Hi, I've done CR-R's both ways, and hear no audible (to me) difference. I use my Marantz CD recording machine almost exclusively now, since it is so much faster (double-time) than my computer, which is not a latest fastest model. I only have Pentium III and it takes 45 mins or so to dub a CD, plus the set up time, selecting and adding tracks, etc, so I bought the Marantz 6050 pretty cheap and have been using it exclusively to great effect. One note: it won't record on Sony blank CDR's and on some other cheap generic disks, the Circuit City spindle for one. But I use Memorex, TDK, Maxell, and HP blanks and hear no change from the source to the copy.