CD Mats

[Erik van Voorst]

Yesterday I received a Marigo CD Mat. This rigid ultra thin and hardly weighing a thing cd I placed on top of a regular cd.
It is definitely an improvement so I will keep it ( a 30 day return policy).

Things like more space are the first changes that hit you...

Better bass response/control
Resulting in e.g. the track:
"You do not know what love is (C. Wilson)
Here the bass line was a bit prominent but with the Madrigo the balance was there.
With classical music recorded in churches and halls you get more clues of the environment.



I agree it is a expensive tweak but if you want to squeeze the last drop out of the Redbook cd I think this will be a way to go.....I will not use it in my Blue Ray player since the coating will damage easily

[Alex_UK]

I agree it is a expensive tweak but if you want to squeeze the last drop out of the Redbook cd I think this will be a way to go.....

Here's a link if anyone is interested - $199 is indeed an expensive tweak... There's a v2 at $95.

[hifi_dave]

I've tried several such similar gizmos in the past. They usually improve the sound slightly in a similar fashion to the Staedtler green pen or putting a CD on top of the one you are playing. Both tweaks are considerably cheaper.

The only CD mat I've had really good results with was made by ART in Italy. A tweak from my old friend Be Yamamura, which was a CD sized carbon mat. These retailed for approx £80 and did improve the sound considerably IMO but these things don't fit inside all CD players or transports. Unfortunately, they are no longer available.

[Erik van Voorst]

I paid 237 dollars in order to get it to my doorstep in the Netherlands...ahum

I appreciated their "no good money back" policy

I only received it yesterday-evening but first impression is very promising...this tweak proofs very practical with my homebuilt toploader...again I will never use it in my dvd machine...

[Alex_UK]

Certainly worth trying with your level of kit Erik, and a top loading transport. Glad it is doing it for you.

[Erik van Voorst]

Yepp I have the same feeling about it...

Only disadvantage is my total handling when playing a cd now-a-days:

1. cleaning (adding a black-lining when for the first time)
2. demagnetizing
3. klangtuch wiping (statics)
4. Ionising (non-active)
5. Marigo-Mat

Actually cleaning my LP took less.....way back in time.....

[zanash]

I've tried the statmat an audio technica cd stabiliser , demagnetier

the best is the glass audio cd lathe ..differences are very clear

also phonosophie cd flux ...this is without doubt the best cd cleaner I've used ...well worth the cost ...£75 suggests it will do 500 cds ..but I've still got half a bottle left after 1500 ...realy does make cds sound better so much so that on a recent visit I demoed this ...we both thought we were playing the wrong track ...it had changed so much for the better.

[Toby]

While I am not in any position to really comment not having tried one myself I must be honest & say I am VERY skeptical of any benefits, hope this doesnt come across the wrong way but are you 100% sure its not just in the mind thinking its an improvement?

I would love to know the technical reason why something like this would make a difference to the final analogue output, my knowledge of CD's is limited but surely so long as the laser is able to read the pits in the CD's then this is digital 0's & 1's, it sounds like making the CD more rigid is allowing more accurate reading of the 0's & 1's, but surely a 0 is a 0 & a 1 a 1, I didnt think you could like a fainter 0 or 1 signal.

I do try & keep an open mind as like I say I havent tried one myself but the other half of me does wonder if its in the mind or a placebo as they say

[Reid Malenfant]

I certainly wouldn't be surprised if there was some sonic benefit from this. In certain respects it'd be similar to using one of the "stable platter" type CD transports & these are apparently very good indeed.

Rather than just the centre of the disc being supported, the whole thing would be

[Erik van Voorst]

While I am not in any position to really comment not having tried one myself I must be honest & say I am VERY skeptical of any benefits, hope this doesnt come across the wrong way but are you 100% sure its not just in the mind thinking its an improvement?

I would love to know the technical reason why something like this would make a difference to the final analogue output, my knowledge of CD's is limited but surely so long as the laser is able to read the pits in the CD's then this is digital 0's & 1's, it sounds like making the CD more rigid is allowing more accurate reading of the 0's & 1's, but surely a 0 is a 0 & a 1 a 1, I didnt think you could like a fainter 0 or 1 signal.

I do try & keep an open mind as like I say I havent tried one myself but the other half of me does wonder if its in the mind or a placebo as they say

All you do is remove dirt and a kind of protective waxlike layer on a new cd, it is put there as a part of the fabrication and as a mould release agent..
The sonic differences are immediately apparant due to less error readings.

Far better than this technical blah blah is buy it and use it...if it does not do what you want sell it a bit cheaper to a believer...both end up with a new experience....


BTW
The Marigo disk was yesterday choosen as a integral cd transport part with 2 audio listening friends at my place....we all agreed indeed money well spent...