This has been a rather unusual Newsletter to draw together, partly because the sibling of the Newsletter – the Internet discussion forum – is proving to be such a lively place for discussion, that it steals some thunder from the Newsletter.
Fear not though, for the highlights of the recent discussions are included with this Newsletter, and the benefits for all those without Internet access are here for all.
The discussion forum also offers considerable support for those applying and using Peter's devices, and it is with considerable pleasure that one realisation has started to spread i.e. the crucial importance of treating your cutlery! Many of you will remember the rather repetitive way in which I frequently go on about how important it is to treat as much of the home environment as possible. In one sense Peter's products wipe layer after layer of grime from the lens that one experiences music through. The more that the objects in the environment are treated, the clearer the lens, and the more vivid the experience. I sometimes also wonder whether such activity is like a backdrop against which colours are perceived. Peter's work gives us a more pure white background, and the richness of any tone is all the more vital. Whilst it is clear that I prefer the visual metaphor, and I hope that this translates for you, but if it doesn't, you can read of Kevin and Brian's exploits with the Clip which reinforce my view. Such thoughts raise the question as to whether one could avoid treating equipment altogether. Given the increasing unreliability of electronic equipment, it really is worth considering this matter.
The forum raises many other issues, and one that we hope to address this autumn is the need for a 'User's Manual' where both novice or experienced user can find advice on any issue or product. Given the number of P.W.B. products currently available, and given their histories, it can be difficult to ascertain what one might do with them. We hope to address this, and in the next Newsletter may be able to give more information on this. It is likely to be only available on the Internet though, as it will hopefully be a living database that can be upgraded to allow for development and any new ideas from we users.
There remain other issues for us to address, and one that has recently preoccupied me is how the P.W.B. phenomenon exists in products outside of the P.W.B. product range. This may sound confusing, so let me explain further. Last year I purchased a set of portable NXT speakers, which would accompany us on holiday etc. According to some, this technology is very exciting, and certainly from a practical point of view, the technology offers many advantages. As is my way, they were to be fully treated, and as a spot of luxury, and because the speakers are always at home (and thus influence everything there) this included the wonderful Purple Magnadiscs, all the Foils and 'Sound Has Priority' Labels. We also keep another set of conventional, battery-driven portable speakers, which help out on odd occasions. These latter speakers were treated, but no where near to the level that the NXT speakers were.
Now you may have guessed the punch line, but I discovered by accident that the little, battery-driven, Sony portable speakers produced such a musical and coherent sound that totally shamed the hyper-treated NXT speakers. This was disappointing, but echoed another experience. As you may know, I lost some equipment in a burglary, and have been to some dealers to hear what replacements might be good to get. I have a history of having had Audiolab equipment, even though I remember some feeling that I might have preferred equivalent Meridian pieces, but I persistently bought and stayed with Audiolab. (Shocking to see how much the press influenced me then.)
Whilst Audiolab no longer exist as such, I am now of the view that the TAG Mc.Laren equivalent products are nowhere near as good as the Meridian products. For some bizarre reason, the Meridian products sound more like Peter's effects, before any have been applied. Now I know that the Meridian gear can be improved quite dramatically with P.W.B. devices, but they seem to start in a better place.
This is very curious. Do some products have a combination of substances in them that help, or are there such wretched patterns in some products that almost defeat anything that Peter can produce. This clearly is an alarming thought, but I do wonder if it might explain some variation in the response to Peter's devices. We may have focussed too much on the psychological responses, and have failed to address other possibilities. I do not understand why, but those NXT speakers seem to be beyond help – we have to understand the implications of this.
There are wider implications for users – should we start to compile a list of products that are sensitive to P.W.B. devices and those that appear to be more resistant?
This is clearly a delicate matter, especially as regards taste, and few of us really have the option of comparing like-treated products. But this matter may be important, and so any thoughts would be welcome.
I find it extraordinary that I come to such discovery after such a long period of using P.W.B. devices, and I am aware of how powerful ideas are in shaping our perceptions. If I'm told something is good, it is hard to disagree. It also reminds me that in England it is almost 15 years since the early reports of Peter's work emerged in the Hi-Fi press. The next Newsletter will contain some reference to this, and for old and new users alike, some review of history may be very welcome. It is hard to believe that this Newsletter is now 8 years old (check out those early ones on-line), let alone that I have been using Foils for almost 14 years. Yet one can see where all the hard work has gone, as soon as one starts to experience the effects of the new products introduced at this time – I hope you are as impressed as I was by them.
It just remains for me to thank everyone again for participating in this curious process of evolution, especially to Peter, May and Graham. I suspect this community of readers and contributors makes many things more rather than less possible, and we can hope for wider acknowledgement.
Until Christmas.
UK
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Newsletter@belt.demon.co.uk
It is with some trepidation that this section is introduced, mainly because we are all reeling from last year's abundance of extraordinary devices. It is also the case that new introductions raise the standard, and stir the desire to apply the devices to everything. Indeed there must be a tantalising 'nirvana' in which good (perhaps high-end) products are allowed to perform at their best in a totally 'belted' environment. Whilst it would be wonderful to experience this, of course it would be devastating not to have it, and so we must live with what we have and with what we can do. In the spirit of this, it is now my proud pleasure to introduce to the world two products that will take one closer.
The Inside Devices
Peter's products could be described fundamentally as devices that reduce the impact of primitive anxieties upon our senses. Drawing on ideas of global evolution, he draws analogies between the environment in which life evolved, and the echoes of that in our current environment. We know, to give a somewhat different example, that we 'inherit' a fear of snakes, and are frightened of them, even if we've never seen one before. This is clearly a very complex matter, but if one considered the impact of having a snake in the listening room, whilst trying to negotiate a Mahler symphony, one realises one's attention may wander from the music, well before the last bar.
