc]

One more thing... Someone could tells me where can I buy auric illuminator? I've searched on internet but I don't find a place to buy from Spain. Thanks!

[@theklipschcave5593]

Auralix damping mats for amps and speakers reduce vibrations and help you decouple the gear from the floor or rack.

[@JonYeoAU]

I tested a green paint marker instead of black (green being the "opposite" light spectrum to red) on the 2 of exactly the same cd in the 90s. One had the marker, one didn't. You could definitively hear a difference even in a blind test. Anyone else tried green instead of black?

[@theklipschcave5593]

Great stuff. Try a heavy slab or tile on top of your cd-player with a anti-vibration mat in-between. Reduces vibration-effects from your speakers woofers.

[@LorenzoNW]

I'd recommend using the Vibrapods between the tile and your CDP, especially since tile resonates. A maple board would be better. The Vibrapods will help to drain excess energy from your CDP as well as isolating it. It's a great solution for entry-level to mid-end CDPs. Below your platform, a set of Mapleshade Isoblocks (either from Mapleshade or homemade) is a great way to isolate floor vibration from your CDP. But if you have a high-end system, there's no way around spending a lot of money if you want to get the most out of your components. I own two Star Sound Technologies Sistrum platforms for my integrated amp and CDP and the difference with and without the platforms is night and day. And this is for a headphone system, no floor vibration.

[@theklipschcave5593]

@@LorenzoNW Thanks for good advice. I will look into the items. I got a combination of rubber/cork heavy pads under my amp. placed on a stone slab. I didn't know that concrete floor and tiles were prone to resonating problems to such an extent. I have just acquired a Yamaha CDS 2100, moving up from the CDS 1000. So I have to improve the damping.

[@LorenzoNW]

@@theklipschcave5593 That's an expensive CDP! Floor vibration usually isn't as much of a problem as draining excess energy from a component itself and isolating it from other components (which is why I opted for individual Original Limited Edition Sistrum platforms - one under my Cary 303/300 CD player and one under my Cary 300SEI amp). They were crazy expensive but I lucked out and found two platforms for sale on Audiogon. Even used, they were a LOT of money but I'm very happy with what they do for the sound. Your best option would be a Sistrum Apprentice Platform. The advantage of the Star points is that a lot of R&D has gone into designing their geometry so that they quickly and efficiently drain excess energy and inhibit energy from going up into your component. And they’ve developed a proprietary copper that doesn’t tarnish. Most of the energy runs down the outside of the points. And most other copper points are just regular copper that tarnishes. So on a microscopic level, it’s like the energy is having to cross over craters, which is very inefficient. And their APCD-5 Coupling Discs absorb more energy than the floor itself! If your components, power conditioning, and cables are already of commensurate quality to your CDP, it’s well worth the money. I’d recommend giving them a call and talking with them about it. They can give you honest and knowledgeable advice. And brand new, the Apprentice is a lot less expensive than the Original Limited Edition platforms were used. I also left a comment below the video about an hour ago listing a number of tweaks that will improve the sound of CDs in a high-end system. Check those out too.

[@theklipschcave5593]

@@LorenzoNW Thanks again for the info. I have already sent them a mail. Expect an interesting answer soon. This is a totally new topic for me when it comes to "spikes". I think most products of this kind is of poor quality so you never get any real audible improvements. It's more like; - it can't hurt...Audiogon is the place. They are bit pricy. It's like buying on item every year after saving up...

[@theklipschcave5593]

@@LorenzoNW Could't find the list of tweaks for CD's. Please place them again.

[@FlatulEssence]

Therefore, if you have 5,000 CDs, you have to blacken the outside and the inside rims of all the CDs.... that's a lot of work. In addition, would DAC enhance the sound?

[@anadialog]

What do you mean?

[@junacebedo888]

13:48 without anything. 16:47 with ENHANCEMENT. (to my ears, a very slight increase on the crispness of the symbals)

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

I’m not sure if you can hear that much difference with CD. Okay with vinyl if you upgrade a cartridge or use a high end turntable and set it up right you will hear a difference but CD, I’m not so sure. I have a Technics SL-P550 from 1988 and it’s a top tier player that sounds superb. I have an early 00s Sony CDP-XB730E which is excellent too. I reckon the best way to get better sound is to use expensive amp and speakers and first edition CDs not the modern ones that are all ProTools, sterile and mundane.

[@zauit]

schiit brand d.a.c. was a serious improvement on my cd player but optical out line is needed for this upgrade

[@SquidkidMega]

for superior sound quality climb to the top of a mountain and fart into a pillow

[@anadialog]

Show us your tutorial! ;-)

[@davids.816]

Would IPA help clean the CD or Would it damage the top layer

[@anadialog]

I wouldn’t use it, alcohol eats plastic

[@marcob.7801]

I use a drop or two of some dish detergent in warm water, in a small basin with a chamois cloth rubbing from inside to out in a straight line! Certainly to clean fingerprints (if you were stupid enough to put them on your disc in the first place) and sometimes for the odd shallow scratch ( a used disc maybe) and it works just as well for $1.78 (for the rest of your life)! I am dead serious, I own about 3000 CD's and you do need to clean them every so often (say every couple of years depending on usage), however,...I'm not so sure about the lens brush disc thing! Every time I've used one I've heard no difference and in fact one time after doing so a relatively expensive unit that I had stopped playing my discs altogether! As far as static control, I used to use a Furutech static remover which is also a circular type device that you put your disc on and let both sides demagnetize!I never thought this device did anything other than make the potential for putting marks on my discs greater!Ciao y'all!

