I have just started playing around with the old man's mp3 CD player (Sony D-CJ501). The first mp3 CD I made for it consisted of a few albums encoded with LAME --alt-preset standard I just threw it all in the root directory, no problems there. However, just tonight I made a new mp3 CD for it. Still aps mp3s, but this time I seperated the mp3s into directories first by artist, then by album and I mp3gained the files. Now, for whatever reason, I get occasional, brief, skips in the music. When I back up the player and play over the same spots again they aren't there , so something has obviously gone awry. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Could it be the mp3gain, the directory structure (seems to read fine by the way so I can't imagine why it would produce skips) or maybe the mp3 player just has trouble reading this particular CD-R brand? Any responses will be much appreciated!

Well, let's try tp break it down.
MP3Gain should not be the problem. Even the latest version, that stores gain-undo information on special tags produces fully compliant MP3 files. The worst trouble you could experience with APE2 tag-appended MP3 is on the tag reading itself. This happens on the iRiver players that display some strange characters on their screens whenever they find an APE2 tag. It should not mean any playback trouble whatsoever.
Directory structure, I think you are right. If the player can deal with the structure, it most certainly can deal with the file structure.
CD-R brand could be the culprit. Even on this day and age, there are some players that just refuse to cooperate with some brands. Try something else.
A while ago, there were reports that the problem with Sony players was the DECODER itself. IIRC, it had trouble with regular -aps files, for it could not handle some bitrates on VBR. IIRC, there was a special commandline that you were supposed to try in order to get best results. Search for it. But I think that if this was the case, the files would NOT play at all.
So, your best shot is to use a better brand of CD-R
Also, were you in motion when playing the CD? There are some players (very few) that indeed have worst skip protection when playing DATA CDs.

Does it skips during a still position? Or it skips when you move it? If it skips sitting on the table, I think it could be something with the encoding / file structure.

My own RioVolt skips a little with some brands CD-R, and doesn't skip at all with other (Taio Yuden). But that is, when I listen to it in my car. No CD is skipping, when Rio is sitting on the table.
It could depend, also from the burning speed, at least I think so. Try burning at lower speed.

It skips in a still position. I don't get the problem though as this CD is so similiar to the one I have been using for the last couple of weeks. Again the ONLY differences are: different brand of CD-R, directory structure, and mp3gain.



Yeah I'll try the kind I used for my first CD once I get a chance to get some more.

I don't know if you use Nero to burn but, if you do, run nero CD speed and do a "CD Quality Test" (under extras). This may point out whether there are flaws (or questionable areas) on the burned CD that are causing the problem. Watch the error count and yellow spikes on the display (these are errors that your computer may correct but your mp3 player can't handle).

If you don't have Nero you can download this util here:

http://www.cdspeed2000.com/

Hope this helps narrow the problem....

Sweet! I'll check it out. And yes I use Nero.

edit: I got an error near the end so I think that may be the problem! Thanks Normster!

I don't use Nero to burn my CDs. I use Stomp Inc.'s RecordNow Max 4.5.xx. My question is do you HAVE to use Nero to burn the CDs in order to check their quality using Nero CD Speed? Will it give me erroneous results if I have burnt my CDs using some other software?