I have been using "Irrational But Efficacious" ever since Charlie Hanson introduced it and like it very much. I use track 7 about once a month - it really does work. I also use track 4 on 'repeat' to help break in a new component, cable or contact enhancer (quicksilver gold). The CD is also useful to help warm up the system quickly once the amp is turned on. When using track 7, I usually leave the room because certain frequencies will make my head hurt...my cat hates this track! Unlike many system tonics that I own, this is a tweak that I always come back to. |
I have this and totally agree with you. Have no idea how or why this works, but it does. I haven't used it in a couple months. Glad I read your post. It has reminded me to play it. |
I always wonder....they say they don't know how it works. They say (maybe lots of people say) it does work. OK. With those as givens, how do they come up with the idea in the first place? An accident? They experiment with a million things that they can't imagine how they would work. Most of them don't work. One works? And these guys are equipment designers--do they design their main product lines this way? Anybody know? |
I've used the Purist Audio System Enhancer which costs five times more and does essentially the same thing. Does it work? I honestly think it's no more effective than playing a dynamic piece of music or radio static the same number of hours.
Tweaks, pseudo-science, black magic. It all runs together sometimes. |
Yes it works. I have the CD and the Cardas LP as well. The Purist Audio disc works too and so does the Granite phono break in disc.
All these are great tools and the Ayre in particular is a bargain. |
I found this on the Ayre website but how does one go about purchasing it? |
The Purist disc works great, but you have to leave the house while it's DOING your system (it's shy! ;-)) otherwise you'll suffer physiological AND psychological after effects! I've also noticed that for several weeks after use, the house is free of mice, cockroaches, spiders, and termites, and other small crawly things. It drives the neighborhood dogs crazy too!
Jim Aud explains how it works on the back of the jewel box: Relieves molecular stresses and residual magnetism using optimal frequency and amplitude tones -- well of course!
I wish he'd put a copy on LP for our cartridges. Maybe I'll put it on my iPod and listen to it at a very low level while I sleep tonight, yeah! I'll get back to you. I hope! |
Well, amazing results happened in my system:
1) Great increase of transparency/clarity.
2) The soundstage got bigger with more layering.
3) Macrodynamics/slam /jump improved. This is normally the sort of thing you can only get by with an amp upgrade (twice the power) or a significant speaker/component upgrade. Here is a thought....just buy this disc for 20 bucks, sell all your high end gear for a song and buy some Tweeter Going-out-of-business sale gear and you are laughing! Better sound and $1000's back in your pocket! What a concept. BTW I tried the Ref Recordings Test disc by Prof Johnson (it has a demagnetizing sweep too) but I could not hear any difference. Either it is my tin ears or not all demag sweeps are created the same... |
So this is a tweak that needs to be repeated regularly or it loses effectiveness? That really is strange. Please tell me you also need to drink a 15 year old single malt whenever the cd is played. I can live with that kind of ritual ;-) |
Ozfly - it has to be Laphroig to work....;) |
I repaeat Tabooe's plea: Where can you buy the disc to try it?
db |
Reminds me of when I let my '07 Acura MDX redline through a couple gears to blow out the cobwebs. I don't know if it really works but it sure is fun. "Sounds" like the same kinda thing. I also let the big Rotel (like 700+ watts into 4)run wild through the Goldi's once in a while and that's pretty fun, too, but it might be the improvement in ear wax rather than any system improvement. Main diff is no risk of talking to Highway Patrol w/watts vs. HP. Also, yer allowed to crank watts drunk but driving that way is BAAAD! |
I would also like to know where to purchase this disk?
Thanks,
Ben |
You can get it from Music Direct for $19.99 or your local Ayre dealer whom will probably order it. |
I bought mine from Music Direct - "Cardas-Ayre Irrational, But Efficacious!" |
This post sounds eerily close to a Machina Dynamica testimonial. |
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Much to my chagrin, I have been using my CD tweak about every other week for several years now.
At the same time I run track 7 about 2 or 3 times I am also spaying my cables and wiping my components with an anti static spray. A bottle about 4 times bigger then the rip off nordost stuff and only $8 and not $38. Another audio tweak rip off from nordost this time.
I have never done a close a/b before and after this geek attempt to make my system better, but It always seems more relaxed and airy afterwards.
I will do an a/b next time. |
Much to my chagrin, I have been using my CD tweak about every other week for several years now.
At the same time I run track 7 about 2 or 3 times I am also spaying my cables and wiping my components with an anti static spray. A bottle about 4 times bigger then the rip off nordost stuff and only $8 and not $38. Another audio tweak rip off from nordost this time.
I have never done a close a/b before and after this geek attempt to make my system better, but It always seems more relaxed and airy afterwards.
I will do an a/b next time. |
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Needle Doctor has them. MD has them listed but I believe they are not in stock as the web site says to call regarding shipping. |
Freemand, it appears that you have been also using it on your computers' CD drive....;) |
Yes it does work.
For vinyl fans, I suggest that you try:
Cardas Frequency Sweep and Burn-In Record
Mastered by Stan Ricker
Just bought a Graham Slee 3 Fanfare and after a while wondered where the life was... played the album above and "Voila!" - made a night and day difference.
The only thing I heard that was a lot more effective was the Gryphon Exorcist (when I heard it the 1st time it was $75... now at $200 I think).
I believe the IBE and Cardas records do just fine for the cost difference! |
I just ordered the disc from Music Direct. Thanks for the link, John.
db |
You're welcome db, I hope that you find it as helpful as I have. I've had it over a year, but still use it once a week or so. Let me know what you think.
