Are Plextor CD burners still sold through retail stores?

Kieth,

As long as you have an internal IDE port available, the internal is a breeze to install. Just set the master/slave jumper, attach power and cable, and you're done. Windows will do the rest.

 

Absolutely. I did it once before with a previous computer. It was easy enough, but not as easy as an external. I'm sure the open bay in my computer is set up to accommodate an internal burner.

 

Keith, I'm not sure if specified burners will burn at 1X, but I know that the EAC program allows you to in burn/speed selection.

Anyone with a high-end system I invite you take the challange I did. Rip, using EAC, your favorite DCC and then burn via EAC at both 1X and 4X and then compare them. There is a difference and 1X was the clear winner on my system.

 

Unfortunately, it is an impossible test. Everyone's media and drive is different, and also media/drive combination. Perhaps what is apparent with your computer, media, and system won't be with someone elses.

 

Well, you'll definitely never know unless you try.

 

One thing to add is that a lot of music engineers use older burners that may only do up to, maybe 4x. I'll bet they do their little tests on older burners, or haven't kept up with the latest and greatest technology advances. Who knows? So, they keep recommending 1x burning. It might be better for what they are doing, but not for those who have newer gear and/or blanks.

 

EAC on my computer only goes down as low as 8X. FWIW, I compared a burn at 8X and 24X, and I didn't hear a difference using my Sennheiser HD600s.

As you said, though, you won't know unless you try it.

 

Hmm, is the EAC speed set automatically? I can't remember, but I know when I go to burn I get speed options choices and 1X is in there.

 

I think it might be set up in a table in EAC for each burner. One version of EAC only gave me a "choice" of 4X instead of the usual 1X, 2X or 4X. A couple of us mentioned it on the EAC mailing list and Andre fixed it in the next version. His answer (and "oops") on the mailing list led me to believe he'd messed up the entry for my HP burner that defined what speeds it could burn at. It could be that some burners can't burn any slower that 8X.

-Craig

 

You might want to look at Dell as well for a Plextor Premium. I bought the external version from them about 4 months ago and have been extremely pleased with it. Dell had the lowest price on the unit at that time and periodically runs 10% off specials on peripherals.

The Premium has a number of unique features that can be maximized using their Plextools software. I won't go into detail on this - you can read the reviews at cdrlabs and cdfreaks, but I especially enjoy the detailed C1/C2 error checking capabilities of the Premium with Plextools. I think you'll really enjoy this drive.

As far as EAC or Plextools, there is a test that was done on cdfreaks between EAC and Plextools on a Plextor drive. Plextools actually came out as being slightly better in the tests that they ran. Of course, this is only relevant if you own a Plextor drive.

 

Motherboard Express has always done well for me. They have Plextor. www.mbx.com. Great customer service as well....