does anyone sharpie thier CD's???

Shadorne: Looking at your system, which looks like one designed for high impact and slam instead of finesse/resolution/accuracy, I'd say that indeed you wouldn't hear a difference. Still, you might want to try this for yourself before you pass judgment. You might be surprised.

I thought the notion of after-market power cords making a difference was silly. Nevertheless, I experimented -- knowing that I WOULDN'T hear a difference. So that's exactly opposite of what you're contending we do. And boy was I wrong. I heard a huge difference. And so did friends who aren't audiophiles.

We don't have all the explanations for everything quite yet.

I don't think it's merely a matter of volume. Anyway, some things cannot be measured. If you have two properly tuned pianos, one a Steinway and the other a cheap upright, and play a middle C, they will register the same on an oscilloscope. Do they sound the same?

Regardless, this is nothing new. This notion has kicked around for more than a decade. Try it or don't. It's not worth arguing about.

Probably not, but they may help your fingers hit the correct keys when you type.

Metro04: Very true, but many times over the past several decades scientists have reported discoveries that cast doubt on previously held thories/beliefs -- or are flat-out contradictory to what scientists have "known" to be true. In the audio world, you need a healthy dose of both -- science and the ability (and willingness) to listen.

Metro04: Dgarretson provides a highly plausible technical reason. Besides, who stands to make a fortune here, Sharpie? The Sharpie folks probably don't even know about this.

I haven't tried this, but I wouldn't condemn those who have and say they hear a difference. It's not as if this represents a huge investment and anyone is going to let children starve because they spent $2.99 on a Sharpie.

Scientists don't have all the answers. Just look at the climate (politically driven) change debate. Lots of scientists know that it's nonsense -- at least where human activity is concerned. What's happening would be happening even if there were no people on this planet.

Enjoy your system! Oh, and be sure to buy some carbon offsets so you won't feel guilty for using electricity that you really don't need to be using.