Are there any really good cd cleaners out there?


I was wondering if there are any really good cd cleaners on the market . Like maybe an ultra sonic cleaner? Right now i am just using a spray cd cleaner and a cloth. Thanks...
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xtattooedtrackman
I tried many products, all changed the sound. Some brighter some more bass, that is unreal when you think about it, how any added spray can change the sound. I use a very high-quality car wax now, just a dap, spread, let it cure and then I buff it well, play side only. Hands down the better sound and when compared to the mythical vinyl it more than holds its own, and sometimes better. I use Griots Poly Wax, you can even water it down with the same result..$300 of a CD cleaner nope, just $19.99, I could bottle this and call it an audiophile name and sell it for $100.00 a small bottle!. Kidding!, This I could say It Was Used By NASA which seems to be the new buzz word or medical field use. Got to love our hobby. Serious this product works well. I buy CD's weekly and will continue to do so and I grew up on Vinyl and I enjoy it. I do clean by disc 1st with a lens cleaner then a touch of the wax, buff and enjoy. For what its worth. 
@syntax  My favorite one is Macallan.

just this minute saw your post. Being a canny Scot I have used Macallan and Cardhu before but made sure it went through my bladder first !!!!

Digital Systems and Solutions. The most highly recommended products. (The person who spoke of prints and marks ‘that he thought would never come off’ - is from another planet. CDs just don’t get that dirty. But I’ve just given you the company with products real afficiaonados “rave” about.) Enjoy. 
@2channel8..... La Art du son cleaner came a few days ago..Been using it since and it is an excellent cleaner. Takes off all marks and prints that i thought were on for good. Leaving it like a mirror finish. Also giving it an excellent sound quality that i haven not heard before i used it. Alot more detail in the recordings. I highly recommend it. Will def continue to buy more.
Plastic lens cleaner at Walmart Eye center give it a try, you might be surprised! 
Optrix CD Cleaner is very good, inexpensive in price as well.Happy Listening!
then it should be possible to capture the data stream pre and post treatment and do a bit by bit comparison.
I have tried french product name OSH "AntiMis" and I had make a comparaison with same "non treated CD" and there is a better focus and holographic presentation.  Enjoy music
@2channel8,,,,,, Still waiting for the La Art Du son to come in the mail.. I will give a report as soon as it comes and i use it.... Thanks
Check out The Absolute Sounds “Rave” reviews of Clean Disc and Ultrabit Platinum. Unanimously unreserved praise. 
I just uncovered a stash of Liquid Res. Hurray! Also, I’ve heard conflicting reports about whether mold release compound is used in manufacturing CDs. Anyone know the real story? Maybe an old episode of How Things are Made. I also invested in Essence of Music a few years ago but I’ll be darned if I hear any change. Am I going deaf?
@aalenik....I did buy the L ART DU SON.  From the Cable Co...Cant wait to get it and try it... 

I've spent some time on this, so I'll share what I've found... for what it's worth.

Why clean a CD (SACD, DVD, etc.)?  New CDs have a mold release compound on them, much like LPs.  They may also be covered with 'micro-dust' from the plant where they were pressed.  Both impede the laser and cause more error correction.  In most cases, you only need to clean (or treat) new discs.

Warm water & mild hand-soap will do about 90% of the job, but a good treatment will do even more (for better or worse - read on...).

I've tried a number of CD treatments, Ultrabit, Liquid Resolution, Shine-Ola and maybe a few more. All provided 'cleaner' sound, but also added brightness to the sonic balance.  Liquid Res. was the most neutral of those above (but no longer available).  HOWEVER...

the absolute BEST of all is L'ART DU SON.  It not only cleans the CDS, it also provides a very natural sonic balance and almost seems to enrich the midrange.  I use it on every new disc I buy.  VERY highly recommended!

In the first place polycarbonate is only 90% transparent so what’s the difference? Second the new SHD CDs and SACDs are compressed to death so who cares? Third, most of the scattered laser light is invisible anyway. So, again, who cares? 🙄
ieales

@georgehifi +100 on the bogusola @ Machina Dynamica and its progentitor.

>>>>Et tu, Brute? And did your spell checker break down, eelsy? George can’t help it, he’s on that big superstitious island in the Pacific.
Besides the issue of leaving residue on disc surfaces and potentially creating difficulties for the lazer pickup...
Armorall= shiny surface= reflectivity.
Well, it seems that the Japanese are going in the opposite direction with their SHM material and special coloring to eliminate the smallest hint of reflectivity...
Armor All is made of silicones and glycerin to be left behind.
Its raison d'etre is humans like shiny stuff.
It's designed to leave a residue.
Residue is a no-no on anything optical.

Windex can also be nasty stuff also leaving a residue.
It requires mechanical removal to the dry surface.

Dish soap or car wash rinsed away and dried by blowing the water away leaves discs 100% clean and 100% residue free with 0% chance of drying damage.

@georgehifi  +100 on the bogusola @ Machina Dynamica and its progentitor.
tattooedtrackman
vinyl
Vinyl =plastic, car dash = plastic, guess what CD=plastic.
Armor-All is a plastic protectorant!

Cheers George
@phillyb 

Car wax usually has oils and other bonding agents, that's how they stick to the car surface and resist being washed off by rain, snow etc., as well as resisting UV...
best to use a ph balanced (non acidic) cleaner, like your dish washing soap, or if prefered a nice car shampoo! (The likes of Dodo juice, Wolfgang, Sonax can be googled)
and under no circumstances (as in: never ever) use car polish, they have abrasives which are very unfriendly to your 1 and 0 digits. -:)
Really, do folks have problems with grit, dirt and grease on CDs? I mean, come on, people! 
2nd Notefor those who shop Sam's Club (not sure about Costco?) the eyeglass moistened wipes are pretty good as well, a nice substitute for Windex.
Happy Listening!
Absolutely! phillyb
Life is too short to not enjoy the physical formats. Soap/water is a good tip, as well as, a small drop of Windex to really clean those dusty/dirty used CDs. Been using this technique for many years without fail nor damage.

