Benz Aesthetix ABCD-1 MC Cartridge Demagnetizer

[Bernard]

Anyone with experience on the Benz Aesthetix ABCD-1 MC Cartridge Demagnetizer ? Sells for $200 at Acoustic Sounds.

 

[risabet]

Buy the Cardas test record, it does the same thing and cost $35.00 or so. The demagnetizing sweep does lead to improved sound, better clarity and transients along with more extension both top and bottom. Well worth the money IMO.

 

[Bernard]

I do have the Cardas test record; bought it years ago, used it once, and forgot all about it. I should try it again.

 

[MiTT]

My Aesthetix Phono Stage actually has a built in cartridge de-magnetizer. I've heard it's the same as in the unit you mentioned Bernard, but I've never used it myself.

Since I have a moving magnet cartridge the de-magnetizer would be very counter productive to say the least!

 

[User211]

Magnet moving in a coil (MM), or coil moving in a magnet (MC), I wouldn't want to demag either!!!

Also, how does a test record do a demag? Feat of impossibility, surely!:devil:

Am I missing something????

 

[risabet]

Magnet moving in a coil (MM), or coil moving in a magnet (MC), I wouldn't want to demag either!!!

Also, how does a test record do a demag? Feat of impossibility, surely!:devil:

Am I missing something????

I guess so.

George Cardas himself

"The most important tools on this record are the Side 1 Frequency Sweeps. These are the degaussing tracks 2a, 2b and 2c. Simply play one of these tracks through your system at a low, normal level and it will degauss the cartridge and the rest of the system, plus clean the stylus ultrasonically. When played, the tracks progress from low frequencies at a high relative amplitude, to high frequencies (35 k+ if played at 45 rpm) at a low level. This is a complete degaussing process and an ultrasonic cleaning of the stylus at the same time. You may hear clicks and pops in the high frequency section after use. This is caused by the accumulation of junk which has fallen off the stylus during ultrasonic cleaning. Clean the record to remove the debris. This is the most efficient and cheapest way I know to degauss your cartridge and system. Basically, it makes a flux buster obsolete.

All I can say is the effect is clear and repeatable over time.

 

[User211]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degaussing

Wiki on degaussing.

I find the ultra-sonic cleaning of the stylus, much like a toothbrush, interesting.

But what is it in a cartridge we want to degauss? Can the neodymium mags in a good MC (and they are extremely powerful in a good one) possibly be affected by this process in any way? Surely we wouldn't want it to be anyway.

Search for "neodymium degauss" in Google, and I am pretty sure you'll get nothing relevant. The rest of the cartridge is probably non-magnetic.

Help here anyone?

 

[RichTeer]

The idea behind degaussing an MC cartridge is to remove any magnetisation that the coils might have picked up, and which might interfere with proper coil interaction with the cartridge's magnets.

 

[User211]

OK I have just received some interesting information from someone - will post soon with his permission.

 

[User211]

I am posting an e-mail received from nsgarch (Neil), with his permission, and his desire to be identified. I am only doing this to resolve the issue.

"Those who think they hear a difference after demagging a cartridge are what Maharishi used to refer to as "mood-makers", though he was referring to another group of self-deluded individuals, not audiophiles :--)

Here is what should be obvious:

No MC coils or coil armatures (I've ever known about) are made of ferrous material*, so how are they going to become magnetized? And you surely don't want to create an alternating magnetic field anywhere near a permanent magnet as you pointed out. And CERTAINLY NOT in a MM cartridge where the coils are huge, and the magnet is tiny! And some MC cartridges have such ultra-fine coil wire (Allaerts for instance) that a demagger (and many phono preamps) will simply fry the coils!

I did like the idea of running the Cardas test record at 45rpm -- that was a new one for me! -- but the two most effective stylus cleaning devices are the Onzo Zerodust after each play, and then, after every five to ten plays, the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (followed by the Onzo to remove any debris.) The ME is hands down the most effective way to get that diamond back to new -- including that impossible place between the back of the stylus and the bottom of the cantilever!

* With the following two exceptions:
1.) The Decca cartridges which do contain a small spring steel element.
2.) The 'iron' part of 'moving iron' cartridges like Grados, are ferrous all right, as they're meant to conduct the permanent magnet's field over to the coils, so you wouldn't want to demagnetize them!"

 

[kach22i]

I do have the Cardas test record; bought it years ago, used it once, and forgot all about it. I should try it again.

When my vinyl starts sounding like CD's I suddenly remember I have it.

Thank God!

It works, don't ask me how, it even makes CD's sound better.

EDIT: I have a Grado.