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HypnoToad
Hi,

Just thought the fellow Europeans in the group might be interested to know that I've just been in contact with Plextor's European sales team. The PlexWriter Premium 2 drive has just arrived in their warehouse in Belgium and will be shipped to distributors in a few days time, who will then sell onto retail outlets (so probably in stores in 2-3 weeks time).

The PlexWriter Premium 2 CD-RW features VariRec, GigaRec, PowerRec, Audio Master Quality Recording (AMQR) recording features and an access time of <65ms. The Yamaha Audio Master Quality Recording technology should be of special interest to many members.

http://www.plextor.be/products/premium2.as...iter%20Premium2


Cheers,

David.
audioflex
oh? it's only CDRW?

show me a DL DVD-RW drive that can do the same and costs under $200 and i'll applaud..

that data destruction looks nifty though.
HypnoToad
Yep only "Obsoletely Fabulous" CD recording!

If you want to burn really good Audio CDs this is the only way to go, but that said it will never make Hanson sound as good as The Magic Numbers, somethings are just impossible!


I'm buying this drive to supliment my DVD-RW DL drive. biggrin.gif

David
Triza
I only need excellent DAE and excellent writing quality. I owned a Premium, and my DAE tests (see EAC site for more) proved that my Lite-on CD-RW, which cost £15 instead of £80 has much better error correction and interpolation. And the Lite-on achivied better DAE than Premium without rereading! So ripping took 2-3 mins instead of hours, which Premium needed.

And the Liteon CD-RW has the very same writing quality with Taiyo discs
The writing quality was tested with my Plextor PX-716A.

Again this was tested approx half a year ago using a brand new Premium and a Liteon CD-RW at that time. Maybe Premium 2 is better. I sold my Premium as a result of this.

But of course if you need some other features badly, you might want to consider them.

Triza
HypnoToad
Yes I've had good experiences with a LiteOn CD-RW drive's DAE as well, but didn't fair so well when I upgraded to a LiteOn DVD-RW DL drive.

My prime reasons for wanting the Premium 2 is the "Audio Master Quality Recording" feature which (like GigaRec when negatively cranked) extends the pits length and better defines them to improve Audio CD playback. The now unavailable Yamaha CRW-F1 and a few other Yamaha drives used to have this, but then Yamaha pulled out of the CD drive market and since then AMQR was not available in any PC drive (until now).


I'll post back in a few weeks once I've got my hands on one to test out its DAE.

David.
Sebastian Mares
Does this really help? I don't have the most expensive stereo and my hearing is not outstanding, but I never had problems with TY media recorded at 48x with my Plextor PX-712A and now BenQ DW1655 and NEC ND-4551A. I also wanted to check something and put some recorded CDs outside in the sun and rain. After one month, I am going to do some checks the discs and see what effect all this had.
HypnoToad
If audiophile press reviews and user reports of Yamaha's CDR-HD1500 standalone CD recorder are anything to go by then I'd say yes.

But if you EAC a disc and burn it onto high quality archival media then I doubt the difference is pronounced. Once I have the drive I'll run an ABX test to check it out and let you know.


David.
Triza
What ABX? Just compare the bits. Surely you do not want to accept any bit error. If so, ABX-ing is pointless. Just compare the data. The only trick is the offset of the drive, of course, but there are wave comparators that sort that out.

Triza
HypnoToad
I was going to test Audio CD playback through my HiFi to test the sound as with Audio CD the bits only tell part of the story! But I was going to test the discs' bits as well.


David.
Wombat
I had one of these Yamaha F1 recorders. Burning CDs with the longer pits made some CD-Players more sensitive on jumping when hitting the case as i played around for testing wink.gif
To me this longer pit = audiophile is nonsense since.
HypnoToad
I might be buying a turkey then, but still the idea interests me enough to give it a whirl! We'll see if this is wise or not in a few weeks time biggrin.gif


David.
HisInfernalMajesty
IIRC, AMQR doesn't actually increase sound quality, it just decreases the chances for clicks and pops that come from badly burned pits.
Triza
HypoToad,

Fair enough, but if it is a bitperfect copy using the drive you use for listening, then pointless what you do. In fact even on logical ground you do not make sense. If I feed the same bits into the same system, the result will be the same. You really need to think about it.

That technology is just there to reduce the possible bit error that can creep in, but frankly with a new disc this is very unlikely.

