Snake oil etc

[Cricketbat70]

Hi all just wondering if anyone remembers back in the early days of CD, the now debunked idea that you could improve the sound quality of CD's by coating the edge of a CD with a green felt tip. I'm sure I even read an article in Whathifi about it. The theory was "As best they could work out, the green ink absorbed stray light from the red laser that read the digital bits on the disc, somehow making it more accurate–better data retrieval, allegedly–and improving the sound"
I have to admit when I first read the article to my mind it sounded plausible but I was still sceptical. As I didn't have a CD player it was irrelevant.
I was just thinking about it because of the many posts on the forums debunking a few of the ideas about hifi that were prevalent in the 80's and 90's.

Anyone on the forums actually try the green felt pen idea back in the day?

 

[Friesiansam]

Hi all just wondering if anyone remembers back in the early days of CD, the now debunked idea that you could improve the sound quality of CD's by coating the edge of a CD with a green felt tip. I'm sure I even read an article in Whathifi about it. The theory was "As best they could work out, the green ink absorbed stray light from the red laser that read the digital bits on the disc, somehow making it more accurate–better data retrieval, allegedly–and improving the sound"
I have to admit when I first read the article to my mind it sounded plausible but I was still sceptical. As I didn't have a CD player it was irrelevant.
I was just thinking about it because of the many posts on the forums debunking a few of the ideas about hifi that were prevalent in the 80's and 90's.

Anyone on the forums actually try the green felt pen idea back in the day?

I remember that but, thought it was a bit daft so never tried it.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I did try freezing CDs - as a young and naïve person I thought I could hear a difference, but very much doubt I actually was.

I wish there were some more imaginative terms around than snake oil, though.

 

[Cricketbat70]

I did try freezing CDs - as a young and naïve person I thought I could hear a difference, but very much doubt I actually was.

I wish there were some more imaginative terms around than snake oil, though.

I only used that term as it's the only one I could think of🤣

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

I used a 2HB rather than an HB pencil to wind my tapes back in. Not sure it made any difference to playback quality.

Perhaps that is just an indication of age!

 

[Cricketbat70]

I used a 2HB rather than an HB pencil to wind my tapes back in. Not sure it made any difference to playback quality.

Perhaps that is just an indication of age!

You should have used a bic pen...far better🤣

 

[twinkletoes]

You should have used a bic pen...far better🤣

I taped mine a few times with my magical 2HB pencil (2H by the way) and clicked my heals together and it turned to mini disc.

 

[daveh75]

No more ridiculous than some of the "beliefs" being casually shared today!

 

[Dom]

No more ridiculous than some of the "beliefs" being casually shared today!

No more ridiculous than the "beliefs" you think.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

You two need to stop this - and now. Any more bickering and moderation will intervene.

 

[Cricketbat70]

I did think, no! not in this thread too😥

 

[Friesiansam]

This forum needs a naughty step…

 

[Al ears]

This forum needs a naughty step…

Why? Nobody would agree to go sit on it.

 

[Cricketbat70]

Why? Nobody would agree to go sit on it.

🤣

 

[JDL]

I did try freezing CDs - as a young and naïve person I thought I could hear a difference, but very much doubt I actually was.

I wish there were some more imaginative terms around than snake oil, though.

suggestio falsi, mythomania, kidology, artfulness, hocus pocus, hornswoggle, flummery, **** and bull, absurdity, puffery, dealing in the marvelous, gilding the lily.🤨👎🏻

 

[froze]

They used to have a band that slipped onto the outside edge of CDs, the thought was that the added weight would make the CD spin smoother, nope, that thing didn't work either.

This sort of green pen, or band stuff and people believing the stuff made their music sound better is nothing different than people who swear they can hear the difference with $1,200 a foot speaker wire vs. $1.50 a foot wire, as just one example of what people buy into.

