In the sub-category of System Tweaks, I offer this testimonial/endorsement. After reading a number of very positive reviews about this CD/DVD enhancement product, I took the plunge. You are welcome to sort out all the technicalities here http://www.audience-av.com/accessor.htm
but let me just say the following:

1. The stuff made a BIG very noticable difference in the over-all sound of my system. Particularly in the bass/LFE response. It upped the musicality of the low frequencies beyond my expectations. Alongside this it opened the soundstage and brought out parts of very familiar music that I had not noticed or heard.

2. I don't have the greatest HiDef video system so I am offering no experiential info about its DVD enhancement, though many reviewers do

3. After ordering from one of my favorite e-talers where I do most of my SACD shopping due to their complete inventory, I discovered that I had gotten the v.1 formula. I wrote a short email to the parent company asking about it and in a day I got a response saying they would happily (at no cost) send me the new pen and gel. This level of customer service is why I love Outlaw and it played a part in me writing here about Audience's product too.
4. I realize that any and all of our many system upgrades are at the end of the run, subjective. What sounds good to me is just that...what sounds good to ME. However, I would encourage any of you to give this product a shot. It's 40 bucks for enough to work on over 200 disks. (they say 200 to 400)

5. Because the sound just wasn't jumping out at me the way I wanted,I was at a point with my system trying to decide whether to upgrade to a new disk player ($800.00 to $1200.00) or a DAC (three I liked ran around $1000.00). And I don't know if purchasing hyper-expensive speaker cable would give me that much better sound...I just can't bring myself to part with that kinda change for a maybe. In this case the cost benefit ratio is decidedly lower and better.
There are a number of these sort of product available but I'll tell you, for the level of customer service (you can order directly from Audience) and the price point (the others I know of are more money)coupled with the reviews from some very respected writers. I am happy (OK not as happy as Mr and Mrs. Gonk)and have a lot of $ left over.
I haven't listened to this many of my old familiar disks in a long time and now I can't wait to hear them.

Have you done a double blind test on this? Two of same discs, one with this product on and the other without, then have someone else insert or switch the disc without letting you know which one is playing.

I’d like to know.

No I haven't. Don't know if I've even got duplicates of any of my disks but I will check. My recollection from the various reviews I have seen is that some have done this.
I agree it would be an interesting experiment. If I can locate any dup. CD's I'll give it a go and report back.

I agree that there is certainly a "placebo" effect that can happen. I do however think it can have a real direct correlation to how much is spent. Those expensive battery-aided speaker cables for example; if I had laid out a fortune on this product I would sure want to "believe" it sounded better.

My ears are pretty certain I got at least my $40 worth in this case. And I have listened to music that I was most familiar with to start.

As I said we all hear what we will. It's a subjective audio world. Even if all the tests "prove" something is better, it still comes down to how it sounds to me, on my system, in my room.

Interesting

". The Auric Illuminator light absorbing pen is used to blacken the inside and outside edges of the CD. (The outside rim and the inside of the center hole)."

sorry, can't resist.how can you blacken the inside of a hole?

i know what they mean,just found some humor in it.i have never tried any of these things so i can't judge.but if you find you are in the market for a new transport or dac, check ebay,quite often you can find a cheap cal sigma 2 tube dac/delta high def. transport,throw in a monarchy audio dip and you have my main source for cds.i NEVER knew in all my years of cd listening, cds could be so detailed and warm at the same time.
the delta can be finnicky on some cds(cdr especially) but i have a "rage..." cd that skips on every player i own and the delta plays it perfect.(i have 7 besides the delta)

cal did shut down but a company did buy their inventory and still perform repairs(no upgrades though) so i feel a bit more comfortable should something die.

Your humor is not lost, at least not on me. Sort of a Zen instruction, I guess; what you do while waiting for that elusive one hand clapping sound to arrive.

Which I'm quite certain would sound a great deal better swabbed in Auric Illuminator gel and played back on your quite nice system.

I agree by the way with your assesment regarding the possibilities of "regular old" CDs. In this time of yet another electronic format war it seems that Cds have somehow gotten a dowdy name for themselves. And while I do really enjoy many of my SACD's, I believe unless they are played back on superior source equipment that many of my Red Book CD's sound as good.

and...this product has really made my collection step up Really step up. again as I said before, it's darn short money to run your own experiement especially considering how much most of us have already sunk into our systems. I'd like to find someone else here who's tried or will give it a try to either confirm I'm plain goofy or that the stuff does work.
Enjoy...I'm off to Amsterdam for a week....I know I will

amsterdam........cough!

wish i was going!(have you seen the simpsons where bart does the 1 handed clap?)

njoy vacation!

arica9:

how was amsterdam?i see u r back.