So, in a spirit of scientific enquiry, I tried this degaussing business. I took my oldest CD and one that I know like back of my hand - Pinnock's version of Handel's "Water Music" (bought in 1985). In addition, Archiv CDs in those days had the non-playing surface completely covered in ink, so plenty of ink there to magnetise. And the result? Precisely nothing, or at least nothing that I could hear, and of course if I can't hear it, I'm not interested.

So, great, more money saved - exotic stands and now exotic degaussing machines excluded from the purchase list, so more CDs, which is what it's all about (or supposed to be anyway).