Happy Listening!
Best cleaner is soap and water. I use drop of car wax to really clean them good. I rise them in warm water and use a micro towel. Many new good CD releases, and as far as sound quality of mastered well superb. I love vinyl but nothing wrong with CD. Don't follow the trends,many great recordings,in the CD format, thousands in my collection and counting. I do own a excellent SACD player though, the K-O1. The new Marantz, is very good also. I liked the physical formats and I have no disire,to burn them or MAQ just so the can get you to rebut and get stuck with another format. 99% if listeners enjoy streaming radio, portable phones etc. Billions of downloads, Hundreds of million CD sales still and 10's of million vinyl, so something for everyone. 
geoffkait.....My apology i meant to say it to georgehifi about Armor All.Now if cds were made of vinyl or leather thats a different story. 
georgehifi,
Your post seems to be serious regarding the Armour-All, so I want to remind you and everyone else that a long time ago Ken Kessler almost lost his job for recommending it when it was later found to damage CD’s after some time had passed.
I did mine (only one mind you) with Armor-All probably 25 years ago, after reading this I gave it a whirl yesterday and it’s still plays perfectly, and still has that lovely golden hue about it.
I think that’s a bit of a furphy like cd rot.


Was it Sam Tellig? Whatever. All was really never a top contender anyway. In fact I don’t even like how it look on vinyl upholstery. But it makes sense George would like it, assuming he was serious, which is highly doubtful. You know...
It was Sam Tellig that told me about it, he and his son are both Lightspeed customers of mine. Maybe you could use it on that "wit" sure could use some polishing as it’s dull as!
And it’s sure more believable than some of product you peddle on your web site. https://www.machinadynamica.com/index.html

My common sense tells me that it is not made for cds.
Neither are half the voodoo tweaks around on these forums, eg $200 for $1 fuses and being directional, just have a look at Geoff’s web site, it’ll make your head spin.
At least just about everyone has a bottle of Armor-All Original Protectant in their garage, put it on a crapy disc like I did that you don’t cherish and try it, I haven’t said anything about it sounding better or worse, just that it polished up one of my disc’s and gave it a nice golden hue.

Cheers George
roxy54.....geoffkait.....About using Armor All.... I would never ever try that on my cds. My common sense tells me that it is not made for cds. 
Was it Sam Tellig? Whatever. Armor All was really never a top contender anyway. In fact I don’t even like how it look on vinyl upholstery. But it makes sense George would like it, assuming he was serious, which is highly doubtful. You know...
georgehifi,
Your post seems to be serious regarding the Armour-All, so I want to remind you and everyone else that a long time ago Ken Kessler almost lost his job for recommending it when it was later found to damage CD's after some time had passed.  
After reading alot of reviews from you folks and from on line ,Just ordered La Art du son cleaner from the Cable co. Cant wait to try it out. 
Shame on anyone who needs to clean one.

Dish soap under lukewarm water. Dry with compressed air.

tattooedtrackman OP
geoffkait....Ive just looked on line for the Liquid Resolution for sale. I cant find it..Are they still selling it ?

Alas, no. Please look at my comment again. 😬
Here's one I tried back in the early days, Armor-All Original Protectant works great, and it gives those silver discs a slight gold look after you done it, with a soft cloth, spray on, wipe in, wait, then buff off.

Cheers George
geoffkait....Ive just looked on line for the Liquid Resolution for sale. I cant find it..Are they still selling it ? 
If you’re looking for something a little more than just cleaning, there a number of sprays, gels and what have you, but until Brian Kyle at Xtreme AV passed away a few years back his Liquid Resolution was probably the best sounding of them all, with a handful of others like Jena Labs, Optrix, Nanotech 8500, Auric Illuminator running not so close behind.
Dish soap is just fine, and if you want to treat it for better sonics afterwards, use Auric Illuminator. 
I have always had best results with the circle method but others may find success in other ways but make sure it is the lightest of touches and also use a natural sponge as they tend ro remain cleaner for longer and I find they are not so prone to picking up grit.
@jim204 
rub in small circular motions
I have mostly read CDs should be wiped from the center out and not with the direction they spin.  I haven't read doing it with small circular motions. Does it really matter which direction you wipe them as long as you don't overdo it?  Anyone else with specific recommendations? Just trying to learn something.
Post removed 
Another vote for L'Art du Son -- more than just a cleaner, a once over with this is a must even for brand new CDs
Best products I’ve used are by Digital Systems and Solutions. Clean Disk-cleaner, and Ultrabit Platinum (just a small drop) for refined disc reading and enhanced sound. Noticeable improvents through my Spectral/MIT system. Dish soap has been an old standby for years and seems safe. This products give a noticible improvement over soap; I’ve checked. 
The best by far is L Art du Son it will give you wonderful detailed sound.I have tried many this is the best by far. Enjoy!!
91% isopropanol is all you need! Give a CD a good spray rinse and let air dry for a few minutes!
I have been using Shinola for years with great results. Especially on Netflix discs that sometimes won’t read. It is available at Elusivedisc.com 24.99 per bottle.

Exactly--you can get them wet. I run it under water with a scant amount of dish soap between my fingers then dry with a micro fiber cloth--never a scratch or residue.  Cleaners are a waste of time and worry.