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Rain-X as CD Enhancement Treatment

I have used the Auric Illuminator treatment on my CD collection for several years now. I am a believer in the AI, and repeated A/B tests of identical treated/untreated CDs bore out significant improvements after treatment with AI.

I ran out of the fluid and my marker dried out, so I was searching for mew treatments on the market before buying another AI kit or choosing something new. That's when I ran across this article by Greg Weaver at Soundstage, where he talks about having used Rain-X and a green marker(Staedtler Lumocolor 357, price about $3.00) as a treatment on his CDs to great effect.

http://www.soundstage.com/synergize/synergize200005.htm

Being the complete geek that I am, I had to try it for my self. I found the marker at Office Depot, and picked up a little bottle of Rain-X for $2.99. I treated a couple of CDs that I have ended up with duplicate copies of (Grant Green's Green Street, Frank Sinatra Sextet Live In Paris)and tested the Rain-X/marker treated vs. untreated disks.

Well, low and behold, the treated disks sounded notably improved; the music was clearer and louder, especially the midrange, the soundstage was larger with better definition and separation of instruments and the bass was tighter and deeper.

I can't say that the Rain-X treatment was or was not better sounding than the AI, but at the least very it is close, for a fraction of the price.

Has anyone else ever tried the Rain-X treatment?
craig_hoch
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Rodman99999...FYI...Bose pilot's noise-canceling headsets are almost universally preferred by pilots over other noise-canceling headsets which cost less.
rodman99999
6,097 posts
 
Mr E- Yeah, There's no doubt that they do work, and very well(hard for me to swallow, given my reactions to some of Amar's past concoctions). Did he learn advertising at MIT too?
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
OK. I did the test.

First of all I connected my CD player directly to one of my Behringer DEQ2496. The 2496 logs the peak signal level over the course of a complete CD. I made the hookup directly so that there was no gain control in the signal path. I played a CD twice, before and after treatment. For the two playings, the peak signal level was identical for both channels...-4.2dB for Left and -4.1 for right. That proves to me that there is no increase of loudness as a result of treatment.

With regard to sonic quality, I heard no difference, but this kind of comparison is difficult, and highly subjective, and everyone is free to believe what they want. I know what I think.
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Eldartford, thank you for conducting a test of the disc treatment. I respect people who actually will try such things. I also will accept your experience and not debate it. Variety of experiences makes for interesting exchanges between audio lovers.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
So, Doug, are you changing your opinion? I continue to be perplexed at sincere beliefs that some hear differences and others do not. I am also fascinated that some love one wine while others hate it. Humans are a varied lot.

I remember several years ago sitting between John Curl and an TAS reviewer listening to a demonstration of the Shun Mook speakers. John and I were struck by the improvement gained by a slight change they made in the speakers. The reviewer heard nothing. My only judgment was that I would pay no attention to his reviews thereafter. He was soon gone.
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