But a fear of snakes is a rather more sophisticated fear in evolutionary terms – the snake is at least a vertebrate, even if not a mammal. How did organisms, earlier in the evolutionary scheme of things, respond to dangerous situations? How do unicellular organisms respond to threat? It is likely that changes, chemically, in the local environment, played a part in indicating a threat, although I have to confess my biological knowledge is so rusty that I wouldn't wish to be totally certain of that.
In one sense it doesn't matter because Peter comes at these matters from a rather different perspective, and draws upon our knowledge of evolution to make sense of his discoveries. Indeed one cannot say that his explanations are 'right' in the sense of them being easily testable, and thus verifiable. But if the paradigm lends meaning to the experience of the phenomena, then it is a useful approximation until a better one comes along.
I think this preamble may be helpful, because it remains a struggle to put together one's experience of a device, and what it appears to be (a sticky foil-type-thing).
And so clumsily, this bring us to these invigorating new products, that yet again, unmask the problems of listening to music, or viewing a film.
There are fundamentally two products (well three actually): A Label and a Foil, the Foil is named Inside Foil and the Labels are identified as Copper > OK and Aluminium > OK. These products both deal with the considerable problem of our not being able to see or know what is inside or behind objects. Of course there is a level of conscious knowledge (e.g. there are circuit boards and capacitors inside equipment boxes) but it is an underpinning, unconscious level of awareness where the problem is located. Before this becomes rather mystical in tone, remind yourself of how many things in life become unconsciously determined. We may, in life, learn to walk or drive, but once having done so 'forget' it and the operation occurs at an unconscious level. Similarly, there are activities performed by infants – notably heightened awareness of the environment – that we later 'forget', although some activity at that level occurs unconsciously. And then we have to consider the psychological vestiges of our ancestors, including protozoa. Consequently, Peter has drawn our attention to how much we may scan, and be anxious about the contents of the unseen, inside places, and what may be lurking in the hidden spaces. It is, as usual, more complex than that, as substances that may have poured out of the deep oceans 'chimneys' when life was evolving, may trigger as similar anxiety. Peter has suggested that the copper that poured out of these chimneys has established a link to something that I suppose must feel akin to the gates of hell.
Through his usual blend of processes, Peter has developed two Labels and some Foil that attends to this matter and reduces it. There are two Labels, as one contains Copper, and the other (the' inverse' of Copper) Aluminium, and applied to any item (box) of equipment, there is a reduction of the problem.
The Foil is a little different, and looks a little like Quantum Foil. When the backing is removed however, one sees a very different blackness, instead of the past reflective foil. Indeed an aspect of both products is the introduction of the colour black to the P.W.B. range (very Gothic…) Strips (2-3 mm) of Inside Foil can then be placed anywhere it is difficult to see them. This includes Loudspeaker Ports, the rear of any Loudspeaker Grills, the underside of any cabinets, and the inside/battery compartment of a remote control. The only place you cannot place it is where it could be seen – and this includes positions on translucent objects, where you can 'see through the walls'.
And of course one needs to ask what the effect is by this point. Well, it is very pleasing. It isn't a sort of exciting wham-bam experience, although it is marked. I think that in some ways the reduction of glare is the most impressive aspect, and with that the greater sense of 'realness'.
It is this latter quality that impacts on one over time. Subtle details emerge, high frequencies shimmer with great delicacy, and the midrange glows with warmth. More than anything though, one starts to forget the Hi-Fi, and just hear the music.
I think you will all have the opportunity to experience the effects of the Inside Foil, as a sample comes with the Newsletter, and in some ways it is the more impressive product, as it s possible to apply it to so many places. The Labels though are very impressive, and obviously a much easier task to apply them.
To conclude, I want to just add something about the nature of digital glare that can make listening to music so wretched. It appears to me that this experience of unpleasant glare is this awareness of primitive fear or danger. Peter's products continue to reduce this block to the music, and thus help us relax and enjoy the music. I would be very interested to hear from others what they think is 'wrong' with reproduced music, to see if we can elucidate further, what is wrong with reproduced music, and our response to it.
In the meantime, enjoy!
Richard Graham
UK
Two years ago I was returning from a business trip to Boston and stopped at a high-end dealer to listen to a tube system. I started out with tubes in the early sixties and remember sitting by my father's side when I was a senior in high school watching him assemble a tube amp kit for my bedroom. However, from the early seventies until a couple of years ago I've been a solid state kind of guy.
In the eighties, I belonged to an audio society and had the privilege of visiting several homes of audiophiles who had some wonderful sounding tube based systems. Most were Audio Research electronics driving Magnepan speakers, a very popular combination in this club in 1985. Bass was poor and the high frequencies were only fair compared to what I was used to hearing. However, the mid range in those systems was, to me, flat out beautiful. There was a musicality I had never experienced before and the large Maggies threw such a huge, impressive image that it was almost overwhelming at times.
When I entered this high end shop two years ago, I was hoping to find a piece for my system that would bring back the beauty I had experienced fifteen years prior. It was a quiet morning and the owner had just opened the shop. He said that his tube equipment (VTL) had been turned off overnight and that it would take about a half hour before it was playable. He suggested that I spend that time listening to a solid-state, CD based set-up that was on and ready to play.
