Densen De Magic Demagnetizer

[Mark Bassett]

Any thoughts?

http://www.densen.dk/DEMAGIC/TNT.htm

[Text_Edifice]

I call snake-oil...

[Mark Bassett]

I just played it through the system in the main studio where I work (until 5pm today!). I thought I heard a difference. BUT, it was possibly the most unscientific test ever done. I had already read reviews about what it was meant to do and I knew which was the before and which was the after, and I was running the "test". I suggest a double-blind A-B-X test. Once you've played it you obviously can't run it again, as your system has already been 'cleaned'. But what would be interesting would be play a track/pink noise through your system and record the output, then play the 'magic' cd, then play the track/pink noise again through your system and record the output, then a) listen to the two using the double-blind a-b-x method, and b) run analysis software to see if there's any objective difference.

Studio free tonight Rick?

[Text_Edifice]

I think the bias induced by knowing what the disc is supposed to do complicates things given the subjective nature of the described benefits.

Not entirely sure you'd get a measurable difference using pink noise even if the product works as described.

A more interesting test would be to conduct a double-blind trial with (say) 10 studio's around town. Send them a CD with instructions and description and get their opinions – once the test is concluded you could reveal that only half the discs had the real test and the other half a mockup.

Sample size would be too small to be conclusive but it would be interesting to observe any placebo effect vs. real perceived difference.

[Mark Bassett]

You'd have to not tell the test subject what the test was about. They'd be played 3 versions of the same track and they would have to pick the track that is different (if any), then comment on what the difference is, or along those lines.

[rob]

is it April already?

Rob

[wez]

that's F@#$ing hilarious, i'm wetting myself. april comes earlier and earlier every year.

[Text_Edifice]

You'd have to not tell the test subject what the test was about. They'd be played 3 versions of the same track and they would have to pick the track that is different (if any), then comment on what the difference is, or along those lines.

Actually what I meant was send them all a CD with either a real or fake de magic track – explain what it's supposed to do and get them to use it on their system and tell you if there's a difference. Trick is not to tell the participants. From these responses you should get some idea if there is a real difference or if it's just the placebo affect.

e.g. if only those using the real track report a positive difference you're onto something; if everyone reports a positive difference it's (probably) a placebo; if you no-one reports a benefit (unlikely if you think you heard something) you've proved it useless; most likely though is that you get a mixed bunch which suggests any claimed benefit is at best inconclusive or (depending on how the metrics stack up) more clearly one of the above options allowing for normal deviance (this is where a large sample size would come in).

[Barney Loveland]

I really don't see how an AC signal (i.e. music) can magnetise a signal path. I should stop listening to AA batteries - its magnetizing my path.

What would we do without Denson?

[rob]

the only way to test these 'left of field' products is to have your test subjects pay a stupid amount of money for the device.

then, it is psychology 101 that if big bucks have been paid, a difference is noted when using the product. Our animal brains will not allow us to invest heavily is something without getting a positive result.

on a technical front, a demagnetiser works by apply an alternating magnetic field that overwhelms any residual polarised magnetism in a chunk of metal then gradually decreasing the alternating magnetic field to a point where the metal is left with a tiny ( and thus acceptable ) residual polarised magnetic direction. This is the process applied to every tape head ever demagnetised. Thus, this implies that every tape head ever demagnetised is left with a tiny amount of residual magnetism.
So if this de magic device removes all residual magnetism because it is a bad thing, then every recording done on tape is suffering from this defect.

Perhaps the solution is to have all your music fade to zero at the end of songs, after all, this is the analogous process to a head demagnetiser.

Rob

[Thirteen]

You guys are just Philestines, you just don't have an ear for subtlety. Until you have a hi-fi rig to listen to records on that is actually superior to the equipment that the album was made with, you will never appreciate the nuances. Come and talk to me when your hi-fi investment reaches 90G, and you set it all up in a square concrete living room with some nice furniture and prints. Until then you are all amateurs with no basis for your silly jealous ramblings.