Triza
CiTay
QUOTE(Sebastian Mares @ Jun 15 2006, 10:34) *

Does this really help?


See my first post here (Best burners for reading/burning audio CDs), at the bottom there's a test with AMQR recording too.

I can elaborate a bit on that. AMQR burns about 14% longer "holes". Therefore, the length variations of the jitter supposedly have a smaller influence on the read quality. Jitter indeed decreases.

Plextor CD-R 48x (TY) burned with Plexwriter Premium 2:

4x: Quality score 74 (+)
4x AMQR: Quality score 88 (++)
16x: Quality score 66 (+)
48x: Quality score 46 (o)

But IMHO it's not quite worth it, 16x is still good enough. Selecting the right media is the most important thing, and for me there are more appealing burners than the Premium 2 (also concerning the price).
JeanLuc
QUOTE(CiTay @ Jun 15 2006, 16:20) *
But IMHO it's not quite worth it, 16x is still good enough.


You are right that you most probably won't notice lower jitter in a listening environment.

On the other hand, you gain (hypothetically, at least) long-term-reliability using techniques like AMQR or GigaRec ... the higher L3-amplitude (which is the lead parameter regarding reflexivity) can make a difference in cases of reading aged/barely readable/scratched discs.
HypnoToad
QUOTE(Triza @ Jun 15 2006, 16:52) *

Fair enough, but if it is a bitperfect copy using the drive you use for listening, then pointless what you do. In fact even on logical ground you do not make sense. If I feed the same bits into the same system, the result will be the same. You really need to think about it.


You jumped to the wrong conclusion by making an assumption that was not well founded. As such I object to your belittling response, which was most discourtious.

I was going to compare error rates in the Plextor Premium 2 drive on my PC and sound files recorded from an external HiFi Audio CD Player for the ABX test. Getting error counts from a HiFi Audio CD player would be nigh on impossible!


David.
ShowsOn
I am considering getting one of these drives.

I am frustrated that I ripped a couple of hundred CDs using my LG4167 drive using EAC. Only to be told that the drive actually does cache data (even though EAC says it doesn't). Now I'm concerned that those rips weren't as secure as I thought.

So I'm looking for a new drive. Many people seem to say get a (true, not rebadged) Plextor drive and use PlexTools for ripping. So it looks like this drive will be a good candidate for that.
LaserSokrates
EAC works well with Plextor drives, you can even deactivate the cache of Plextor drives in EAC by starting it with -usefua if my memory serves me right.

QUOTE
Now I'm concerned that those rips weren't as secure as I thought.

Try AccurateRip.
ShowsOn
QUOTE(LaserSokrates @ Jun 16 2006, 18:58) *

EAC works well with Plextor drives, you can even deactivate the cache of Plextor drives in EAC by starting it with -usefua if my memory serves me right.

QUOTE
Now I'm concerned that those rips weren't as secure as I thought.

Try AccurateRip.

I do use AccurateRip, but since I'm in Australia, a lot of CD pressings that I have are not in the database.

For CDs that are in the database, I can get some very mixed results. Say a disc has 10 tracks, sometimes 7 or 8 will say accurately ripped, but the others will say not accurate. So this makes me less confident that my drive is actually ripping properly.
Wombat
Regarding better quality scores with longer holes. Wouldn´t it make sense the measured quality may also increase if the spiral would be more tighten like on 90min. media? You´d have less moving on the laser again.
CiTay
QUOTE(Wombat @ Jun 16 2006, 12:11) *

Regarding better quality scores with longer holes. Wouldn´t it make sense the measured quality may also increase if the spiral would be more tighten like on 90min. media? You´d have less moving on the laser again.


I don't think so. It would also require more precision and lower tolerances for the media. Plextor could probably make special "AMQR CD-Rs" like that, also to overcome the current AMQR downside that it only holds 70 minutes of music on 80 minute CD-Rs. So they could use a 90 minute CD-R and with AMQR it would hold 80 minutes again. But that's too much effort i guess. And i don't trust "regular" 90 minute CD-Rs, i burned one once and it was unreadable the next week.
Wombat
QUOTE(CiTay @ Jun 16 2006, 13:58) *

I don't think so. It would also require more precision and lower tolerances for the media. Plextor could probably make special "AMQR CD-Rs" like that, also to overcome the current AMQR downside that it only holds 70 minutes of music on 80 minute CD-Rs. So they could use a 90 minute CD-R and with AMQR it would hold 80 minutes again. But that's too much effort i guess. And i don't trust "regular" 90 minute CD-Rs, i burned one once and it was unreadable the next week.

