I get a "clicking" on some of my burnt CD's, why?

It is digital noise which sometimes happens if you get a bad burn. It can also occur on discs after a while for no apparent reason. CDRs are dye based unlike manufactured CDs. I have found that it is important to use high quality CDRs like Taiyo Yuden which are supposed to have a 100 year life.

Try listening to your cd through your computer's CD-rom before burning. I had the same problem and discovered that it was the CD-rom and not the burner. Also, while burning a disc, it's imparative not to do anything on your computer. Everytime you open and close a program or web page, a click or pop may occur on your burn.

Whatsthisone,

what digital audio extraction and burning software are you using?

are you burning disc to disc?

I am using Adaptec, easy cd creator 4. I usually burn disc to disc. The clicking noise actually is not from the burn. If I rip the disc to the hard drive, the same clicking noise is on the disc. Even when I reburn the disc, or borrow the same disc and burn it, the clicking still remains. I think it is the CD-rom, if so, should I just replace it?

I experienced the same thing. It seemed to sometimes get gradually worse, sounding like wood crackling in a fireplace, until it finally crescendoed with a big pop. Then it would usually disappear. The crackling was part of the recording. No one could give me a definitive explanation of why it was happening but I eventually concluded that it was the cd rom used to extract the wav-files. I ended up buying a plextor cd burner - which are reviewed as being the best for burning in terms of audio quality and reliability. I use the burner to both extract the files to the harddrive and then to burn the cd. I also use verbatum cdr's. I haven't had a bad burn since.

I use exact audio copy. I have found though that if you burn you audio cd's back out to the cdr too fast you can run into problems. All audio cd's I burn at at 4x max.

It shouldn't be the cd rom.

try Exact audio copy, burn at a low speed, somewhere around 4 or 8x, and you shouldn't have any problems.

the cool thing about EAC is that if there are any errors in the extraction process it will tell you before you burn the disc and create another coaster!

here's a good explanation of clicking:

http://www.mrichter.com/cdr/primer/primer.htm

I have this 'clicking' on plenty of older cd's, mostly cheap brands and used for a few years intensively. So that clicking would be in indication that you are using cheaper brands with a bad coating and that you maybe talking about some older copies... it's annoying, but the cd is screwed.

Most of the CD player's do not handle the disks well if they are burned at high speed. If you have problem burning at 4x go down to 2x. Do not burn at 8x or higher, that's where the problem crops up. EAC as suggested is a very good option and is the best ripper around, the only downside to it is that is is slow because it reads data twice, once when it is ripping and next it compares the ripped one with the new data, when both are same it does not give the error otherwise it comes up with errors.

Cheap disks in bulk are also not the best thing to use for audio burning, for data they may be OK. Try to use good ones brands like Verbatim, TDK, Ricoh, and the best of all, Taiyo Yuden disks.

Hope you solve your problem.

Happy burning!

Burn as slowly as you can, even the el cheapo burner that came with your computer probably has a setting to let you choose burning speed. From 12X and UNDER, all my clicking sound went away. Works for me anyway. If you are more patient, 4X is the way to go. I agree that Exact Audio copy is very good. Many manufacturers use it for demos at CES... if somewhat more complicated to operate than most other software.

Good luck!