The electronics and CD player were all from Goldmund and the owner pointed out that they were some of the best pieces, though not the top of the line, that Goldmund made and that the retail value was well over $50,000. He handed me a stack of CDs, mostly classical, and left the room. Well, I had never experienced such precise detail retrieval. I truly felt that I was hearing absolutely everything on each CD that I played. Beyond my astonishment and considerable enjoyment, I eventually began to realize that I wasn't feeling all that connected to the heart of the music. It was still a wonderful experience, my hat's off to Goldmund, but it wasn't perfect for me
The owner eventually returned and started up the VTL system. It had been some years since I had heard an all tube based system and my initial impression was negative. Where was all that exquisite detail that I had heard from the Goldmund system? After ten minutes I was ready to leave, but forced myself to listen a while longer. After another ten or fifteen minutes I found myself beginning to really enjoy the musical performances from the same CDs that I had listened to earlier. The thrill of the hyper reality that the solid-state system offered was missing, but the musical pleasure was undeniable. Why can't I have both? Sadness
About six months later I purchased a tube pre-amp from Sonic Frontiers (Line 2 Special Edition) which was to replace my then current pre-amp, a Classe 47.5. There was some loss of precision and a fatter sounding bottom end, but there was also the hoped for pickup in mid range musicality. Overall, I felt I had achieved a reasonable improvement. Like many of my audio purchases, it was just another little step, many of which have been more sideways than straight ahead. And then, this spring, I saw an article about the Red 'x' Pen and P.W.B. Electronics
I would guess that it was in the late eighties that I had read, with great interest, an early article about Peter. Since then, I had no knowledge of P.W.B. Electronics and Peter's further developments until a few months ago when I saw a reprint of an article that Carol Clark had written about the Red 'x' Pen. A web address was given and I found that products could be ordered from England. May's response to orders and inquiries is terrific and in a very short time I was experimenting with Silver Rainbow Foil and Cream Electret. I was impressed and, after reading some of the recent newsletters, I decided to spring for the Quantum Clip because of its versatility. Since then I have worked with most of the foils, several ring ties and Magnadiscs, and chunky pens.
Initially, I thought it would be interesting to work with my room and nearby surroundings and leave the audio equipment for last. The improvements were consistent and clearly rewarding as I worked my way around with the Quantum Clip, Clip Film, Cream Electret and the occasional piece of silver rainbow film. I also puttered around in the basement for an hour. A couple of CDs are treated and frozen every day or so, but as I have over 2500 it is a long-term project.
It was time to start working with the components in my system and I thought it might be interesting to get the Classe solid state pre-amp out of storage and experiment with it first. At the time I didn't have as many items to work with as I do now, but after some clipping, a few foils and Cream Electret I inserted it into the system in place of the Sonic Frontiers tube pre-amp There was a surprising increase in detail and dynamics that led me to immediate work on the Sonic Frontiers. The results were especially gratifying, and still clearly surpassing the Classe on musicality, as had been my original observation though now they were both on a higher level, so the Classe went back to the closet. Over the next few weeks, I worked my way through all components, pulling the covers off and safely applying everything I had in my kit. There were some interesting stories along the way which I'll save for another time. Realizing that my system had changed a lot since I had first partially treated the Classe, I decided to get it out again, do some further treatments internally, and see what it sounded like. There was a another jump forward, coming closer to the SF in overall enjoyment, but not quite making the mark. Back to the closet.
My next step was to begin working with some basic ring ties, Magnadiscs, and smart metal. All power cords, interconnects and speaker cables now have at least a basic ring tie component, and some considerably more extensive. Life was good and I decided that it was time to sell the Classe on Audiogon. Well, curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to play my pre-amp game one last time. My thinking was that treatments to the power cords, including ties and smart metal, might possibly have more effect on the Classe that it did on the Sonic Frontiers. Also, I realized that I hadn't applied the Quantum Cream and Quantum Foil to the Classe. Anyway, back into the system it went and within minutes I was totally confused. The Classe was pleasing me fully as much as the SF. I still think the SF has a small edge in mid range musicality, but the Classe now has a wonderfully pure, natural, highly detailed sound. Thrilling in my book. I feel as though I'm awfully close to the level of detail that I heard on the Goldmund system that was so impressive. And, I have a really nice, musical, foot-tapping thing going on that I once thought was only available through tube systems. The Classe is staying.
I'm not in any way suggesting that SS is inherently better than tubes. It's just my system, my ageing ears, my preferences. And, I'm not ready to sell the SF. I'm going to put it into the closet for a while. There are still P.W.B. things that I haven't tried and maybe Peter will soon come along with another miracle that'll put the SF back on top.
I'm just a neophyte compared to many who have contributed to this newsletter. For those you who are new to P.W.B. or just thinking about it, I offer the following: my system is in a place I thought I would never reach; I've had a great deal of fun; considering all that I've spent on component swaps over the years the expense has been very reasonable; environmental improvements that result in better listening are astonishing; if I have a free hour and want to improve my system, I just get out my kit and use a little imagination – there's always something to do; and, lastly, I realize that my equipment is far better than I ever believed – it's as though P.W.B. lets me hear the full potential of what I have.
Being a typical audiophile, no matter where my system is today I want more tomorrow. However, recent dissatisfactions have almost entirely centered on musical shortcomings in production and performance. It's not that I won't ever buy another component again, but no longer think that is the primary answer to better sound. Peter Belt has opened up an amazing new vista of possibilities.
Best regards and peace to you all,
Brian Elliott.
USA
Finding out about how others think is good. Recent postings on the P.W.B. discussion Forum have certainly opened my eyes and I feel more confident about how real and lasting my experiences with P.W.B. materials are. How did the Forum help?
