Cleaning Dodgy CD's

[acute]

I am of a certain age, where I like a physical copy of music, and enjoy the biographies, info, and pictures, in the booklet.

.....but without all the rumbling, clicks, and inescapable limitations of vinyl.

Saying that, CD's are not perfect, and some do have problems caused by their manufacture.

 

A while ago, I had a disc that just stopped working, and had a weird pattern appear on the playing surface.

So, I googled it, and found out it was a common problem with this particular release. They said the cure was to wash it in soapy water (like Fairy Liquid), so I tried it and it worked!  The weird markings were gone, and it worked like new.

 

Tonight, I tried to rip a treasured Japanese import CD, that has been wrapped in cotton wool, encased in resin, and worshipped on a daily basis since 2007. 

Windows Media Player hated it, and it was ripping at one byte per hour (ish).

So, on a hunch.....

.....I cleaned it with a microfibre cloth, and it ripped at full speed!

 

Thank you for listening. I feel much better now. 

 

Edited July 29, 2022 by acute
Spalling

[SHaYap]

8 minutes ago, acute said:

....but without all the rumbling, clicks, and inescapable limitations of vinyl.

Those are problems with the audio equipment , the only true limitations with vinyls is the high/prohibitive expenses of even a basic entry level system. CD audio systems are much more forgiving with humble budgets.

~

[acute]

[SHaYap]

3 minutes ago, acute said:

Digital audio plug in / filters can only take you so far with its stereophonic mimickery 

~

[acute]

https//www.vinyl-is-shít.com

[the13bats]

1 hour ago, acute said:

shít

 

2 hours ago, SHaYap said:

Those are problems with the audio equipment , the only true limitations with vinyls is the high/prohibitive expenses of even a basic entry level system. CD audio systems are much more forgiving with humble budgets.

~

Um, the noises with vinyls that actually make them enduring to some audiophiles is on the record itself, the concept is flawed from the start, each time a record is played that "needle" is scraping along it,

As a DJ i had to retire records that were cued up and played so much they were wore out and had a muffled muddy sound, it wasnt the player.

When CD first started in as with mp3 and electronic stored music i had audiophiles who insist those old vinyl records sound better to them and they can always tell but no, in a club setting the human ear can not tell the diffence unless they think cd / electronic storage sounds too good.

Wmp isnt the top ripper.

 

[SHaYap]

48 minutes ago, the13bats said:

...in a club setting the human ear can not tell the diffence unless they think cd / electronic storage sounds too good.

That's the point here, in a club, they're not listening to music at all. 

Pump up the bass enough and nobody cares if it's the theme from Pokemon or Black eye peas 

Analog still have the best fidelity for the "being there" audio experience.

52 minutes ago, the13bats said:

...each time a record is played that "needle" is scraping along it,

That's a problem with cheap turntable heads, then again, we're not talking about the most suitable environment for fidelity audio here. 

It's not a subjective objective debate. It's the science. 

As for genres and hits, hell, some people prefers Midi 8bit anthems 

To each their own... 

~

[the13bats]

55 minutes ago, SHaYap said:

That's the point here, in a club, they're not listening to music at all. 

Pump up the bass enough and nobody cares if it's the theme from Pokemon or Black eye peas 

Analog still have the best fidelity for the "being there" audio experience.

That's a problem with cheap turntable heads, then again, we're not talking about the most suitable environment for fidelity audio here. 

It's not a subjective objective debate. It's the science. 

As for genres and hits, hell, some people prefers Midi 8bit anthems 

To each their own... 

~

Relax,

You stated the record had no bering on the crappy sound and of course it does, and science supports that.

Not all clubs sound like you described and we dont over drive bass i guess you hit crappy clubs.

 

 

[SHaYap]

50 minutes ago, the13bats said:

Relax,

Don't do it... 

~

50 minutes ago, the13bats said:

You stated the record had no bering on the crappy sound and of course it does, and science supports that.

For the record, that's not what was stated. What you were stating is the state of the physical vinyl, the record, whatever the genre, is crappy not because of the sound but the condition of the record. 

You're stating the mechanics, not the science of sound fidelity.

~

50 minutes ago, the13bats said:

Not all clubs sound like you described and we dont over drive bass i guess you hit crappy clubs.

If it's a club, then a club is all that it is, unless it features a live band act, the sound of the music is not the principal priority, engineered or not. 

I doubt anybody cares if it's vinyl or MP3 bouncing off the floor...

I don't hit clubs, crappy or otherwise, except as a social obligation, I dig music at a good live band lounge.

Meh... 

~

[jmccr8]

@acute

I keep my music backed up on and external hard drive just for living space and can take it anywhere as I also keep it on a thumb drive. I have a desktop hooked up as using my tv to watch movies  and a couple of months ago I came across a Sony digital media amp for a computer that puts out 23 watts and have it hooked up to a couple of nuances bookshelf speakers and the first time I turned it on it blew my mind. My living room system I can only turn the sub on when the downstairs tenets are away which is not often and 2 weeks ago had the chance to have some rum and bud and kick that puppy..

[the13bats]

55 minutes ago, SHaYap said:

Don't do it... 

~

For the record, that's not what was stated. What you were stating is the state of the physical vinyl, the record, whatever the genre, is crappy not because of the sound but the condition of the record. 

You're stating the mechanics, not the science of sound fidelity.

~

If it's a club, then a club is all that it is, unless it features a live band act, the sound of the music is not the principal priority, engineered or not. 

I doubt anybody cares if it's vinyl or MP3 bouncing off the floor...

I don't hit clubs, crappy or otherwise, except as a social obligation, I dig music at a good live band lounge.

Meh... 

~

Yes i agree "meh"

I guess i misunderstood that before you were claiming the snap crackle and pops of records was the fault of the gear not the disc.

Science likely supports a worn out record is going to sound like crap.

Anyway, as far as live ive booked and been to more shows than i can count.

[SHaYap]

3 hours ago, the13bats said:

Anyway, as far as live ive booked and been to more shows than i can count.

Which was not what the back and forth was rocking about...

~

[acute]

I must point out that you should only clean a CD/DVD straight out from the middle to the edge.

Never wipe it with a circular motion.

[acute]

8 hours ago, the13bats said:

Wmp isnt the top ripper.

I've never had any problems with it.

I like the fact that it slows down (to retry) when the data is less easy to read.