CD Recorder Recommendations Needed
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Ohighway
Wannabe Minimalist
Tell you one I WON'T recommend. Sony RCD-W500C. And this is from personal experience..... I own one that I bought brand new. It's now only 5 years old, with light use, and suddenly the 5 disc changer portion won't recognize discs. I can still record in the other tray if I feed a signal into the unit...but still...
Reading reviews on this unit proves I'm not the only one to have problems with them. So my $0.02..... stay away from that one.
Reading reviews on this unit proves I'm not the only one to have problems with them. So my $0.02..... stay away from that one.
I can recommend the Yamaha CDR-HD1500. it is a combination CDR and Hard Disc basd machine that you can save over 300 CD at full resolution. You can access the DAC's in the machine via the ananlog inputs, and whatever you record can be burnt to discs. The machine has additional features that you can pick off their web-site.
I didn't think I needed a CD recorder. I reasoned that someday I'd get around to recording my LPs when I had a really good soundcard. Then, I got a TDK consumer CDR deck at a yard sale and changed my tune. The convenience won me over.
I'd buy a professional model. Home units require Music CDRs, which is a pain in the ass.
Furthermore, I'd get a new one or a used one that wasn't more than a couple of years old. The laser and transport have a finite lifetime. There's no sense in getting an old, worn out unit.
Given my druthers, I'd probably buy the Tascam CD-RW900SL. Or, alternately, the discontinued Marantz Professional CDR-631 is being remaindered for about the same money.
I'd buy a professional model. Home units require Music CDRs, which is a pain in the ass.
Furthermore, I'd get a new one or a used one that wasn't more than a couple of years old. The laser and transport have a finite lifetime. There's no sense in getting an old, worn out unit.
Given my druthers, I'd probably buy the Tascam CD-RW900SL. Or, alternately, the discontinued Marantz Professional CDR-631 is being remaindered for about the same money.
Ohighway
Wannabe Minimalist
Huh? Ya' spend your money and buy them, just like any other media....
Mark W.
Nut house of the Universe
I have a Pioneer PDR-509 which is about mid level in the Pioneer Line up. It does a very good job once you learn the in's and outs. Yes it uses Music CDR's or Music CDRW
But they don't cost but a little bit more the Data CD's I prefer the Maxells And have had very good luck with them
But they don't cost but a little bit more the Data CD's I prefer the Maxells And have had very good luck with them
Yep - you spend your money alright...
When home CD recorders were first introduced, the music industry was terrified at the idea that consumers would be able to dub bit-perfect copies of their CDs. Keep in mind that this was years before computer CD-RW drives became ubiquitous.
Their solution was to make home CD recorders compatible only with Music CDRs.
Music CDRs differ from the run of the mill data variety in a couple of important ways. The first is that they cost more. For each music CDR you buy, a small royalty gets paid to the RIAA, who assume you're using it to record copyrighted material.
The second difference is that Music CDRs have a bit of code in them that prevents them from being copied in consumer CD decks. You can't dub a copy from a copy in your deck.
Here in 2009, these points are completely moot. Most anybody can copy a CD (even a recorded Music CDR!) easily using their PC. The music industry has largely lost their war with piracy, and the availability of pro CDR decks that will make unfettered copies probably hasn't played much of a part in that at all.
Music CDRs, in addition to being more expensive, aren't as easy to find. In the 21st century, it boggles my mind that the manufacturers still go along with this deal and make intentionally crippled consumer decks. I predict that eventually the parties involved will give up and the Music CDR standard will disappear. Guess what happens to the availability of Music CDRs and the functionality of all the existing consumer decks then?
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KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Your best investment for a CD Recorder is a Tascam. Their recorders take any data CD-R or RW discs you like. Excellent sound and reliability. In the radio stations I engineer I have had Denons, Marantz, HHb, Alesis Masterlinks, Tascams and Fostex standalones. The Tascam and Fostex recorders just work. The other makes have had reliability issues under 2-9 hour a day use.
I have 2, a Jvc XL-R2010, that I bought new in 97, or ,98. Works great, never had a issue with it, or any recorded dis's that end up as "coasters".
It takes a bit to get used to using it efficiently, but after that' it's a pleasure.
I alos recently purchased a used Yamaha CRD HD 1000, that's rips discs of a hard drive. I was looking at that unit also, when I decided on the JVC. I couldn't resist a buy it now on the Yamaha of $99. It is really solid, built very well. Yamaha stil has the CDR HD 1500, around $500-$600
They both have their respective advatages, but I still prefer the JVC. It still works great, and I have burned 100's of disc's with it. I use gold disk's now for stuff I really want to save, they burn at a lower level, easier on your laser
You can buy the direct from MAM-A Inc.com, they also have stadard audio cdrs. The gold run 71.50 per 50 pack, not sure on the silver. They alos have great deals on archivial gold dvd, and silver as well. They are all bulk spindle packs.
I would stay away from the Sony, most people I know have had serious problems.
Tascam makes a professional unit, as well as Marantz and Denon.
The HD design of the Yamaha would probably make it easier to edit your programs, and would let you forgo the timer issue problems. Just remeber, once you rip the songs/program material from the hard drive to the CDR disk, it is autmatically erased from the hard drive.
Good Luck!!