[@anadialog]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I am pretty sure that most of these solutions bring minor of not any benefits although it does depend also grom your system. The auric illuminator isbthe only solution I do fully sustain...

[@theklipschcave5593]

Thanks for advice. But the frequency response is also evident from "normal" levels in the treble area and then goes above 22Khz. I.e. you get some audible improvement all the way. Have a look at Townshend charts for comparison between dome tweeter and their super tweeter. This winter I also listened to this super tweeter in a store in Oslo. And the difference was there. Did I enjoy it ? Not sure if this is what I am after. Like most people say ; go for upgrading of your cd-player or record player. Even better, why don't the producers give us better recordings/pressings? And then there is your listening room....

[@zulumax1]

Data from the CD is stored in a buffer and vibration from sound should not be an issue. Remember the portable CD players with anti skip technology? They had a larger memory buffer that would store several seconds of data, so the CD would have time to recover the lost data. Microphonics is a real phenomenon with electronics like circuit boards and cables however. Tube amps can really be microphonic, just tap on a preamp tube with a pencil eraser. The thing in the 80's with the marking pen was a green pen to absorb the red light straying out of the CD. Black makes sense since lasers are infrared, purple, and blue now, also multi-layered. Has anyone done tests to see if this makes a difference? Where are the myth busters!

[@shrike9t1]

zulumax1 all optic Disc Systems have an error correction when its not a clear digital 0 or 1, it decide which could be . Scratches , dust and Vibration Are reasons for a higher Amount of corrections, and this is Audible, because the Information is zehn „guessed“

[@richardm.9821]

Green pen myth busted: www.snopes.com/fact-check/bewaring-of-the-green/

[@marvinpeace882]

Thanks for sharing! Very useful. Amazing channel🙌

[@mcintoshkid]

hello analog after i saw this video About Auric Illuminator ,first i thought this is fake, but you explained it so greatly,i order it and give it a try, and i could not believe it,YES IT WORKS,..i got a lot cds from the 80s ,and is noticeably improved. For example, I heard the pelvis of the drums on a song that was not there before the CD was cleaned,thankyou this is a great audio tweak

[@anadialog]

Thank YOU for this feedback! People don't believe it (understandably) but it does work!

[@rct8884]

Going by my ears, I tried the Auric process and tested two of the same cd's I had and found that the Auric treated cd sounded better, tighter bass, better clarity and a better overall sound, similar imho, to the difference between balanced cables over single ended cables.

[@anadialog]

Thanks for your feedback!

[@hamzatatta952]

very interesting, so much to learn

[@bertushofstra8246]

Do you (or anyone else) have any experience with ultrasonic cleaning? I have small device which has an insert for one or two cd’s, but haven’t tried it yet.

[@anadialog]

Sorry, I don't...anybody?

[@JohnBoonBeanDutchman]

I can,t see if that will increase the quality of the cd music, as be just read the ziros and ones from the disc as a digital code, also if it has benefit to made the iner and outside black , the factory had already do that, one thing that may can have some improvement I can see some small logical in it, be how to connect the power cable as just how the transformer is wired to iner go outside how the electric fields aroud it responce on that, but that may can be even also be some snakeoil talk 😉

[@anadialog]

The only way is to try. Start from the Auric. Forget measurements. And you will see 100% some improvement. Without experience it's just prejudice.

[@gj8550]

Here are the time stamps in case you want to do A/B compare of using the liquid cleanser… 13:55 vs 16:49 The improvement is amazing.

[@amnonhoppe]

And you hear that through KZbin 🤣 Snake Oil, at best

[@gj8550]

@@amnonhoppe In case you don’t hear the difference, put the liquid cleaner on a Q-tip and stick it in your ears.

[@amnonhoppe]

@@gj8550 LMAO ROFL indeed, major difference with the q-tips in or out.

[@TheRollingStoness]

if the mastering engineer flunked in mastering 101, nothing else matters.

[@Thesimplehomeowner]

Do you know if a 4K uhh Blu-ray player would play CD’s with the same great sound a good CD player does? I have just a Blu-ray player, not 4K, and it doesn’t play my CD as well as my JVC CD player does. Granted my blue ray player is something I got at Walmart. I would like another pr CD player but finding one that won’t break the bank is crazy.

[@anadialog]

Yes, but you need a good one. Among the popular industrial production Pioneer players are very good. But I would try to get a used Oppo BDP205! It will play very well anything!

