This is the most innovative system for removing foreign matter from all kinds of digital discs I have come across. It's also very affordable, which makes a nice change. In the past I have tried various methods of cleaning dust, dirt, and grease from discs, with varying success, but up till now, all have involved contact with the playing-surface, which always includes some risk of scratching, however small.

The Discwasher system runs on either four AA size batteries, or uses an optional AC adapter. To use it you start by removing the filter assembly and fill the reservoir to the required level, with approximately 2fl.oz. of the supplied CD6+ solution - refills of 6 fl.oz. can be ordered when needed. After replacing the filter, locate the CD - playing-surface down - over the centre spindle and press until it locks into place. Once the cover is closed the system is ready to go - it is as simple as that. Having pressed the start button the CD is spun, clockwise, while the cleaning solution is pumped, under pressure, onto the playing surface, creating a foaming action. After about thirty seconds, the motor stops and the CD is spun in reverse, at a higher speed, for fifteen seconds longer, to dry the disc. There are a clear set of instructions supplied, and one reservoir of cleaning fluid is good for up to one hundred CDs, although it is recommended this is completed in one "cleaning session", as the cleaning and drying agents will evaporate from the solution. I was astonished by the result-with the sound of cleaned discs improved in a number of ways.

While these improvements were not as great as the upgrade of a piece of equipment, neither were they subtle. There was more air, detail, and life, making it easier to follow and enjoy the music. The soundstage increased, especially in depth, on a number of the discs, while bass and impact was often improved. Recordings became much more believable, with more natural tones. Images were larger, and more "there", while instruments became smoother and more palpable. But, it was the removal of much of the harshness, so often associated with digital, which came as the most satisfying gain. The music from my CD player suddenly had more of the qualities (tonal and in terms of musical flow) that I normally associate with an analogue source. The gains varied from disc to disc, with "audiophile" CDs, generally, profiting less than "ordinary" pressings, but all improved in some respect. Even CDs that had already been cleaned using a different method benefited from the Discwasher system. Having completed the cleaning most CDs came out dry, although a few had a small number of drops on them, but these dried off in a matter of seconds, leaving no mark. While the Discwasher CD HydroBath is not perfect for those wanting to clean just a few discs - due to the uneconomic emptying of the reservoir after each session _ - those with a large collection, and time to clean a batch at a time, should not hesitate to try it. At just UK£24.95, including enough solution for up to three hundred CDs, it comes highly recommended.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Cleaning Fluid: 6 fl. oz. for UK £4.25
Supplied by hififorsale.com 
Tel. (44)(0)870 241 2469
E-mail. hifiplus "at" hififorsale.com

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