Mike:
Yeah, tweaks can be a confusing subject--especially if you ask for advice. Different people prefer different things, and trying to sort through all the opinions can be pretty frustrating. As for CD treatments, I can say this: I tried the AudioTop, based on all the rave reviews, and I was pretty underwhelmed. I bought a bottle at CES--it's very expensive--and I tried it on a disc when the VR-11/VR-9 room was largely empty. Herve and Jonathan both thought that it smoothed out the sound SLIGHTLY, but didn't do much else. For the cost, I expected a lot more. Also, on a side note, if the Auric cloths are working for you, by all means continue to use them. I look at all my treated discs under extremely bright light, so I see scratches that most people wouldn't or wouldn't care about. As I mentioned, I use the Viva paper towels, and I've yet to find anything better. They may be paper towels, but they're softer than any cloth I've ever tried. By the way, I used the Auric on SACDs (not the Sonopress) with no problems. The Shine Ola is very gentle on discs, and I haven't had ANY problems with treating SACDs. If you do try the Shine Ola, please let me know what you think. Your ears are probably a good deal better than mine. :) It's billed strictly as a cleaner, but I, and a few others, prefer it to the Optrix, Vivid, etc., not only for the scratch factor but also for sonic improvement.
