How durable are home recorded compact discs?

Question

I have a large collection of LPs, many of which are out of print. I'm not a "rare LP collector" as such but enjoy the music very much and don't want to lose the music I've amassed. What are some opinions as to the risk(s)/benefits of recording these onto CD-R and giving the bulk of this space hogging vinyl over to the flea market?

Answer 1

Home made discs are made of the same material is factory made. Polycarbonate. The big difference is that factory made is a stamped very thin layer of highly reflective aluminum. Home made is chemical based and burned by a high temp laser. The only problem I have found by the many many ones I've burned is that occasionally they get a "fungus" into the media (usually through the edge of the inner spindle hole) which will render them useless. But this is very rare. My recommendation would be to make two copies each. Use one as a working copy and one as a backup. If one fails, it's much easier to transfer data to date then LP to data since you have to record the LP to data in real time.

Answer 2

No.

You record the LP's over to CD's and play them. If the CD gets damaged, you record it again.

Don't get rid of the LP's.

Now, in direct answer to your question, the average life of a home recorded CD is 5 years.

Commercial ones, which are recorded differently are usually good for 50. Of course since they have not been around 50 years yet...

Anyway, the medium you are using is good for 5 years.

Answer 3

I recommend that you burn to CD-R to make a set of MASTERS. But don't use the master CD-R for every day use. Always BURN a copy, and use that.

If you get a spools of CD-Rs, you might keep all of the MASTERS on one clearly marked spool, instead of fumbling around with CD cases or CD paper sleeves. But always handle CDs by the edges and with great care. The idea is NOT that they are delicate, but that you want them to LAST 50 years or so.

You will probably find that when you know you have just a copy, that you will handle it with less care. Stuffing it in your pocket without a sleeve or CD case is perfectly OK, since you can make another. Leaving it in the SUN in your car, and encouraging it to MELT is perfectly OK.... it is just a copy. GO FOR IT.

HEY, you might sell these old vinyls at http://eptop.com where you can POST the collection in their auction for FREE.

Answer 4

I would keep the vinyl, or at least some of the more impt ones. You can give the lesser up to the flea mkt. Record them all so you can quit playing the good ones you keep.