Quote: "The Iraser Stick is one of the best accessories I've come across in thirty years."

The journalist Johannes von Polen of the hi-fi portal HiFi-NL, based in the Netherlands, could hardly believe the effects of the Vortex HiFi Iraser Stik on his hi-fi system.

His conclusion:

The conclusion is clear: In my experience, the Iraser Stick AOI from Vortex Hifi works perfectly with optical discs and simply spectacularly with LPs. And that for 99 euros…. The fact that I've sometimes paid more for less impact can be described as the understatement of the century. I urge music lovers to put up a little bit of buying a magic wand. You can always try it out without obligation. The Iraser Stick is one of the best accessories I've come across in thirty years.

Here is a professional translation by a specialist legalist:

Review: Iraser Stick AOI by Vortex Hifi (original test on HiFi.NL)

John van Poland | 07 August 2020 | Photography John van Poland | Vortex hifi

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG

The Iraser Stick AOI from Vortex Hifi is a spectacular product that provides significant assistance in extracting more musical information from music carriers. The stick works great with CDs and is above all an affordable tip for handling LPs. And at a friendship price.

BENEFITS

Easy to use
Good price
Clearly positive effect on CD and record playback

DISADVANTAGE

Strong magnet is not without risk

In the last few decades, the knowledge that electromagnetic phenomena, which are the result of wireless communication media, can have negative effects on the subjective performance of audio and video systems, has increasingly gained a foothold. One speaks here of electrosmog. What exactly is meant by this term, and how it affects devices and people, I would like to save for a later post. For the moment I will leave it to the statement that there are accessories in the trade which have the task of counteracting the negative effects of electrosmog.

The German brand Creaktiv Systems, for example, has a very extensive range. To a large extent, it is about objects made of tempered glass that have been treated according to a top-secret procedure. Physical contact between such an object and a device or CD leads to ´information´ of the latter and that in turn leads to an improved sound. Sounds like science fiction or total nonsense - but there is no denying that it works. The effect is proven by measurements. I have practically the entire range of Creaktiv Systems in use.
The first product generation from Creaktiv Systems was developed by the German Norbert Maurer. Maurer started his own business a few years ago. Today he offers comparable products under the brand name Vortex Hifi. According to Daluso sales, the latest findings flow together in the products and thus go one step further than the older accessories from Creaktiv Systems. Vortex Hifi products are available from Kemp Elektroniks and King Audio, among others.

The Iraser Stick AOI

A totally original development by Vortex Hifi is the so-called Iraser Stick. This one is designed in a bizarre way like ... a magic wand! Krass ... Was this form chosen consciously as a provocation for the many skeptics? There are three versions. The cheapest one has the addendum AOI in the product name and includes a diametrical magnet on one end. The magnetic field is formed perpendicular to the rod. The two more expensive models also have an axial magnet at the other end, the magnetic field of which is aligned parallel to the rod. I only tested the AOI.
What is meant is that the magnet is slowly drawn along the object to be treated in a number of passes so that the entire surface is reached. The red sticker on the magnet should be directed perpendicular to the object. The object to be treated can be a CD or LP, or a cable or a device, even ... window panes or mirrors! Shouting 'Hocus Pocus' is only optional. The effect is allegedly based not only on demagnetizing, but also on ´informing´, hence the name ´Iraser´ instead of ´Eraser´.
The magnet is strong: so be careful with loudspeakers! In no time the end of the iraser has found the magnet of the driver and you have a nice hole in the cone ...
For the same reason, I wouldn't hold the Iraser near the pickup on a turntable. Just like the sales department, I would also advise against moving the magnet near electrically conductive cables and devices. The Iraser comes with clear instructions for use, including these warnings. Because I don't feel like switching off my equipment and removing the cables behind my audio rack, I only rated the Iraser as a treatment for music carriers. But you can do more with it.

The effects of the Iraser Stick AOI on CDs

The test procedure is simple: quickly take a number of CDs that I know inside out, listen to them a little, deal with them, listen to the same part again and note down any differences. ´Treating´ means: smearing the CD with a 'magic wand' - an activity that might encourage random viewers to call a psychiatrist (“John doesn't have them all anymore…”).
I have already been accused of being 'unscientific'. That's probably true. For science, we'd better turn to the university. I only convey my subjective experiences. This could then be an occasion for one or the other interested party to try it out for themselves. Everyone should always listen for themselves and trust in their own ears. That's the essence of our passion. Incidentally, I have never seen a serious music lover come to very different conclusions than I did ...
The Iraser works! After the treatment I feel improvement in every way. It all sounds a tad more informative, calmer, more spatial. The effect is about the same as that of other accessories that are offered for handling CDs. But these devices are all much more expensive than the Iraser Stick. A very satisfactory result that easily justifies the purchase of this remarkable product. The real surprise was yet to come ...

