No Disc Posted June 14, 2003 Share Posted June 14, 2003 Hey all... Lately I've been ignoring my CD collection in favor of Vinyl. After getting my Aries Scout my original Rega planet just didn't have the sound quality enough to listen to it any length of time. I guess Vinyl can do that ... I've been exploring different upgrade paths for my digital front end but still haven't made up my mind just yet. I did want to pass along a strong recommendation for the following product. http://www.fullswing.com/audioprism/blacklight.html I purchased one of these CD Mats $39. on a whim. What I can tell you in short, is that it works! I hear more air, soundstage layering and focus. Also much of the digital harshness is gone. I have found new life for my poor old Rega Planet This has to be the cheapest performace gains I have tried to date. It really has given new life to CDs for me. I wholeheartly reccomend trying this product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksdad Posted June 14, 2003 Share Posted June 14, 2003 how much wood could a wood chuck chuck, if a wood chuck could chuck wood????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted June 15, 2003 Share Posted June 15, 2003 What is this, and how do you use it? Do you put it in there along with your CD? c7s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted June 15, 2003 Author Share Posted June 15, 2003 C & S, It's simple to use. You hold it up to a bright light for about 30 seconds, then place it on top of your CD once inside the player. It contains a phosphorescence material that glows a particular wavelength of green. The glowing green light works like the green lights used in some high-end CD players. Also some inventive types on AA have made some LED green light mods to their players. I believe this thing works because it helps to reduce jitter within the transport of the player by absorbing the scattered red laser light. Reducing Jitter (timing inaccuracies in the digtial-to-analog converter) improves the entire presentation. I am shocked how well it works. I played about 10-15 different CDs with this Backlight mat so far, and let me tell you the sound coming out of the Rega is SOOO much better . You owe it to yourself to try it. Another similar product (minus the backlight) is the De Mat sold at Upscale Audio. Upscale bundles this mat with the Super Tjoeb 4000 they sell. http://www.upscaleaudio.com/demat.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted June 15, 2003 Share Posted June 15, 2003 Tim, Come on you haven't flipped your lid have you Of coarse I will never say never this thing sounds goofy enough to actually work ! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted June 15, 2003 Author Share Posted June 15, 2003 No Craig, I'm relatively sane... Believe what you will. I won't try to convince you or any one else that you should buy this product. I stand by my prior statements, that in my system, it works, and it works well. The difference is not subtle. If you care to understand the how and why this gadget works ... Hop on over to the Digital forum on Audio Asylum and do a search on Green Pen trick. People have been marking up their CDs with green and black markers for years knowing that reducing reflections off the CDs improves the problem with scattering of light and thus reducing jitter related sound issues. I'm not returning my CD Backlight, that?s for dam sure. - t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted June 15, 2003 Share Posted June 15, 2003 Well Craig, if it doesn't work -- you can always use it as a glow in the dark frisbee. I thought jitter had to do with something else, but I can't remember. This thing must be pretty thin, I'm not sure my Sony 9000es could even gobble it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
middlecreekguy Posted June 16, 2003 Share Posted June 16, 2003 I started this debate a month ago. Check it out. http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=34691&sessionID={107C684D-75FC-49EE-A19C-8925199CB73C} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted June 17, 2003 Share Posted June 17, 2003 Tim, I'm not trying to insult you I was making a funny If you like the disc all the more power to you ! I have a 5 disc changer and just can not see buying 5 of the damn things !! My CD's sound very good as it is ! If I want better I just fire up the Turn Table ! Life is good. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted June 17, 2003 Share Posted June 17, 2003 O.K., I bought one and tried it. A definite improvement. However, for some reason -- I couldn't get it to work unless I held it at a precise 37 degree angle and 4.3 inches above a 40 watt light bulb. The 60 watter didn't work out too well -- I couldn't tell a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted June 17, 2003 Author Share Posted June 17, 2003 Craig - It dont work in 5 disc changers anyway... - T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted June 17, 2003 Author Share Posted June 17, 2003 Dean - Don't use nomal bulbs! Use sunlight or purchase a DAYLIGHT florecent bulb. You want to get that baby really glowing to be effective. Normal bulbs just are not bright enough. The dealer told me this also. You can get the daylight bulbs at Home Depot for about $7 or $8. Get the ones rated for 6500k ( kelvin ) temp.. thats what I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted June 17, 2003 Share Posted June 17, 2003 I'm not completely sure Tim but I think Dean is playing with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted June 17, 2003 Author Share Posted June 17, 2003 Now that I re-read it, you might be right. Argh! That swine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mace Posted June 17, 2003 Share Posted June 17, 2003 First off, I'm skeptical. Question: Does the carbon pinwheel design in that disc actually touch anything? If, not where does the charge go? Most static charge "build-up" will dissipait into the humidity in the air. The fact that the carbon stripes are the shape of a pinwheel is nonsense. Is electricity subject to friction? Heck, is it even subject to inertial forces? The whole description on the web site you posted just doesn't add up. Ultimately, it's your ears which provide the final analysis and if you hear an improvement, you hear an improvement! It does make me curious. Mace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted June 17, 2003 Share Posted June 17, 2003 Oink oink Seriously though -- a search through the Asylum Archives shows that many heard improvements, though several seemed to think the improvements were with el cheapo players. Some even thought there was a degradation in sound. The best bet is to stay on top of the technology if possible -- and plan on upgrading your player every few years. Hell, it's actually no more than a tube change out in the amp and preamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted June 17, 2003 Author Share Posted June 17, 2003 Mace - The material does lay on the CD and does touch it. From the Audioprism web site; The CD Blacklight disc is comprised of multiple laminations of synthetic materials that are laid-up in a constrained layering scheme, which provides very good damping characteristics. Conductive carbon is used on the interface surface to guide electrostatic buildup (each CD spinning inside your transport generates a static charge just by rotating in air) away from the disc. And AudioPrism's proprietary phosphorescence layer glows further to "bias" the laser, further reducing the effects of jitter. With CD Blacklight, music is more alive, neutral and detailed. Stereophile review - STEREOPHILE "RECOMMENDED COMPONENT", 1997-1999 STEREOPHILE November 1996, SAM'S Space,pages 53, 55, review by Sam Tellig.(closing paragraph of a full review) "Of all the CD accessories and tweaks I've tried, this one makes the most difference. I don't play a CD without first painting its edges green with CD Stoplight. AND Idon't play a CD - not even in my CD 3400 - without CD Blacklight. Period." I've never read many "bad" reviews from stereophile... Heh, so who knows... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted June 17, 2003 Author Share Posted June 17, 2003 Dear Mr. Swine... er um, Dean. What I can boil it down to is this... before the CD backlight I had listened to 5 CDs in the last 3 months. They just didn't hold my interest. I always got bored and switched back to my Analog setup. The CDs sounded dull and lifeless to me. After the CD backlight I've listened to about 20 CDs in the past 2 weeks. I am enjoying what I am hearing, and that is what matters most. I liked what I heard, so I took the time to post a "good cheap tweak" message about it. Take the advise or leave it. It works in my setup, and thats all I am saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mace Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I have a changer so I guess I can't try it out. Have you ever tried a blind test by having someone swap out the Blacklight to see if you could tell if it was being used or not? Mace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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