It takes a bit to get used to using it efficiently, but after that' it's a pleasure.
I alos recently purchased a used Yamaha CRD HD 1000, that's rips discs of a hard drive. I was looking at that unit also, when I decided on the JVC. I couldn't resist a buy it now on the Yamaha of $99. It is really solid, built very well. Yamaha stil has the CDR HD 1500, around $500-$600
They both have their respective advatages, but I still prefer the JVC. It still works great, and I have burned 100's of disc's with it. I use gold disk's now for stuff I really want to save, they burn at a lower level, easier on your laser
You can buy the direct from MAM-A Inc.com, they also have stadard audio cdrs. The gold run 71.50 per 50 pack, not sure on the silver. They alos have great deals on archivial gold dvd, and silver as well. They are all bulk spindle packs.
I would stay away from the Sony, most people I know have had serious problems.
Tascam makes a professional unit, as well as Marantz and Denon.
The HD design of the Yamaha would probably make it easier to edit your programs, and would let you forgo the timer issue problems. Just remeber, once you rip the songs/program material from the hard drive to the CDR disk, it is autmatically erased from the hard drive.
Good Luck!!
One of the main differences also between Music CDR and regular CDR's is they also require a lower level "burn" from the laser, as many of the earlier and some current audio cd recorders use a weaker or lower level laser to burn cd's. I learned this fact from the MIA-M Inc web site.(recording media manufactor- they make the mofi gold disk's)
Ohighway
Wannabe Minimalist
How much $$ would these cost on the average ?
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
$500-$600 on average. The Tascam is best from a reliability standpoint. The HHb units can be variable. Their older units were best. I don't recommend Denon or Marantz standalones. They have issues with all but a small handful of media (mainly only Taiyo Yuden, Mobile Fidelity, Apogee Reference Archive, and Kodak Preservation Discs work well in them.). Most of our Denons and Marantzes had short lives.
Ohighway
Wannabe Minimalist
Not the best argument. You can still buy cassettes, and 8 track tapes, as well as reel to reel, along with all the decks sold, I think audio cdr's will be around for some time, as mentioned-I buy them direct from the factory-they guarantee them, they are cheap, and you don't have to drive around looking for them. To date-never a problem with MAM-A audio, or regular CDR's.
As mentioned, if your buying used, I can vouch for the JVC XL-R2010BK, I have made hundreds of Cd's with no issues can either go real time, or 4x.
Personally if you are worried about the availability of audio cdr's dont get a consumer deck-get a decent sound card/DA, and a reliable burner, along with easy to use software, and cables if needed, and just use your computer.
I like my decks, the Yamaha was cheap, but I wouldn't spend $500 on a consumer/pro cd recorder now, if I didn't already have them, I would use my computer, along with good MAM-A medium, as good medium will save your from burning errors which I find happen with the cheaper CDR's, let alone for archival purposes.
Where, within a 10 mile radius of your house, can you buy blank cassettes? 8-tracks? Blank reels?
Nowhere, save maybe scrounging up some inferior cassettes, I'd bet. Magnetic storage mediums are becoming a tool for the die-hard true believers, and are getting more difficult to find blank media for all the time. It's only going to get worse.
Now imagine the number of consumer cd recorders that have been sold versus the number of, say, cassette decks that have been sold. Audio CDR starts to look like a fringe format. How long do you think media manufacturers would keep making media if the electronics manufacturers stopped making recorders? If you're committed to the format, I'd have a healthy number of discs hoarded against the end of production.
I don't have to drive around looking for data CDRs. Nor do I have to order them from the factory. I can find them at any electronics store, Wal-Mart, grocery store or mini-mart. The omnipresence of CD-burning technology ensures that this level of availability will continue for a good long time. If there comes a time when I can't get them at the 7-11, I can't envision a time when they won't be available via mailorder.
How is this Audio CDR format not a pain in the ass loser from a consumer standpoint? It has only flourished in the absence of consumer-grade competition from data CDR.
I'm glad you like your JVC. If you'd have read what I wrote earlier, you'd notice that going with a soundcard was my initial plan. When I found my CDR deck, I was struck by the ease and convenience of having a CD recorder integrated into my stereo. I can't imagine having recorded as many LPs as I have if I'd used the PC. I like my TDK consumer deck a lot, but I'd like it a lot better if it took regular CDRs. My next one will.
I never mentioned I could buy them "within a 10 mile radius"??. There are plenty of blank media via the web-why drive unless you know they have it. Plus in my experience the cheap cdr's you buy at Walmart, are just that, and probably won't stand up over the years compared to better cdr's.
There is plenty of data available on the problems of data loss from cheap cdr's.Even then, as the Libaray of Congrees, and others have mentioned, no media currently avaiable is a 100%-but if I'm going to spend the time berning a cd, why not spend a few extra cents and have something that is proven to hold up better than the commen Walmart version?
I agree with convience, that's why the decks are still available, as will the media IMHO for sometime to come. Yes they should have made them use regualr CDR's, but IMHO it's not a big problem, if I'm worried about the serial copy management, (i.e digital to digital vs digital to analog copy) I will do a quick burn with the PC, that has a quality burner and sound card.
Sure it would be nice if consumer decks didn't have SCM, but I won't hold my breath it will disappear soon.
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