If you have a CD Player, you need to do this periodically...
I immediately thought "play a record or two to see how far you still have to go...'
If you have a CD Player, you need to do this periodically...
I would rather imagine that most audiophiles are aware of this, but if not, may I recommend a very easy tweak that has always produced positive results in every system I've had:
Ayre - Irrational, But Efficacious!
Densen - DeMagic
These are System Enhancement Discs which reduces magnetism that has built up during playback. I'm pretty sure there are other products that purport to do the same thing. These two have certainly worked for me. Good listening!!
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My little brother was a Manufacturing Engineer at Sony for 25+ years. He is a Purdue graduate but the little snot has as many patents as I do. (I worked in both Aerospace and Automotive in R&D and Design/development for my career). He took me on a tour of their CD manufacturing line back in the early 90s. Back then it cost less than a dollar to make a CD as I recall. The discs are injection molded polycarbonate with the pits that define the digital information molded in place. So that part is very similar to the manufacturing of vinyl records- just instead of pits the record has the grooves molded in place. Next the discs are inserted into a special vacuum chamber and pure aluminum is sputtered onto the disc just a few atoms thick to make a perfect mirrored surface. A UV cured clear coat lacquer is bonded over the mirrored surface to protect the mirror finish. I remember him telling me at the time that CDs were not considered archival because the aluminum is not perfectly sealed and can eventually oxidize. CDs are estimated to last 100 years, he said. So its not a bad idea to rip them into FLAC files. I have a gold CD and I imagine it is the same process just sputtered with gold as the source material instead of aluminum. Hopefully it will last a long time since it was expensive. Finally, the labels are silk screened onto the discs and they are packaged into their jewel boxes. He said they produced 3 million discs per day back then. CDs had a 2.5 second cycle time and DVDs were 3.5 seconds. The master disc is made by laser etching a photo film on a glass plate, the residual material washed away and then nickel plated. This plating with the pits (digital information) is about 0.25 mm thick. The positive master is molded from the original master disc and then the working molds pressed from the positive master. |
I had just received the Ayre CD from Music Direct last week and just played it yesterday. I have difficulty with subtle improvements if I am not doing a side by side comparison but I will say my system sounded great and for $20 I will continue to play the CD on a regular basis. What I can say is that I added Cardas Audio Multi Blocks last month to get all of my cables off the floor and segregated and with that I can say my system opened up with a noticeable improvement. It is another inexpensive adjustment and I am a believer in the sum of all parts.
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I have the disc. The premise of this discussion is that bits of the system have become magnetized. My chassis are copper and aluminum. My cables are silver. My connectors are gold plated copper. All the above are non magnetic materials. Circuit boards are tin plated copper. So same story. So which bits would become magnetized? Inductors and transformers most certainly generate electrical fields. But that is in the power supply. I am not using output transformers so nothing to align there.
That is not to say that the disc is not helpful is some way. |
Ah, another example of useless product for the audio system! As I am a scientist holding PhD., I cannot understand the statement someone mentioned below: "I don't know why it works, but it improved my system." Any effect on the sound is very difficult to measure for naked human to detect. So, there are many product just like snake oil.
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+1 gents - hahaha |
@r29y8u92 - as a PHD scientist how on earth did you come up with a name that looks like a random generated password as a your Agon name? A variety of tracks featuring specially developed algorithms, which create a unique set of signals to reduce burn-in time and ‘run-in’ equipment. The disc can also demagnetise audio and audio-visual components.
