Cardboard digipaks scratching CDs?

The new Kinks Anthology is one of the worst for removing the discs - you practically need pliers. A tip if you need to reach in for the disc, use the cloth you get to clean glasses (if you wear them!). Totally non abrasive and avoids fingerprints. I always put the discs in Japanese plastic sleeves before putting them back in the card pockets although they are often a very tight fit.

 

These complaints make me ask: what exactly is a damaged CD? Does it mean the data side of the disc is no longer pristine - or is the playback actually compromised? I'm asking because it seems some people are claiming the disc is damaged even if it has a mark that doesn't effect anything beyond aesthetics.

 

I've bought some used that were scratched (It did'nt affect the play), but really I cannot remember buying a sealed one that had a scratched disc, or the discs scratching from use after. I am extremely careful and tend to put CD's on cassette, CD-R , and or store them on the computer; thus, most of my thousands I don't play. There are a handful that I do play ,though.

 

Firstly, aesthetics matter, why when you buy a new item should you accept any kind of damage, even if it is only visual. Secondly, a scratched disc might play on one player but will refuse to play on another so it's never advisable to keep damaged goods.

 

Neil Young's. There was a bad streak for a while on those CD+DVD digipaks. Almost like they were ruined long before I even opened them. They had like a pitting thing going on, not a scratch or two but the whole disk had spotty scuffs all over it and it definitely screwed up the play of them.

 

i don't THINK i've ever ruined one by opening it... but i HAVE ripped the "box" before getting the CD out... i consider myself a really good environmentalist... recycle everything i can... plan out drives so i can kill multiple errands at once to decrease excess gas usage... keep heat low in winter/ac high in summer... but for the love of god put CDs back in plastic. i realize paper is "greener" but these CDs are going to be in my collection until i die. its not even a drop in the bucket compared to how many plastic soda bottles/food trays get thrown away every single day.

 

1. There is absolutely no environmental rational justification for CD packaging that damages the discs. Most cardboard CD packaging is non-recyclable. Most plastic is. CDs get thrown out when they don't play.
2. There is also no justification for scratched discs that play. These are not used items. Otherwise, they need to be priced as such.
3. People complain about how bad these are. New CDs scratched from the factory. Yet, what happens? More get produced this way. Get a clue, this only generates a larger demand for used CDs and less new ones.
4. Handling cardboard sleeves turns a flat sleeves into a pocket over time, which is really annoying, making them hard to stack.
5. The jewel case still remains the only durable and replaceable medium.

The main reason they are doing this is to reduce shipping weight costs. A lot of these paper alternatives actually cost more than the jewel case pre-shipping. That's it. Screw the customer.

 

statement 1 is simply not true... all cardboard and all paper can be recycled if it hasn't been cooked on or otherwise soiled. i agree with 2-5.

 

I've never had a cardboard digipak scratch a cd and I have hundreds of cardboard sleeves.

 

Cardboard sucks.

 

I'm surprised to see people answer that they have never had any scratches from cardboard sleeves. I certainly have some with light scratches that appear to have been caused by sliding them in and out of tight-fitting cardboard holders. The scratches don't bother me as long as the discs continue to play fine on all of my players. I have a boom box that's very unforgiving. So if a CD plays fine there, it will likely play anywhere.

What can be a problem is if I try to sell any of these discs. A lot of stores in my area will refuse to buy discs that have scratches, even if they are light. Then again, CDs can get scratched by other means. One of the local stores has long been in the practice of selling new CDs without their shrink wrap. They do this so that you can listen to any CD before buying it. For one thing, technology has lessened the need for this. For another, this is one of the stores that refuses to take back scratched CDs that they sold "new" in the first place.

Also, an earlier poster was correct in pointing out that digipaks are a combination of cardboard and plastic trays. Those have their flaws, but this isn't one of them.

 

Not if it is laminated glossy paperboard. Depends on the medium with what coating. Many CDs (particularly box sets and DVDs/Blu-rays) use this type, although Warner and some others have resorted to Burger King wrappers for the base.

