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TAS Recommended CD Tweak….


In The August issue of The Absolute Sound, RH gives a glowing review of a product from Digital Systems & Solutions – “UltraBit Platinum Optical Impedance Matching Disc Treatment System.” According to RH, he was floored and, “….This wasn’t a subtle difference; there was a wholesale increase in apparent resolution, space, clarity, soundstage dimensions, and vividness.”
Apparently, this is a liquid solution that is applied to CDs and DVDs ($65/bottle).

Regardless of the whole “advertising thing,” I don’t believe someone like RH would put his reputation on the line by giving a bogus review. I wonder what, “This wasn’t a subtle difference…” means to the average person’s ears?

Also, in the same article, RH makes the statement, “…Similarly, it’s incontrovertible that a CD-R burned from a CD sounds better than the original CD.” I did not know this. Have any of you come to the same conclusion?
2chnlben
azmoon
126 posts
 
I have serious doubts that one would be "floored" by applying ANYTHING to a CD.

Had not read TAS for months and just picked up a copy. Very disappointing in general.
racamuti's avatar
racamuti
362 posts
 
I'm not a engineer, so I'm just guessing here. Maybe it has something to do with tracking error? If the correction part of your cd player doesn't have to work as hard maybe that leads to better sound? Like I said I'm just guessing. I read something about this long ago how if the laser doesn't get all the bits then it fills in the missing ones by averaging the bits before and after. I hope that someone with more knowledge than me about this will chime in.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Racamuti...When a CD experiences a data reading error it does not just fill in with average of adjacent data. (This is a common misconception). The CD is encoded with a CRC error correcting code so that the garbled data is recovered as if it had never been messed up. I suggest you read up on error correcting encoding.
2chnlben OP
595 posts
 
Here is a link to the TAS article in question: UltraBit Platinum
stilljd
159 posts
 
I would have to agree with Eldartford that before and after bit by bit comparison would answer the question. I would not be surprised if it did make a change.

Surface texture (or polish) should make a difference in the refraction properties of the whole disc. Although the CD surface looks very polished, there is a measurable texture or finish to the surface. This treatment could "theoretically" reduce that texture or further smooth the finish and allow for less reading error.

Also polycarbonates and acrylics will absorb molecules, water/O2/CO2 etc. So again it is "theoretically" possible that the solutions are altering the base properties of the optical layers.

Both optical clarity and surface finish are easily measured, (with lasers no less) hence, the manufacturer would have no trouble establishing a claim on that basis, if true.

But hey, I am a Package Designer, so what the heck do I know. I can count on one hand the number of check sum errors that have shown up optically reading untreated storage media over and over again.

Jim S.
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