I want to buy a CD-RW Writer, and I need HELP !

[mikenyc]

I want to buy an external CD-RW writer, for my laptop.

Would anyone care to recommend one to me.

I'm considering a Plextor Plexwriter 40x12x40 External drive.

Any and all feedback is appreciated !

Thanks so much !


Mike W.

[mcow1]

I'd go with the Plextor, excellent writer.

[Claviusb]

Mike-- you already have your answer... what are you waiting for? :)

[Grant]

Get the Plextor.

[Sckott]

Plextor. Plextor. Plextor.

Plextor drives are great, and they make the strongest error-free burn this side of Vahalla.

[Jamie Tate]

Burn responsibly! Use a Plextor.

Incredible BLER test results.

[Todd Fredericks]

Plextor!!

[Dave]

Mike I'm also a very happy Plextor owner. You won't regret buying a Plextor.

[mikenyc]

Thanks, so much, for all of your comments ! I can't wait !

[PMC7027]

Mike,
I have a Plextor 12/10/32 in one computer (12X was the fastest at the time I got it) and have a 20/12/40A in my other PC. My burn success rate after more than 500 Cd-Rs is over 99%. Plextor's DiscDupe 2000 software makes great copies of CDs (please don't violate any copyright laws). I've never had a need for special "extraction" software.

[krabapple]

Originally posted by mikenyc
I want to buy an external CD-RW writer, for my laptop.

Would anyone care to recommend one to me.

I'm considering a Plextor Plexwriter 40x12x40 External drive.

Any and all feedback is appreciated !

Thanks so much !


Mike W.

The Plextor is fine (I have one) but you should be aware that it will *not* burn an *audio* CD at 40X -- it will max out at 24X. Which aint' too shabby either.

The revised software bundled with the Euro verison (PLextools 1.5) is said by some to be even better (and fast) than EAC at error-free burning.

[Jamie Tate]

Originally posted by krabapple
The Plextor... will *not* burn an *audio* CD at 40X -- it will max out at 24X.

I bet you stand in front of a microwave and impatiently say "C'mon, hurry up!":laugh:



Have you ever listened the difference between a CD done at 2x and one done at 24x?

[PMC7027]

Originally posted by krabapple


The Plextor is fine (I have one) but you should be aware that it will *not* burn an *audio* CD at 40X -- it will max out at 24X. Which aint' too shabby either.

The revised software bundled with the Euro verison (PLextools 1.5) is said by some to be even better (and fast) than EAC at error-free burning.

If you use the Plextor DiscDupe 2000 software to copy a disc it WILL copy an audio CD at 40X. I've done it dozens of times with perfect results. You just need to do it as a two step process. In step one you copy the source CD to the hard drive as a Plextor "image" file. In step two you copy the "image" file to a CD-R at 40X. The DiscDupe 2000 works flawlessly this way.

[Claviusb]

David, I've not bought any blank media to burn at 40x, so maybe it works better than what I've been using, but so far, I can hear a distinguishable difference (and to me it's not slight) going from just 4x to 8x. At 8x and above, I hear noticable crap in high frequencies. Dave hears differences in 1x and 4x burns.

[PMC7027]

Since the only recordings I've burned at 40X were sourced from the audience at a live concert or two, I haven't noticed a sonic difference. When the source is low to mid fi, and the performance is what counts, a fast burn seems to be good enough.

[PMC7027]

Originally posted by Claviusb
David, I've not bought any blank media to burn at 40x, so maybe it works better than what I've been using, but so far, I can hear a distinguishable difference (and to me it's not slight) going from just 4x to 8x. At 8x and above, I hear noticable crap in high frequencies. Dave hears differences in 1x and 4x burns.

If a ever need to make a high quality burn I just send the digital output of my Theta DSPro Generation III D/A directly into my HHB CDR-800 and copy in real time.

[Claviusb]

Originally posted by PMC7027
Since the only recordings I've burned at 40X were sourced from the audience at a live concert or two, I haven't noticed a sonic difference. When the source is low to mid fi, and the performance is what counts, a fast burn seems to be good enough.

I see. Thanks for the clarification, David!

[krabapple]

Originally posted by yesman


I bet you stand in front of a microwave and impatiently say "C'mon, hurry up!":laugh:


Not if my microwave 'burns' at 24X.


Have you ever listened the difference between a CD done at 2x and one done at 24x?


No...because I've never heard a difference between 2X and 24X.
Then again, I've neer done a blind comparison of them to check for that, nor seen results of same from others suggesting a difference. Have you?

I *have* checked for bit-perfect copying, and confirmed it, using EAC.

[krabapple]

[krabapple]

Originally posted by Claviusb
David, I've not bought any blank media to burn at 40x, so maybe it works better than what I've been using, but so far, I can hear a distinguishable difference (and to me it's not slight) going from just 4x to 8x. At 8x and above, I hear noticable crap in high frequencies. Dave hears differences in 1x and 4x burns.

A 'high frequecy cap 'should be simple to verify in a .wav analysis package like CoolEdit. Has anyone done so?

Have you or Dave done the comparisons blind?

[Jamie Tate]

The faster you go the more low end you lose.

All the mastering studios I've worked with use either 1x or 2x.

[Sckott]

From tests, the biggest difference has been:

1. The raw ABILITY for the pickup to write as fast as it promises and
2. The most accurate the pickup can write.

I would recommend people look hard into the archives of www.cdfreaks.com for current and deep information into many writers, their abilities, and tests you can do using your own PC and writer (freeware).

Many times, with even my Lite-On Drive, I can get great burns at 48X. The fact that the disc can be copied or re-read again as accurately as the original, is another matter TOTALLY. Even many Plextor drives have failed many read-write tests at certain circumstances.

Nothing wrong with burning fast. It is, if you wish to make the disc "archival-strong". You'll find the pits are burned more accurately the slower ya go.

[krabapple]

Here, btw, is a link to a CDfreaks forum discussion of the 40/12/40 where the 40/24X issue was discussed ;
look around on the site and you'll find lots more iteresting discussion of
Plextors, plextools,a nd other burners and software.

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?threadid=50569&highlight=plextools

[krabapple]

Originally posted by yesman
[B]The faster you go the more low end you lose.


Again, this remarkable claim could be easily verified with a .wav analysis view, or with more difficulty, via blind listening comparison.

Anyone done them?

Moreover, wouldn't such imprefect cpoying be relevant to data copying as well?
I haven't seen reports that software copied at fast spees is necessarily
mor defective than that done at slow speed.

[Sckott]

There are certain CD players that will show the misgivings of a faster-burned CD. Most of them will try to read the disc in vain.

Many newer drives and CD players should have no problem reading a quickie disc.

Moreover, wouldn't such imprefect cpoying be relevant to data copying as well?
Yes. The drive would pick up the sloppy burn (if it was sloppy at ANY speed) as bad bit sentences, and either "jitter correct" the bad boy, or just hault the wav extraction and/or report errors therein. EAC can provide both personalities of such read/extract jobs.