One of the themes which came up was: how much do we as individuals carry out a kind of censorship of ourselves? Do we for example have a voice telling us not to do things? This came up because I was worried about taking my own adaptations on a handheld mini fan too seriously. I started to tell myself, "This can't be a real P.W.B. device – all I have done is stick a few foils on it and treat it with my Red x Pen. Besides what if I am using P.W.B. techniques to produce an object which others less scrupulous than myself might try and mass produce, without telling P.W.B. Electronics and then sell it for their own financial gain???" To make matters worse I started to imagine that May would somehow disapprove of my creating this Fan, so to make myself feel better, I posted something on the discussion forum to the effect that I was mistaken in thinking that this fan could transform Hi-Fi sound and that whilst it was no doubt improved by having P.W.B. Foils stuck on it, at bottom line it was just a fan.
Feeling very sensible, I could now relax in the self-assurance that I was a rational, sensible person who had not challenged the established order of things. P.W.B. themselves could continue to challenge the status quo and I would applaud, but do nothing on my own….. Etc.
To my amazement, first Richard Graham and then May Belt posted messages to encourage me with my experiments, and to go on being fearlessly involved in finding out by experiment, rather than retreating into a safe world of received opinion. (Even if the opinion was received from P.W.B. Itself)
I found these reassurances very important, as they demonstrated just how much even someone like myself who knows from experience that there is more to life than beef and potatoes could become a victim of that little voice telling us not to do or try for something out of the established mode.
Now, this article is not about the efficacy, or not, of my little fan with foils on it, it is about how people perceive the effects of P.W.B. in their lives.
The reaction of the Hi-Fi press over a 12 year period has been well documented by May and others: an initial period of enthusiasm followed by a depressingly long time of disregard, censorship and even misinformation.
However, my own experiences illustrate that it is not a simple matter of hearing an improvement and then striding purposefully out to convince others. It took me a while before I tried telling others about P.W.B. and even longer before I was able to write to the Hi-Fi magazines and eventually get a letter published. As for the Magazines, May has analysed the economic driving force that compounds with this fear of the new to create a kind of brick wall from which all new information on P.W.B. just bounces back.
The area still to be addressed is, I feel, the personal world of the user of P.W.B. devices.
In my own case, I have been using these continuously for about 12 years and have seen the extraordinary advances that have taken place with increasingly more and more effective developments. The pace of development is so fast that one wonders what would have happened if just one or two of the products had been relentlessly marketed. The Domes and Bags for example seemed to be unstoppable in one's perception, yet few people, outside of this newsletter will have heard of them or remember them. I have a Dome and a pair of Bags. I also have a Present Time Clock.
Such devices as these are modern inventions, whose value does not and should not go away. Smart Metal is another extraordinary production, rarely mentioned nowadays.
These are now a few years old but they still work very well. The question I am asking the reader is: why don't we manage to persuade our friends and relations about these marvels? Do we try? Are we interested in trying?
The answer to these questions will be different for everyone, but I feel that the little voice telling us not to do things is working on us as well as our friends and relations.
One example is demonstrating to a friend with two CDs – one treated, the other not.
Yes. He did hear the difference. Yes. He was impressed. Yes. He did mention it once later, but since then we simply have not talked about P.W.B.. I am sorry if this sounds boring but I wonder whether others find the same sort of block? I even have a musician/engineering friend with whom I have discussed Hi-Fi but just haven't got round to mentioning those little foils I stick on my CDs.
Most of the time people express a polite interest, but do not want to find out more; least of all do they wish to experiment or find out for themselves.
Sometimes very odd things happen with other people's Hi-Fi. The friend's system might sound extremely good or extremely bad. Sometimes it goes from very bad to very good next time we go round their place. Why is this? They have apparently done nothing to bring this about. One wonders whether in some way it is us – the P.W.B. user – influencing the sound by our presence. The very idea is just too preposterous and weird. I could not possibly assert such nonsense and yet.. and yet….
As a dare, I will list just some of the ideas which I am beginning to think may be true. I have deliberately chosen the one's which are "near the edge" as these are the ones where his master's voice will whisper loudest unless we manage to resist and think clearly for ourselves.
A part of me remains sceptical but - and this is an important "but" – I now no longer allow the voice which says "NO" to have its sway. Let's share our thoughts with others and - backed by experiment and experience - see for ourselves.
1. I feel that the much treated mini fan generates an energy field which not only pushes the air like a propeller but passes through solid objects sending a positive message through walls and ceiling
2. The effect of treating one's own flat spills over into surrounding flats and consequently the neighbours' Hi-Fi systems sound better than they would otherwise sound
3. When I am listening to other people's Hi-Fi I am somehow influencing the sound which we are both hearing – for the better
4. I can write and use my own Morphic Messages using P.W.B. Pens – these messages relate to anything in the environment which is stressful and this seems to diminish the stress. I feel that this is more than just in the mind but somehow a real factor in the atmosphere.
Well, that's it for the time being but I am sure there will be other propositions which occur to me and which I will perhaps be daring enough to communicate, albeit with the scepticism which I think is important at all times.
To sum up, it is apparent that we all too easily superimpose a disapproving parental image on others, precisely as a mechanism to check our own progress. This, of course, is ultimately self-defeating; it is not the same as conscience, which tells us the true difference between right and wrong. It is instead a negative voice, stopping us from achieving. It is a voice which is definitely to be mastered or it will master us.
