Something I've been wondering:

Now that 52x and 48x writing speed have become very become common among CD-R/RW drives, does it mean it is also safe to write audio files at so high speeds?

I usually burn my at Cd's at 8x, regardless whether the original files are coded (mp3's or others) or not (wav). There are some people who take the piss and say it's really useless to get a recent CD-R/RW drive if it is used to write slowly.

What I think is: why use EAC to get a perfect (and long) rip and after that burn really quickly, taking risks? I'm really sick of people asking me why thay can play the CD's they burnt only on their computer and not on their standard audio equipment. Off course, they'll blame it on Windows, Nero or the CD-R brand...

Am I really that paranoid? Does someone have an opinion?

This is more opinion based, but here's a couple thoughts

First, we use EAC, because errors can creep up all the time. We read a scratch in the CD and it would result in a skip. The first assumption we make is that the media that we're writing to is in excellent condition. This is often why other users will say that if you have a CD in excellent condition, other rippers are better since they're faster and less secure.

Second, what sort of error are you trying to prevent by burning more slowly? Cases where the CD get's bumped while burning? IIRC, you're burning fairly continuously. You don't burn a few sectors, verify them for integrity and repeat. Presumably, given all parts working within tolerances, the burn should be without error

I have a Yamaha 2100E (16x). I use brand name CDRs such as Imation and Memorex. I have been writing CDRs with both MP3s for my RioVolt and regular WAVs for my sister's portable CD player (can't read MP3s though) at 16x. I did not have any problems yet .

When I was living in Argentina a friend of mine had a computer store (he bought one of the first 1x burners where we lived, in Necochea) & he would have burnt about over 10000 CD-R's he told me for archiving to burn at 4x generically (e.g. regradless of CPU/burner/CD-R type) & I think it make sense.

i always use max speed (16x) and i have had no problems. You buy a 52x cdrw drive so why should you not burn at 52x? It would be like buying a 200mph ferrari and driving it at 50mph. If it can't burn at max speed without problems try using different cdr media and if it still has problems i would want the drive replaced or my money back

Of course one can try to burn at 48x. And if it works, it works!
The reason why one would want to write 'slowly', is for perfectionist reasons ... i.e.to limit the amount of errors - note that the word 'errors' actually is a too 'serious' word, for you won't notice these errors, the only effect they have is your CD-R dying earlier...

I burn everything at 24X because my LiteOn 32123S gives the best results at that speed concerning C1 error rates. in this burner 24X gives better results than 16X and 32X.

I've got at least one fussy player that works best with 8x, and burning any faster than that can make it skip while playing. I believe it's because the reflectivity is reduced the faster the burn is. If I burn at full speed, 24x in my case, it burns the whole disc at 16x, 20x, and 24x, changing speed at 6mins and 16mins, and you can clearly see a difference in the dye colour in the different speed regions.

Don't drive on 200 mph - you will crash. There are no drive that burn on max speed better than some from 8-24 range. High speed=more C1 error=low lifetime.

i burn with my liteon at 52x no problems, have serface sanned many discs and have not had any C1 error

What do you mean, not C1 errors, every burnt cd has C1 errors.

Why? Some discs (especially newer ones) give higher error rates at lower speeds.
Also, 4x is very slow. The laser and disc will get very hot. Excessive Heat isn't good for lifespan.


I have heard someone else say this, too -- strangely with my 24x LiteOn, 16x will 90% of the time give the worst results. Logical, hey?


He's right you know

Lev's Summary:
This is an ongoing problem, IMO. When the first 8x discs came out, they would produce a better burn at 1x, 2x, and 4x than 8x. Now 48x is the norm, and peopled have only moved up the scale, saying up to about 24x is about the tops. What happens is that CD Manufacturer's take a LiteOn style approach and as soon as the technology is viable to produce discs that will burn at high speed, they slap it on the market. Chances are it WILL work at that speed but not that brilliantly. Of course, people notice this and then say "BURN S L O W". And humans, being human, get sort of stuck in their ways, and never care to look at the fact that the evidence has long since gone, and, e.g. burning @ 48x is as good as 4x. They think they own some 'Hard to come by knowledge' that makes them sound big when they dish it out.... But thats another discussion

I think this guy's site points out some discs that do better at higher speeds...
Dolphinus

Just the recommendation of an experienced man. Why I think 4x is a good speed; many things can effect the burn process e.g. CPU+RAM/burner/media 4x sounds like a good generic speed For a burn you want to last.



Do you have any proof of this? I have used many different types of media & I have yet to find a CD-R media manufacturer that could handle my Plextor @ 24x without finding errors in Nero CD Speed (do you check you burns?) so this at least proves writing at my drives full speed doesn’t help it relax.

yeah some drives can produce more errors at lower speeds.

I understand that at 48x, a buffer can empty itself before you can say 'frothage'... I dont know, all I can measure are error rates. If they dont go up at 48x speed, then can happily gain more of my most valuable commodity by burning at that speed. Maybe the reflectivity is affected... Don't know for sure. For all intents and purposes, the CD's arent any different, and I cant measure reflectivity - "How good do I look in this CD? Ooh, Keanu Reaves, eat your heart out"


That some discs > errors at lower speed? I'll dig some up on the weekend.
That the laser and disc get very hot? Not directly, but I just thought it was common knowledge that the longer the laser is on for each time, the less lifespan it has. There must be webpages on this, I will get sniffing.


You must have either sh1t media or a fussy drive. None of my burns at any speed show errors in Nero CD Speed. I check with CD Doctor, which seems to report more C1's than the LiteOn K-Probe thingy

24x. Got a Lite-On 40x burner.

this was looked at here http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?s=...ight=burn+speed
They found that burning at slower speeds produces more errors.

hey....the reflectivity is different!
I could see the different reflectivity on one of my multisession CDR.
I wrote it with 8x, 16x, 24x, 32x
all different.
Maybe that's why Lite-on newest Extern. CD-writter that writes CD starting at 8X and reach the maximum point 24x slowly when the process is going to end.

Anyway i hate to wait....
Can I burn a 24xmax CDR media at 40x? My burner supports this.
Thanks in advance

If your burner say "Yes, I can do it", you must believe it...