Does Anyone remember


I'm almost cringing as I write this, knowing that any mention of a tweek, and it's "effect" is met with doubt or even boredom. Still, even though there may only be a few readers who can, or may have already tried this, I must continue.
I have been using a Pioneer PD S95 transport for about 7 years (great piece, look it up). It features the best version of Pioneer's rigid clamping system that is known to many, but no longer produced. It was a good idea. Clamp the CD so that it wouldn't rattle while it was spinning. The CD is inserted upside-down on these players, and the label side rests on a rubber pad atop a machined aluminum platter.
Anyway, it's the only high end transport I have ever had, so I can't compare it to others, but I have been very satisfied with it, and combined with an Audio Note 1x dac, it has been far superior to previous players I had owned.
To the point. Before owning the stable platter transport, I had used a product (no longer available) called Reference Bands. I forget who made them, but they were basically a stretchable circular black band that you placed around the outside edge of a CD. They were easily removeable. To me, the "pulled together" the sound of the music, making it sound deeper, and more nuanced. After I bought the Pioneer, I threw them out, as I believed that they were redundant. Then, last week, I pulled out a CD that I hadn't played in years, and there was a band on it. Long story a bit longer, I found that on disc after disc, the band in combination with the stable platter sounded obviously different, and after further listening, obviously better.
If anyone out there remembers the bands for better or worse, or has tried what I have, I would be interested in your thoughts.
The whole thing sounds so counter intuitive, but this has been my experience. I am using it all of the time now for critical listening.
128x128roxy54
Never to late to reply. Theta took the Pioneer PD S95 transport and modified it. The Theta Miles as it was called was a great player with balance and digital out that started as a good player and was turned into the best bang for the buck over fifteen years ago. I had it rebuilt and use it to this day. Sounds great with and without an extra dac as it has its own built in pre amp.
This is an old tweak to reduce jitter coming from the disk. There a lot of ways to do this by tweaking the disk itself, or you can just add a good reclocker to the transport and drive your DAC with a low-jitter signal. Then the cable, CD and transport will not have any effect on the jitter. They are "don't-cares".

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Zeal,
Thanks for the information, I never knew that Theta had used it. Very interesting.

Audioengr,
Thanks for the info/advice. Someone else on a thread had suggested that I add a digital lens. I am sure a reclocker would be a good thing. Can that just be added internally? What do you think the cost would be? (ball park)
I had a set of color coded adhesive ring discs which I bought about 15 years ago. Forget who made them However, I never play them because the Rega rep informed me that they add some weight to the transport which wears it out quicker. I was told by the same rep they could be easily removed. Not the case, and I was not going to submerge the CD in warm water to loosen the ring. However, I am going to give them a replay to see if they enhance the sound.
Sunnyjim,
I think they were made by Audioquest, and it was more than 15 years ago. I still have a couple of dozen CDs with them. I tried taking them off, and actually peeled off the aluminum layer on one of my discs where the cement was. It is better to leave them on. The reference bands that stretched on round the perimeter were better, and removeable.