Cheers,
John |
Visit this link for some quantitative test data regarding the effects of the use of the IBE disk on my system. Acoustic response tests were done both before and after playing track #7 on the disk.
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showpost.php?p=1795489&postcount=26 |
I bought a cheap($59.00) DVD player and have used the Ayre disc, playing the Pink, White and Brown Noise tracks(on repeat), to burn in numerous pieces of gear and interconnects/cabling. Just another way the disc has proven useful to me(beside the Sweep tracks). |
If I want to break in some new interconnects (between DAC and integrated), can I run this on repeat with the volume on the integrated muted?
I was thinking that the same signal is getting passed from transport to DAC and to amp, over all the cabling that connects them. The only thing not getting any signal being the speaker cables and speakers.
Is this theory correct? Obviously, I don't know what the effect of having the amp volume on 00 is to the signal chain.
Anyone know for certain? |
Found this, from the Cardas website FAQ:
===========================
Cable Break-In
Q.) I have all tube electronics and don't want to leave my system unattended while I burn in the interconnects. Do I need to have everything on and playing music to burn in my new cables? - Nordoff
A.) Only the originating end needs to have signal. The cable will break in even if the terminating unit is off. To break-in the cable it needs two things, signal and stability - it should not be moved. -George
=========================
Also finding other similar posts, so the answer may be "can burn in" without volume. Which would be great for everything but amp components, speaker cables, and speakers.
Was thinking about a cable cooker but given this, I'll just let my system do the cooking.
Not sure what a good workaround for speaker cables could be though. |
It failed my Law of Efficacy miserably. I was not impressed by it. I find most methods/tweaks of improvement of sound which require re-treatment to typically be of marginal worth. |
i have a friend that claims after he played the disc in his car stereo a speaker that was not working started playing mysteriously. not kidding. every few months i forget to use the disc and then when i do play it i hear an immediate difference in my system. so i am in the worth every penny camp. |
This is a (small) waste of money. Have fun with it if you like, but it does nothing to improve the sound of your system...
-RW- |
Wouldn't surprise me if designed tone bursts change the sound for the better in some cases.
I get my Stax headphones to sound their best (loosened up?) by playing at what would be painfully loud volumes for a minute or two before I put the phones on to listen. Seems to work well. |
Mapman wrote,
"Wouldn't surprise me if designed tone bursts change the sound for the better in some cases.
I get my Stax headphones to sound their best (loosened up?) by playing at what would be painfully loud volumes for a minute or two before I put the phones on to listen. Seems to work well."
Of course, as fate would have it, there are no tone bursts, as you call them, on the disc under discussion.. Neither is the break-in track on the XLO Test CD composed of tone bursts, nor the Cardas. |
I find that playing EL&P's Brain Salad Surgery or any old King Crimson album backwards loosens up the woofer sufficiently. |
Is it okay to have multiple monikers on Audiogon? Just askin. |
I own this tweak disc, as well as, other tuning cds/sacds.
They all work. Which one is the 'best' is a matter of opinion... |
You can purchase the Ayre Irrational....cd at Audio Advisor, in stock. |
Meanwhile 11 years later...
The disk still works but nowadays (with a slightly different system config) I find that the "effect" is better after regular music is played a while (15 mins?), rather than "fresh" from the IBE disk.
Still have not heard an explanation on why this works... |
deecee
this Ayre disc is a tweak, nothing more, nothing less. Users may find it helpful within their respective systems. Happy Listening! |
All I know is, as a tweak, it works. It helps in breaking in cables and avoiding cable burners, which some cable makers advise against.
I have a brand new set of ICs that showed promise on the first day, bettering some aspects of the previous generation from the same maker but falling behind in other aspects. Running it on repeat for an hour and a half closed the gap considerably compared to a couple of weeks that it would have taken, playing just music.
So, right back in it goes for another hour or two.
All the best,
Nonoise |
I have been wondering about the "Cardas - Ayre Acoustics Irrational, But Efficacious (IBE) Burn-in CD"...just recently came across it online. I have tried other burn-ins, wouldn't mind trying that one, but not really wanting to pay $20 for it. Does anyone know where to find a rip of that disc. Maybe someone here could possibly make a copy for people to try out. Not sure if a copied version would be as effective as the actual disc itself.
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Anybody know how this compares to the XLO reference recordings test and burn in cd from 2004.
Better, worse, same etc.
Thanks |
Does anyone know where to find a rip of that disc. Maybe someone here could possibly make a copy for people to try out.
Welcome to the forum! Nice to see your first post be about how to steal copyrighted materials. Bravo! |
Thanks, Big Greg,.....
I think...I'm not one for stealing music online. Most of the music I have is on CD that I bought years ago. If I do download something, it's from a higher quality disc format; Original Master Recordings, SHM etc. versions of discs that I already own. Wondering if there was a copy of that disc floating around is basically asking if the disc was worth buying. Not sure if I want to fork out $20 for something that does nothing.
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I recently bought the XLO Test CD. I keep forgetting to make time to use it. I'm not familiar with the one mentioned in this thread, but many seem to have used it and felt it was beneficial. I'm always a little skeptical of things like this too, but if it's only 20 bucks, and you're curious, it seems like it's worth giving it a try. |
Greg.
i picked mine up on one of my charity shop runs, they obviously had no idea what it was... lol |
So what's really funny about this for me is that months ago I told an audiophile buddy how interesting it is that track #7 always seems to be the best track on any CD. Check it out.
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Hello everyone, excuse me, I did not understand correctly, do I have to use the physical CD or can I use the tracks in my streamer by USB? (I don't have a compact) Thank you
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