Re: [ARSCLIST] CD Longevity (was Vinegar syndrome audio tapes [ARSCLIST] Memor

[Charles Lawson <clawson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob Conrad wrote:
>...j
>ust found the listing on amazin' amazon. MAM-A is another name for 
>
>Mitsui Advanced Media, and they market a 74-minute Gold Archive cd-r. It 
>
>seems to retail for about $1.50 per disc, which is at least twice the 
>
>amount that every other disc manufacturer gets. Also, it seems that 
>
>there's no 80 minute version.

Actually, there *is* an 80-minute gold version and it works just fine.  I
have been using Mitsui Golds on the National Symphony Orchestra's archive
and broadcast CDs for years with few problems.  Since Mistui became MAM-A,
the discs I have been getting are no longer manufactured in Japan and the
quality control has been slipping.  Occasionally, one of the batch fresh
out of the celophane will be horribly dirty with grimy fingerprints all
over it.  So far, it has always been just *one* of the discs in a box of
25 and it only happens occasionally, but it is weird.  The recorded MAM-A
Golds do not always play reliably in cheap CD players, but they seem to be
holding up well overall and data rip perfectly from them after several
years.  I hope that result continues!
>
>
>I've been using HHB because of it's supposed superiority in 1x 
>
>recording, which is the only speed I use. Also, I've used Memorex Black 
>
>from time to time.

When I check the error rates using Plextor's software, I find that they
are actually higher at 1X.  The current crop of discs appears to perform
best in my drives at 4X.  8X is comparable.  I have found the worst
results at 1X and above 16X.  My suspicion is that at the lower speeds the
dye bleeds and causes more errors.  I haven't had the chance to check this
out with an electron microscope, yet.  ;-)

YMMV,

Chas.

--
Charles Lawson <clawson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Professional Audio for CD, DVD, Broadcast & Internet