This review page is supported in part by the sponsors whose ad banners are displayed below

Some like it dry, some like it wet
The other 'dry-sounding' early production CDs are the Living Presence Series from Mercury that happens to also be my collector's choice. Trumpeted by Robert Fine's three-track recording mostly on 35mm magnetic tapes, this vintage label since the1950s has brought me one of the most credible sonic illusions with their CD reissues. Boy how much I love 'dry-sounding' recordings. When I put the JohnBlue CD mat on top of the heroic Bachauer/Dorati/LSO collaboration of Chopin's Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2 [Mercury 434 374-2], the dry air seemed humidified. More noticeably, string textures were smoothed down and brass timbres became a tad juicier. However, the overall presentation seemed somewhat restrained in an immediate comparison. Personally I still prefer the drier versions for vibrancy and presence but I'm sure a lot of people would opt for the airier and juicier flavor. The CD mat is a bit like skin care lotion which closes the pores. It beautifies. But seeing the pores in this case gives me a closer sense of the real thing. Likewise for RCA's Living Stereo Series. The 10++ rated Bartok Concerto for Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner [RCA 09026-61504-2] may be a fraction dry at the mixing console but the 'humidity' on your audio system and room will give it the right mix.


Couldn't turn drab into fab
By trying out a few less than satisfactory CDs, I was certain that as is the case with any tweaking devices, the JohnBlue CD mat couldn't turn drab into fab. One classic case are the FIM/LIM Decca makeovers which set out to improve the legendary recordings that were thought "a fraction dry". Despite the 24-bit super analog technology implemented, there's no comparison to the original Decca CD reissues. The Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with David and Igor Oistrakh [FIM XR24 069] and the Hérold/Lanchbery La Fille mal Gardée [LIM XR24 013] share the unfortunate fate of too much artificial air that compromises dimensional depth, befuddles image details with unnatural ambience and adds murky textures and plump bass. Not even the JohnBlue CD mat could resurrect the glorious sound of the original Decca reissue [430196-2].


How about turning fab into more fab? Could the JohnBlue CD mat do that? The answer is a disc by disc scenario. I believe that mass produced CDs are a gamble if you are serious about perfection. Some people believe that copying a CD to CD-R yields improvements. Some even specify the type of CD-R and burn speed, with slower better. I don't understand the science of CD production and laser optics sufficiently to make any judgments. With my audiophile-grade mass-produced discs, there was almost no difference with or without the mat. It was no sure win. The Decca La Fille mal Gardée for instance was as good as always. Ditto for the Harmondia Mundi La Folia [HM 90.1050] which I actually preferred without the mat. The soundstage was deeper and there was more air around the instruments. Pay special attention to the flute à bec in Track 8 and the drums in Track 11.


Keep tracking on SACD
The JohnBlue CD mat is supposed to work with any 120mm laser disc, SACD and DVD included. Since I'm not a video guy, I just report on SACD. Because this tweak theory is based on improved tracking, let me begin by stating the tracking health of the players. Mind you, my SACD players are nowhere near high-end nor are my CD players. In a way those are the kind of machines which need the most help. The Philips DVP-9000S is a superb tracker that won't skip even if you shake it. At the moment I have it matched up with a Restek Sector preamp, Winsome Labs Mouse amp and Mark & Daniel Sapphire and Topaz speakers. The Marantz SA-8260 works beautifully with tube amps and the Klipsch Synergy F2. If there's an SACD player that needs tracking help, I'm sure most would point at the Marantz SA-8260. Let me share a little secret. Not too long ago, the poor thing had been bitterly maligned on forums and feedback letters mostly over tracking failures. One gentleman even sold his and replaced it with a Sony PS1. All of a sudden then, a lot of these machines were getting dumped on the second-hand market. I bought low and got two at an excellent price, one even as "repair unit with tracking problem". The secret is that indeed the tracking problem does affect sonic performance even when a disc is readable yet it can be easily rectified. Once the problem is solved, this becomes one of the most musical multi-channel SACD players money can buy. With professional help from Denon/Marantz Canada and for less than $350 Canadian for a tune-up on both machines (including lens cleaning, laser power recalibration, firmware upgrade and even replacing the traverse unit in one), I now have two perfectly functioning and superb-sounding machines that well deserve their Stereophile Class A commendation. The tracking problem has disappeared for good - at least for two years now. What would the JohnBlue CD mat offer?


With SACD, I can happily live without the mat, especially the superbly executed titles from the Mercury 3-channel Living Presence or RCA 3-channel Living Stereo. Or Channel Classics' Rossini Complete Piano Works. Or the Philips Gergiev Shostakovich Symphonies and Sibelius Violin Concerto with Akiko Suwanai just to name a few. Is it because of DSD superiority? Or the unfair advantage of multi-channel capability in more 3-dimensional reconstructions? Whilst the SACD layer required no help from the JohnBlue CD mat, the CD layers of hybrid discs and the single-layer Red Book CDs still made certain inroads at the expense of a somewhat restrained presentation (which could seem more refined to most). The Romeros' Rodrigo Guitar Concertos [Mercury CD 434 369-2 vs. Mercury SACD 475 6184] illustrates this perfectly. Which is better -- with or without CD mat -- is a matter of personal taste but the effect is evident regardless. My hypothesis is that the SACD layer is well protected with the CD layer behind it in addition to the reflective layer. This minimizes the effect of the mat.


In concluding the CD mat section, let me quote one final example. I have an early production album of the Saint-Saëns Complete Piano Concertos with Pascal Rogé at the piano and Charles Dutuoit conducting [Decca 417 351-2]. With my Restek and Micromega players, I always encounter anomalous tracking behaviour with Disc 1. It will start crackling at around 13:40 on Track 7 beyond which it gets impossible to play on. With the JohnBlue CD mat in place, I could play through to the end on my CD players for the first time even though a few snapping noises remained audible. That's ultimate proof that certain mass-produced CD have manufacturing flaws and that this particular tweak from JohnBlue does improve tracking. If you can harness it in a way that works for you, $65 is far from expensive.