The LEIQWA Balance Washer CL is a two-part CD cleaner. It is one of those standard Hi-Fi accessory products that has been selling steadily for several years now, and many people will probably have come across it in shops or advertisements. As it happened, a colleague who assists with CD cleaning had recommended it, so I decided to give it a try on the principle that there’s no harm in experimenting.
As for the various claims this manufacturer makes about its product, some of them are, as is often the case with such things, rather difficult to follow, so I will not dwell on them here. In any case, it is apparently effective for cleaning, sound quality improvement, picture quality improvement, static elimination, and so on.
The liquid gives the impression of being close to plain water. There is no sense of any alcohol, solvent-like volatile compounds, or organic solvents being present. Type A liquid removes mould and dirt, and Type B liquid provides a finishing treatment — rather like shampoo and conditioner. In terms of feel, it is not the aggressive cleaning action of a typical surfactant or alcohol-based cleaner, but a mild one that seems unlikely to damage the disc surface. Even so, it appears to be perfectly adequate for mould and the like. The dedicated paper cloth Visco has a texture reminiscent of cotton. It is described as a cloth that will not scratch discs, but if you keep using a soiled section, or misjudge the pressure without wetting it sufficiently, scratches do occasionally result. It may take a little practice to get the knack. This is true of other cloths as well, and it is best not to place too much trust in any of them. The fact that it is disposable is probably its greatest advantage. The two-part nature of the process does make the whole procedure somewhat fiddly, and I personally found that the time involved made it rather difficult to use on a day-to-day basis.
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As for the sound itself — the digital harshness characteristic of CDs disappears, and the result is a smoother, more settled presentation with the rough edges taken off. The sense of stage depth improves, though in exchange the tonal colour seems to darken ever so slightly — perhaps I applied too much of Type B liquid. Put simply, the overall impression is one of natural composure. The digital spikiness in vocals and piano touch is gone, replaced by something subtly raw and living. In Hi-Fi terms, I would say that the electrolytic alkaline ionised water cleaner of the industrial variety that I normally use tends to produce a brighter, cleaner, more transparent result. That cleaner was previously sold under the name Toyobax Super Water at some Hi-Fi shops, though its contents are probably electrolytic ionised water at pH 12. It is sold under a wide variety of brand names as a cleaner for industrial and general use. The Balance Washer, by contrast, gives the impression of drawing out a natural smoothness and gentleness from CDs, rather than sharpening the sound in a digital direction.
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The same company also makes the Balance Washer 33, a cleaner for analogue discs, and judging by the sound character, dirt removal, and watery consistency of the liquid, it may be even better suited to vinyl than to CDs. The range of products received the Audio Excellence Award from Audio Accessory magazine in both 2000 and 2002, and word of mouth seems to rate them particularly highly for LP records. Since LP discs require regular maintenance, a cleaner of this kind is genuinely useful. CDs, on the other hand, rarely need cleaning in normal use, provided they are stored properly and not touched with bare hands. Beyond the question of cleaning efficacy, the two-part process may well prove more bothersome in everyday use than any sound improvement it offers. Indeed, I myself gave up after only a handful of discs. There do not appear to be any strange side effects, so for those who find the edginess of CD sound troublesome and are after something more natural and smooth, it may well be worth picking up and giving a try.
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