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Are there any really good cd cleaners out there?

I was wondering if there are any really good cd cleaners on the market . Like maybe an ultra sonic cleaner? Right now i am just using a spray cd cleaner and a cloth. Thanks...
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ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
Armor All is made of silicones and glycerin to be left behind.
Its raison d'etre is humans like shiny stuff.
It's designed to leave a residue.
Residue is a no-no on anything optical.

Windex can also be nasty stuff also leaving a residue.
It requires mechanical removal to the dry surface.

Dish soap or car wash rinsed away and dried by blowing the water away leaves discs 100% clean and 100% residue free with 0% chance of drying damage.

@georgehifi  +100 on the bogusola @ Machina Dynamica and its progentitor.
lucidear
88 posts
 
Besides the issue of leaving residue on disc surfaces and potentially creating difficulties for the lazer pickup...
Armorall= shiny surface= reflectivity.
Well, it seems that the Japanese are going in the opposite direction with their SHM material and special coloring to eliminate the smallest hint of reflectivity...
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
ieales

@georgehifi +100 on the bogusola @ Machina Dynamica and its progentitor.

>>>>Et tu, Brute? And did your spell checker break down, eelsy? George can’t help it, he’s on that big superstitious island in the Pacific.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
In the first place polycarbonate is only 90% transparent so what’s the difference? Second the new SHD CDs and SACDs are compressed to death so who cares? Third, most of the scattered laser light is invisible anyway. So, again, who cares? 🙄
aalenik
67 posts
 

I've spent some time on this, so I'll share what I've found... for what it's worth.

Why clean a CD (SACD, DVD, etc.)?  New CDs have a mold release compound on them, much like LPs.  They may also be covered with 'micro-dust' from the plant where they were pressed.  Both impede the laser and cause more error correction.  In most cases, you only need to clean (or treat) new discs.

Warm water & mild hand-soap will do about 90% of the job, but a good treatment will do even more (for better or worse - read on...).

I've tried a number of CD treatments, Ultrabit, Liquid Resolution, Shine-Ola and maybe a few more. All provided 'cleaner' sound, but also added brightness to the sonic balance.  Liquid Res. was the most neutral of those above (but no longer available).  HOWEVER...

the absolute BEST of all is L'ART DU SON.  It not only cleans the CDS, it also provides a very natural sonic balance and almost seems to enrich the midrange.  I use it on every new disc I buy.  VERY highly recommended!

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