[markl]

What do ya know, the damn thing works!

I've been using this disc on my personal pair of mod-ed Denon D5000s for some days now, and I'm pretty happy with the result. This was a new pair that has been re-cabled. I had about 50 hours of "regular" burn-in on them (normal CDs, played at loud volumes). Since then, they've been undergoing the IsoTek treatment for about 5-10 hours at a time every other day of the week. They've now got about 110 hours total burn-in on them for a phone that normally needs 200+ hours to reach this level. Given how many D5000s I've handled at various stages of burn-in, I've got a pretty good feel for how these things progress and where they end up.

The chief selling point of this CD is that it "speeds up" the burn-in process by putting your gear through a very rigorous set of test tones, noise and such; extreme torture treatment that goes beyond what normal music typically delivers. When burning in my headphones, I put them inside a very thick blanket and let the CD player rip at slightly higher than normal volumes. Through the muffled blanket, I can hear large sweeps of sound from the highest highs to lowest lows and other assorted bleeps, bloops, clicks and pops from the IsoTek disc.

Given all this, I think that it's possible the IsoTek disc takes the D5000 a couple steps further than normal burn-in with music. The booklet refers to this process as "system exercise", which actually seems appropriate based on what I'm hearing. The disc does seem to act as a sort of drill sargeant for your phones, putting them through a series of audio calisthenics that seems to loosen up the driver faster than normal.

Do I think that a headphone burned in with the Isotek CD can make a "better" headphone than one burned in normally? This would require a lot of endless A/B-ing and experimentation that I have not done. I'm going to stop short of that, and say that I think the IsoTek CD does what it says it will, which is advance the burn-in process for your headphones by putting them through their paces at a rate faster than normal music would.

What this disc does is save you time waiting for that component to sound its best. It can also save you wear and tear on your CD player by requiring fewer hours to take your downstream gear to its full potential.

Exactly how much time is saved? Does it cut burn-in down to half of its normal time? I can't answer this with any certainty. I think this will depend on the component, some are more stubborn than others.

No, I have not sampled or tried any of the other half-dozen competing burn-in CDs which might just work as well or even better than the IsoTek. I can say that I'm glad I bought this thing, and that I feel it does pretty much what it says it will, and that I intend to use it hereafter on all my new gear.

 

[GreatDane]

The best I have is a Stereophile Test CD 2 using track 27, spot frequency tones.

I think these things work much better/faster than plain music.

 

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

I've been using Track 9 of the XLO Burn-in disc for years. Works great.

Glad the Isotek is working for ya Mark.

 

[David Pritchard]

Mark, I agree that it works. I had about 200 hours on the modded Denon 5000. I put the Isotek on for a 10 hour run. That afternoon there was an immediate awareness of a major improvement. The phones had a smoother sound with an improved upper end. It was like the difference a hand wax with detailing versus a drive thru wash and wax will do to improve the way a Porshe looks. I think the CD is well worth buying.

 

[tha_dude]

Is there any risk of damaging headphones using this disc over a certain number of hours?

 

[tubaman]

The manual of the Isotek CD says speakers and components cannot be damaged if you play it at normal listening vol. Probably this applies to headphones also.

The disc really opened up the sound for me.

 

[mshan]

Anyone know the Isotek and the Cardas / Irrational but Efficacious disk compare to the XLO / Reference Recordings one.

The XLO one I own and it makes the system sound "squeaky clean"

 

[markl]

Yes, don't play the CD to loud, that's the main thing and what they warn about.


I've now run this CD on a half dozen headphones and I have another observation. the IsoTek CD seems to work best on the lowr-mids to the very top end; its effects aren't nearly as great on the lower third of frequency spectrum (i.e. bass). Bass is effected but maybe only to about half the degree as rest of spectrum.

I'm looking for a disc to supplement the IsoTek, and wide open to suggestions. I imagine alternating burn-in CDs on different days is probably a good way to go.

 

[ccontreras]

Tara Labs, Inc.

download the taralabs cascade noise burn-in is free, but the server is down now

 

[tubaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, don't play the CD to loud, that's the main thing and what they warn about. I've now run this CD on a half dozen headphones and I have another observation. the IsoTek CD seems to work best on the lowr-mids to the very top end; its effects aren't nearly as great on the lower third of frequency spectrum (i.e. bass). Bass is effected but maybe only to about half the degree as rest of spectrum. I'm looking for a disc to supplement the IsoTek, and wide open to suggestions. I imagine alternating burn-in CDs on different days is probably a good way to go.

Maybe the Purist Audio Design's system enhancer?

 

[markl]

Quote:

Maybe the Purist Audio Design's system enhancer?