Ken Hyam
UK
As a new contributor to this newsletter, perhaps I should introduce myself so that you have an idea of where I am coming from. I have been interested in Hi-Fi for some 25 years, my interest being sparked by the then new idea that turntables were different, and in important ways. So yes, I am a vinyl junkie with a Linn/Naim bias.
Due, certainly in part, to this I have struggled unsuccessfully to get into CD. I have been aware of P.W.B. and the products since the early days, but only in the last four years or so become 'a regular user'!
Having tried hard in the past to take CD on board, I have until now been left cold by the shrill, sterile sound of all things digital.
Being intrigued by the articles by Richard Graham and others on the subject of improved sound from CD copies, I decided to have a go. What follows are my experiences with my equipment and my ears. I have done a great deal of testing and comparing but lay no claim to this being scientifically controlled or definitive. Also I have a good selection of P.W.B. Devices and treatments already installed. However, I am now able to produce copies of CDs that I find very superior to standard discs, to the extent that I can now use CD as a medium with which to enjoy and be enthralled by music.
First of all I changed the player. Nothing exotic (an Arcam CD 160 circa £350). But a modern player which fitted in with my system and gave almost acceptable results.
I then began to play around with foils and morphic messages on the discs. To save time, I just used the foils that seemed most appropriate to how I wanted to improve the sound of CD - see the article 'fine tuning' by Paul Topic in the last Newsletter. Listening carefully here showed me that I should have paid more attention to treating the software in the past. However, with these and the violet and black pens applied I began making copies of CDs on a friend's computer. I also use a home made device consisting of a plastic film disc containing lots of messages via the Red 'x' Pen and a number of foils. The messages seem to have a stronger effect than the foils in this application. I stick this lightly on every vinyl or CD disc before playing. I also use this in the copying process. However, the disc must be very thin and held flat on the disc or copying errors can occur. Best results though are with Foils and messages applied direct onto the disc surface.
I will not bore everyone with the details of the testing but just pass on some general findings which I hope will serve as a starting point to anyone wishing to greatly improve the sound of music from CD.
It would seem that a good quality CD writer or rewriter is important. I bought the best rewriter I could afford - a Plextor Plexwriter 40/12/40A. This cost £99 - although writers are available from about £40 and I did have some success with a cheaper model owned by a friend. The type of disc used would also seem to be important so go for a high speed, branded type. Do not worry about buying Audio only discs as these are an exercise in copyrighting and if ordinary discs work in your player, that's fine. I am currently making comparisons between makes and types of blank discs and if significant will report later.
The burning software is next to be considered, something like Nero Burning ROM should be used as you want to adjust the read and writer speeds to the lowest practicable - about 4x. If you have the option of 'on the fly' copying i.e. straight from disc to disc don't use it. The usual copying method is to copy an image to the hard drive and then back to a blank CD. This and slow speed copying is more accurate. Using a higher speed capable disc at slow speed should also mean more accurate copying, i.e. less jitters.
Now to the interesting bit. To save the expense, time and trouble of foiling and otherwise treating each disc before you copy it, wouldn't it be nice if you could insert a normal original music disc, copy this to a fully treated CDRW disc, then copy this back to a blank, untreated CD ? Well, good news, this works and works extremely well. It would also seem that if after copying to the CDRW, you then copy again using the same CDRW, you get a further slight improvement - ouch ! This could go on and on.
The above brings about a very worthwhile improvement, but the startling stuff begins when you remove the cover from the computer. If you are prepared to get your hands dirty (or fiddle about anyway), you can reap some real benefits.
De Riguer warnings about safety and guarantees of course.
I have vandalised my Hi-Fi and removed the easily transferable P.W.B. bits such as message labels, Red 'x' Pen messages, foils, purple disc and purple and freeze effect ties (on crocodile clips). These have been placed on the Rewriter and Hard Drive cases and cable connections thereto. Unbelievably, these affect the sound of the final copy CD even more than the foils on the CDRW disc.
Being the proud owner of a Quantum Clip, I use this throughout the proceedings and also activate real foil and freeze effect foils on the CDRW disc before writing to the end copy.
At the moment having to transfer the labels and tie clips between Hi-Fi and computer is a nuisance (I find 3M spray mount useful for the labels) but well worth the exercise. This is of course only the tip of the iceberg as my computer is otherwise untreated and there are a huge amount of devices and treatments that can be applied to the computer and its components. Also, with regard to CD, I much prefer the sound of the Copied discs on the system sans transferred P.W.B. Treatments than standard discs on a fully treated system.
The experiments are still going on and the permutations increasing exponentially. In between this I am building myself a CD collection which I can now at long last relax and enjoy and which sounds as close to analogue as I think I am ever likely to get. I hope that these findings will encourage others to try and to benefit from this process.
Just to square the circle as it were. After you have done all the above and have got over the novelty of what you have achieved, you will probably wonder if the sound could possibly improve if you add foils etc. to the new disc.
Well, of course you can guess the answer to that, can't you ?
Steve Allen.
UK
On nearly every occasion I sit down to write something for this Newsletter, there are at least two or three aspects of the P.W.B. phenomenon turning over in my mind. Do I speculate once again on the future and the immense possibilities that the P.W.B. Effect will open up for our civilisation once it takes hold? Or, maybe it's the wonder of how it all works, the sheer magic of results with no apparent cause, which is uppermost in my mind. I have made in the past, for me anyhow, heroic efforts in this Newsletter to get some of my thoughts on those matters across within those pages. Not, though, to the committed Belter, but to the casual reader, who may then explore a little further. Sad to say that there is an immense difference between my thoughts and what appears on the paper. I am very happy it's the third aspect of Belting- that of making music more enjoyable, which is currently firmly in mind. It's also by far the easiest for me to talk about.
