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REVIEW: Audience Auric Illuminator Accessory

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Since I’ve already heard what the Auric Illuminator can do for DVD’s, I thought that I would give it a try on DVD’s using our progressive scan DVD player. In order to minimize any synethesic effects, all viewing was done with the volume muted. Methodology was basically to watch a couple of key scenes from a disc, take it and apply the treatment, and watch those scenes again.

In all cases, the difference was immediately noticeable: in a word, detail. God lives in the details; so does definition, 3-dimensionality, color saturation, lighting cues, and low-level information. From my viewing notes: “American Beauty,” opening “videotaped” interview. Extremely realistic portrayal of the low-resolution used for the interview; more grain, more of everything bad—which in this case is a good thing. What a difference when the “film” footage starts, there is more horizon that is crisp and clear, as though the smog just blew out of the LA basin for the first time in a few months, and you could see the ring of mountains. You can see more deeply with no detail getting lost.

The shower scene: as the camera moves across the shower stall door, revealing Kevin Spacey enjoying the highlight of his day, I notice for the first time a distinct reflection in the doors, of somebody crouched low, perhaps filiming the scene? Sharon notices this as well; we had just watched AB a couple of nights ago on the same system, and never noticed a thing. Scene that has the new neighbors carrying a couch in: magnificent detail in the motes of dust caught in the sunbeam outside. This detail was never present before.

Moving on to “Fifth Element,” the same increase in resolved information was readily apparent. In the opening of the movie, set in Egypt, shadows are rendered with much greater depth. Textures on walls, and differences in lighting on the walls, are more pronounced: the carvings take on depth and weight.

Lee-loo’s escape after reconstruction: details simply leap out. I notice, for the first time, that the glass tube is pre-etched for her to punch through and grab the shirt. The effect when she jumps through the wall of the room. Oh, and then comes the building ledge: way more detail. I can get lost looking down into the layers of traffic.

After treating and viewing several DVD’s, I had only one problem: a copy of “Bringing out the Dead” had major breakup in a couple of scenes, and was unwatchable. Upon examination of the disc, it was easy to see that the laminated layers around the spindle hole were coming undone: I don’t know if this was caused by the treatment, or if the disc was defective upon receipt. I replaced it, and had no problems with the replacement, nor with any of the other discs that I treated.

I strongly recommend this treatment. Listing at $39.95 for a treatment of 200-400 discs, it’s a no-brainer. The only downside is taking the time to treat each disc: if you have a large collection, that’s a lot of buffing. Oh, yeah, the other downside would be trying to explain to your spouse what the hell you’re doing with all the DVD’s and CD’s.




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Topic - REVIEW: Audience Auric Illuminator Accessory Review by Bob W at Audio Asylum - Bob W 17:23:32 12/26/00 (2)


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