Bingo! As it happens, I had just ordered this ridiculously expensive disc before you posted. It ain't exactly cheap

, but if it helps with burn-in as advertised, it will be worth it.

If not, I'll tear it a new one right here.

 

[Audio-Omega]

It worked for me. Bass is tighter and a bit louder. Background music is a bit louder too.

 

[Fafner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccontreras /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tara Labs, Inc. download the taralabs cascade noise burn-in is free, but the server is down now

Downloading the plugin, the pdf manual link doesn't work though.

 

[ccontreras]

where to download a copy of IsoTek? or Stereophile's Test CD?

 

[ccontreras]

There is no PDF now .. but if an explanatory text

CASCADE NOISE™ BURN-IN DISC
Featuring specifically designed cascade noise and frequency sweeps to burn-in cables
and components. Designed and developed by Matthew Bond of TARA Labs.
The CASCADE Noise™ Burn-in Disc
(Cable and Audio System - Capacitive and Diodic Effect)
Although there have been other so-called “burn-in” test discs used by audiophiles in the
past, the discs have mostly been a mix of pink noise and sweep tests tones. The new
CASCADE Noise Burn-in Disc is a proprietary combination of white noise with
frequency tone bursts and pink noise mixed at different levels. However, what makes it
really effective is a series of descending and ascending (cascading) multi-octave square
wave sweeps for better and more complete results than any “burn-in” discs that have been
made to date.
The CASCADE Noise Burn-in Disc may be used with any audio electronic component
and with audio cable including cables with attachments such as batteries or filter
networks. Before and after results will be obvious with any of these cables.
The phenomenon commonly referred to, as “burn-in” is confusing to some people. I
prefer to think of the phenomenon as the conditioning of the system with continued use.
Normally we think of the audio system in the macroscopic world with chasses, cables and
terminals. But the phenomenon of burn-in is actually a polarization of effects at a
microscopic level. This microscopic world might be as little as a few thousandths of an
inch along the length of conductors within a cable; the thickness of one to 3 sheets of
paper. At this level one can almost visualize the subtle electromagnetic waves around the
conductive wire. These waves are moving through the dielectric (primary insulation)
around the conductor. There is a problem at this microscopic level; not all frequencies
carried by the electromagnetic waves will pass at the same amplitude at every point in the
length of the conductive wire. For example, at some point along the conductor, there may
be a tiny point of oxidation, and this will limit the range of high frequencies that can pass
easily at the same amplitude, perhaps turning AC into DC and creating random audible
noise in the cable. At other points, imagine air-gaps between the conductor and the
insulation near the conductor surface. These tiny differences cause changes with respect
to the different frequencies that are “stored and released” from conductor to dielectric and
back again.
In the macro world of the devices within the audio components, similar effects are
designed for deliberate and specific functions. The devices used are called “diodes” and
“capacitors” and they are designed to limit the frequency range in different ways.
In the audio components of the audio system, the stabilization of these component
devices is optimized when the audio component has been turned on and in continued use
for a period of time. This optimal condition is enhanced by the continued use of the audio
components in any audio system. Loudspeaker systems may require over 200-300 hours
of use before the individual drivers can “break-in” mechanically. Depending on the
design topology and the particular electronic devices within the audio components, audio
electronics require many hours to hundreds of hours to become properly conditioned and
stabilized.
All brands of cables from the simplest designs, to the most complex, require conditioning
and stabilization, ranging from those that utilize very minimal amounts of dielectric or
plastic layers in their construction, to those that use multiple layers of plastics and/or
complex multi-conductor arrangements.
Within a cable, in the microscopic world around the audio conductors, stabilization
happens when the electromagnetic wave of the musical signal, a continuous AC
waveform, travels uniformly through as much of the tiny diode-like or capacitor-like
sections along the conductors within the cable.
The new CASCADE Noise Burn-in Disc is designed to completely condition the
capacitive and diode-like effects within audio components and audio cables. The result is
a more coherent and extended high frequency reproduction without glare, along with a
sense of ease in the listening experience. This will be noticed after just a few hours of
using the CASCADE Noise Burn-in disc. Continued use of the disc, for just a few hours
at a time, or when you are able to run your audio system at normal listening levels for
many hours at a time will be extremely beneficial in improving the performance of all
audio cables and components.
Instructions for using the CASCADE Noise Burn-in Disc:
• Load the disc into your CD player or transport.
• Turn the volume to normal listening levels.
• Play in “continuous” or “repeat” mode for as many hours as is possible.
• Time to effect significant change will vary by system. A discernable difference will be
evident after a conditioning session of sufficient length.
• Repeat as often as possible until no discernable difference is evident. Your system is
now conditioned to optimum performance levels.
• Should you change any components in your system, conditioning should be repeated.