Cd Recorders?

it actually makes things a little harder,because you can't copy fromn 1 cd to the next,you have to record it on the hardrive first,but the quality of recordings( i own the alesis 9600 ) is very high quality.

Hi,

I bought a consumer-grade copier last year, a Pioneer PDR-W839. I found that playback quality wasn't very good, very bright and digitally. However, I found that copies made on this recorder were indistinguishable (to me) from the originals, and sounded good on a better CD player.

In other words, the copy quality can be very good, even if playback is not.

FWIW, I use Mitsui silver blanks. I have to buy the more expensive consumer ones ("pro" recorders allow using cheaper "data" blanks). I got a good deal on a lifetime supply.

Dual-tray CD recorders are easier to use -- the unit I have literally has a single button to copy from left to right -- and don't cost much, if any, more than single tray units. So I would lean that way.

If you do go single tray, make sure the connection between your CD players is direct and digital. Otherwise you have to go through the potentially crappy analog front end of the CD recorder.

My PDR-W839 is being modified currently by Stan Warren, which is a story for another time.

- Eric

Check out the Nad C660..

Seems to me that a single tray unit (such as my TASCAM CD-RW700) is a better bet if you already have a great CDP. As noted above, use the digital rtaher than analog link. The advantage of a unit like the TASCAM is not only that you can use regular computer CDRs and RWs, but that you can dub additional digital copies rather than just the one digital dupe the consumer decks allow.

My assessment of the the PDR-W839 is much the same as that of Ehart. I think that this recorder makes very good copies especially when considering the price. This machine is very easy to use. I would never use this unit as a player.
Craig

Makes awesome recordings from analogue but the out section DA is not to hot, however through a good DAC the sound can be very good. The disc burned are excellent.

jeff

Alesis Masterlink 9600 is one awesome unit.

Hi- If your simply copying from one CD to another, or making "greatest hits" compilation CDs, use a computer. It's much easier and more efficient. If you're recording from an analog source to CD, I highly recommend a stand-alone audio CD recorder. My preference is the Tascam line, because they are all multi-bit (I can't stand Bitstream) and are as easy to use as a cassette deck. Even the "budget" CD-RW4U ($325-350 street) makes great-sounding CDs from LPs. Feel free to e-mail me with specific questions.
Good Luck, Ed

Marantz DR17, the rare home use model that can record HDCD coding nowadays.

I have had the same good experience with my Pioneer 839. Even the "analogue" copies, (copy of a copy is in this mode,) are very good. Highly recommended due to ease of use and quality of recordings.

Charlie

The PDR-W839 is discontinued, btw, the only way to get it currently is as a refurb. I bought it mainly because Stan Warren likes the Burr/Brown DAC it uses, and believes it can be modified to sound good if the analog inputs and outputs are replaced. We will see.