[@SleeveZipper]

A CD uses Cross-interleaved Reed-Solomon Code error correction. There’s 25% redundant data for error correction and the data is interleaved (spread out) across the disc. Cleaning, polishing or whatever is done to improve reading the disc is unnecessary. I wouldn’t call that scepticism.

[@hvskyline1368]

Definitely gonna try these as but I'm going to replace the interconnects with a digital cable optical/coax

[@Phil_f8andbethere]

Another tip - put a heavy book on top of CD player it helps reduce resonance/vibrations.

[@Palosrob]

Actually, pits and valleys are the same thing. You mean pits and lands.

[@anadialog]

Right! I got mixed up. Thanks for correcting that!

[@raulfantauzzi7547]

Thank you will try your ideas on my system ... Really intrigued by your patience in covering all bases on how to improve the enjoyment of the listening experience thank you

[@emanuellolarue4476]

I will suggesr the blue tack to avoid vibrations

[@richardm.9821]

It's not a turntable, laser beam information is automaticlly corrected. Vibrations will ONLY show up as skipping. Jitter control electronic. It's only reading 1's and 0's NOT music signals. It's either a 1 or a 0 no special magic potion is going to change that. The electronics inside the player convert that information into the music signal, and that is the only place improvement can take place, after that happens.

[@richardm.9821]

It's not a turntable, laser beam information is automaticlly corrected. Vibrations will ONLY show up as skipping. Jitter control electronic. It's only reading 1's and 0's NOT music signals. It's either a 1 or a 0 no special magic potion is going to change that. The electronics inside the player convert that information into the music signal, and that is the only place improvement can take place, after that happens.

[@anadialog]

Finally...the last part of your message starts to make sense....people here are saying that all CD players are the same!! Vibrations affect all phases and rapidly introduce noise...

[@TravelatorH8r]

I heard it ,thought it was bs but I'm blown away

[@BruceForster-k9n]

There is ANOTHER benefit to a Stat Mat: Especially if you are using CDR Discs, These Discs have a MUCH THINNER reading Surface, which MAY cause an albeit slight scattering of the Beam-in other words some of the laser energy could go through this TRANSLUCENT Surface thereby SCATTERING the beam. A Stat Mat completely eliminates this from happening. You may may not get a slightly better Sound quality; But it won't hurt, LOL!

[@DavidslvPT]

I came here to inform myself but reading the comments around here, seems to be another controversial topic. I honestly never though of adding something on top of the cd to stabilise it, maybe we are all skeptical because we have not been educated from the start to do it. It’s all plug and play… right? Anyways, I have been looking at some HiFi gear from the past, particularly the Sony SCD-1 and that player comes with a metal piece that you put on top of the cd for stability. I think the SCD-777ES does it also, but the SCD-555ES doesn’t (it’s a tray mechanism). I’m also not sure why most are skeptical about it, people have been adding weights on vinyl for ages for the same purpose. I don’t use any but I’d be curious to experiment and then make my own conclusions - just like anything it may also be subjective the gear each of us has at home, I don’t know if a cheap CD player will make any difference with or without, the components are just not at that detail level.

[@anadialog]

Thanks for your lucid analysis. The only one that really makes a bug difference is the Auric, the rest so-so.

[@jimmyFX]

Oh the black marker. My dj buddy did this too(30yrs ago).i tried wanted to say there was a difference. But I'm really in the middle on this(also depending on system/recording).also I have cds that are 30+years old.scratched .and on certain players you hear a tic tic. Sound.others you dont.this is my tester cds. if I'm purchasing players. At home i use a denon dns1200 dj player, approx 10yrs old(brings back old memories).at home.it will play anything. have had good luck with denon and Yamaha players. I do know they play scratched discs.

[@ailurophile71]

Skepticism is one of the most important qualities in a curious human. I'm open to the idea that vibrations cause noise but I'd like to know at what point it actually becomes audible. We have a reasonable idea of what this is for total harmonic distortion and wow/flutter, for example. Because what I hear from presentations like this is, if I am playing a song for you and I have the CD player in the other room, you should be able to tell me whenever I bump it lightly with my finger (let's say I do it continuously for 10 seconds at a time). It just seems unrealistic.

[@wizzelhoart]

I can't imagine you can hear the difference when removing static. Have you done I blind test?

[@anadialog]

Hi there, the only solution of these that really made a difference without the need of blind test is the Auric illuminator...the others? Not so much and it can change from CD player to another...in any case the answer is no.

[@richardm.9821]

A laser light beam is never effected by static.

[@anadialog]

Static affects rotation

[@amitanaudiophile]

Also try to refridgerate cd before playback

[@anadialog]

😂

[@amitanaudiophile]

sir i am serious,and have done this,please try once to believe.

[@amitanaudiophile]

Keep it in refridgerator for 2 minutes then just clean with goggle cleaning soft cloth thats it

[@amitanaudiophile]

I also have a master secret to tell u to get the best natural playback in your listening room with what ever acoustical flaws it may has.

[@amitanaudiophile]

Or even any device within your signal path.