Do you demag or destat your CDs/DVDS?


Just curious about these CD tweaks. The Furutech destat machine is tempting at around $350--I like their products. What is the story behind Furutech's discontinuation of their RD2 disc demagnetizing station? I see it was taken up by Acoustic Revive as the RD3, a supposedly improved version. Did it not prove effective by Furutech's standards, or did they let it go in favor of their much more expensive demagnetizer for vinyl and CD? Just wondering if the RD3 does work to improve sound. There isn't much mention of it in the past few years.
128x128jafreeman
07-12-14: Jafreeman
I spoke at length with my high-end retailer, here in MN, who swears by the Bedini Quad Clarifier. He states he never uploads a disc to his solid state drive or plays a CD that is not first placed in his Bedini. I trust this guy....
07-12-14: Jafreeman



A point to consider, regarding the mention of ripping to an SSD (or other hard drive): If in fact demagnetizing a CD accomplishes anything, and if the explanation of how that might occur is as described in the long quote from IAR which Jim (Jea48) provided on 7-9-11, the resulting benefit would only occur during real-time playback in a CD player or transport. The effect described in that explanation has no applicability to playback of a computer file that has been ripped from a CD. And that is especially true if the rip is performed using software that assures bit perfect accuracy, as it should be.

The IAR explanation, btw, involving introduction of electrical noise into circuitry in the CD player or transport, is the most plausible explanation I can think of for how these things MIGHT make a difference. And if that explanation is correct, whether or not a benefit will be realized, and its degree, figures to be highly dependent on the happenstance of the design of the particular player or transport.

Regards,
-- Al
07-12-14: Almarg


Hi Al,

You said,
"A point to consider, regarding the mention of ripping to an SSD (or other hard drive): If in fact demagnetizing a CD accomplishes anything, and if the explanation of how that might occur is as described in the long quote from IAR which Jim (Jea48) provided on 7-9-11, the resulting benefit would only occur during real-time playback in a CD player or transport."

You may be correct about an SSD or hard drive I have not experimented there.....

I have as you know, in a thread a while back here on Agon where you responded to a post of mine, where I copied a Red Book CD on a stand alone CD recorder to a CD-R disc and then treated the same Red Book CD in the Bedini Clarifier and then copied the cleaned CD on another CD-R disc in the same recorder. Play back of the two reviled the two CD-R discs sounded different. Sounded different on several different CD players. Several.....

Do you remember the thread? Damn if I can find the thread.... Any ideas? I would like to post the thread here for the naysayers.

You said,
"The IAR explanation, btw, involving introduction of electrical noise into circuitry in the CD player or transport, is the most plausible explanation I can think of for how these things MIGHT make a difference. And if that explanation is correct, whether or not a benefit will be realized, and its degree, figures to be highly dependent on the happenstance of the design of the particular player or transport."

I have played treated Red book CDs back on several different CDP players. I think it has more to do with the listening devices used whether difference can be heard. I will say to date for those that have listened they could hear a difference between a treated CD and non-treated CD. Note I only said difference. Some listeners preferred the sound of the treated CD, other preferred the sound of the untreated CD.

Jim
"07-11-14: Timrhu
ZD542, I'm not calling anyone out. Although I have met a few Agon members personally, I don't know any who fit that description. But reading through the threads here it does seem as if there are members who do."

Sorry. I don't think you read my post the way I meant it. I made the comment that audio equipment is made by scientists. Right after I put that down I said to myself someone is going to come up with an audio product that wasn't designed by a scientist. And it will probably be something silly like a tweak that doesn't make a difference. It was just a poor explanation on my part.
I bought a Destat II about 6 months ago. It has been entertaining standing on the sidelines and taking in all of the back and forth discussion.

As usual, Al brought an open mind tempered by a solid technical background.

My purchase was an experiment. In my experience with the destat, any effect it had was inaudible.

I have a high opinion of Furutech and the vendor from which I purchased the destat. I think Al's take explains well why some are sold on this thing and some are unimpressed.

For the last 24 years I worked in a world class R & D organization. I have some idea about how science and engineering is actually practiced in development. I have seen brilliant people get into protracted theoretical discussions. Sometimes you just need to run the darn experiment. If anyone is inclined to run the experiment, let me know. I'd be willing to part with mine.