Audio Selection Bitstream vs Auric Illuminator

I didn't know about the audio desk sound improver for beveling the CD. Will have to try that one day.

I'm in the process of treating of all of my CDs with EOM and then ripping them. Is dbpoweramp the best sounding ripper? I've been using XLD on the OS X.

When you rip a CD the effectiveness of the rip is a function of how well the CD laser reads the disc, just like it is in real life when you play the CD. so, that's why following whatever regimen one uses for playing CDs when ripping them is a very good idea. Things like EOM, demagnetizing the disc, coloring the disc, ionizing the disc, beveling the disc, etc. All of these things will improve the rip.

I rip my CDs after treating them with essence of music. How's it possible that the treated rips sound way better than non-treated rips?

I'm not sure, but when I try to listen to the non-treated rips I can't bear to listen to them anymore.

I've tried the Auric Illuminator and several others but the Essence of Music is simply the best cd treatment I've ever tried. It makes me realize it is not putting the data on the cd as much as how we retrieve it from the cd. I never thought cd could do depth very well. But I was wrong. It can also sound effortless in an analogue manner[but still not analogue]..but so close at times I've been listening only to my Essence of Music treated cds. This is a jump in cd playback in my system, in my room. YMMV. But it is simply stunning...such a fullness of notes..etc. cheers, bluenose

There have been a bunch of good CD treatments over the years including Auric Illuminator, also Jena Labs' fluid the name of which escapes me, Nanotech 8500, Optrix and of course Xtreme AV Liquid Resolution and about fifteen others that shall remain nameless.

Thanks Branislav;

Interesting reading

Essence of Music...downside, it takes like 5 minutes for the whole process.....