Recordable CDs - HELP!

[mvleff]

At first I noodled around, with no success, looking for a thread appropriate for posing this question: I have two CD recorders that I fire up occasionally for various questionable purposes. My stash of recordable CDs is dwindling and my last purchase of a spindle of Maxell discs was a bust: useless. I have always favored discs designated for audio/music though I've never been clear is that should matter. At this point my few remaining reliable discs are Sony "digital audio recordable" CDs. I'll bet I've had then 25+ years. At my age that small supply may outlast me but I don't want to count on it. HELP! Where to turn to?

 

[RayDunzl]

Use a computer's internal or external optical drive to burn CDs like the rest of us?

They start around $15 now, and don't need a special "music" disc.

 

[BJL]

I've had consistently good results using Taiyo Yuden/JVC CDR's, the company (in Japan) ceased manufacturing optical media, and licensed their technology to CMC Pro (Taiwan), and I've found those to be as good as the original JVC media. They are somewhat more expensive than other brands (but are still inexpensive). They claim to be archival quality, and are compliant with redbook standards. I have used them in a computer CD writer, and also in an Alesis ML-9600 hard disk recorder/CD writer. I also use DVD-R by the same company to archive material. They are available from BH Photo/Video, as well as the Amazon marketplace, caveat emptor as to the latter unless sold by Amazon (as opposed to a third party).

 

[mvleff]

Appreciate your response BUT: Judging from the list of your toys I'm operating at a much lower technological and budgetary level. My computer, a decent laptop, has no optical capabilities, only the USB which suffices to connect to outboard disc reader/burner. Sufficient for any of my needs for importing/exporting every sort of file including (but only importing) mpeg files. I am able only to burn music file to disc using my Sony discs. So what I really need is advice as to how to continue, if at all possible, doing what I have been doing since forever without having to spend a kajillion $$ on new gear that wouldn't be justified by how relatively rarely I would be using it. - Or maybe I'm missing something re: the optical drive aspect of your advice. What's the daisy chain of parts that would get me from my laptop via USB output to optical reader/converter (?) to appropriate disc reader/burner? I'm imagining needing a reader/burner different from my USB connected unit. Perhaps not a bank busting project.

 

[restorer-john]

I have two CD recorders that I fire up occasionally for various questionable purposes.

Are your CD-recorders standalone HiFi component which require consumer CD recordable blanks?

Keep an eye out for bulk lots of TDKs like these:

 

[Philbo King]

The writable "audio" CDs are (IIRC) were CDs with an extra tax (about $1 per disc) to placate record labels concerned about people copying music. Some audio CD recorder stereo components would not record unless these higher dollar CD blanks were used. This was before CD writers were available for PCs.

Once those came out, everyone simply used their PCs to make audio discs, which is still the best method. USB CD writers are now common and inexpensive.

 

[restorer-john]

The writable "audio" CDs are (IIRC) were CDs with an extra tax (about $1 per disc) to placate record labels concerned about people copying music. Some audio CD recorder stereo components would not record unless these higher dollar CD blanks were used. This was before CD writers were available for PCs.

The consumer audio CDRs and CDRWs are still available around the place, as the standalone CD-recorders like Teacs/Marantz/Yamaha etc will only work with them. A few players could be hacked to use normal CDRs, but it wasn't advisable as the test area for setting laser level was not synced properly to the plain CDR.

CD recorders (standalone HiFi units) existed for decades alongside CD writers in PCs.

 

[pavuol]

Some cheap external USB DVD writer (Liteon, LG, Asus, Verbatim) + Verbatim CD-R media (50 pcs spindle / better price) + slower burning speed (4x or so)...
I've had bad experiences with Imation, Memorex media back in the pehistoric times [higher failure rates]. But hard to chose merely by brand I guess (different batches, factories..).
I'd give a chance to TDK, HP or Kodak medias as well, if they are available in your area. Although I wouldn't be surprised if they all came from the same factory.

 

[mvleff]

Use a computer's internal or external optical drive to burn CDs like the rest of us?

They start around $15 now, and don't need a special "music" disc.

I just realized that you are NOT talking about a device that connects by way of an optical cable but a USB connected optical drive. But I do have this gear and it's not getting me the result I want any better than my CD recorders. Only success I'm having is with the Sony discs in either of my component CD recorders. I'm at a loss. Hard to believe but maybe I need a new USB connected optical drive reader/burner. By the way, I do seem to recall that in the distant past I burned perfectly useable music discs with ordinary CD-Rs.