The Full System Enhancer CD is an intensive ‘workout’ for your audio system. The disc includes specially developed signals to help ‘run-in’ new equipment, as well as demagnetising existing hi-fi components and rejuvenating your entire system. It is important to exercise an audio system across the full range of frequencies and amplitudes it may encounter in real life, and to this end the tones on this disc have been devised to cover the complete audio band from top to bottom, also ensuring that, for instance, high-amplitude signals are combined with high-speed ones. In electronic terms, the required signals feature lots of high-speed activity coupled to some high-amplitude excursions. All of these signals have been produced according to strict mathematical criteria, so as to place the greatest stress on the important parts of a system – without, it is important to note, endangering any part of it. |
I put in the Chesky demo disc ran it for a while, Class A system. Did the track 7. Then back to the demo disc. My noise floor is -93dB and speakers 19 woofers and 2 inch horns, both Faital Pro. Perhaps a bit better in the midrange but details were the same. I think that running a frequency sweep through a system is good in that it gives parts a full range of exercise. Just like a break in it loosens things up. |
I just want to thank you for posting about the Ayre IBE CD. I used it after receiving it a few days ago. It is effective and improved clarity and fine resolution in my audio system. Subtle in scale however definitely noticeable. Quite an admirable feat for 20.00 dollars. I appreciate you bringing this product to my (And others) attention. Not every tweak I've tried has been beneficial. This one is worthwhile. Whatever it's doing to the system components, the end result is a positive one. Charles |
Audioguy,, why do you think the demagnetizing function is absurd? I’m not being sarcastic, just curious. Some tweaks are obviously scams, but it’s sounds possible this might not be one of them. So I wonder why you think it may be, especially since I spent the twenty bucks to try it out. Not a huge amount, but still... I’ll post anecdotal impressions after it arrives and is tried. Very well possible I may have been hustled out of twenty bucks, But not being an audio engineer I’m curious to know why it may or not, or should or should not work. Let us know your thoughts on this. Thanks, Mike |
Hello, Ryan, the CEO of Ayre explained it to me. He said the input or channel gets burned in with a sound signature. By using track one or seven which are sweeps. This removes the burnt in sound signature. It actually works. The three main people at Ayre do this once a week. Also, great if you changed out equipment like if you were demoing a DAC or bought a new cart or phono stage. You just run your CD player with this disc through that input. You can order it from Ayre or if you are in the Chicagoland area the local Ayre dealer which is Holm Audio or: holmaudio.com They had these discs in stock when I was at the Ayre, Nordost, KEF event at the store at the beginning of the December. |
If you tried the CD and it did nothing for you, no big deal and easy to accept. No product will ever please or impress everyone. If you haven’t actually tried the test CD in your audio system then you comments have no usful value. Nothing other than "know it all" arrogance. Charles |
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To the contrary aluminum is a paramagnetic material. Take a look at the early mechanical speedometers used in cars. They used a spinning magnet inside an aluminum ring. The eddy currents from the spinning magnet applies a torque on the aluminum ring which then pushes a spring loaded needle around the speedometer dial. The torque produced by the aluminum ring is proportional to the speed of the spinning magnet. |
Certainly plausible. The premise seems to be that these test/conditioning CDs have an effect on the entire audio system chain rather than only the CD playing portion. Whatever the case may ultimately be, the overall end result was a net gain in my audio system. I would encourage those who are curious to spend the 20.00 dollars and come to your own conclusion.
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Thank you @charles1dad |
I’m sorry to go on a tangent…but with all the talk here about the need to “de-magnetize” I’m trying to understand the concept particularly when a big buck hi fidelity cable company is marketing their product as the new paradigm in sound. But don’t (from what I’ve read in the ads) they basically have alot of magnets in their cables? PLEASE CLARIFY |
The most obvious improvement I've made using demagnetization has been the Walker Talisman. I bought it not knowing how effective it is at the speaker terminals, just waving it back and forth for 5 to 10 seconds. That really opened up my system. My friends purchased it just for that reason after hearing what it did to mine (and theirs now). Prior to every listening session. My friends also recommended waving it over (one pass only needed) speaker cables, power cables and ICs. Yes, I most notice it over the speaker cables, despite mine having incredible shielding. Must work on the exterior static. I barely notice the difference when waving it in front of my speaker drivers as recommended. Back the terminals-wow!!! I switched from using the Talisman to the Furutech Destat III. It eliminates static from the plastic and vinyl when the latter are held in one's hand (not on the platter). There is a definitive Youtube showing why and how. I did not hear much if any difference using the original Furutech CD demagnetizer previously mentioned. |
I use the 60 second Glide tone frequently. It clarifies the music and everything sounds better. I do this from a music file within my Macbook Pro.. I don't have a cd player hooked up and the results are noticeable every time. What I would like to know is does anyone have an idea of how long the effect lasts? |
Concerning the built up static the Ayres CD may be impacting, has anyone used the Zerostat anti-static gun on their equipment and wiring to good effect. I think it was originally designed for use with records. I’ve not used mine for decades, but still have it. You can check out the second half of the following video to see how it works on records and maybe CD’s. Maybe it would work the same way as the Walker Talisman device fleschler described. could work on demagnification. Free advice: Do not point the Zerostat gun at your wife and slowly squeeze the trigger when she is giving you static.
