I'm using a Lite-On 52327S and been experimenting with read/write offsets.

The Accurate Rip database reports 28 users with +6 as the read offset and I've seen a few users reporting -6 for the write offset.

Indeed, the combined read/write offset does appear to be 0 (zero) I'm almost 100% certain about that, however:

I made an offset reference CD in EAC such that when used to autodetect the read offset it reports +6 (as expected), but then I tried the only CD I have which is in the EAC CD database i.e. Celine Dion: Falling Into You, which has the *exact* ID number shown there also but this reports the read offset for the Lite-On as -944!!!!

Anyway, if I use the EAC reference CD to set the read offset in my Toshiba SD-M1212 DVD drive it gives +116 as the figure.

Now for the funny business.

If I test any CD track using +6 for the Lite-On, and +116 for the Toshiba, the extracted CRCs do NOT match!

If I use -944 (this is +6 - 950) for the Lite-On as sugested by the EAC database and (116 - 950)= -834 for the Toshiba and test CRCs for audio tracks they agree 100%! Using other values where the difference is a constant 110 also produces matching CRCs between the drives, even if the absolute CRC values are different each time.

Of course using the Celine Dion album in the Toshiba and doing an auto detect also reports -834 as the correct read offset figure.

Conclusion:

The accurate rip database must surely be inaccurate for this really popular CD Writer?

Or do I have a unique one off that's different from everyone else?

Does anyone have the Celine Dion album to re-verify the above figures?

Any comments?

Did you try to rip a track in the middle of a CD with offsets 6 / 110 and compare those? It seems that a negative offset produces correct results, while positive offsets show different rips between the drives. That sounds like some lead-in/out problem.

The exact ID number is absolutely no guarantee that the pressing is identical to the one in the EAC database. You should have at least 3 cd's which produce the same offset.

+6 / -6 is correct for the lite-on...

Just different pressings, that is why AccurateRip will not configure on one key disc (unless the result matches the known offset +6).

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, SikkeK you were right. Testing tracks in the middle of a CD did produce identical results. In fact other with other CDs identical CRCs were obtained across the whole CD!

Looks like my Celine Dion CD is worthless as a reference CD then.

At least the offset CD may come in handy at a later date.

Will use +6 / -6 then.

Sorry for the false alarm.