Herbie’s Super Black Hole CD Mat - Wow!


I just received the Herbie’s Audio Lab Super Black Hole CD mat in mail. It’s a little black disc that fits atop a CD which has silicon on one side (the side that touches the CD) and carbon fiber on the top. I’ve only listened to a few songs (electronic genre) and my first impression was simply “Wow!” I’m hearing so much further into the recording. I’m hearing the ambience much better. Notes have more texture. Imaging seems to have improved. On one track, there is a sound that is panned to the right and repeats three times. I thought it was identical on each note, but with the CD mat it’s easy to hear that on the second note, it actually moves 6 inches towards the center of the soundstage and then back out to the right. It’s always fun to rediscover your music when you find a tweak you enjoy. 
From their website, this is how they say it works:

“By reducing micro-vibration in the CD spin during playback, laser-reading error is potentially reduced. (Error correction in audio CD discs is not perfect; it is algorithm-based "guessing," not binary like in data CDs). By damping the disc/clamp interface, micro-vibrations generated by spinning discs are hindered, keeping them from permeating throughout the player where capacitors, op-amps, micro-processors, and other sensitive parts can be adversely affected.”

I can’t confirm whether or not that’s the whole story to how it works, but I’m convinced it does something amazing. I will report back after I listen to some more music of other genres.
128x128mkgus
Even more important than the interface between the CD and the CD transport is the CD itself which, for at least two reasons, tends to flutter and wobble and vibrate whilst spinning. The CD laser tracking servo system cannot keep up with the severity of the tracking problem, what with the nanoscale dimensions of the laser beam and the data spiral. In order to stabilize the disc from wobble and flutter more severe measures are required. I am currently experimenting with fo.Q CD Stabilizers, a small black doughnut-shaped damper 🍩 that adheres to the CD label side. My Mystery Tweak involves damping the CD itself, completely stabilizing it.

Question, does the Black Hole go on the label side or the data side of the CD? From the quoted description it sounds like the Black Hole should go on the data side (down side).

“By damping the disc/clamp interface, micro-vibrations generated by spinning discs are hindered, keeping them from permeating throughout the player where capacitors, op-amps, micro-processors, and other sensitive parts can be adversely affected.”
Thanks. So, it’s apparently very similar to the fo.Q CD Stabilizer. 
mkgus,

Thanks for sharing. I have not tried Black Hole yet but been using SID mat for a while and it continues to amaze me. SID is designed to eliminate reflections from the CD label and absorb the stray laser light. By using SID in my player I’ve heard improvements in imaging, more air and space between the instruments and vocals are simply more palpable. 
Not to rain on anybodies parade here at all but this has been current since about 2010 I believe?
Anyways yes it does work pretty well.
I have been using it in conjunction with GK,s NDM in my C.E.C belt drive CD transport and between them red book replay is almost like a whole new media than previous.
Highly recommended for $35 or less.