I burned several primeon 800MB media they sell at Atelco over here. No problems at all. Would be intersting what a Plextor quality test would reveal.

Edit: NEC3520/4550
ddrawley
The last Premium also rated excellent for making personal backups up of your CDs. It is nice to be able to back up things you buy, with less concern about some obnoxious copy protection.
jonsoft
HypnoToad, thanks for contacting Plextor Europe. I too can't wait for these new drives to come out!

However, I would particularly like a USB version to use with my laptop.

So I contacted Plextor Japan to ask if they had any plans to bring out a USB (external) version of the Premium2 in the future. Here was their reply:

QUOTE
Dear (name removed)
thank you for your contacting us.

At present, USB External model of Premium2 is not scheduled
to be developed in us.
We might examine development if there are a lot of demands
of the customer. If we develop it, it guides it on our
web site.

Best regards,
PLEXTOR CO.,LTD.
Domestic Sales Section
Peripheral Division

Would anyone else buy a Premium2 USB drive if it existed?

If we got enough names together... unsure.gif

(If anyone has an old Plexwriter Premium USB drive they want to sell me, drop me an email!!!)

Jonsoft
spoon
Can you not put the plextor 2 in an external usb drive enclosure?, should work.
jonsoft
QUOTE(spoon @ Jun 16 2006, 22:15) *

Can you not put the plextor 2 in an external usb drive enclosure?, should work.

Actually, not really. One reason is that on principle I don't like the kind of hybrid USB/IDE device this creates. Feels like a bit of a compromise to a use a device in a way it wasn't specifically designed for.

More importantly, I read this blog on a Japanese website of someone who had tried this. I can't remember the URL, but I do still have the machine translation of his post (below).

Basically, it seems that Plextor Premium2 drives go way beyond normal IDE CD-ROM drives' specifications, in that some of the more advanced features of the drive can't be accessed over the IDE caddy. In fact, it sounds like they caused him some major problems:

Machine translation follows (emphasis mine):
QUOTE
May 16, 2006
PlexWriter Premium2 that 2

When pricesettleswith the article of the other day, that you buy while
saying, it is the case that you buy preceding sale unintentionally but.

But in being troubled, using the IDE-USB bridge, when to external it
converts, it cannot use all functions. After all, it is painful not to
be able to use most essential AudioMaster
. Even useless report being
issued even with ?? of 2, from the ? it seems that is not relationship
in type of IDE-USB bridge. However several IDE-USB bridges inside you
tried in reality, it was total destruction. Strange command having
issued physically, however it is from or the correspondence of
PlextorToolsPro is sweet simply or the ? which are useless. Temporarily,
when demand it puts out to support, "it conveys story to the PTP
development department", that because word it was the answer which is
said, just a little perhaps you can expect.

Because it is with, while as expected waiting for correspondence, the
fact that it lays idle it is wasted, because there is no manner, it made
build in. When it makes build in, it becomes dirty by any means with the
dust of inhalation because and, there is also something related to power
source, but hateful what - it is not.

So, as for direct sale of ??? the ? which is preceding sale it is, as
for generality sale as been preceding sale truly with ahead two months,
to go, it was and with bought and perhaps it was correct answer. Because
as for worldly desires there is no price, don't you think?

I particularly like the pearl of wisdom at the end. huh.gif

Newsflash: Today I discovered Ultradrives.com have (factory refurbished and rather pricey) Premium USB (not Premium2) drives available! One is on its way to my house... smile.gif

Did anyone else read that post on another forum (sorry no URL) of the German magazine review that said the Premium2 sucks at DAE?
spoon
smile.gif got to love that translation "it was total destruction. Strange command having issued physically..."

Total destruction of what? his CD, drive, his computer, his house? sounds like a new WMD.
DJPT-UK
I'm going to buy a Plextor PlexWriter Premium2 when it's available here in the UK. I'll be using it to rip music from my CDs to my HDD. Hopefully this drive (combined with EAC and AccurateRip) will give me the high quality rips I'm looking for.
CiTay
QUOTE(DJPT-UK @ Jun 17 2006, 20:13) *

I'm going to buy a Plextor PlexWriter Premium2 when it's available here in the UK. I'll be using it to rip music from my CDs to my HDD. Hopefully this drive (combined with EAC and AccurateRip) will give me the high quality rips I'm looking for.


