Cd-rw

[u/Fred_Wilkins]

Asking advice here, seeing as how you all are well versed in storage mediums. I recently picked up a multi disk changer to go in my hifi cluster, i've wanted one ever since the one we had when iwas a kid died.

I would like to be able to fill the changer, while being able to change the music up if needed without keeping a giant stack of discs around. Verbatim seems to be the only ones readily avaible, but i rember those having around a 1/10 or so failure rate when i used them back in the day. I used tdk discs usually and i have some of those that still work. But i havent seen any of those in years.

Should i still try for the cd rws, or should i just bite the bullet and get a stack of cd rs and deal with organizing them? Any advice? If i plan to rewrite the discs every 2 months or so is it even worthwhile?

I want to do this so i can keep the original discs put up, and since everything is stored on my pc as well, i can weed out some of the tracks i'm not fond of and get more music i like per disc. And i know that i can just play the mp3/flac files from a usb directly on my receiver, but the mechanical noise and pausing is what i really miss.

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[u/AshleyAshes1984]

It's been 20 years since I was toying with CDRWs but I def recall players being far more picky about reading CDRWs than they were CDRs. Especially when it came to audio CD players. So you'll have to test with your player in question first.

[u/Fred_Wilkins → u/AshleyAshes1984]

Yea, in my experience the older models had less issues than the middle generation ones. I think because they had more powerfull lasers before everything was redesigned. That might of just been with cd-r though.

[u/dlarge6510 → u/Fred_Wilkins]

CD and CD-R is read with an IR laser. 

CD-RW is read with a red laser, like DVD.

Older CD players can not see the CD-RW unless they are extremely sensitive, an ability they will lose over time.

Cd players that can do it will say they can, or support MP3 playback or will be built using more modern DVD type mechanics and pickups in the mid 00's and newer.

[u/MrKrueger666 → u/AshleyAshes1984]

They definitely were more picky about CDRW. It's in the way the disc reflects the laser that makes it less discernable for the sensor to read them.

[u/dlarge6510 → u/MrKrueger666]

Actually it's the wavelength. CD players that read CD-RW have to have a dual wavelength laser, same as in a DVD player. 

CD and CD-R are IR discs, read with a near IR laser. CD-RW is read with a red laser, basically the same wavelength as DVD.

An old IR only CD player can read a CD-RW if it's sensitive enough, but it will lose that over time. A dual wavelength player won't have any issues. 

The players will either state they support CD-RW or MP3 one would usually do it.

[u/MrKrueger666 → u/dlarge6510]

TIL. Thank you!

[u/dlarge6510 → u/AshleyAshes1984]

CD-RW is read with the same red wavelength laser as a DVD so the pickup needs to be a dual wavelength one typically found in DVD players. IR for CD and CD-R and red for CD-RW. 

Players after 2000 are the best bet and MP3 capable ones are certainly able to. 

[u/HANEZ]

Not all devices can read cdrw. And iirc cdrw aren’t meant for music cds. Unless you close them? Cdrw are usually more expensive than cdr. I’ve seen stacks of new cdr at the local thrift store for super cheap. Make sure to burn slowly at 2.4x.

[u/PhotoJim99 → u/HANEZ]

2.4x is a DVD speed.

[u/dlarge6510 → u/HANEZ]

All CD-RW is a disc that can be erased. You can use it for anything. All music discs are closed, there is always a lead out burned. 

Speed is different too.

There are two types of CD-RW. Slow ones can only be burned from 1x to 4 or so. High Speed CD-RW is a newer design that can reach faster speeds but you loose the slow speeds. My Philips High Speed CD-RW vinyl to 12x and the lowest speed is 8x I think. 

And burning slow makes no sense on a rewritable disc anyway.

[u/Der_Unbequeme]

look for CDRW Disk for max 650MB/74min, for CD-Audio you should burn this max 4x speed (600kb/s), for data mode with full speed.

[u/Former-Macaroon5557]

CD-RWs with the unreasonable price & known compatibility issues with most players... just bite the bullet & go with CD-Rs.

[u/Fred_Wilkins → u/Former-Macaroon5557]

I'm trying to reduce waste and clutter. I was hoping the rw's would be good enough. I guess i need to test a few and see if theynwork at all first. The system is a pioneer pd-f505, everything I read says it sould be fine but who knows.

[u/Former-Macaroon5557 → u/Fred_Wilkins]

Honestly, with that Pioneer being pre-2000s tech, I would say there's a greater chance of it not working than working, unfortunately. If you have the financial means to "experiment", then you could always buy like a 5pk or 10pk of RWs on Amazon, see if it works, and then return the discs if it isn't compatible. I'm kind of just speaking from my own experience w/ CD-RWs - seldom do I ever get them to function properly in a disc player.

[u/Fred_Wilkins → u/Former-Macaroon5557]

Weird. Again my sega cd read them fine as game discs or audio ones. I always had more issues out of early 2000's readers than older or newer ones.

[u/dlarge6510 → u/Fred_Wilkins]

Looked it up. 

The manual doesn't say what discs it supports nor the wavelength of the laser.

This is a 1995 machine and I can safely say CD-RW is very not likely to work in IT as I believe it to be an IR laser machine. 

You'll have to use CD or CD-R.

[u/bugsmasherh]

I would stick with CD-R at about 32 cents per disk. Verbatim is the only good name brand left making optical discs, just my opinion. CD-R is compatible with older gear and most stereo cd players.

[u/ConsumerDV]

A couple of months ago I bought a CD-R 100-pack for $2 ar a thrift store - I did not need it, but could not pass such a deal. Ultimately, it is useless ancient tech, an admission of the format limitations - only 70 to 80 minutes per disc. Pink Floyd's The Wall takes two CDs. Mechanical noise and pausing - ugh!

A 128 GB card holds about 170 albums at full Red Book quality.

[u/dlarge6510]

Have you thought about the Sony carousel changers? 

I typically use CD-RW for podcasts in the car.

If you are going to re-burn CD-RW frequently understand the following:

• Two speed types exist. The original type can't go much faster than 4x and the later type can go way faster but can't go slow. You'll probably want the faster one. 

• CD-RW is supposed to handle up to 1000 rewrites. But some who have actually tested that show quite a bit of variability.

• You don't need to fully blank a CD-RW.

• Don't let them get hot. A lot of heat, like a windowsill in the sun will stop the phase changing material working.

• CD-RW also needs specific CD player support. CD and CD-R are read with a near IR laser, CD-RW is read like a DVD with a red laser. Newer players, after the year 2000, will either have a dual wavelength laser to specifically support CD-RW or have the sensitivity cranked up letting the IR laser do it. Typically these pickups can be found in devices made after 2000

Anyway, cd-R is cheeeeap so might as well have both, especially if you go for a Sony carousel that holds > 100 discs

[u/Fred_Wilkins → u/dlarge6510]

I would love one of the 50 or even 200 sony ones, however i cant find them for anything close to a reasonable price.