First of all, speaking from a purely technical point of view, you did nothing to dispel any myths about digital. You simply gave us your list of what you think works and why you think it works. I just wanted to clarify that the contents of your post are based purely on personal beliefs / your personal experiences and would not "dispel" or "prove" anything to anyone that came to this forum looking for "accurate techical information". The fact that i have very similar beliefs / methods of use should confirm that i did not mean this as an "attack" from a "naysayer".
As your processes go, i clean every disc that i purchase with warm water and Palmolive dish soap. I got into this habit with used discs and it has carried over to new discs. I have had this procedure make the difference between playing and not playing, simply due to removing dirt / smudged finger prints, food particles on used discs. As such, i don't bother looking at them when i bring them home, i just clean them all. This also de-stat's them at the same time if you plan on playing them right away.
I also have and use an Audio Desk Systeme "disc cutter". Should any of you want to compare the effects of this device and have a few duplicate discs, you are welcome to send me a disc or two and i'll cut them and send them back. You are responsible for shipping costs both ways though. The same thing goes for cable burning, so you can kill two birds with one stone if you send both at the same time.
As far as markering CD's goes, i do not do this nor will i ever. I have conducted a few tests doing this and the results were in favor of NOT "greening" or "blacking" discs. Read errors were increased, error correction was increased, discs that were partially readable were no longer readable at all, etc... The results that i obtained were also duplicated by Rodney Gold, moderator of the Digital Asylum over at AA. He performed digital analysis of markered and un-markered discs via links between his all digital Meridian based system and his computer. In every test, markering came back with negative effects on the performance of the system. Since increased error correction can and does alter bit count and over-all performance, the sonics of such a "tweak" will always be subtractive ( losing information ) rather than additive. As a side note, "trimming the edges" ala the Audio Desk Systeme increased read times and reduced error correction according to Rodney's tests.
As far as CD treatments such as Auric, Optrix, etc... i only use them if a disc sounds "bad" to begin with or is damaged. These treatments do increase readability, reduce error correction, etc... They also alter the sonics of the disc. As mentioned, if you have a "brash" sounding disc with a lot of sibilance ala early digital transfers, it can work wonders. Otherwise, my experience is that the leading edge of transients are softened, the music looses some of the drive or "prat", and everything sounds more "mellow". This may be good if you want to go to sleep or have a less than musical digital installation, but i find it a detraction and use it only as needed.
As far as the use of a Bedini or Furutech, etc.. type device, i do think that they work, but the results are subtle. If i've just got done washing the disc, i don't bother using any of these. Otherwise, i do use these and the end result is a quieter and cleaner background with reduced "grit" and increased liquidity.
As a side note, i had posted a link to someone that had done analysis of several different "tweaks" for CD's and all of the "CD mats" reduced the performance of the machine in terms of reduced readability, increased error correction, etc...
I've seen other reports where readability / error correction tests were performed using those "cd rings" that attach to the outer edge of discs. All of these reduced readability, increased error correction and threw the disc out of balance, increasing wear on the motors.
As such, i would suggest performing your own "digital tweaks" and judge for yourself what works and what doesn't. Just make sure that you use a disc that you are familiar with, but aren't too worried about trashing if something goes "wrong".
For the record, Auric Illuminator was able to "reverse" the effects of markering in one test that i did. While the disc had "hops, skips & jumps" in in prior to markering, adding the marker made the disc completely unreadable. Once i applied Auric Illuminator, the disc played like it was brand new with NO problems whatsoever. As a side effect though, the sonics were altered but having a disc that plays with a "softer" presentation is better than having a disc that won't play at all. Sean
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As your processes go, i clean every disc that i purchase with warm water and Palmolive dish soap. I got into this habit with used discs and it has carried over to new discs. I have had this procedure make the difference between playing and not playing, simply due to removing dirt / smudged finger prints, food particles on used discs. As such, i don't bother looking at them when i bring them home, i just clean them all. This also de-stat's them at the same time if you plan on playing them right away.
I also have and use an Audio Desk Systeme "disc cutter". Should any of you want to compare the effects of this device and have a few duplicate discs, you are welcome to send me a disc or two and i'll cut them and send them back. You are responsible for shipping costs both ways though. The same thing goes for cable burning, so you can kill two birds with one stone if you send both at the same time.
As far as markering CD's goes, i do not do this nor will i ever. I have conducted a few tests doing this and the results were in favor of NOT "greening" or "blacking" discs. Read errors were increased, error correction was increased, discs that were partially readable were no longer readable at all, etc... The results that i obtained were also duplicated by Rodney Gold, moderator of the Digital Asylum over at AA. He performed digital analysis of markered and un-markered discs via links between his all digital Meridian based system and his computer. In every test, markering came back with negative effects on the performance of the system. Since increased error correction can and does alter bit count and over-all performance, the sonics of such a "tweak" will always be subtractive ( losing information ) rather than additive. As a side note, "trimming the edges" ala the Audio Desk Systeme increased read times and reduced error correction according to Rodney's tests.
As far as CD treatments such as Auric, Optrix, etc... i only use them if a disc sounds "bad" to begin with or is damaged. These treatments do increase readability, reduce error correction, etc... They also alter the sonics of the disc. As mentioned, if you have a "brash" sounding disc with a lot of sibilance ala early digital transfers, it can work wonders. Otherwise, my experience is that the leading edge of transients are softened, the music looses some of the drive or "prat", and everything sounds more "mellow". This may be good if you want to go to sleep or have a less than musical digital installation, but i find it a detraction and use it only as needed.
As far as the use of a Bedini or Furutech, etc.. type device, i do think that they work, but the results are subtle. If i've just got done washing the disc, i don't bother using any of these. Otherwise, i do use these and the end result is a quieter and cleaner background with reduced "grit" and increased liquidity.
As a side note, i had posted a link to someone that had done analysis of several different "tweaks" for CD's and all of the "CD mats" reduced the performance of the machine in terms of reduced readability, increased error correction, etc...
I've seen other reports where readability / error correction tests were performed using those "cd rings" that attach to the outer edge of discs. All of these reduced readability, increased error correction and threw the disc out of balance, increasing wear on the motors.
As such, i would suggest performing your own "digital tweaks" and judge for yourself what works and what doesn't. Just make sure that you use a disc that you are familiar with, but aren't too worried about trashing if something goes "wrong".
For the record, Auric Illuminator was able to "reverse" the effects of markering in one test that i did. While the disc had "hops, skips & jumps" in in prior to markering, adding the marker made the disc completely unreadable. Once i applied Auric Illuminator, the disc played like it was brand new with NO problems whatsoever. As a side effect though, the sonics were altered but having a disc that plays with a "softer" presentation is better than having a disc that won't play at all. Sean
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