The effects of the Iraser Stick AOI on LPs

This surprise came when I let go of the stick on an LP. Wow! A much bigger effect than with CDs. This is more of a revelation than just 'audible'. In classical music, the strings and the winds sound significantly less sharp and overall more natural; the background becomes quieter and there is a better overview in the sound image. I think the difference is so big that even people who don't listen to much music would notice it.
I had a strange experience on saxophonist Grover Washington's Winelight LP. The track number is supported by a powerful bass line. This sounds a bit dominant and rather bold on my system. To my amazement, clear, controlled bass rolled out of the speakers after the treatment. You can hardly call that an improvement, more like a complete 'restructuring' of the music.
In addition, I found a clever procedure: I let the LP turn on the record player and move the rod with the red dot upwards, radially from the inside to the outside. Of course, this only works if the turntable does not attract the magnet. A funny detail is that the Iraser 'sticks' to the metal intermediate plate in the base of the VPI turntable. So the chopstick has its fixed place and literally falls into the hand. The sales department advises against this because it also makes the intermediate plate magnetic. Oh what the heck - it's too much fun to not do.

Conclusion :

The conclusion is clear: In my experience, the Iraser Stick AOI from Vortex Hifi works great with optical discs and even sensationally with LPs. And that for 99 euros ... The fact that I've already paid more for less effective measures is okay than that Understatement of the century describe. Music lovers who have to overcome this before they consider buying a magic wand, I want to encourage them to do so at this point. You can always try it out without obligation. The Iraser Stick is one of the best accessories I've come across in thirty years.

Iraser Stick AOI
€ 99 | Vortex hifi
www.daluso.com | das.raumtuning.info

Test NikFi.NL end

---

More reviews of Iraser

Link test HiFi-Today Iraser Stab

Link test PDF listening experience

---

Here are a few customer reviews:

On Kemp Electronics:

Sensational! Review by Hans
If you hold the stick just above a rotating record and move it slowly from the outside to the inside, the gain in sound is sensational, much greater than if you hold the stick “out of your hand”. Probably because the plate and the mat are also demagnetized. The mid-high range becomes cleaner, a certain harshness disappears, there are many more details and spatial information, instruments and voices are more three-dimensional in space, etc. Absolute recommendation!
Caution: Do not hold the loudspeaker near the pickup. Links on the LP is fine with me. (Posted on 04-12-2020)

A must for true music lovers. Review by Teun van Oever
Great and very affordable product. Works perfectly and simply, and you can do a lot more with it than with CDs. The sound has been improved very well across the entire spectrum and the stereo image, especially the depth, also increases significantly. Vortex products are really necessary for true-to-life music reproduction. I totally agree with what John van Polen wrote on hifi.nl about the Vortex Hifi Iraser Stick. Vortex knows exactly what electrosmog does to people and noises. (Posted on 24-08-2020)

My experience with the wand rating by Tita Wizard
After the review by John van Poland, I bought the standard version: the thing really works as described guys, that's a no brainer. (Posted on 08-08-2020

On www.hifi-zubehoer.shop:

Thomas K. | 17.02.2019/XNUMX/XNUMX The spiders ...

They spin the Westphalia. So much money for a piece of wood including 2 magnets. That's how I thought when I read the information about the Iraser extinguishing sticks. As it is now in life, curiosity has triumphed again. And ordered the Iraser Diamant from Hifi Accessories. As always ordered by Mr. Haugk today and already delivered yesterday (it really doesn't get any faster), the good part arrived at my place. Since there was little time to drive quickly across all window surfaces, radiators, systems, boxes and terminating plugs and then system on and only building blocks were amazed! Despite a large number of different anti-interference products, an informed fuse and socket, my jaw was down. Everything was great beforehand. But now after the Iraser treatment, the sound was even cleaner and, especially in terms of space, a whole (!!) step better. Everything was more clearly defined and nailed into place. A big movie theater! They spin the Westphalia. Luckily! For me it is already the product of the year and every penny more than worth it. It is advisable to try it out. Urgently…

At Klangatelier Berlin:

Dear Mr. Nehls, a few days ago I got the Vortex Iraser Diamond Stick and the Vortex Diamond Power Caps to try out. With a bit of skepticism I took the baton over an LP / CD and heard slight changes, which I was not yet able to convince. The same thing happened to me with the caps. I have to mention that quite a bit of sound enhancements already exist. After watching the official Vortex video, I went to work and walked over all glass surfaces (including electric stoves), plugs and cables, exchanged the caps in other sockets and I couldn't stop being amazed: A space that I like I have never noticed high end in over 30 years! The stage with the musicians was suddenly visible, the size relationships and coherence were realistic. I had to reduce the old volume setting and still everything was there. The silence and blackness in the short breaks before the next piece starts, just totally relaxing. I've never heard my system live like this.
Thank you so much for recommending the Vortex products.
Best regards OM