 

[Edbostan]

Hi all just wondering if anyone remembers back in the early days of CD, the now debunked idea that you could improve the sound quality of CD's by coating the edge of a CD with a green felt tip. I'm sure I even read an article in Whathifi about it. The theory was "As best they could work out, the green ink absorbed stray light from the red laser that read the digital bits on the disc, somehow making it more accurate–better data retrieval, allegedly–and improving the sound"
I have to admit when I first read the article to my mind it sounded plausible but I was still sceptical. As I didn't have a CD player it was irrelevant.
I was just thinking about it because of the many posts on the forums debunking a few of the ideas about hifi that were prevalent in the 80's and 90's.

Anyone on the forums actually try the green felt pen idea back in the day?

I remember that ruse. Another item was the vinyl record clamp which clamped the LP to the turntable. Does that make for improvement?

 

[Cricketbat70]

They used to have a band that slipped onto the outside edge of CDs, the thought was that the added weight would make the CD spin smoother, nope, that thing didn't work either.

This sort of green pen, or band stuff and people believing the stuff made their music sound better is nothing different than people who swear they can hear the difference with $1,200 a foot speaker wire vs. $1.50 a foot wire, as just one example of what people buy into.

I think in my main set up the speaker cable cost me £2.50 a meter but in the dining room I'm using Bose speaker cable that appears to be little more than bell wire. I have a box full of Bose speaker cables, when our custom installer at work used to install Bose lifestyle systems, some of the rooms were too big for the bundled Bose speaker cable to reach the surround speakers at the back of the room, so he would order extra long ones from Bose, as I said it appears to be little more than bell wire but I'm sure Bose marketing bull would have described it as something far superior.

 

[abacus]

I remember that ruse. Another item was the vinyl record clamp which clamped the LP to the turntable. Does that make for improvement?

Yes, as not all vinyl came out flat causing the stylus to not track vertically in the groove.

Bill

 

[nopiano]

Yes, as not all vinyl came out flat causing the stylus to not track vertically in the groove.

Bill

I agree with Bill.

I still use a Michell record clamp - which, hard to believe today, was badged NAD in a rare outburst of cooperation between manufacturers. But only on the few warped LPs I have. Never got into the habit on all records, as never saw the point.

 

[nopiano]

Re green pens. I bought a superb green permanent marker back in 1985 or whenever it was. From the posh stationers and craft shop where I lived at the time. I used it about twice on CDs and was embarrassed that I didn’t hear any improvement.

However it lasted about 15 years in my study labelling numerous folders, ring binders and box files! Turned out to be quite handy.

 

[Cricketbat70]

Yes, as not all vinyl came out flat causing the stylus to not track vertically in the groove.

Bill

I have a few wavy LP's

 

[Friesiansam]

I wish there were some more imaginative terms around than snake oil, though.

Try, serpens oleum, pretend to be an intellectual!

 

[Jasonovich]

Hi all just wondering if anyone remembers back in the early days of CD, the now debunked idea that you could improve the sound quality of CD's by coating the edge of a CD with a green felt tip. I'm sure I even read an article in Whathifi about it. The theory was "As best they could work out, the green ink absorbed stray light from the red laser that read the digital bits on the disc, somehow making it more accurate–better data retrieval, allegedly–and improving the sound"
I have to admit when I first read the article to my mind it sounded plausible but I was still sceptical. As I didn't have a CD player it was irrelevant.
I was just thinking about it because of the many posts on the forums debunking a few of the ideas about hifi that were prevalent in the 80's and 90's.

Anyone on the forums actually try the green felt pen idea back in the day?

Yes I remembered that, they were so evangelical that if you mark the edges with green felt it will transform the sound and as I have always been open to trying things.
I went ahead and bastardised my CDs.
Do you also recall those stick on CD circular plastic stabilisers that's supposed to improve the sound.
Yep tried that and the green felt, absolutely zilch, I agree, this was pure snake oil.
I think it's kind of human nature that you want to extract the best sound quality for the least amount of outlay.
Though I would say, around about that time (80s, 90s), I was using 13 amp solid core mains wire instead of the much costlier speaker cables and I was getting good results.

 

[plastic penguin]

Remember in WHF mag they used to have a whole page dedicated to how to improve the sound of your kit. One of the suggestions was to place a thumping great house brick on top of the CD player.

Never tried it myself, couldn't get permission from the council. 😁😋