You can have that cheaper. Read here. A Plextor PX-230A for instance should be roundabout 35 Euro?
Never_Again
I still can't get over the fact that the PX-230 was found to be a better reader than the supposedly supa-dupa Premium 2. CiTay, could you please have another look at the article and elaborate a bit on that particular part, (if there is something to elaborate on, of course). Thank you for the other thread, that is commendable community service!
CiTay
QUOTE(Never_Again @ Jun 18 2006, 04:36) *

I still can't get over the fact that the PX-230 was found to be a better reader than the supposedly supa-dupa Premium 2. CiTay, could you please have another look at the article and elaborate a bit on that particular part, (if there is something to elaborate on, of course). Thank you for the other thread, that is commendable community service!


Sure.

Plexwriter Premium 2:

Read time Audio CD, EAC secure: 6:54 min
1.2 mm long scratch, Read time / Quality / Errors: 17:44 min / 96.7% / 6


Plextor PX-230A:

Read time Audio CD, EAC secure: 5:36 min
1.2 mm long scratch, Read time / Quality / Errors: 0:29 min / 100% / 0


They have the same read features and ignore all the tested CPs. About the article, they describe a proper EAC setup including Accuraterip and so on, so i guess they knew what they were doing.
funkyblue
So the PX-230, would be recommended to replace my Plextor Premium? My drive is starting to die...
Is the PX-230 most recommended drive?

I use Burst Mode, Test and Copy for most rips, and then with C2, Cache enabled, if I don't get a CRC match.
Cheers.
CiTay
QUOTE(burgerings @ Jun 18 2006, 15:11) *

So the PX-230, would be recommended to replace my Plextor Premium? My drive is starting to die...
Is the PX-230 most recommended drive?


For me it's the clear winner.
JeanLuc
The PX-230 is indeed the better ripper (for the specific test disc, at least) ...
ShowsOn
QUOTE(JeanLuc @ Jun 18 2006, 23:35) *

The PX-230 is indeed the better ripper (for the specific test disc, at least) ...

It seems that I need a dedicated ripping computer with 4 different drives so I have different options depending on the condition and copy protection properties of each disc I rip.
LaserSokrates
Well, the Premium 2 might have some goodies the PX-230 hasn't. If you're only interested in CD- ripping, the latter is the better choice. If my memory serves me right, the Premium 2 was the better or best AudioCD- burner, and it has some features that are quite interesting, though not essential. But who still burns AudioCDs nowadays...
DJPT-UK
QUOTE(CiTay @ Jun 17 2006, 19:33) *

QUOTE(DJPT-UK @ Jun 17 2006, 20:13) *

I'm going to buy a Plextor PlexWriter Premium2 when it's available here in the UK. I'll be using it to rip music from my CDs to my HDD. Hopefully this drive (combined with EAC and AccurateRip) will give me the high quality rips I'm looking for.


You can have that cheaper. Read here. A Plextor PX-230A for instance should be roundabout 35 Euro?



Ah, thank you biggrin.gif I'll have a look online and see if I can find one, thanks for the info!

Can anyone suggest an IDE cable I can use with this drive? My current one is a bit worse for wear to be honest. I'm going to buy a PX-230A and a new IDE cable. I'll treat myself lol ;-)
CiTay
QUOTE(DJPT-UK @ Jun 19 2006, 20:16) *

Can anyone suggest an IDE cable I can use with this drive? My current one is a bit worse for wear to be honest. I'm going to buy a PX-230A and a new IDE cable. I'll treat myself lol ;-)


I don't know on what basis you could recommend a specific IDE cable. The only thing that would count is the electrical properties, but it's hard to measure. So either get a normal flat ribbon cable or a rounded one. I once had problems with a rounded one, but it was already evident when i turned on the PC, cause the drive name was hieroglyphs. I use other rounded cables and had no problems since then.
ChangFest
Does anybody know if the PX-230 overreads?
JeanLuc
QUOTE(ChangFest @ Jun 19 2006, 21:12) *

Does anybody know if the PX-230 overreads?


Since its read offset correction is +738, I assume that it's not a real Plextor (it features an ALi chipset) ... I therefore think overread and Plextools ripping is out of the question for the 230A.