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My Ayre disc arrived yesterday and I played the entire 19 plus minutes straight through at moderately low volume. I next cued up the Mofi SACD disc of Breakfast in America"- which has been a standard reference album since my Tech Hifi days.
Granted this is not the best SACD out there IMHO, as it tends to be a bit bright. Playing it through from start to finish it did sound quite good, with warmer mid range and clearer bass. So my ears pricked up to that.
I will clearly have to more serious listening of other discs from my collection,but just wanted to throw in my initial impression out. I am curious since my DAC is in my Yamaha CD/SACD player will I also reap an additional benefits in regards to that?
My version of the Ayre disc is from 2019.
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Thanks for this!!!
Although I have 2 different enhancing discs XLO and Isotek, I have been negligent to use them. 3 days ago I reinstalled my Marantz HDCD 1 and while it sounded appreciably better than my Oppo 105 with upgraded PS (though also unenhanced in a long time), the HDCD 1 was sizzly on top. First I replaced the $250 WW power cord with a ~$750 PC from Tekline. That helped, but the images were still a little fuzzy. I put my XLO disc in for a complete run-through. Images were much better focused as well as location on the sound stage |
@millercarbon 😂 good post |
A copy of the Ayre disc, the 1.2 version, arrived yesterday. I tried out track seven on it, the one that supposed to demagnetize. I listened to Joni Mitchell’s Blue and Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball CD’s on my Marantz KI Ruby CD player both before and after using the disc. I honestly could not detect any difference in the music after using the Ayre’s disc Track 7, which contains the ’Full Glide Tone". I’ll try again after playing all seven of the tracks through and report back. Maybe trying it out using some other CD’s before and after may make a difference. I’m listening to Herbie Hancock’s Blue Note "My Point of View" CD right now. I’ll try that plus something else and report back, Mike |
@millercarbon just curious, did you demagnetize your electronic’s or CD’s with the Radio Shack Bulk Tape Eraser? @tonywinga when using the Radio Shack Bulk Tape Eraser on your CD’s did you demagnetize from the label side? I also have a Radio Shack Bulk Tape Eraser from back in the day and would like to give it a try. Thanks |
Thank you @tonywinga I’ll give it a try. |
Originally bought for CD, I now use it on cables and records. Of course it doesn't really demagnetize CDs or LPs, maybe it is something to do with static electricity I don't know. The effect on CD fades out a lot over about 15 minutes. With LP this is just about right for a side. I don't use on electronics because of the way transformers work, if you get very close to one it induces current, you can easily hear the hum. It does the same on all wires of course but transformers have lots of windings, so I avoid them. Tubes have another problem in that the alternating magnetic fields can cause the filaments inside to vibrate, you can hear it. So I avoid them. Another factor is the Radio Shack unit is designed for intermittent use. It gets hot and has a thermal shutdown. After some trial and error I figured out what to do and how much and how often to sort of optimize the whole thing. Some might say this is a lot of work for a pretty small payoff. They'd be right. For them. But not for me. |
@millercarbon thanks so much for the detailed explanation. As always, very informative. |
It's the label side of a CD that may cause magnetism. Ink uses various metals in its composition and ink is used to make the label.
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Here’s a curious aside. I unfortunately had no luck with the Ayre’s disc, But as bad luck occurs in pairs, today we’ve had a power outage locally, now going on for the past seven hours. In response I hooked up my Honda generator to power the house. It can run the essentials at home during an outage, which includes the stereo equipment and computer, and supposedly produces a perfect sine wave.. Out of curiosity I played Joni Mitchell’s Blue CD again which I’d used to test the Ayres disc. With the generator running the album sounded remarkably good. Her voice and the instrumentation sounded more clear, well defined and detailed than ever before. I was kind of hoping the Ayre’s disc might have an effect along these lines. I then tried out Coltrane’s Live at Newport and replicated this listening experience. Having a Shunyata Denali power conditioner already in place I wouldn’t have anticipated much of a difference with a different power source, but go figure.. I needed someplace to express this oddball listening experience. Sorry for intruding on this fine thread. Mike |
XLO Test & Burn-In CD | Reference Recordings I use this one. I bought it many years ago. |
