Price Paid:  $20.00 from Elusive Disc

Summary:
I was skeptical but tried it. I did think that I noticed an improvement. Bass seemed better and overall sound was more lively. Not disapponinted. I have no trouble with positioning or skipping.

Strengths:
Improved sound

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $7.00 from ReVeel CD cleaner fromRATA, Cumbria, England, see www.russandrews.com

Summary:
More and better music from discs you already own with the use of a little water and a sachet of ReVeel... A difficult concept to better. I'll be buying more.
ReVeel is suitable for everyone that listens to CDs and wants a more natural, LP-like sound. It's difficult to believe that anyone who enjoys music of any type would not notice an improvement, even on the cheapest of equipment (mine includes a portable Philips AZ7482, Kenwood midi-system with pure-A amp, and I also use treated discs on my father's Nakamichi-based system).
I've given sachets to my brother, a professional musician, but he always claims he has been too busy to use them!

Strengths:
Sound quality improves considerably on use, more bass, treble, but provides a very natural sound which is less fatiguing than an untreated disc. Every disc treated (50-60) has shown similar improvements - only pressure of work has prevented me going through my entire collection. Russ has a wide range of products, like DeoxIT, Wonder solder, etc which U.S. tweakers will be more familiar with. Try ReVeel - I'll be amazed if you're not delighted (and, no, I have no connection with RATA).

Weaknesses:
Washing/wiping CDs occasionally leaves slight scratches if care isn't taken that the disc is clean first but even when this happens there is still a clearly audible improvement.

Similar Products Used:
Hunt P3 ReVeel even improves discs treated with this cleaner which I found gave benefits but was very fussy to use and I don't think is on the market any more.
Motor industry degreasing aerosol spray (alcohol-based) yeilded very slight improvements, again using ReVeel on a treated disc brings the usual benefits.

Price Paid:  $20.00 from AudioAdvisor clearance

Summary:
As long as one keeps this mat in the dark its a lovely device. However, I found that it was meerly a taste of what's available. So, I aerosol adhered a pair together with the carbon fibres facing eachother & left a stack of books on top overnight. Then, markered it completely black on one side & a dark forest green on the other. This created a de facto weave enhancing consistant rigidity & stability which aided tracking. Plus, the thicker visco-elastic medium absorbs remaining vibrations. If a thicker mat can fit in your player. This will make you discover your player's noise floor. Alone, it's OK for the price. The Marigo is better but at $80 it better be, & the similarly priced Aurex AV mat is a coaster!

Strengths:
if you have the clearance, a pair is very silent

Weaknesses:
that accursed luminescence, I think it emits the wrong frequencies like the stoplight pen. The sound is inappropriately enhanced dynamics (a musical equivalent of accenting the wrong syllable) similar to some directional cables installed backwards.

Similar Products Used:
Aurex AV mat, Marigo Orpheus

Summary:
Anyone that believes that this improves sound quality is in need of serious counselling. The only thing this disc does is put more wear on the transport mechanism. Anyone who actually buys a product like this deserves to lose their $40.

Strengths:
makes a good coaster

Summary:
This mat made NO improvements at all in sound quality. It even induced skipping.

Deserves ZERO strars.

Strengths:
None Whatsoever