I reckon that the 230A is a rebadged BenQ/AOpen/Philips 5232 CDRW drive.
CiTay
QUOTE(JeanLuc @ Jun 20 2006, 00:16) *

I therefore think overread and Plextools ripping is out of the question for the 230A.


But the retail version ships with Plextools Pro?
Sebastian Mares
QUOTE(CiTay @ Jun 20 2006, 13:51) *

QUOTE(JeanLuc @ Jun 20 2006, 00:16) *

I therefore think overread and Plextools ripping is out of the question for the 230A.


But the retail version ships with Plextools Pro?


So does the PX-750A: http://www.plextor.be/products/px-750a.asp?choice=PX-750A (which is not a "real" Plextor either).
ShowsOn
Maybe Plextor add certain functions to PlexTools make the rebadged drives work, even though the drive can't make use of the full (advanced) functionality of the app?

So what would be better: a PX-230 with EAC or a Premium2 with PlexTools Pro?

Maybe a dedicated ripping computer with both? biggrin.gif
ChangFest
QUOTE(JeanLuc @ Jun 19 2006, 14:16) *

Since its read offset correction is +738, I assume that it's not a real Plextor (it features an ALi chipset) ... I therefore think overread and Plextools ripping is out of the question for the 230A.

I reckon that the 230A is a rebadged BenQ/AOpen/Philips 5232 CDRW drive.

Bummer. Oh well. Overreading certainly is an advantage of the Premium 2 over this drive then.
JeanLuc
QUOTE(ChangFest @ Jun 20 2006, 16:19) *
Bummer. Oh well. Overreading certainly is an advantage of the Premium 2 over this drive then.


Another advantage is the better overall media writing compatibility of the Premium2 over the 230A ... but I doubt whether this is worth 3 times the price.

On the other hand, the Premium2 will most certainly get better with every firmware update ...
DJPT-UK
Just before I go ahead and place my order, which drive is best for me? I am wanting to get the most accurate rips as possible. I'm going to order from this website http://www.computerplus.co.uk/shop.htm which has a few Plextors for sale.

Which one?
arctic
hm, I'm reserved according to this drive. As long as it's not clear, if it also handles everything
(even copy protected CDs) well just like the legendary PX-40TS, if it's htoa-able, and if it comes up
with the rest of the features, which are need to get the maximum of a CD, I don't become
euphoric about this drive.
Looking retrospectively to the PX-40TS, the PREMIUM, the 716A, etc. ... the bar for the next generation
drives is already pretty high and they have to be EVEN BETTER, and that, of course, while keeping
ALL former achievments... that's definitively not an easy job...
But if they really succed in this task, be prepared for reserving such a CD eating gold nugget for me IPB Image ...
sony666
QUOTE(DJPT-UK @ Jun 19 2006, 20:16) *

Can anyone suggest an IDE cable I can use with this drive? My current one is a bit worse for wear to be honest. I'm going to buy a PX-230A and a new IDE cable. I'll treat myself lol ;-)


No problem there my friend, I will craft you an audiophile IDE cable from the purest Brazilian lead, dotted with a little Platinum-Iridium and some of my "extra secret sauce"
satorippoi
to CiTay:

well, i saw this article couple of days ago and since I needed a new DVD drive with excellent read capabilities I went for Lite-On SHM-165H6S which i saw in this review...according to it, it has ++ read quality...
Could you please post more detailed characteristics of this just like you did with Plextors?..
CiTay
QUOTE(satorippoi @ Jun 26 2006, 17:58) *

to CiTay:

well, i saw this article couple of days ago and since I needed a new DVD drive with excellent read capabilities I went for Lite-On SHM-165H6S which i saw in this review...according to it, it has ++ read quality...
Could you please post more detailed characteristics of this just like you did with Plextors?..


Here you go,

Plexwriter Premium 2:

Read time Audio CD, EAC secure: 6:54 min
1.2 mm long scratch, Read time / Quality / Errors: 17:44 min / 96.7% / 6


Plextor PX-230A:

Read time Audio CD, EAC secure: 5:36 min
1.2 mm long scratch, Read time / Quality / Errors: 0:29 min / 100% / 0


LiteOn SHM-165P6S:

Read time Audio CD, EAC secure: 16:18 min
1.2 mm long scratch, Read time / Quality / Errors: 1:31 min / 100% / 0
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