Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Cheap Tweeks

I did a search on this forum for Optrix but came up blank. It's a CD/DVD treatment product originally created for eyeglasses and it's effect is nothing short of astonishing. There is no dedicated web site but do a Googke search and you'll come up with a lot of info. Best $20 I ever spent.

what exactly is so "astonishing" about it?

i'm pretty jaded. for some audio tweak to reach the level of "astonishing" for me, it'd have to wash up the dishes after dinner

doody.

Here's a blurb from Music Direct. For $20 what do you have to lose?

musicdirect Best Selling Budget Tweak!

It'll cost you the price of one CD to spray treat 100 of your favorite CDs! The spray was developed by a professional chemist who's been researching surface coatings for lenses and CDs for the past 15 years. There's no voodoo involved: Optrix chemically eliminates static electricity build-up and coats the CD playing surface to reduce stray reflections. It also removes molding residues on new CDs which prevent the laser from reading properly and contaminate the digital data recorded on the discs.

“Optrix made the same improvements on all the discs we sprayed it on…[it] cleaned up, and to a startling degree, muddy bottom-ends…you`ll get better defined bass, particularly in the bottom two octaves. You may not have noticed the mirage-like blurring endemic to CD`s before, but you will soon after, which is why these fluids are so sonically addictive. One thing I can tell you for certain: there`s no going back to an untreated disc once you hear what [Optrix] can do!”
- Harry Pearson, Aug/Sept 2005, The Absolute Sound

Why would low octaves read better than higher octaves due to treatment? Do low octaves generate more stray reflections and more static?

These silly claims should quit while their ahead and let the imagination of buyers kick in on their own.

It reminds me of an infomerial for the elderly. All they have to say is back pain, wrinkled skin and liver spots etc. and it's sold. All they have to say in audio is say better bass, lower octaves, better defined etc. And be sure they slipped in "new cds" so you won't only use it on you old cds.

My guess is, it's rebottled Windex.

heres a tweak for those of us not in good shape. get into better shape! As Ive improved my physical health I find I enjoy the gear even more!

best regards,
Jerry

I find it amusing that rather than do a little reality testing for a measly $20, you'd rather make snide comments.

In response to Mr. Doody's questioning my use of the word "astonishing" I was astonished that something as inexpensive as Optrix could result in such a noticeable improvement.

I'll be in a real hurry to suggest another tweak on this Forum.

mndavenport,

Don't take it personally. It's really not the money. It's the claims. Anything I might try usually requires time, because I won't do something just because it claims it works, no matter what the price.

That stuff has been around a long time posts as far back as 1998. Try a search on Google Groups http://groups-beta.google.com/groups?q=Optrix+CD&start=0&scoring=d&
Only 10 threads in 8 years !!! if it was that great it would have been talked about.

What if I were to sell some furniture polish that claims to get rid of slap echo problems. It's only $19.95 a bottle and I'll throw in rag made of pure 100% chineese wool. What could it hurt, it's only 20 bucks.

Please don't let our responses discourage you from other suggestions. We are just having a little fun.

Who knows, we may all be wrong and it works. It's just too hard to swallow.

P.S. I think JerryL was serious, and I believe it.

Firstly may I point out that the readback process simply isn't particularly sensitive to small amounts of stray light.
It depends on interferometric cancellation of light in the pits and lands.

Now taking this into account and understanding the Reed/Soloman algorithims you will find that if a disc is in a reasonable state of repair the system will read the bits off of the disc with an error rate of approx 4-5 UNCORRECTED errors for every 10 Million bits of data read. That equates to one ever 3-4 mins on average.
In reality that is perfect data reading.

So how does a surface treatment improve on virtual perfection?

I dont know if you are interested or have acces to this type of material but here are a couple of good references on CD playback.

Blesser, B., "Digitization of Audio: A comprehensive Examination of Thoery, Implementaiton and Current Practice,"

J. Audio Eng. Soc., vol 26, no 10, 1978
Oct.


Vanderkooy, J. and Lipshitz, S.,
"Resolution Below the Least SIgnificant Bit in DIgital Audio Systems with Dither,"

J. Audio Eng Soc., vol 32, no. 3, 1984 March.

One final one which is my favourite is:
Principles of Digital Audio, Ch. 9,
"The Compact Disc: Player Optical Design,"
McGraw Hill 1995

I may be wrong, but from what I've read, the purpose of such products (and I am in no way defending or recommending them) is to reduce fluctuations in the power supply to the DACs in the player caused by EM induction from the static on rotating CDs/DVDs. It has nothing to do with optical data retrieval.

I guess such an effect is possible, but as with cables and other controversial tweaks I'm sure the after-lunch effect (dulled hearing) and psychological effects have more relevance to perceived differences.

mdavenport - don't take it personally. as you well know, lots of people have made lots of claims over the years about audio tweaks. the vast majority of them do not hold up to scientific testing, and many of them don't even begin to make any scientific sense.

that said, i'm a libertarian - do whatever works for you and damn the naysayers!

doody.

VK
You may be correct in what you say about the claims of these products. But in all my years working with these technologies I have yet to see static build up to the extent that it would effect the electronics of devices that are designed to reject rf/em.
Or should I say "device that SHOULD be designed to reject rf/em."
Here we are on the Meridian forum. A company which has the HIGHEST reputation as an engineering company. This is the view of a lot of us electronic engineers outside the audio world.

As a company they are head and shoulders above virtually everyone else in the audio industry. Bob Stuart is a top man and I have ABSOLUTELY no doubt whatsoever that he would not allow a crap design through the design stage to wear a Meridian badge.
The only way within the realms of possiblity that this treatment the OP mentioned could work ( and I doubt even a very bad product would be effected) would be if a crap product was produced.

NOT FROM Meridian !

I am totally serious- and I will tell you that in years of observing Mr. Doody's postings I have a big respect for his knowledge. I am sure he did not mean to offend you.

My getting into better shape has improved all aspects of my life. Totally serious here. And besides the cost of sneakers/ gym membership- its free and its a "tweak" anyone can do. Colors and sounds are more vibrant and I don't feel fatigued nearly as often. The only potential problem I have is wanting to crank my iPod while at the gym- I have to keep the volume reasonable or I will damage my hearing- and then whats the point in owning such fine Meridian gear then?

Another good aspect of lowing ones weight is improved power:weight ratio in one's motor vehicle.

Finally, I would just say I dont buy into most tweaks. That doesn't mean you should not- this hobby is also about what makes it fun- so if doing this makes it fun for you than go for it. I agree with Stuart Stebbings. My experience with my M gear is that if it is not THE finest stuff out there, it is certainly the finest gear I have ever come across. I have tried high end cables vs. the little blue Meridian ones and I cannot detect a difference. Thats just me, others will have strong differing opinions. I can't help if if they are wrong.

Just kidding on that last part. For me though, I don't trust the tweaks out there will provide any benefit.
Best regards,
Jerry