 

[voodooless]

But I do have this gear and it's not getting me the result I want any better than my CD recorders

Why not? What is the problem with discs burned in the drive? Any drive sold in the last 20 years should be perfectly fine creating an Audio CD.

As for the media, back in the day Taiyo Yuden discs were recommended as per @BJL. How that is nowadays, I don’t know..

 

[mvleff]

Are your CD-recorders standalone HiFi component which require consumer CD recordable blanks?

Keep an eye out for bulk lots of TDKs like these:

View attachment 334851

Yes, they are standalone component units. One is a Tascam, the older one is a Pioneer. What's puzzling me is why I'm unable to burn on my formerly reliable USB connected reader/burner. Leading me to believe that maybe replacing it is the solution. Thought the really are situations where I would like to use the component recorders. And consequently have a supply of discs that work for that.

 

[restorer-john]

The Pioneer probably only takes consumer audio CD-Rs and the Tascam? may take normal data or consumer audio CDRs.

Compatibility with the various CDRs produced these days is a bit hit and miss. Best bet is NOS TDKs if you can find them. They also have a guaranteed long life of many decades- most unlikely you will make a coaster.

The external USB drives do wear out. Spindle motor bearings are pretty soft and the laser itself may have simply dropped in emission for burning purposes. Also, consider the difference in USB power required when you burn as opposed to just reading a disc. Is the USB port/cable capable of enough current?

 

[EJ3]

The consumer audio CDRs and CDRWs are still available around the place, as the standalone CD-recorders like Teacs/Marantz/Yamaha etc will only work with them. A few players could be hacked to use normal CDRs, but it wasn't advisable as the test area for setting laser level was not synced properly to the plain CDR.

CD recorders (standalone HiFi units) existed for decades alongside CD writers in PCs.

I have 2 SONY COMPACT DISC RECORDER RCD-W500C units, one of which is still in its unopened original box.
They can only make around 800 CDRs (give or take) before you have to replace the parts in the recorder (or have another new one handy)
There is something to be said for the archival quality of the Taiyo Yuden/JVC CDR's now made by CMC Pro (Taiwan).

I just had my 9.5 mm film reels from 1929 of my grandparents (in the Alps of Austria) snow skiing wedding digitized.
And many other films of my mother, after she was born in Salzburg, Austria. And of many other things in our family up to 1965 (which includes my mother, father, myself and many other friends & family traveling in the US, traveling to Salzburg by plane with my mother to see my grandparents when I was 2 &1/2 (my grandfather died of cancer 5 days after we arrived but by then the film of my mother & I arriving at the airport (taken by a friend of my grandfathers had been developed & he had seen us both in person & our arrival via the projector.

There is also audio from tapes that I need to digitize, including reels of the conversations in the Houston Control center for the 1st lunar landing.
& I have 78 records from my American Grandmother that she bought right after my father was born.
There is so much history that a number of people have of our own families. Many in my family were musicians or local radio personalities & I have reel to reels & cassettes of them that I am digitizing to archival CD's, which can then be done to other formats (thumb drives, SSD's, hard drives, etc.
But having the archival CD's promises a way to adjust to future formats while storing what one haves for long term.

Yes, the audio & music availability of 16 bit & greater fidelity is great, but some people have the old stuff from within their families that they want to bring to the modern formats while keeping them in an archival format that will have them available for future changes. And for audio things, an archival CDR works very well.

 

[Sal1950]

Once those came out, everyone simply used their PCs to make audio discs, which is still the best method. USB CD writers are now common and inexpensive.

I agree,
For long term I'd just grab a small computer tower, maybe free used and put an internal drive in it. They're cheap and plentiful in CD, DVD, and BD multi format platforms and should remain available for a long time to come.
I've always had great luck with Verbatim discs and newegg has them in 100 stack sleeves for $24

 

[mvleff]

The Pioneer probably only takes consumer audio CD-Rs and the Tascam? may take normal data or consumer audio CDRs.

Compatibility with the various CDRs produced these days is a bit hit and miss. Best bet is NOS TDKs if you can find them. They also have a guaranteed long life of many decades- most unlikely you will make a coaster.

The external USB drives do wear out. Spindle motor bearings are pretty soft and the laser itself may have simply dropped in emission for burning purposes. Also, consider the difference in USB power required when you burn as opposed to just reading a disc. Is the USB port/cable capable of enough current?

