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Ionoclast, Talisman, RD-3?

post #1 of 19
4/1/08 at 3:56pm
Thread Starter 
My Bedini Ultra-Clarifier just bit the dust (after less than 2 years, the clutch and motor are shot).

I'll not purchase another Bedini, but I have looked at the $38.50 Maple Shade Ionoclast (de-static treatment), $199 Talisman (de-mag/static treatment) and the $399 Furutech RD-3 (de-magnetizer).

Does anyone have any comments on any of the above products? Please, "Tweak Bashers" need not apply! : )
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post #2 of 19
4/1/08 at 4:02pm
Thread Starter 
I'm leaning heavily toward the Talisman + Walker Vivid. : )
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post #3 of 19
4/1/08 at 4:29pm
i use a furutech RD2.

haven't done extensive comparisons between discs (demag'd and non), but it takes about 20 seconds to do and seems to do enough on enough discs that i generally use it on every CD before play. i bought mine used for a good price as well.
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post #4 of 19
4/1/08 at 10:41pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by vcoheda View Post
i use a furutech RD2.

haven't done extensive comparisons between discs (demag'd and non), but it takes about 20 seconds to do and seems to do enough on enough discs that i generally use it on every CD before play. i bought mine used for a good price as well.
Thanks, Vcoh.
After researching these products, it looks like I'm going for the Walker Talisman. No moving parts, no plug-in. : )
PAB
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post #5 of 19
4/2/08 at 12:22am
let us know how it works out.

the way i figure it is that i have about 750+ CDs, so if something that costs about $200 improves even slightly the overall sound of that entire collection, it is well worth it. i actually am curious about the RD-3, as i have read that it is an improvement on the model i have, the RD-2.
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post #6 of 19
4/3/08 at 4:25pm
Thread Starter 
Just ordered the Walker Talisman. God willing and USPS delivers on time, I should have it early next week. : )
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post #7 of 19
4/3/08 at 7:17pm
I was looking at the Talisman but the warnings regarding the magnets are a turn off. Does anyone know if the Iconoclast contains magnets as well?
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post #8 of 19
4/4/08 at 11:29pm
I got an ionoclast last week. I don't think there are magnets - it's a ceramic piezo thing according to the manual. That said I got for vinyl - not CD - so my opinion might not matter.

I think the claims about it in the manual are are little over the top and there is no reference to third party tests to back up their claims (it's all "we" tested this and found it better, etc).

Anyway, I not overly thrilled with it and the build quality is something like I might cobble up in the garage. I'm not really sure it even makes any difference. Then again, what would one expect for $38?
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post #9 of 19
4/5/08 at 8:39am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the post describing your experience with Ionoclast.

The Talisman looks like the most sensible and economical solution to me. It provides both de-staticising and de-magnetizing. It has no moving parts prone to mechanical failure, like the Bedini Ultra-Clarifier (mine lasted less than two years before the motor and gear train were completely kaput--I will never buy another Bedini again), nor does it plug in, being prone to electrical problems/failure, like the RD-2 (and again the Bedini). In addition, the Furutech looks grossly overpriced at $400 MSRP.

Also, with simple precautions, i.e. keeping the Talisman well away from sensitive electronic devices, the Talisman is the simplest and quickest to use. Being a passive device, the Talisman should last indefinitely.

The Talisman should arrive next Monday, during which time, God willing, I hope to update this thread with my initial impressions.

Thanks to all for your contributions to this thread! : )
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post #10 of 19
4/5/08 at 9:14am
wow that walker talisman looks impressive...

http://www.thecableco.com/emailnewsletter92806.php

"
What is it?
After a lot of R&D, Walker has come up with an arrangement of special magnets set in epoxy in aluminum."

since its just epoxy and magnets can you open it up possibly and tell us how they are arranged?? then we can all make our own and save a lot of money.

Talisman

"The Talisman effect is temporary so you must use it each time before your play the LP."

damn you would think the effect would last a couple of times... now everytime i want to play an LP im going to have to do a little ritual before hand!
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post #11 of 19
4/7/08 at 2:06pm
Thread Starter 
Got the Talisman this morning. My intitial impressions are very favorable. Completely blows away the Bedini Dual-beam Ultra-Clarifier, IMHO.

More, God willing, later.
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post #12 of 19
4/9/08 at 9:56am
Thread Starter 
Today, I gleefully packed up my now defunct Bedini Dual Beam Ultra-Clarifier, which had served my noisily for not-quite two years before spinning its last.

The Talisman, as I mentioned before, works leagues better, improving the definition across the entire frequency range and imparting a greater sense of air/space. I can also turn the volume up a tad more because a layer of noise/haze seems to have been removed, too.

Admittedly, the Talisman looks like it probably costs $20 to make, and is covered with corny logos, like two bolts of lightning and quasi-magical-looking symbols. I may opt to peel away the nappy, black cover from the bottom and have a look-see clean through to the innards (oh, how I wish I had a digital camera).

Bottom line, though, the Talisman works well, and even though it's probably over-priced by magnitudes beyond its actual cost-to-manufacture, its effect should pay for itself easily over the weeks and months ahead.
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post #13 of 19
5/20/08 at 10:47pm
Thread Starter 
Just an update and additional accolades for the Talisman.

One word of caution, though: in addition to treating the disc itself, Walker recommends treating the player's tray or drawer after the disc is loaded into it. You are instructed to keep one finger on the edge of the disc while passing the Talisman, in three circular motions, both atop and beneath the loaded tray (at an approximate distance of 3/4 inch).

This works fine for my (RAM-modded) HD841 whose tray, when fully protruding, exposes the full circular recess where the disc lies.

However, the tray on my Oppo 970HD (modded by Ric Schultz at EVS) does not protrude 100% (i.e. you don't see the entire circular recess) when the the unit is open. The first few times I tried treating the tray, the Oppo "froze up"/became unresponsive.

My guess is that this "tray routine" gets the Talisman too close to internal controls in the Oppo just inboard of the tray. It's scary, too, when something you spent a hefty sum of money on gives indication of malfunction--and the mods have voided the manufacturer's warranty.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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post #14 of 19
8/29/08 at 4:27pm
i've been using these black hole CD mats from Herbie's Audio for the past few months and the effect is more noticeable then my RD2 (although i use both anyway). the best way i can describe the benefit is less grain and a slightly sweeter sound. they are inexpensive and certainly worth a try.

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post #15 of 19
8/29/08 at 6:37pm
Thread Starter 
VC,
I like the "Black Hole on Black Hole" motif! : )

In the past I've tried the Herbies Grungebuster, a green, rubbery, slightly adhesive mat that covered the entire CD. For the money, it worked well. Afterwards, I bought the Marigo Signature disc mat for whole lot more ($200). The Marigo worked noticably better--imparting an even greater sense of space, detail and dynamics, but for the money I still think the Grungebuster (superceded by the Black Hole) was the better deal.

Anyway, I still own and use daily the Signature Mat. I consider it--and the Talisman--almost as indispensible as my disc player.
PAB
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