It is really is inexcusably and pathetic they don't give the customer what they want and yet complain about declining sales.

 

Something that I have seen happen with actual digipaks (the cardboard gatefold with a plastic tray glued in) is that the hub that holds the CD in place will break during shipping. The CD then slides around inside the sealed package, and the disc gets scratches from rubbing against the sharp edges of the broken hub.

 

Cheaper than a jewel case and no space wasted.

 

Hopefully I haven't scratched the discs. but I opened the new 'Kinks Anthology' tonight and took the CDs out. Possibly the hardest CDs to get out of card sleeves I've ever experienced! I've put them into jewel cases.

I now have 3 boxes of 40 slim jewel cases which I've bought to hold discs housed in card sleeves, including all the Beatles stereo and mono remasters, all the Lennon remasters and the McCartney remasters so far. I'm sick of it.

Same with Neil Young albums of recent years. His new album 'Storytone', for example, is just a lousy card sleeve. I swear he deliberately asks for his CDs to be packaged like that because he's anti CD, so when the discs get scratched the listener will buy a pono player to listen to it instead!

 

very good point, but you could just peel away the laminate... and i can't think of these laminates being used on any CDs i own... though immediately the Imagine LP comes to mind as using a laminate over the otherwise recyclable cardboard.

 

Possibly the worst set I've ever experienced for removing the discs!

 

Totally agree, I always keep a pack or two of these around for this very reason. I sometimes trim them to fit also.

 

I bought the Frank Zappa "The Making Of Freak Out! Project/Object An FZ Audio Documentary ORIGINAL mail order 4 CD edition online back around 2006 & cool looking package but the 4th disc cracked on the right side (still haven't heard it) I never got around to bugging them about it (even getting a cdr copy) for a few months & they refused. Looking at Discogs the 4 CD edition has normal cd back inserts (quickly copied the images to make my own back inserts & to take them out of this plastic thing) great packaging can become a "monstrosity". Of course later I read I wasn't the only one to "crack" their disc on their too tight of hubs. Got a cool replica "Freak Map" though, not sure if that was carried over on the later edition.

 

I assume they are inserted by machine?

Another irritation is the issue of cardboard dust that may stick to the disk and get into the player...

Personally I find most cd packaging to be annoying.

 

I often had some little scratches. It doesn't affect playing, but the item is not perfect anymore.
Now I always use these nagaoka inner sleeves after the first time i take the cds out.
Sometimes it's to late, but usually i can save the discs from getting scratched.

 

I really don't like cardboard sleeves / except from the fact that It is very uncomfortable to get the cd out I have 2 examples of new and sealed cds that were scratched because of those cardboards:

Coil - The Remote Viewer cd comes with cardboard sleeve , the cd from 2006
I bought it in 2010 new and sealed , the cd was very scratched and scuffed , I ordered another copy from another seller and again the cd was scratched and scuffed , In both cases the cd plays with no problems , the same happened with Cabaret Voltaire conform to deform, its a box with 3 cds , Each cd comes with cardboard sleeve and Each cd has hairlines and Scratches ( However they play without problems.

 

Never had a problem with card sleeves/digipaks. All my CDs are cleaned before I play them, anyway. I can't imagine a card sleeve making any disc unplayable; that sort of damage would have to happen in the factory, surely.

 

That's my experience too. The scratches that do appear never make the disc unplayable. But it did occur several times that a brand new CD ordered online already had scratches from the get-go. I usually let it slide (pun intended ), but it's still annoying.

I guess it depends on how much you want your CD collection to be and stay in pristine condition. I do care for that, but a few minor scratches don't bother me. But several times the damage was way beyond that.

 

I loathe digipaks. Almost every disc I have has scratches. I don't see how you can be careful. There is friction no matter how gently you slide it in. I recently bought some mini LP jackets and think those will be the answer. I mean, why would vinyl have a jacket to protect it from scratching but a CD doesn't?