A few weeks ago I joined the P.W.B. Yahoo chat group. As I'm relatively new to the usage of computers and the Net, I've yet to work up the courage to make a contribution. What I have been doing is reading some of the more recent flow of thoughts, including some very interesting comments from May Belt and Richard Graham. It's not necessary to go into the details of the topics discussed, except to say that it concerned use of the Quantum Clip. I have owned one of those for a few years now, using it mainly as a final treatment on items to which I've already applied other devices, such as foils etc. The point being made was that the more items treated, whether previously Belted or not, the greater will be the results. Everyone who uses P.W.B. devices will probably know this to be so, but, like me, can imagine the task! Every mundane item within the household, when clipped, will bring about an improvement in sound. But, where do you start? The sheet of paper I'm about to print this letter to? Or, maybe my teacup and spoon. Actually, it seems the spoon is a very good beginning, along with every other item of kitchen utensil, of whatever size.
Then, a helpful thought came to mind. I struggle on occasion with pencil and water-colour. If anyone reading this has ever attempted to create a satisfying piece of water-colour, they will know the meaning of frustration, and the daunting prospect of putting a first mark on a gleaming white sheet of paper. When you sit in front of a subject- maybe it's an old Cotswold cottage, surrounded by trees, the greater part of your brain is shouting at you to hurry along, why look at a house for so long- a house is a house, a series of oblongs within each other- get it down! And that is the biggest battle, stopping your mind telling you that you are wasting time. But, persevere, get a good drawing, and you're half way there. Apply the same logic to the Clip. Get a grip on that doubting side of the brain, think of what is achievable and go for it!
So it was about a week ago I picked up the Clip and walked over to the window and clipped every individual strip of blind on each of three sides of the conservatory. I then moved on to anything at hand. In the kitchen every bottle, jar and tin got a tweak. All the plates, cutlery, pots, pans and even down to items like pens and pencils. I put in about an hour each evening over a period of a week, backing off at nothing. I refused to let my brain tell me some items were too insignificant for clipping, if I came across a single sheet of paper it got clipped. It is truly amazing how much you can clip if the time is given over to the effort. On the down side, it is even more amazing how much "stuff" the average house contains, you really, really do have to keep telling yourself it's all for the good.
And the results so far? Well, it's a bit like when you receive a new P.W.B. device such as Freeze Foil for example. Attaching strips of this product to houseplant pots, electric meters, gas meters etc. brought about a wonderful lift to music and my clipping escapade produced a very similar effect. When the music stops a true silence seems to pervade the whole room. That silence also appears to exist between the instruments so that their individual voices fall on the ear with unbelievable clarity. I also noticed an increase in apparent loudness. I have experienced this loudness lift in the past- it may have been when I carried out a similar, but much less thorough, Clipping exercise in the old house. I remember registering quite a shock when encountering this "free" volume increase first time round. The surprise was no less this time. When you get a result equalling that of a new P.W.B. product, all that tedious Clip work is but a small price to pay.
Kevin Kehoe.
UK
With a gap of forty years, I retraced my steps. As I entered the golden portals of the most famous toy shop in the world, I felt a rush of excitement. This after all was where I had bought my original slinky thing, made of metal, unlike the modern plastic ones.
However, I was not out for another slinky thing after all these years, but something I could fly indoors. Where better to track down such an illusive object than Hamley's? My aim was to see if I could treat a flying thingamajig with P.W.B. materials, fly it round the listening room and reap the benefits in terms of Hi-Fi sound.
Whether this would turn out to be a flight of fancy or a worthwhile project, I thought it would be enjoyable anyway. Here's what happened.
It seemed reasonable that a toy with lots of moving parts and electronic controls would a) be expensive b) be a drag on the environment prior to treatment. Therefore if I could find a relatively inexpensive flying toy it would have fewer moving parts, less fancy writing and no mains power. It would be easier to treat and the threshold where it was no longer a drag on the environment could be reached quickly. The theory I was testing is that an item, which has been treated extensively with P.W.B. techniques not only has no negative effects on the sound in your listening room but, in an already treated environment, actually contributes something positive. It would follow that if you removed it, the sound would be perceived as worse. By taking this one stage further I made the supposition that an item could be customised with Foils, Pens, Cream etc. with the sole purpose of adding to the atmosphere. The object would have no other function than this.
My first stop was at the Frisbee counter. I considered a small folding Frisbee of brilliant design that collapses to a small disc and expands to a full sized but very light Frisbee. The expensive electronic flying toys were absolutely fascinating and I still think there could be potential here. But the outright winner had to be the Wobbly. The Wobbly is a boomerang. It is made of bendy foam styrene that is rigid enough to be aerodynamic. It has three arms and the arms can be bent inwards to curve. This enables a smaller arc to be described by the boomerang. The Wobbly comes in different colours and I decided on blue, yellow and pink. So, with three toys and some Belting to do I set off home.
Freezing is the technique that seems to do the trick with Hi-Fi items so why not for boomerangs? I found that after freezing they actually seemed to feel more friendly to the touch. I wrote some messages on them with the Red x Pen and stuck Freeze Effect Foil and Real Foil on the arms. I also used Electret Cream on the small embossed Logo at the back. Joyce and I also signed them with the Red x Pen. Finally, I used an old P.W.B. technique, which is to place an orange dot at the exact centre of an object. This proved straightforward with the Wobbly, as indeed had all of the treatments.