Among several useful (and one snarky!) responses to my inquiry, yours have been the most thoughtful and useful. So I'm circling back to you: You mentioned two TDK possibilities, the NOS and the RXG. And I do see that they are both designated for audio. My question is how do you think I would fare with TDK data (not dedicated audio) discs? - I rifled through my collection and found any number of recordings done in prehistoric times on data CDRs of various brands that still play just fine on my two component player/recorder units. Currently I have three dwindling supplies of blank CDRs which after a day of somewhat methodical experimenting have yielded these results: (1) Memorex data discs that truly seem useless for anything but data. (2) Maxell (most recently purchased) music CDRs that I can burn from computer using USB connected read/write unit; these then play fine on anything; however I'm unable to burn to them on my component recorders, which is an option I really want to preserve. (3) The Sony discs (music/audio) from years back that I wish I had stockpiled at the time; I seem to be able to do pretty anything I want with them. - To reiterate: Is it wishful thinking that I might have success with some variety of TDK data disks? I guess that's because I've been able in the past to accomplish these pursuits fairly economically, I'm still hoping to live that dream! And the RXG and NOS discs could stretch my budget. - I've had a lifelong philosophy of "audiophile on the cheap" that's served me fairly well in spite of it being a bit of an oxymoron. But I do believe it's possible enjoy decent music reproduction on a modest income. It's the music, not the collection of toys, that counts in the end. OK, down off of my soapbox now.

 

[pablolie]

Appreciate your response BUT: Judging from the list of your toys I'm operating at a much lower technological and budgetary level. My computer, a decent laptop, has no optical capabilities, only the USB which suffices to connect to outboard disc reader/burner. Sufficient for any of my needs for importing/exporting every sort of file including (but only importing) mpeg files. I am able only to burn music file to disc using my Sony discs. So what I really need is advice as to how to continue, if at all possible, doing what I have been doing since forever without having to spend a kajillion $$ on new gear that wouldn't be justified by how relatively rarely I would be using it. - Or maybe I'm missing something re: the optical drive aspect of your advice. What's the daisy chain of parts that would get me from my laptop via USB output to optical reader/converter (?) to appropriate disc reader/burner? I'm imagining needing a reader/burner different from my USB connected unit. Perhaps not a bank busting project.

Copy stuff to a USB stick. Far more universal these days.

 

[Robin L]

I got a Samsung DVD/CD burner nearly 20 years ago. Haven't used it in several years, but that was all of $27 and entirely dependable. For years was transferring files derived from LPs (digital recorder, copies to usb memory) to CDs, worked just fine. The problem might be with your burner, replacing it would be a cheap fix unless there's something squirrelly going on with your computer's software. I remember some thirty years ago when CD burners first appeared that most of my recordable CDs turned into coasters due to software issues, took another ten years or so for that to get ironed out.

 

[pablolie]

I got a Samsung DVD/CD burner nearly 20 years ago. Haven't used it in several years, but that was all of $27 and entirely dependable. For years was transferring files derived from LPs (digital recorder, copies to usb memory) to CDs, worked just fine. The problem might be with your burner, replacing it would be a cheap fix unless there's something squirrelly going on with your computer's software. I remember some thirty years ago when CD burners first appeared that most of my recordable CDs turned into coasters due to software issues, took another ten years or so for that to get ironed out.

I used to own a 6k CD player and more than one expensive CD burner. My workstation now is the only CD player and recorder and most importantly rip device I own.

Just let go of CDs, recordable or not, as a medium for playback.

 

[beeface]

I have to admit, I'm having a hard time understanding why a CDR would be preferable to USB thumb drive, sorry.

CDR is now a legacy format, so I have to imagine it's more expensive than it used to be, and prices are only going to continue going up media as NOS stock becomes more scarce.

USB is going to be cheaper, easier and immune to being scratched

Also, consider the difference in USB power required when you burn as opposed to just reading a disc. Is the USB port/cable capable of enough current?

Thankfully this issue can be easily addressed with a half-decent USB hub with a dedicated power supply, if necessary.

 

[Robin L]

I used to own a 6k CD player and more than one expensive CD burner. My workstation now is the only CD player and recorder and most importantly rip device I own.

Just let go of CDs, recordable or not, as a medium for playback.

I'm hooked on CDs, especially now that I have a source for pristine ten cent classical CDs. And my CD player is a Sony Blu-ray player that also plays SACDs that set me back all of $8. I couId play my DVD-A discs on it if I wanted to. Looked at Ebay today to see if similar players are still available for similar prices, and they are. Although I understand the attractions of streaming, so far I've encountered dropouts when streaming on my computer. Every now and then I'll listen to something from YouTube, but most of the time if I want to hear music, I'll play a CD.