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Fantastic free CD / LP tweak!

Since this subforum is about "fantastic free tweaks", I think this one I came up with recently qualifies. We're messin' with the Mekon here, so this ain't your grandfather's tweak. But it should (or rather, "could") provide a sound lift all the same. I know it's not going to make any sense to anyone, and there's no obvious reason on earth why this should do anything. But it's NOT a joke tweak, it's perfectly free, it uses household items most have, and takes a minute to implement. So... try it anyway. Consider it a science experiment in morphogenetic fields. And if you do, I hope you will post your experiences. I could use the feedback.

For the MF tweak, you will need:

* One fine point black magic marker / felt tip pen (the darker the ink the better)
* One sheet of white paper (blank)
* Scissors
* One commercial CD (with standard full size jewel case and booklet)

(n.b. Before starting anything, you should have a careful listen to your sound as is current, so you will have a better idea of what may have changed). Now, with the fine point black marker, write the following phrase in ALL CAPS, on a single line, trying to keep the letters small but legible (write along the long side of the paper, so you can get it all in one line - if you find you can't fit it on one line, that's ok, you can curve the line around the paper):

EVERYTHING IS SAFE INSIDE (x5) > O.K.

n.b. The instruction (x5) indicates that you repeat the phrase "EVERYTHING IS SAFE INSIDE" 5 times (no brackets), ending the line with: > O.K. (If possible, emphasize the "O.K." part in bolder print).

Cut the line you wrote out of the paper, keeping close to the letters, without cutting into them. Fold the printed strip of paper in half, with the printed side showing. Fold it in half again and again, until it can be folded no longer, and press it flat. (Keeping it in your fingers), remove the CD disc from its jewel case tray, place the folded strip of paper against the teeth in the centre of the tray, so that it lies across the teeth of the tray. Next, press the CD into the tray, over top of the strip (the CD will float above the tray, because of the thickness of the paper; that's expected). Now close the cover of the CD case.

You now have an IF CD "device". Place this CD inside a drawer in the listening room. You are now ready for testing.

TESTING

You will not be testing the CD you tweaked, so you will need to put on another CD for testing. I recommend the normal standard testing method for audiophiles; A/B (sighted) method, at least initially. (If you wish to do fancy blind tests, do them later, if the results under sighted are positive).

TEST A (Device IN): Listen to another CD, while the CD you tweaked is inside the drawer. Keeping the volume at a suitable level for testing and using simple music with little complexity is recommended.

TEST B (Device OUT): Because of the nature of the fields, steps must be taken to try to remove the influence of the message strip. Simply take the CD case out of the drawer, take the strip out of the CD case, and remove both the case and strip out of the listening room (preferably out of the house if you really want to be sure no influence remains). Listen again with the CD case / strip out of the room.

If you do not think you heard a difference:

A) Repeat the A-B test. The differences may just be subtle for some, and it could take a few back and forths before they are heard.

B) If no differences can be discerned as above, increase the effect. Instead of just the 1 CD, apply the same message strip to 7 or 9 CD's (keeping them all in the same drawer, removing them all at the same time during the B test).

C) Some have reported hearing differences only after the music has been playing for a while. So you might try leaving it playing for half an hour, and return to see if you can discern differences then.

If you still haven't heard any change and you wish not pursue things any further, I hope you enjoyed the experience anyway.


Addendum

I can't and won't guarantee results, but I guarantee that IMEO (In My Expert Opinion), it is worth trying out. But if one doesn't hear some sort of improvement in their sound, this alone should not be considered a valid reason for dismissing the entire phenomenon as "rubbish". I will concede that if one does discern a change in the sound, it isn't really (scientific) proof of anything either. As audiophiles, we only need to prove things for ourselves.

Know that this does not work by placebo effect, autosuggestion, nor does it require any belief in it to work. It is an experiment that I and others have had positive success with. Mind you, I have a lot of experience listening to this sort of thing. But I can hear distinct differences that I can describe, and they are consistent and repeatable, for me. So I'm curious to know if others might have success with it as well. For any other issues that might come up, I have written a FAQ to deal with that.

MF FAQ:

Q. Are the little details necessary? Or should I just run this how I feel like, because it ALL looks like nonsense to me and I can't see how any of this matters?

A. Yes. It might sound trivial, but little things do matter in this business. I spent time working out those details, in order to ensure best results for this particular tweak.

Q. This can't possibly have any correlation with the audio signal or room acoustics.

A. Tell me something I don't know...

Q. So this can't possibly work.

A. Fortunately, the tweak doesn't know that, so it does anyway. And that much has been confirmed thousands of times by hundreds of audiophiles for at least 15 years, if that means anything to you. Of course, it isn't supposed to affect the signal. It's meant to affect you.

Q. So it's a placebo then?

A. No. There are a million things that can affect the listener, that don't include "placebo", or imaginary flights of fancy. You do not have to believe it works for it to have an effect. On the other hand, being absolutely convinced you will NOT hear a difference with any listening test may be a self-fulfilling prophecy, a sort of nocebo effect. It is wise to try to keep an open mind in any sort of listening test. So stop repeating "load of bollocks!" to yourself. That would be a start.

Q. What kind of an effect?

A. Rather not say how the sound will change, because then I would be accused of introducing that bias, if someone heard the difference I described. Just listen carefully, as always, to timbre, tone, FR, PRAT, musicality and all the rest.

Q. How does it work?

A. If I told you, I would have to kill you. And I just met you. You look like a nice chap, and I'm not in the habit of killing people I just met. In fact, I could be offed myself just for sharing it with you. So let's just say, it's a novel application of a so-called "alternative science".