Sony Digital Audio CD-Rs Are No Longer Reliable,Please Recommend Replacemen

[V Bot]

Well, I have used Sony Digital Audio CD-Rs for years now. They have recently gotten cheaper (In quality). I noticed a new surface, but thought nothing of it, until I started getting bad burns. I had a few older CD-Rs laying around with the old surface and no problems at all, so I doubt if it's my CD Recorder. Conclusion: the new surface means new results. Trash!!! Please recommend a new brand that is reliable. I have a Pioneer CD Recorder. I used to use TDK many years ago until they changed their quality. Are Maxell decent?

Thanks,

[jman98]

Define what you mean by "CD recorder". Do you mean a true standalone CD recorder (I actually have one myself) or are you using the wrong terminology to talk about a CD burner in your PC? It's very important that you specify which you mean.

If you mean one of those ancient standalone recorders then you have very little choice and you basically have to buy whatever media you can still get your hands on for the device. If you mean a CD burner in a PC then I'd recommend either Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim. Verbatim uses AZO dye in their DataLifePlus CD-R series and this MAY (nobody really knows yet as not enough time has elapsed) provide superior longevity for the discs. Most likely you will need to order these discs online although a few retailers like Micro Center may have them. rima.com and supermediastore.com sell both Taiyo Yuden and the DataLifePlus discs by Verbatim.

[V Bot]

It is a Stand Alone Pioneer CD Recorder. Sorry, I thought I did specify by stating Digital Audio & CD Recorder, which is needed in Stand Alone CD Recorders. I am aware that you can use either for a PC. I use this device because I like to Equalize the tracks as well as bring the volume up. I guess Sony has gotten cheap, quality wise. The way my TDKs did.

[CDMaker]

I agree with Jman. We only use Taiyo Yuden for duplication - the failure rate is almost zero for us. We've got a range of older and much newer duplicators and we use this brand exclusively without any issues. If you're in Austin, feel free to stop by and we'll give you a couple so you can try them out.

[hech54]

I've said this before and I'll say it again.
Just think of all of the things we can do with video thanks to stuff like DVDDecrypter, DVDShrink, DVDFab and ALL of the related software that comes after using the above........and you mean to tell me that nobody ever came up with a way to add a little something(via a computer burner) to a CD-R to make it "look like" a Music CD Recordable in order to fool CD Recorders?
I never understood that.

[Cornucopia]

That info is probably a barcode in the BCA (burst cutting area), which is stamped at the manufacturers & read by readers but is inaccessible to burners.
Similar to "ROM Mark".

Scott

[jman98]

V Bot - Not your fault but we get posts here all the time from people who don't correctly describe what they mean so I felt like I couldn't take you at face value because standalone CD recorders are VERY unusual and you and I are probably the only people here who have them. Since you meant what you said and said what you meant I stand by my advice that you have no choice but to buy whatever you can get your hands on.

Verbatim still makes Music CD-Rs and BH Photovideo has them:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/500662-REG/Verbatim_96155_Music_CD_R_700MB_Disc.html
I don't believe that Taiyo Yuden has ever made Music CD-Rs. They are VERY fussy about what they make and they actually make very few different types of media. Verbatim is as good as it's going to get for your old recorder.

[Cornucopia]

But, IIRC, they (Verbatims) SHOULD work ok.

Scott

[V Bot]

Thanks for all replies. I use the stand alone because I can monitor the record levels and EQ better than I could (Or have figured out how to) than with my PC. I know these things are going out the door, but I am currently looking at getting a TEAC recorder soon (Stand alone). If the bottom of the CD-R is Blue or Dark Green, no problem, if it is light green or gold, issues. Must be cheaper materials. TDK used to be the only thing I used, Sony was the second, now they are both bad. I'll have to check around for the recommended CD-Rs.

[jman98]

There's a surprising number of different dyes that CD-Rs can use, all of which are within spec. This accounts for the color differences. The light green and gold discs that give your recorder problems are using phthalocyanine dye. Silver colored CD-R dyes also are of this type. This dye has excellent longevity characteristics but on the downside it is harder to write to. It would seem that your recorder is one of those that can't write to it without adjustment. Such is known. Verbatim uses AZO dye which is dark blue, by the way.

I still use my old recorder to get stuff of LP onto CD-RW and then I use my PC to edit it and do noise reduction (get rid of pops and clicks) as this method is the most convenient way for me to get stuff off LP. But I only record from LP a few times a year so it's not something I do very often.

