I've done a lot of goofy audiophile tweaks, but I'm just too damn afraid of screwing up my discs by drawing on them with Design Markers. |
Gunbei:
Given the right marker, you might be surprised at the results. I've had pretty good luck with it. It's marking SACDs that has me concerned, particularly since green isn't the appropriate color for an SACD laser. I think orange is. |
I had the CD stoplight and used it for a while, but have gotten away from it over the last several years. It seemed to improve the sound on some discs while doing nothing on others. I have never had it detract from the sound of a CD, but I'm not sure how you could detract from the sound of CD, it sounds bad enough already! |
I never had any loss of information--it could happen, I guess, if you get sloppy and cover up any of the pits the laser is supposed to be reading. Never have had to remove any, but I'd be careful about it-as long as it doesn't adversely affect the SACDs, you might want to leave well enough alone. Perhaps there's another way--if you remember your basic colors, mix the green with blue to get yellow, then mix that with red to get orange!! (That may have been a little tongue-in-cheek).
Gunbei, you of all people are someone I thought would have used the green pen tweak. Hell, if you look at the tip under a magnifying glass, it even looks like you (or at least your almost-namesake). |
I gotta watch myself, I use so many black markers everyday I might create a challenging scenario for the laser on the data side of the disc, heheh. Green guy using black markers? Hmmm... |
ok...i tried them both...the green audioprism cd stoplight pen...it worked...and no...i had no problems...i was always able to color between the lines so i didn't get any where the laser was supposed to go.
the black "sharpie" pens...you know...the indelible laundry markers...well...that one didn't do jack for me. |
I agree with Rcprince. No loss of info that I have heard. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't make any improvement, I think the edges have something to do with it, some are smooth and some are not.
Try it for yourself.
Happy Listening |
I had the same question about using the Green on SACD's so I asked Mark Levinson, who makes SACD's.
He recommended the use of the Green pen.
Richard |
I asked Nelson Pass and he recommended getting a really fine tip green
sharpie and drawing miniature Fred Flintstone heads all around the perimeter
of the CD edge. You may need a magnifying glass. There should be room for
about 178-187 Fred Heads on the edge of a CD if you're drawing him
correctly. Let me tell you, once the muscles in your hand finish cramping up,
you'll have a yabba dabba dooo time listening to your entire collection as if a
veil had lifted! If you really want to get ambitious Pass also suggests dotting
Fred's eyes with a blue marker instead of the green. Oh, and don't even
bother trying Barney, or Wilma, BamBam or Pebbles...it's gotta be Fred or it
won't make a damn bit of difference. This is otherwise known in the inner
circles of the High End as the "Fred's Head Mod". Now I know a
bunch of you are doing one of those hand to the forehead smacks as it all
starts to snap into place...that's what all those folks at CES were asking about
when they asked you, "Have you met Fred?" and "Are you a
friend of Fred?" or, simply "Got Head?" You wondered why
they dropped you like a wrong number when you didn't respond. Well, now
you know. When you're done, I'd suggest Gojo Natural Orange hand cleaner
for those green marker stains..don't stay up too late now. No, not Dino either.
Just Fred!
Marco |
Marco, If i ever stop laughing I am going to try to fit 200 Fred's and 1 Dino on my cd's. |
Jax2 - You neglected to point out that the Fred's head prismatic refraction refinement only works in conjunction with digital cables that have been soaked in Kosher Dill pickle juice and then dried at room temperature during a full moon while coiled counterclockwise within 10' of a sleeping virgin.
:) Happy Listening ! |
I spent last summer vacation with a box of markers and a bottle of Bubbies juice, but in the end the only discs that improved were the Freds themselves. I'm still smarting from not having the foresight to consider the consequence of making Limp Bizkit sound like Queen. An improvement? Hardly. I give this tweak a categorical thumbs down. Freddie's Dead, and I ain't going near no sleeping virgins with the pickle juice. You're really stretching my gullibility this time, I can just feel it. |
How the hell do you do that Marco? I couldn't even get close to 178 Fred's on my discs. By the time I circumnavigated that silver flat world I only had 33 little Fred's drawn. And I'm an artist! |
I've found that green markers work best on SACD and blue on DVD. However, red is best on "redbook" which makes sense to me. I've tried all of your picture recommendations and can't hear the difference. Should I look into a new transport? Thanks in advance to all. |
Dean - you need the Pass Labs Fred's Head Signature magnifying loupe and specially modified Fred's Head green and blue razor-point Sharpie set. During the month of July it comes with a free wrist-brace from Ace Bandage and a small bottle of Gojo in the fresh orange scent. All of this for the bargain price of $379.95 (financing available). And if you act right now (1-800-FREDHED), and mention my name they'll send you Fred's likeness on the inside of a matchbook cover so you can have a guide to make sure you're accurate. I cannot stress the importance of accuracy in rendering Fred here, and this is probably what castrated Limp Bizkit for Howard. He's probably drawing expressionistic Fred's with one eye bigger than the other. Oh, and the dude with the one Dino's in for a big dissappointment too. Just Fred!
Marco
(with sincere apologies to Nelson Pass) |
With the Joe Rockhead .00000000000000007 micron green audio rapidiograph I can probably hide all kinds of nasty little drawings on my discs ala Disney. |
Damn...where are my koh-i-noors |
Sorry I didn't see this sooner.The magic marker works wonders. Remove the cap, breathe deep and you'll wonder what you've been listening to.Alcohol administered internally has a similar if more pleasant effect. |
Keep flames away, or someone will become a fire-breathin dragon !! |
