Zapping the Nasties from Your Speakers - Enacom CSS-1 Speaker Tuning CD

This is my third and last write-up on an Enacom product. Before the interruption of the KLIAV2010 show, I wrote about the AC Enacom and Speaker Enacom, both of which had the ability to give you a smoothened, refined sound from your system. The CSS-1 Tuning CD is the last item and I tried, it is of a mini CD size, smaller than the normal CD that we are used to. The CSS-1 is listed for RM200.

Ths size of the CSS-1 disc (right) compared to a normal CD

Is the CSS-1 the same as those 'demagnetizing' CDs? I don't know. Literature from Enacom did not mention anything about 'demagnetizing'. The signal on the CSS-1 is also different from those demagnetizing CDs that I have. The CSS-1 contains 2 tracks, with a total of 10 minutes of play time. It is to be played just like any CD. The signal is a series of throbbing sound in different patterns. It is rather noisy when played at the normal listening volume, which is, I am certain, an experience that no one would like to sit through. The best policy is to press play, leave the room immediately and come back 10 minutes later to sample the result.

The instruction from Enacom says that the CSS-1 is to be played once every 6 months and is best to be used together with the Speaker Enacom. This also means that I had only 1 shot in listening to the effect of the CSS-1 in my system, as after I ran it once there was no way for me to repeat the process to confirm the result for another round (i.e., no multiple A-B comparisons was possible).

The CSS-1 did show an effect on the system's sound. The effect was different from my experience with 'demagnetizing' where the effect was a smoothening of the treble and, if overdone, the system would sound dark due to rolled-off highs. With the CSS-1, the effect showed up as a heightened clarity to the sound, details in the music were highlighted. If you were a photographer, you would understand it when I say that the effect was like turning up the exposure level by around 0.5 stop. If a system was a bit dull or veiled, I believe the CSS-1's effect would be very beneficial.

This sense of heightened clarity lasted for a few days. Then the sound gradually shifted, something I would describe as a mellowness or a gentleness showed up in the sound slowly. Music sounded more comfortable than challenging, the artists' performance took on a gentler swinging quality rather than urgency. The difference was not very prominent but did give a different listening impression.

Unfortunately, like I mentioned earlier, I could not carry out multiple tests to see how consistent the results were. Just like any another accessories and tweaks, it is best to test the CSS-1 in your own system to see whether the effect suits you.

No doubt about it, the Enacom trio is a set of interesting and effective products for fine tuning your sound.

Enacom is carried by Nova Hifi, contact MK Lai, tel: 019-2226129