The Super-Duper Cheap Bargains Thread

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Personally, I'd rather have the music on any format than to not have it at all.  I bought a Meridian CD-R a number of years ago and haven't had any issues with it.  It was of some of Bernard Stevens music.

K

While I agree that it's better to have a physical copy of a recording than none at all (especially one that you obviously wanted to buy for your collection), I do have to say that for me it's a matter of deception more than me having a problem with a CD-R. When a company does not disclose whether the product that you're purchasing is a CD-R and not an originally pressed CD, then this is partaking in a dishonest exchange.

You and others may feel differently about it, but this is how I feel.

[Roasted Swan]

This is some information gathered through a Google search:

The quality of the CD and Music CD media are the same. However, CD-R music discs are encoded with information that the CD recorder uses to identify the disc as the appropriate music media.

-------------------------------------------

Let me further add that also not all CD-Rs can be played in a CD player. I have a newer CD player that should play all CD-Rs with no problem, but there are occasions where it rejects them. Also (and this is related to what I wrote previously), sometimes in rare occasions, a CD-R's data can become corrupted or all of a sudden can not be read in any CD player/burner any longer.

I used to burn CD-Rs for playback for my older car's CD player as I didn't want to take the original CD with me and risk damaging it and this is one thing they are good for, but be aware that problems with playback can happen with a CD-R.

A few years back I visited the Wyastone Estate which is where Nimbus (and by extension Lyrita) are based.  I doubt its changed but back then they had a CD production facility on site which was in effect a large scale CD burning rather than pressing unit.  The rational was that it allowed them to be far more flexible in terms of recordings they produced as well as being able to do much smaller batch runs than a full scale 'industrial' unit would allow economically.  From my point of view, I'm happy to take a pragmatic stance which is without this approach they would probably not produce any CDs at all so this is the least-worse option.  Like Kalevala, I've not had any issues with any CD-R's I've bought - a couple of my home-burned archive discs have stopped working but I suspect that's down to the basic/domestic hardware and burnable discs I used.....

[Kalevala]

A few years back I visited the Wyastone Estate which is where Nimbus (and by extension Lyrita) are based.  I doubt its changed but back then they had a CD production facility on site which was in effect a large scale CD burning rather than pressing unit.  The rational was that it allowed them to be far more flexible in terms of recordings they produced as well as being able to do much smaller batch runs than a full scale 'industrial' unit would allow economically.  From my point of view, I'm happy to take a pragmatic stance which is without this approach they would probably not produce any CDs at all so this is the least-worse option.  Like Kalevala, I've not had any issues with any CD-R's I've bought - a couple of my home-burned archive discs have stopped working but I suspect that's down to the basic/domestic hardware and burnable discs I used.....

I was thinking that at least with some of the discs that it was more of a print (or manufacture here) on demand kind of set up?  Any idea what kind of runs they did?

My one gripe would be if the record label didn't include the full liner notes.

K

[Roasted Swan]

I was thinking that at least with some of the discs that it was more of a print (or manufacture here) on demand kind of set up?  Any idea what kind of runs they did?

My one gripe would be if the record label didn't include the full liner notes.

K

The CD-R system allows for very small runs indeed - I don't know if literally they would do single discs as I imagine its still quite a process setting up the system.  I think the small runs are also a reflection of the wider demand for Cds globally.  I suspect a "best seller" for classical music is measured in 100's, occasionally 1000's but never 10's of 10000's..... (unless its a "3 Tenors" kind of thing or crossover again).