After about ten minutes of learning the knack of throwing a Wobbly(!), I managed to fly them with a small enough arc not to crash into walls and ceiling. The Wobbly is so light that even if it hits something fragile it will not break it. My state of mind was now sceptical and, as you may have guessed, somewhat playful. After all, at £3.99 each, there was nothing to moan about if, at the end of the experiment I couldn't hear any difference. (Owners of high-end tone arm lifters, take note.)
As it turned out I was taken aback by the sound of a couple of CDs I have been listening to recently. Every instrument was sharply focused. Bass lines were crisp and lively and Tom Waits' vocals rasped raw and convincing. On Heart attack and Vine you could hear all the different levels of percussion with plenty of air about them. The sound stage opened right up. This was a very sharp improvement on the previous before-wobbly listening.
At this stage I would cautiously conclude that home-treated thingamajigs can indeed – if treated with P.W.B. materials – contribute as free-standing beneficent items in our listening environment. They seem to pick up on and tune up the Belting that we have already in place. My final thought for this report is that the Wobbly seems to work because it is moving and therefore kinetically reacting with air and surfaces.
Ken Hyam
UK
Everyone on the P.W.B. Newsletter mailing list will know that July last year Hi-Fi News featured an article on the cryogenic treatment of cables written by Keith Howard. In his article Keith Howard could not have been more enthusiastic or fulsome in his praise as he eulogised on the superior sonic benefits to be obtained by using cables that have been through the cryogenic process. I wrote a letter to Hi-Fi News deploring the fact that Keith Howard, who knew otherwise, had not once acknowledged any reference to the work of Peter Belt; who has for many years promoted the use of an ordinary domestic deep freezer for a similar effect. Keith Howard's reply was to grudgingly accept knowledge of Peters work but to be dismissive of any comparison between cryogenic treatment (approx. minus 180 degrees centigrade) and domestic deep freezing (approx. minus 18 degrees centigrade). Keith Howard, however, did say he would carry out a trial and compare the difference but as far as I am aware this has not been done.
P.W.B. enthusiasts know of course that an essential part of the P.W.B. method is to defrost as slowly as possible.
Since I had no experience of cryogenically treated cables (how many people have?) I was in no position to pass an opinion but the matter was something I felt I wanted to investigate and resolve for my own satisfaction but without having to pay the hefty prices asked for by the exotic cable manufacturers.
My opportunity arrived when I made contact with Gordon Welford. Gordon lives in Cleveland in the North East of England. Gordon has set up a small business to supply pure silver wire - single core 0.8 mm dia. The cost is £4.50 per metre for cryogenically treated silver wire and for those who wish to compare the difference; £4.00 per metre for untreated silver wire. He also supplies a suitable PTFE tubing for insulation; price 50p per metre. Gordon uses the same cryogenic treatment company (come to think of it there can't be that many around) as Max Townshend; whose Isolda speaker cables had a rave review a few months ago - again by Keith Howard.
Having taken delivery of 20 metres of cryogenic treated silver wire and PTFE tubing I decided that for convenience I would initially make up a mains lead for the power amp. This would then be compared to my existing custom made lead. This custom made lead is of a twisted pair of wires. Each wire comprising 7 strands 0.15 mm silver plated copper and is PTFE insulated. The twisted pair I have sheathed in a PTFE tubing for added insulation. The wire was obtained from P.W.B. and I assume has been subject to P.W.B." influence". A separate ordinary wire is for the earthing connection. This made up cable has had the full compliment of "Ring Ties"," Smart Metal solder," "Sol-Electret Oil", "hollow fibre," "Creamed ","Clipped" , "Purple Pen" ," Morphic Liquid "; in fact the lot! (actually not quite the lot but more on that later) and therefore represented a considerable challenge for any other cable.
When the time came to compare the two mains leads also present with me was a neighbour. We both had no hesitation in deciding the new cryogenic mains lead was the one to have. It seemed to produce a more smoother sound and induced a feeling of deeper relaxation and overall satisfaction. After this, as you can imagine, I was feeling very pleased with myself in having made up a mains lead that cost relatively little and still out performed a superb mains lead incorporating comprehensive P.W.B. techniques. From this exercise the only conclusion had to be; full marks to cryogenics.!
Over the next few weeks all mains leads and interconnects were converted to cryogenic treated silver wire. Speaker cables, which are 16 ft long, could not be converted due to difficulty in feeding the silver wire down the snug fitting PTFE tubing. Peter Belt claims that the insulation on wiring degrades the sound but using bare wiring presents practical problems I have not yet found a way around.
While listening to music one evening and thinking of any other way I could improve the wiring ; the doubt crept into my thoughts as to whether I had ever actually given my twisted pair mains lead the deep freeze treatment. The more I thought about it the less unsure I became until my thoughts eventually turned around and I became convinced the deep freeze treatment had never taken place at all. This state of affairs could soon be put right of course and into the deep freezer went the mains lead.
Following the deep freeze treatment I was especially keen - that is putting it mildly - to learn what difference it would have on the sound when now compared to the cryogenic silver wire. A sound that I had now become very familiar with over the previous few weeks.
P.W.B. followers be assured ; there is absolutely no need for you to feel you are living a deprived existence in a world where the holy grail of Hi-Fi can only be achieved through the use of cryogenic treatments. Listening to music now didn't have me laid back with satisfaction; it had me sitting on the edge of my seat not wishing to miss a single note - an exhilarating experience.
