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Review: Grungebuster CD Mat Herbie's Audio Lab Tweak

Category: Accessories

Model: Grungebuster CD Mat
Category: Accessory
Suggested Retail Price: $19.95
Description: CD Mat
Manufacturer URL: Herbie's Audio Lab
Model Picture: View

Review by blake (A) on July 26, 2003 at 17:26:44
IP Address: 129.100.4.76 Add Your Review
for the Grungebuster CD Mat

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First, let me state that I do not have a $3,000 digital front end and I do not know how this product will function with a really high end player. That being said, the tweaked DVD player that I use currently sounds better in my opinion than an Arcam Alpha 8SE which I sold a few years ago.

I have used an Audioprism CD Blacklight for a few years now with decent results. The improvements with the Blacklight were subtle, and I would use it regularly, except when CD or DVD playback simply would not function with it (as is the case with the Herbie's mat every once in a while).

I recently read a thread on Audiogon which stated that the Marigo mat was the best of the bunch. I have no experience with the Marigo simply because I didn't want to spring the $80 for it.

The Herbies mat is $20, not exactly a huge sum. I would highly recommend it, particularly for those with cheaper digital gear; whether it brings about as much of an improvement with higher end gear, I cannot say.

The "Grungebuster" is simply far superior to the Audioprism Blacklight. Audible improvements could easily be heard on music where vocals previously seemed to "trail off" and not be easily understood (Bob Dylan's Love and Theft and Emmy Lou Harris' Wrecking Ball for example). The Grungebuster imparts a clarity which was simply not there before with the Blacklight mat (which itself improves very slightly upon a nude CD). The good thing about this clarity is that it comes about without a "thinning out" of the performance. On the contrary, background becomes noticeably darker, instruments are more fleshed out, bass performance is slightly enhanced and the top end is noticeably cleaned up as well. One thing that I cannot stand is an increase in clarity that is accompanied with any lean aspect being applied to the music. This is not the case with the Grungebuster; in fact just the opposite occurs. Both Pat Methney's guitar and Charlie Haden's bass (Under the Missouri Sky) really filled out and have never sounded better in my system with the Grungebuster. On certain tracks (certainly not every one on every CD), I can actually hear info that I have not heard before. Ironically, this usually occurs in relatively quiet "solo" passages where there is a background accompanyment (hope that's spelled right, I doubt it) from one or two other instruments (Jimmy Smith's "Damn" comes to mind here).

In short, the Grungebuster lives up to its name, for all of $20. There is a newly found smoothness, a noticeable improvement from top to bottom (bass midrange and high frequencies) a removal of grain and edge, and a revelation of more musical info and increase in clarity.

Alas, there is also bad news (is anything perfect in audio?). On some CD's and DVD's the Grungebuster simply will not work. This also happened to me with the Blacklight, but the Grungebuster appears to be a little bit pickier still. Probably has something to do with the actual thickness of the CD, but on some, you will simply get persistent spinning and an inability for the player to start to read the CD or DVD. I've experienced this with a number of CD's that the Blacklight would not function with in the same manner as well as a rental DVD last night that came with an ID ring fixed around the centre hole. In the cases where it doesn't work, you simply stop your player, remove the buster and start over (with a slightly depressed feeling you're not going to receive its benefits).

I've only used it for 3 or 4 days now, and the other problem, if you can call it that, is putting it on the CD or DVD. I'm getting used to it, so it is certainly less of a problem, but the grungebuster is a bit of work to "install". It is very thin and slightly tacky on one side (which you are to fix to the label side of the CD before inserting). It is a bit of work to get it centered properly and the easiest way, by far, is to apply it with the CD/DVD still in its jewel case or container.

Whether this trouble is worth it to you, I don't know, but it is to me and I'll be continuing to use the grungebuster on everything I can. Definitely recommended, especially for $20.

Associated gear
See System under "blake's equipment" at Audioasylum

Similar products
Audioprism CD Blacklight
hdm
megasam's avatar
megasam
798 posts
 
OK.....I have never had any CD not play with mat, but I will gently sand the inner green ring to give it a rougher texture to tweak performance.

Also I will mention after a week or so of use bottom of mat will start to pick up dust etc from CD and become less sticky.....which you may like. But you can also just place mat under lukewarm tap water and wipe away any dust/debri to return mat to original more sticky condition.
thechairguy
5 posts
 
I concur, enthusiastically, with the glowing reviews this $20 GrungeBuster is getting.

Everything just sounds more correct now - instruments and voices sound 'stouter', a little firming on the deepest bass notes and less annoying chatter in my head when listening (perhaps related to less jitter?). I've used AudioPrism, Aurex mats and they have had either suspect (AudioPrism) or downright deleterious (Aurex) effects.

With the Grungebuster, with or without a spin on a Bedini Clarifier, music is just more enjoyable. A really worthwhile $20 find. Not quite a serious component upgrade, but an appreciable upgrade well in excess of it's modest cost.

As for owner Steve - his non-hurried professional demeanor is appreciated and the packing job was commendable. A really good product and a very enthusiastic owner here.
mrmb's avatar
mrmb
299 posts
 
While Blake began this review by stating that he did not have a $3K front end, and couldn't judge how the Grungebuster would work on a really high-end CDP, owning a Wadia 861, I can answer that by stating, it performs superbly, and more than lives up to its name. In fact, it performs so well that I never insert a CD without it. My son's experiences with his mid-fi system, and a Sony SACD Player have been similar. In fact, I will be ordering several more Grungebusters. One for my son, another for my HT, and several for Audiophile friends. For barely more than the price of (1) CD, you can't afford NOT to try this product -- highly recommended!
hotsauce
108 posts
 
I've been using these mats for a while now, and think its one of the best mods so far. I have a highly modified Wadia 20, and a stock Panasonic DVD-R.

Being the adventurous type, I tried one on a CD-R while recording on it to see if there would be any difference. My computer refuses to recognise any disk with the mat on it. Weird. They work fine in my transport.

Don't even think of trying to put one of these into a car player.

John C.
hdm OP
1,055 posts
 
I just discovered why I had a problem with the grungebuster with a very small number of discs and would like to point out that it is in no way a fault of the mat and that nobody else is likely to experience this.

Was doing some more tweaking to my DVD player in the past few days and noticed that the clamping wheel on my player when engaged was making contact (with a few thicker disks) with some damping material I had installed on the underside of the lid. Cutting out a small amount of this damping material allows full clearance for use of the mat with any of my discs now.

Obviously, I will be using the grungebuster happily with everything now. Still highly recommended.
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