It’s a special day today…it’s the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach (March 21, 1685), my favorite composer by far. There’s just something about the linear motion of his music, the counterpoint, and the fact that his music doesn’t stop until it’s over that enthralls my heart and soul. It also just happens to be my special day as well…and when I learned that Bach and I share the same birthday (a couple hundred years apart) I was thrilled…in some very small way we’re connected. I’m 62 years old today and feeling it. I haven’t managed to shake the lung thing since January and am pretty tired of the irritating cough. I went to a pulmonary specialist the other day (very entertaining guy…it turns out he treated Ringo for Bronchitis!) and he thinks maybe I’ve got more than just pneumonia. I left a couple of vials of blood and will be headed back soon to learn what’s going on at the bottom of my right lung.<\/p>\n
My back is giving me discomfort today as well. I ran 4 miles on Friday morning with Charlie and must not have stretched enough before launching myself along the beach path. I did sign up for next years L.A. Marathon though…so I guess I’m figuring all of this old man stuff is going to clear up soon. The race will be on Valentine’s Day next February. Hopefully, the temperature will be manageable. The last two years have been too hot.<\/p>\n
Here’s the audio question of the day: Can sending your tired CDs to a company that copies them to Gold CD-Rs elevate your enjoyment of those CDs? That’s the business proposition being pitched at CD Illumination. They claim to be able to “vivify” your CD sound. In case you don’t know the word vivify, they included the definition. It means to give life to; animate, enliven, brighten, sharpen; clarify. And it only costs $25 per CD!<\/p>\n
Here’s their pitch:<\/p>\n
“CD Illumination is a company dedicated to vivifying your invaluable CD collection and providing an enduring backup of your treasured music. CD Illumination duplication will greatly increase and extend your listening pleasure by maximizing fidelity…meaning:<\/p>\n
Musicality: Lower distortion and sweeter sound
\n Tonality: Less boxy congested sound with improved timbre and texture
\n Dynamic range: Less compression and better micro-dynamics
\n Soundstaging: The architecture of the soundscape is more holographic
\n Imaging: Improved localization of voices and instruments
\n Clarity: Enhanced
\n Listener fatigue: Diminished<\/p>\n
Irrespective of the amount spent on your equipment, CDs optimized by CD Illumination technology, will provide a greatly improved resultant sound. <\/p>\n
The moderate cost of a CD Illumination duplication will give an improvement in sound that surpasses expensive upgrades in CD player, DAC, amp or cable.”<\/p>\n
The website goes on to talk about jitter and other mysterious factors that negatively contribute to that “CD sound”. They believe that jitter is an inherent part of the CD disc. It’s not. Jitter can be reduced to zero by using high quality clocking and applying it at the final output by the DAC.<\/p>\n
None of the things they list are going to change by making a copy of a CD onto a Gold CD-R. I’m know I’m stuck on the “bit is bits” debate but that anyone would pay $25 for a copy of their CD in the hopes of increasing the fidelity is chasing rainbows.<\/p>\n
Another website and associated belief system to be avoided.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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