[hech54]

I still have a stack of Philips Music CDRs here....somewhere. My wife had a Philips recorder before we married.
I had/have a CD recorder in America....Pioneer maybe?....I forget.
And a Sony MiniDisc recorder as well.
I recently found out that my wife's Sony PS-LX250H turntable can run directly into my Hauppauge USB - LIVE capture stick without an amplifier in-between and record perfectly.....VERY happy camper.

[V Bot]

I just bought a turntable (USB)/RCA interface. Have yet to use it. Got it at KMart for $20.00 on clearance. I've just been so busy and not being able to trust my CD-Rs really bites. I start making a cd and then after a few tracks, the disc reads ERROR. I may get through a whole cd without error, but I am now just tired of spending the time EQ-ing and so on. Just not very confident in the CD-Rs.

[hech54]

Did the Pioneer recorders require MUSIC CDRs?
Was there ever a recorder that accepted regular CD media?
I honestly forget.

The Terapin VCD Recorder maybe? I had one but never used it for music recording.

[jman98]

Did the Pioneer recorders require MUSIC CDRs?

Yes. I have one. It refuses to record to non-Music CD-Rs.

Was there ever a recorder that accepted regular CD media?
I honestly forget.

The Terapin VCD Recorder maybe? I had one but never used it for music recording.

The CD audio recorders all required Music CD-Rs because the music industry said that by charging extra for the special media they would give the proceeds (ha ha - that's really what they said) to the artists to compensate them for people making copies of their CDs instead of buying them.

From what I remember reading about the Terapin it used normal CD-Rs.

[Cornucopia]

Had a terapin at work - it used regular data cdrs. IIRC, so did our Alesis Masterlink (still one of the best standalone recorders, btw).

I don't know of a single artist (and I've known a few) that could ever claim to have actually received compensation from those surcharges. What a scam!

Op - let us know if the Verbatims or TYs work for you.

Scott

[V Bot]

Had a terapin at work - it used regular data cdrs. IIRC, so did our Alesis Masterlink (still one of the best standalone recorders, btw).

I don't know of a single artist (and I've known a few) that could ever claim to have actually received compensation from those surcharges. What a scam!

Op - let us know if the Verbatims or TYs work for you.

Scott

Will do. I'm ordering some Verbatim cd-rs tomorrow.

[FulciLives]

A stand alone CD recorder should really only be used to record from analog sources and nothing more or less. After you set the correct recording level there should be no need to make any other adjustments while recording.

Anything like normalizing etc. can be done after the fact on a computer.

[V Bot]

I still prefer to do it (Normalizing) my way. EQ, etc. I'm very picky about my sound. People say there is no difference in FLAC Vs the actual store bought CD, I think there is. You can hear it! That's another story.

[V Bot]

Ordered the Verbatim CD-Rs, I'll give an update after I use 'em. Fingers crossed.

[V Bot]

Okay, so I got the Verbatim CD-Rs, still having a problem. So it must be the CD Recorder (Insert teardrop here). Here's what I'm ordering on Friday:

http://www.amazon.com/TEAC-CD-RW890-Recorder-Remote-Black/dp/B0045EJZRQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=...words=TEAC+890

This one records on CDs, anyone ever use the USB Recorder (650 Model)?

[Steve(MS)]

Could the lens simply need cleaning?

[V Bot]

Here's what happens: I put a new CD-R in, record a song or two. When the song is over, it stops and gives me a Disc Error and then says "New Disc" I can't even recover the songs with ISO Buster. I think it's just dead.

[Cornucopia]

Yup, sounds pretty bad.

Scott

[V Bot]

Yup, sounds pretty bad.

Scott

What do you think of the TEAC brand of recorders? CD Recorders (Stand alone). I cannot live without my Recorder.

[FulciLives]

The TEAC is a piece-of-crap.

I suggest the following:

Product Info Link: http://tascam.com/product/cd-rw900sl/
Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/TASCAM-CD-RW900SL-Slot-loading-CD-Recorder/dp/B000WKW59C/ref=pd_bxgy_MI_text_y

*** EDIT ***
For $100 more this looks even better: CLICK HERE

However I admit that is getting a bit pricey

[Cornucopia]

Shoot! For a smilar price to the Tascam, you can get an Alesis Masterlink off ebay. One of the best damn cd recorders ever made (and doesn't need "Audio" cds).

Scott

[V Bot]

Shoot! For a smilar price to the Tascam, you can get an Alesis Masterlink off ebay. One of the best damn cd recorders ever made (and doesn't need "Audio" cds).

Scott

Checking it out now.