Music vs.data CD

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 13 Oct 2018 4:52 am

I have always used music CD's for recording from my Zoom H-2, which is MP-3 format. Wal-Mart or Staples always had the music blank CD's, but no more, only data. Will they work as well or am I going to run into problems on playback with some systems.

Ron Hogan · Post by **Ron Hogan** » 13 Oct 2018 5:17 am

George, I always use the data CDs and haven't run into issues yet. I use to also buy the music ones.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 13 Oct 2018 5:25 am

Thanks, Ron. This should have been posted in recording. Does anybody know what the difference is between the two.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Oct 2018 5:45 am

"Music" CD-R blanks are only needed for some standalone audio CD recorders. The "Music" CD=R's have a special track burned into the CD blank that identifies them as a "music" CD and the recorders that require that must see that track or they won't record.

For computer "music" CD-R blanks which cost more are not needed, just standard "data" CD-R's (NOT CD-RW) are all that's needed. Additionally for an MP3 CD, that is a "data" CD. Standard "audio" CD's require 16 bit/44.1Khz .wav files (Redbook CD Quality) as the source and must be burned with an audio CD burning program.

Data CD's can be burned at the full speed capability of the CD burner however audio CD's should be burned at the slowest speed (16X for most new/newer drives) for compatibility with older audio CD players. My audio CD burn speed "standard" is 8X as I have that capability for my recording studio clients. Audio CD's burned at 8X or possibly 12X will be compatible with almost all older audio CD players. Audio CD's burned at higher speeds will either skip or not play at all on older audio CD players. Many associate skipping or not playing as a physical CD disc problem but its not in most cases, its the burn speed.

I have done a lot of research into the burn speed issue. I have a small CD production installation with 7 8X capable CD burners (I can burn 7 CD's at a time) and a Primera Bravo disc label printer to print directly on ink jet printable CD-R's.

Probably more info than you wanted, but here it is.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 13 Oct 2018 11:16 am

Jack, thanks so much for taking the time to give such an in depth and detailed answer. The burn speed info was very helpful. Luckily, as dumb luck would have it, I have been burning at 8 X.