2. analog
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My venture into the world if demagnitizing vinyl. Your results may vary.

Ok, I have been using my hand held demagnitizer (tape bulk eraser) on these particular versions of records in my collection that have accentuated treble ( The Who- "Who's Next" MCA masterphile, "Tommy", "Sell Out" , Ted Nugent "CSF" and the Dixie Dregs "Industry Standard" and the initial results are in. YES! a resounding yes. Positive. Eye opening or should I say ear opening. At first I was skeptical having heard about it from a Michael Fremer review about 8 years ago. The curiosity finally overwhelmed me. Boy I wish I had known and tried this earlier. The single best tweek I have experienced bar none. After treatment every note was the most profound note ever struck until the next one and the next one with me anxiously waiting for that next note. It was like analog on acid with me hearing a whole new sonic landscape. I can now imagine how it is justified by spending 3 grand on a dedicated device. My procedure is as follows with a Radio Shack bulk eraser. To protect the record I laid it on an album sleeve with another sleeve on top to protect the record to get as close as possible with the unit. I used the unit as I would on a tape deck with being slow and steady. I also did both sides.
  Ok ok I'm being serious now. Back to earth and not the way over the top and dramatic description as the above. I might (BEING THE KEY WORD) might have heard a high frequency mellowing on CSF and the Dixie Dregs. Actually on CSF it was a little more than maybe. I'm a little embarrassed saying that and that leaves me open to ridicule. That perplexes me. I know its far out there in pseudo science land but I think or maybe I thought I heard something subtle. Definitely it's not a slam dunk case. The science states that there is practically nothing on the record that would react to any degree with a demagnitizer. I might try a couple more. I would hope some fellow Audiogoners would have an open mind and see if they have any positive results with the procedure above with some treble accentuated records.
I also have diminished hearing and it was hard to tell.
Oh well it was fun.

128x128blueranger

Showing 4 responses by lewm

lewm
12,556 posts
 
Mijo, The talk of Porsches didn't really impress me, but if you are drinking Remy Martin XO, or any XO, then I am impressed.  I am going with Kelt VSOP but would like to try their XO.
An accommodating view of the tweak situation is even if the tweak is nonsensical, it is OK to do it, if it makes you think your system sounds better as a result.  Because the hobby is about creating the illusion of reality, by any means affordable.
lewm
12,556 posts
 
I said "interesting".  I didn't scoff or ridicule you.  There is a company that successfully markets magnetized tubes through which you are supposed to run your AC cord and/or your interconnect, with a view to a positive effect while playing music.  I think they also make a plug that runs AC through a magnet, or something like that.  Their basic idea is controversial too but just about the opposite of demag on a static piece of cable which I assume you do when your system is not in use.
There is another side to this lament of those who adopt them about rejecting tweaks that seem to make no sense.  Sometimes the tweak actually does make no sense. I have no beef with whatever gets anyone through the night, and I would be happy to attend any demonstration of miraculous results.  I prefer a good cognac, however.
I will posit that subconscious bias has a more powerful effect  than any of these fringe tweaks per se.  If you want to hear a difference (consciously or not), it increases the chances you will, and vice-versa.  Also, the reason we are all a bit crazy is that this hobby constantly demonstrates lack of logical outcome.
lewm
12,556 posts
 
So you are demagnetizing your copper or silver cables, that also contain no iron?  Interesting.
lewm
12,556 posts
 
Teo, please reread the OP‘s opening statement and note that he himself is dubious that what he is hearing is an improvement. Meantime, no matter how many ancient philosophers and important scientists waxing philosophical you care to quote, there is such a thing as objective fact. Fact is there are no Ferrous materials in vinyl. Another fact is there are no forces around an LP that could possibly magnetize any Ferrous content of an LP, if there were any. And finally, using a tape head demagnetizer to demagnetize an LP is a tricky business. Others have shown in the past how improper use of a demagnetizer can actually magnetize an object. We don’t know that the OP was using his demagnetizer in such a fashion as to achieve demagnetization. Therefore, we don’t know that any effect he thinks he hears is due to demagnetizing anything. Fremer quoted Furutech’s claim that there is iron in the black pigment in LPs. Furutech has measured a little more than 600 nanoteslas of magnetism in an LP and a little less than 600 nT after use of their demagnetizer. That’s a very low magnetic field before you demagnetize, and a very slightly even lower magnetic field after demagnetizing. Whether that can make an audible difference is up to the observer to decide. And finally, why is it that folks like you who wish to believe in things that for others defy belief are always so angry about it? 
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