standalone cd burner

  • Thread starter Thread starter notbradsohner
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notbradsohner

Compression Addict
I need a new cd burner, so I started looking around. I dont use a computer, so it needs to have analog inputs. I dont want to pay for new converters too! So anyway, it looks like its going to have to be one of the cheap ones, either the low-end tascam burner (CD-RW750) or that purple thing (HHB CDR830 BurnIT CD Recorder). Any thoughts. Im leaning towards tascam simply becasue they are more established in the audio world. Probably know a thing or two about it.
 
Even the Tascam fan that I am, I chose a Fostex CR300, which is the same as the HHB CDR-850, but it's not purple. They are both built on the Pioneer PDR-555RW, which itself is a really nice consumer unit.

I generally like Pioneer over Philips based burners. Unfortunately, Philips builds CDRs for Tascam, and I haven't been impressed with them.

If you don't need to write to regular data CDs or have control over copy protection the Pioneer PDR-555RW is sweet -- works well and sounds great, recording or playing.

Here's the Fostex

-Tim :)
 

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I use the masterlink and it has a number of great features incuding some nice finalizing stuff like eq and compression that really sound pretty good in moderation
 
cool, thanks guys! What is the risk of buying a used cd burner. The one I had, (a consumer level phillips) suddenly died and will not burn discs anymore. How can I be sure this wont happen again. Obviously cd players dont have heads like analog machines do, so what wears out?
 
The laser can become weak over time. It has moving parts so the more it is used the less life it will have. I avoid used equipment from high-use recording studios or mastering houses for stuff like this. But that’s even hard to call though because a pro studio is more likely to have maintained the unit with proper cleaning and servicing.

I guess the bottom line is dealing with someone you can trust when they say it was used lightly and/or maintained professionally. Ask a lot of questions.

One reason I've come to favor Pioneer products -- I still have an old CD player from 1988 that still runs like new, and it's seen a lot of action.

The Alesis Masterlink has a good rep too, so you really can’t go wrong.
 
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