CD-Rs sold as CDs

[Dave2002]

I found a review of this Mozart/Casadesus set - http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Casades...owViewpoints=1 - which suggests that the contents are actually CD-Rs rather than CDs.

Firstly, I'm not even sure that this is correct, but if it is, would that be so terrible?

There are several issues if companies are selling CD-Rs as CDs. Firstly, could it be that the products bought and reviewed are actually fakes? There is apparently a rather large business of producing fake CDs.

Next up, CD-Rs may not last as well as CDs - particularly if left out in the sun.

If a company does sell music on CD-R rather than regular CD it would, indeed, be good to know about this, as precautions could be taken to make sure that the contents are backed up (ripped) to computer storage, to reduce the possibility of later loss of the material.

Are many recording companies selling CD-Rs instead of CDs? If they do so, do they make this clear to purchasers? Is it a big problem?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I umderstand that Nimbus releases are all CD-R.

[kea]

Well it doesn't matter much to me because I don't have a CD player, so everything goes straight into FLAC and onto an external drive with the disc itself usually ending up in a storage box somewhere. However it is definitely a concern if you're going to be actually listening to the CD a lot. CD-Rs are inherently less durable due to their nature (burned rather than printed) and will scratch more easily, not last as long, etc, etc.

However CD-Rs are basically what they use to distribute all deleted releases by now—Arkivmusic, Presto, Hyperion & others all do that. They're usually more expensive than the original price of the CD, and have minimal notes as well, but not much you can do.

[Dave2002]

However CD-Rs are basically what they use to distribute all deleted releases by now—Arkivmusic, Presto, Hyperion & others all do that. They're usually more expensive than the original price of the CD, and have minimal notes as well, but not much you can do.

But presumably the labels look real - or do they look like the scrawled marker pen labels or scribbles which I use on many of own home grown ones?

How can one tell, anyway, whether a disc is a CD-R or a pressed CD? Special equipment could do it, but surely the man in the Clapham omnibus or similar could not, not having the right tools.

[Petrushka]

I once purchased Kempe's Die Meistersinger as a second hand set from Gramex and was somewhat taken aback when I later opened it to find it was actually CD-R's. It actually sounds rather good but definitely not what I was expecting.

[richardfinegold]

I have bought many CD-Rs from Arkivmusik. They are clearly labeled as such on their website. They come with a copy of the original notes in black and white.
These recordings are out of print and my understanding is that the label and the Artists receive a share of the profits. IMO they are performing a service by continuing to make these available.
I can't speak to durability issues. I have been fortunate enough to never have a CD or a CD-R deteriorate. If that is a concern kea's solution suffices.

[kea]

But presumably the labels look real - or do they look like the scrawled marker pen labels or scribbles which I use on many of own home grown ones?

How can one tell, anyway, whether a disc is a CD-R or a pressed CD? Special equipment could do it, but surely the man in the Clapham omnibus or similar could not, not having the right tools.

CD-R labels (from ArkivCDs etc) are professional quality, the label won't just burn a disc and scribble the title on the non-shiny side in permanent marker as I do when burning CD-Rs for my friends

I imagine you can tell the difference due to CD-Rs being marked with an identifying symbol (as described in the review). On listening though? You shouldn't be able to, as the CD-R will be burned from the same audio master used to make the CD. Some older CD players won't play CD-Rs at all, which I guess is a difference, but the sound quality should be identical if it does play them.

[richardfinegold]

CD-R labels (from ArkivCDs etc) are professional quality, the label won't just burn a disc and scribble the title on the non-shiny side in permanent marker as I do when burning CD-Rs for my friends

I imagine you can tell the difference due to CD-Rs being marked with an identifying symbol (as described in the review). On listening though? You shouldn't be able to, as the CD-R will be burned from the same audio master used to make the CD. Some older CD players won't play CD-Rs at all, which I guess is a difference, but the sound quality should be identical if it does play them.

The sound quality is usually better on CD-Rs than the original, due to decreased jitter.

[richardfinegold]

I found a review of this Mozart/Casadesus set - http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Casades...owViewpoints=1 - which suggests that the contents are actually CD-Rs rather than CDs.

Firstly, I'm not even sure that this is correct, but if it is, would that be so terrible?

There are several issues if companies are selling CD-Rs as CDs. Firstly, could it be that the products bought and reviewed are actually fakes? There is apparently a rather large business of producing fake CDs.

Next up, CD-Rs may not last as well as CDs - particularly if left out in the sun.

If a company does sell music on CD-R rather than regular CD it would, indeed, be good to know about this, as precautions could be taken to make sure that the contents are backed up (ripped) to computer storage, to reduce the possibility of later loss of the material.

Are many recording companies selling CD-Rs instead of CDs? If they do so, do they make this clear to purchasers? Is it a big problem?

I have the set in question on your OP. it sounds fine, better than earlier digitalizations of the same recordings.

[Roehre]

I umderstand that Nimbus releases are all CD-R.

and they did so in 2004 already.
I received recently a brand new and sealed copy of the Nimbus 2 CDset NI5730/1 Continental Britons - the Emigré composers of which both CDs were badly discoloured and CD2 for large stretches of the last two works unlistenable.

It's time to be very, very careful with Nimbus therefore if this turns out to be their policy of producing CDs.

[Bryn]

and they did so in 2004 already.
I received recently a brand new and sealed copy of the Nimbus 2 CDset NI5730/1 Continental Britons - the Emigré composers of which both CDs were badly discoloured and CD2 for large stretches of the last two works unlistenable.

It's time to be very, very careful with Nimbus therefore if this turns out to be their policy of producing CDs.

Particularly galling as in the days when Maxwell owned the company they had their own CD pressing plant, and took in lots of outside work.Back then they were renowned for the high quality and reliability of their CDs.

[Dave2002]

Picking up a hint from another thread, are the "CD"s which are apparently "CD-R"s, audio discs or computer CD-Rs? For a while there were writeable and perhaps even rewriteable audio CDs. These could be used in audio CD recorders - devices which I fancied, but never quite got round to trying out.
Professional producers may still have access to such devices for production purposes.

It seems that "genuine" computer CD-Rs may use different error correction methods, and this might explaine why some have commented that CD-R versions sound better, though perhaps not all CD players will play them. That would apply to older models working to the original audio CD standards, so presumably most new models can do many more variant formats.

[MrGongGong]

Picking up a hint from another thread, are the "CD"s which are apparently "CD-R"s, audio discs or computer CD-Rs? For a while there were writeable and perhaps even rewriteable audio CDs. These could be used in audio CD recorders - devices which I fancied, but never quite got round to trying out.
Professional producers may still have access to such devices for production purposes.

Do you want some?
I have a machine to go with them as well
Cost a fortune at the time and now is a rather nice doorstop

[Dave2002]

Do you want some?
I have a machine to go with them as well
Cost a fortune at the time and now is a rather nice doorstop

Not really - but I was simply musing on whether the discs sold as CD-Rs are in fact computer discs, or the now obsolescent audio writeable/re-writeables.

[MrGongGong]

Not really - but I was simply musing on whether the discs sold as CD-Rs are in fact computer discs, or the now obsolescent audio writeable/re-writeables.

They still work
The machine still works
and they will play in a "normal" CD player or computer

When they were expensive (the first CDR I ever bought cost £30 for ONE and I borrowed a £3,000 machine to burn it on) the re-writeable ones were very useful
NOW I use them to scare the birds off the allotment

All things must pass