I have a couple CDs, and as soon as I put them in my drives (either Toshiba SD-1712 or Lite-On 52246S) they start making a huge racket. And this is before they even spun up! They always rip fine, but what exactly causes this? Are they poorly manufactured? Most of them seem to be older, but a few newer ones have done it as well.

Examples:
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - Love Is A Sacrifice (1980) (Mercury)
Scorpions - Love At First Sting (1984) (Mercury)
Carrera Domingo Pavarotti - In Concert Mehta (1990) (Decca Record Company)
Lionel Richie - Back To Front (1992) (Motown)
Harvey Danger - Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone? (1997) (London Records)

Tested drives
Asus DVD-ROM E-616 (on insert)
LG 8160B (on spinup)
Lite-On LTN-485S (slight)
Lite-On LTR-48125W (only on spinup)
Lite-On LTR-52246S (on insert)
Toshiba SD-M1712 (on insert)

EDIT: Tested in a variety of drives to illustrate.
EDIT2: Added more examples.

It could be heavy, uneven print on top of the CD, causing it to wobble...

Just a guess tho

Tony


Ma na ma na doo doo d' doo doo

Yes, it is physical irregularity (non-eccentricity/thickness variation) that causes these noise, esp. on cheap transport mechanisms at higher rotational speeds.

I came across that same issue with my heartbreaking ( ) Lionel Richie - Back to Front album (cheap one from 1992, Motown Records).
The ratotion/spinning noise is realy realy unnatural loud, my whole pc is shaking.
(Pioneer DVD 119)

I just wonder if this might be very bad for the drive (besides the usual degration of lifetime)?!
is it safe to rip such a cd? it sounds realy... scary...

@Funkstar: The Harvey Danger CD has the full cover effect, but Southside Johnny and Scorpions are the classic 80's minimal printing, just tracklist etc in small black text.


They really do I know!

I actually took out the CDs and found something in common with all my examples though. Despite being recorded by different record companies:
Love Is A Sacrifice: "© 1980 Polygram Records, Inc."
Love At First Sting: "Mercury Records - A Polygram company"
Where Have All The Merrymakers gone?: "Manufactured and marketed by Polygram Records"

Also notice, Digga, that according to www.allmusic.com the import Back To Front is manufactured by Polygram International, can you check the actual disc and see if your version is as well? So perhaps Polygram just makes the cheapest, worst CDs the world has ever known?

I'm trying to find some more examples...will post back later. If you guys own any Mercury/Polygram records please try this out!

Some other Mercury/Polygram ones I tested:
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - The Jukes (1979) - Has problem
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - Reach Up And Touch The Sky (1981) - No Problem
Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (1986) - No Problem

are you refering to this?
I can't see any hints to Polygram, I only see Motown Records... (though I realy ain't an expert in questions of record companies, maybe MTR belongs to P?)
this CD is a 'special European version' though, with two 'extra' tracks (dancin' on the ceiling & stuck on you).

anyway, I just tried to ripp at a friends place, who got a LG GSA-4040B burner...
the disc behaved totally normal. so I guess it depends on reading speed and manufacturer/modell also.

I was referring to this one, the European (Holland) import version with bonus tracks

Anyway a Polygram message is usually around the edge or near the center of the CD if there is one...still searching for some more examples.

EDIT: Seem to have found a list of companies under Polygram, and yes Motown is on there lol.

Geffen Records
Interscope Geffen A&M
Island Def Jam Music Group
Lost Highway Records
MCA Nashville
Mercury Nashville
Motown Records
Universal Classics
Universal Records
Universal Music Enterprises
Universal Music Latino
Universal South
Verve Music Group

EDIT again: Apparently Polygram was only Polygram until 1998, so CDs released after this are under Universal and don't apply.

ah well, but this is a 2001 release, mind you! my precious CD is a 1992 release. no Polygram here for me, no Sir.
...uhm, yes.
if I'm not totally blind (deaf is possible though...) then this CD was released by Motown Records.

edit: though the "serial number"(?) of the disc is similar (530018-2)...

Read my edited reply now, lol I was too slow.

EDIT: Added more tested optical drives to the thread.

@Digga - Are you sure you have the '92 release. Any reissue would still say 1992 in most places since that is date of the material, but when did you purchase the CD?

sounds nasty!

I would lower the extraction speed in EAC, if your drive supports it.. better safe than sorry

The noise is purely drive-dependant. Many of my European import CDs raised racket with the Pioneer DVD-116. With this Plextor I cannot hear a thing, it is almost totally silent.

And yes, such noisy operation is not healthy for your drive. (Viz: the Plextor can go up to 52X with SpeedRead enabled. However, the manual warns against that setting, citing concerns that poorly manufactured/unbalanced/chipped/cracked media might shatter and damage the drive.) Yet there is little you can do if the manufacturer of your drive cut corners in the servo/transport department.

@Never_Again: If you look at the original I have tested all the drives I own, almost all of them exhibit this problem.

I don't see a Plextor Premium on your list.
Seriously, if the noise is an important issue, get one of those drives.