Conclusion: a fully "belted" mains lead (important to stress I use a marvellous twisted pair) will out perform cryogenic treated wire. This does raise the question - how much better will be a "belted" cryogenic cable? Presumably even better still but I haven't got round to that one yet, perhaps in the future I will. My thoughts now turned to the possibility of improving on the cryogenic interconnects which were now inter linking Tuner, D/A converter etc.
I have longed been convinced that cables should be as thin as possible and it had not escaped my notice that the cross sectional area of the twisted pair cable was only a quarter of the silver wire. If I utilised only one 0.15 mm strand of the wire used for the twisted pair then the cross sectional area would be only a twenty eighth of the silver wire. The deciding factor would be whether or not the single strand would be strong enough ? Bear in mind the thickness of a single strand approximates that of a human hair . The simple answer would be to take a strand and give it a tug. This I did and though it broke it did seem stronger than I had imagined but obviously it would need additional support. By using Eichmann Bullet phono plugs (also available from Gordon Welford) I could insert a wooden dowel into the rear of the plug and use the clamping screw to clamp the PTFE insulating tube against the inside of the plug. The insulation was then taking most of any strain but extra care is required when connecting/disconnecting the plug to equipment.
The big question is; was all the effort worthwhile? I have to say the new ultra fine wire interconnect installed between D/A converter and passive pre-amp. is simply superb. The word analogue of the very best kind springs to mind with detail and a tactile quality that one can almost touch the instruments. Does one need SACD with this quality of sound available?
Certainly not unless you must have surround sound is my opinion.
Most of my interconnects are now ultra fine wire and yes they respond well to the usual P.W.B. Treatments.
Tom Marsden.
UK
It must been 2 in the morning when he found himself standing in an open field in front of the spacecraft. The spacecraft was a small one - 20 feet in diameter - with the ultra-sleek profile of a recon. Three alien beings hovered around him. They gestured for him to proceed up the ramp, which had been lowered, into the entrance of the spacecraft. He thought he was probably dreaming, but felt safe enough and was inclined to let the dream play out. A golden light sprayed out from the doorway onto the tall emerald grass as he took a step toward the spacecraft.
He floated up the ramp, accompanied by the three aliens, and into the main lobby of the spacecraft. Just inside, he glanced up to see a lime-green neon sign blink out, "Greetings." As he gazed around the interior of the spacecraft, he saw wafers of lavender, crimson, Tibetan blue and emerald adorning the walls and ceiling of the lobby, even the furniture. Small gold or silver plaques inscribed with what looked like Mayan or Egyptian symbols placed around the circumference of the lobby. He got the impression that everything - the walls, ceiling and furniture, even the recon - was made of a kind of "space age" plastic. Near the lobby perimeter a clear Plexiglas case contained a master clock; Day-Glo orange LED's displayed, "Present Time."
After several moments, a fourth figure entered the lobby from another section of the recon to exchange words with the other three, their words resonating in the hollow space of the lobby. He took some time to examine as much as could of the recon lobby, gliding over to a small bookshelf that held a number of volumes, many of which were in English, like the signs and clock. He made out a few titles: "Anthropology of Earth," "Anthropology of Mars," "Advanced Crop Circles," and "How to Avoid Detection." He continued to poke around and when the tall alien left the room one of the others approached with something in his hand.
Suddenly he found himself in his bed at home, half awake. For many seconds he was convinced he was waking from a very realistic dream. When he noticed he was still dressed, it dawned on him that the "dream" might actually have happened. As he struggled to sort things out, he realized there was something in his shirt pocket. He reached in and pulled out a small, rectangular, cobalt blue box. He popped off the top and pulled out a clear, slightly pink, 4"- long crystal wand. Embedded in one of the crystal wand's 6 faces were four gold dots that gleamed in the ultra-pure morning sunlight that had begun to shoot through slits of the self-adjusting windows. He could see that the dots were microchips. Laser-etched on one face of the crystal wand were the words, "New Gold Standard." As he examined the mysterious object, rotating it slowly with his fingers, he thought he heard a faint rustling, as if something was moving around in the next room. A wave of anxiety traversed his body from toe to head and he lay frozen, unable to move, thinking an intruder must be there. The feeling of paralysis lasted several minutes, then he made his mind up to get out of bed and investigate the noise in the other room.
He thought if he just peeked into the next room, there would be less risk in the event an intruder had somehow gained entrance. He slid out of bed and tiptoed toward the doorway that connected his bedroom to the room where he thought he had heard the rustling noise. He got as far as the edge of the doorway and slowly peered around the corner until he could view the entire room, which was now brightly lit by the morning sun. To his great relief, he saw there was none in the room and at first could detect nothing unusual. The room looked as it always did: an IKEA Poang chair faced a large Plasma Sonic monitor flanked by tall MemBrain transducers. Ultrahigh density Minis were strewn around the floor as usual. By now the feeling of anxiety had left him and he strode into the room for a closer inspection.
As he got to the middle of the room, he noticed that there was a card on the seat of the Poang chair. He picked up the card and opened it. The card was definitely not here before, he thought, as he began to read what was written inside. It was written in English and the handwriting was exceedingly fluid, as though written by machine: "We apologize if we alarmed you, it has always been our intention to simply demonstrate our existence. We have been coming back to Earth, which is our original home, for many thousands of years. Enjoy the crystal that we gave you, you might think of it as a shield from some of the side-effects of progress that always seem to appear in the rush for technical achievement. Perhaps we shall meet again some time."
He sat down in the chair and turned the card over to see if there was anything more, but there was not. He hardly moved for many minutes, only to turn the crystal over and over in his hand.
Geoff Kait
USA
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