Advice needed on best CD-RW drive for audio recording

**bidzina** · August 24th, 2002, 05:32 AM

A friend of mine is going to buy a CD-RW drive for mostly audio recording for his home studio and asked me if I can recommend an particular drive. I know that some drives have better audio extraction and recording specs than others. If anybody can share his/her experiences in this area much appreciated. Basically, if anybody can recommend any particular recorder.

Thanks.
bidzina

mickwish · August 24th, 2002, 07:01 AM

Well, I haven't used it yet even

, but I'm getting a Liteon 40x12x48x for Father's Day!

It was my choice, and I chose it because I've seen some really good reviews of it. It may not be the fastest or the most accurate, but it seems the best price/performance CDRW around at the moment!

I reckon it would be well worth checking out.

IMO, anyway.

BTW, it can be flashed to a 48x12x48x, apparently!

Cheers
Mick

**goldenbuddha** · August 24th, 2002, 07:15 AM

Plextor has my vote as the ULTIMATE CD burning drive. Tho the audio burning may not be the fastest, but I have had no problems whatsoever.

**poopeyhed2** · August 24th, 2002, 07:24 AM

Both Lite-On and Plextor do great in the DAE/audio burning/reading the best. Although, Lite-On is probably the BEST choice since there are many firmware to flash for it like Mickwish said about the 40x, could be 48x. Lite-On is good at the price AND can duplicate those nasty CD's

**MTAtech** · August 24th, 2002, 07:24 AM

These days I'm not sure it matters much. The process for manufacturing them is down pat so they're all rather good. I always try not to pay too much and you can get good rebates and pend less than fifthy $.

**poopeyhed2** · August 24th, 2002, 07:57 AM

Oh yeh, I forgot, Visiontek makes CD-writers, and they use the Lite-On firmware... so you might be able to pick one up cheap, as they will be closing their doors. Also, Asus, the mobo manufacturer, also makes burners, I heard they are good on those stubborn CD's too

**Martoch** · August 24th, 2002, 08:02 AM

I have to agree with Mick & Poopey, tell him to get the
Lite On 40X12X48 CDRW Model: LTR40125S-Retail
$64 shipped from NewEgg!

I've been using this drive for about a month now and I am very satisfied with the speed/quality. I can burn a full audio CD in 2:45 with no loss of good quality sound...not 1 coaster either! I burn at 40x every single time.

Mike

Here's a quote from a satisfied owner:

THIS DRIVE ROCKS.

LITE ON OWNS YOUR FACE!

LiteOn owns my face???!!!

**poopeyhed2** · August 24th, 2002, 08:15 AM

funny Martoch

**VERT** · August 24th, 2002, 08:38 AM

Yamaha IMO are the best, but they also cost a bit more

check this Yamaha drive out http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Arti...%2DRW&Series=0

otherwise I vote Liteon as well

**Brainchild** · August 26th, 2002, 05:12 AM

I have a lite-on 16x10x40 I've had for over a year, and I use it for the same thing, burnig my music from teh studio. I rccomend them. Only had 2 coasters the whole time. Nice burner for the money IMO

**bidzina** · August 26th, 2002, 05:27 AM

Thanks for your replies.

We live in Tbilisi, Georgia (that's overseas

) and don't have that much of choice as you guys do in US. Yamaha is apparently very good but very expensive here. Unfortunately I have not seen any Lite On drives either

The ones I've seen are:

Asus 2410A 24x10x40
Asus 3212A 32x12x40
Asus 4012A 40X12X40

NEC 7800A 16x10x40
NEC 7900A 24x10x40
NEC 9100A 40x10x40

Acer 24x10x40

SONY 175E 24x10x40 - very poor as far as I know.

Anybody has to say anything on their AUDIO recording/extraction performance?

Thanks
Bidzina

**griobhta** · August 31st, 2002, 02:24 PM

Can't speak from experience but Yamaha do seem to be the best alround. They seem to be the only company that is trying to develope new inovative technologies. One of which is that on their enhanced audio recording features on their newer drives. I believe that the 24x was the first of this class. This is what you want really.

Plextor used to be the boss but only really average these days. Have heard that they now outsource much more of their componants than before. Most of the tests that it comes out on top for are just speed test and don't look at the quality. I have a Plexriter 16/10/40A and even though it works i'll not buy a plextor again and will never believe any review i read in a magazine again.

From what i see there is not much of a difference from drive to drive for everyday use. Lite-on are good simply as they work well and are cheap.

I know they might be expensive where you are but if your friend is looking for some professional sounds then he might have to try and stretch his budget. Also you don't need the latest model see if you can get a slightly older on but not too much older. Need to make sure it has the extra audio recording features.

Hope that is of some use.

g

**bill1971** · September 1st, 2002, 01:42 PM

Does anyone know if the Asus and NEC are re-badged, or do they
produce their own,(I doubt it)?

Dell seems to use NEC burners,(among others I imagine), for what
it's worth.

- Bill

**PresterJohn** · September 1st, 2002, 02:41 PM

if you were using the burner for primarily data burning or copying cd's, the lite-on would be the very good pick (cheap and fast).

HOWEVER, if your friend is going to be burning music cd's, go w/the yamaha burners which have AMRQ.

AMQR yields demonstrably better-sounding cd's (as evidenced by a number of reviews). i just recently starting converting all my vinyl to cds and i bought the yamaha expressly for that purpose and i have been most happy with the burner. i strongly recommend it.

note, AMQR will reduce the storage space on the cd by approx 6-8mins. the yamaha site has more info re:AMQR...

if the yamaha's are not available locally, there are plenty of on-line vendors who stock it.

**bidzina** · September 1st, 2002, 03:36 PM

Thank everybody for the reply. I'll pass your advice to my friend - Yamaha.

Bidzina

**jdbic** · September 2nd, 2002, 07:11 AM

PresterJohn,
That 6-8 min space save ? does that mean 6-8 min more music on the cd? A lot of times I'm short with space for one song of an album. I like to squeeze two albums on one cd.

**Germ** · September 2nd, 2002, 08:09 AM

Lite-On..............no contest. The latest drive kicks everyone's butt, plextor and yamaha included.

mickwish · September 2nd, 2002, 08:51 AM

Well I've started using my Liteon40x12x48x and I must say I'm inpressed. Even burning audio tracks over the LAN from my dau's PC is not a hassle!

And she says they sound fine!

Cheers
Mick

**PresterJohn** · September 2nd, 2002, 11:24 AM

Originally posted by jdbic
That 6-8 min space save ? does that mean 6-8 min more music on the cd

that's a negative.

when using AMQR, you will have less space on the cd for storage. AMQR writes longer pits & lands on the media, which then means that each track takes up more space on the cd.

**Richard Cranium** · September 2nd, 2002, 11:31 AM

Lite-On 40X CD-R, $51.95
http://www.techimo.com/forum/t33075.html

SMART-BURN® technology automatically checks media quality and sets limit for burning speed to ensure successful writing sessions and ability to retain data
SMART-X technology supports up to 48X speed Digital Audio Extraction (DAE) and high speed VCD data extraction
Supports Mt. Rainier
Supports Fixed and Variable Packet, TAO, SAO, DAO, Raw Mode, Over-Burn
Read/Write CD, CD-R, CD-RW Disc up to 99 min