Marantz CDR500 CD Recorder

[BeatleFred]

Just curious to know if this is a good model. I was looking on the site www.jandr.com and they have this unit for $649. Or is computer-based recording with something like a Plextor CD-R/RW drive a better way to go? What I like about the standalone Marantz is the SCMS bypass. I'd like to be able to make a compilation disc of songs from my collection of Cd's and then-> make multiple copies of that compilation disc. I DONT want to have to keep going thru the process of making the same compilation disc over and over again for every person I wanted to send a comp disc too- thats why I can never understand why anyone would buy a recorder that has SCMS to prevent you from doing that. And to make sure-- am I correct in that recording speed is much slower on standalone's than on computer based drives- 2 or 4x as comapred to 24x? In which case- can you make a comp disc using a standalone and then run off copies of that disc much faster by using a computer CD-R/RW drive?

[Michael]

Originally posted by BeatleFred
Just curious to know if this is a good model. I was looking on the site www.jandr.com and they have this unit for $649. Or is computer-based recording with something like a Plextor CD-R/RW drive a better way to go? What I like about the standalone Marantz is the SCMS bypass. I'd like to be able to make a compilation disc of songs from my collection of Cd's and then-> make multiple copies of that compilation disc. I DONT want to have to keep going thru the process of making the same compilation disc over and over again for every person I wanted to send a comp disc too- thats why I can never understand why anyone would buy a recorder that has SCMS to prevent you from doing that. And to make sure-- am I correct in that recording speed is much slower on standalone's than on computer based drives- 2 or 4x as comapred to 24x? In which case- can you make a comp disc using a standalone and then run off copies of that disc much faster by using a computer CD-R/RW drive?

I have The First CD recorder released from Philips.This recorder was able to be fooled and I never had to pay those high CDR prices. Back then the average CDR blank was about $10.00! The recorder does a fine job but is only able to record at real time. I now have a CD Burner and really enjoy the convenience and speed and no copy protection. The standalone is great for analog to CDR recording from old tapes and such! I'm happy with both. :)

[Grant]

Beatlefred, if you have a Windows PC, why not just save yourself a couple hundred dollars and buy a burner for $150, a decent or good soundcard for anywhere from $79 on up, get something like Cool Edit, and have more control over the sound and quality over your finished red-book CD?

No need to fool with a burner that does dubious sample rate conversion on digital signals, doesn't give you much control over your finished CD, and does NOT produce red-book CDs unless you just want to copy other CDs at once.

Think of this as well, if your standalone burner ever goes south, you have to get it repaired$$$. With a computer burner, if something goes wrong, you just fix or replace the culprit. It's cheaper.

On the other hand, you have to have your PC very close to your stereo. If you are like Michael, if they are seperate, you can record with the standalone, then transfer the CD to the PC for mastering.

[BeatleFred]

Hi Grant: Thanks for the reply. Well, I was just reading some other Owner Reviews on www.audioreview.com (Product Reviews, Digital Sources-CD Recorders/Players, select M for Marantz). And one review there was written very well that I thought adressed all the issues- if you have a chance to read it, let me know what you think of the reviewer's comments. As for red book CD's, I'm not sure whats meant by that that would be a problem with the Marantz model.

[Grant]

Originally posted by BeatleFred
As for red book CD's, I'm not sure whats meant by that that would be a problem with the Marantz model.
Red-book means that a CD is created by the specifications outlined by the standards set forth by Sony/Phillips.

Burning a red-book CD beans that the disc is created by the laser being turned on the fuul time of the burn and that the data is written in a certain way. Computer burners do this. Some standalone burners can do this ONLY if they copy a CD at once or record a whole CD at once. Some of this may be due to consessions made for the record companies. CDs made this way are suitable for mastering, dublication, and are compatable with all CD players and CD ROMS.

In order for CD burning to be of any convenience to the avarage consumer, Sony/Phillips silently allow the CD-R to be made much like a cassette tape, one song or session at a time. In order for this to work the laser bust be turned off at the track transition and turned back on. This, of course, causes a disruption in the data and errors increase at the transition point. Sometimes these errors are, or can increase to the point of exceeding the red-book standards over time. These discs may not be compatable with all CD players or CD ROMS. The process leaves a two-second gap between songs. computer burners are capable of writing this way as well as a convenience to the avarage user. Most standalone CD burners write this way by default. Pressing plants will now use a CD-R made in this fashion but may make the client sign a waiver obsolving the plant from any problems that result from using such a disc made this way.

[Grant]

I read the reviews and the Converter looks like it's gonna be a problem.

But it looks like you're kind of dead set on buying this or any other standalone burner anyway, so...