CD: What's distinguishes a VG+ disc grade from NM or M grade?

My few decades long experience with compact discs is... binary (no pun intended). Meaning, either it plays perfectly from end to end or it plays perfect until... we hear it skipping, jumping or "sliding" to the of the track or disc. This, regardless of any visible hairlines or scuffs. So these gradings are just visual gradings that can only be reasonably trusted if the disc is spotless or a minimal scuff can render a disc unplayable (as the expectation has to be that I can play it end to end).

With vinyl by comparison, there's a continuum from a that rare flawless and silent playback, to a progressively greater surfase noise, to the odd "pop" but otherwise surfase noise only, to the cement mixer output, to the unplayble deep scratch.

In sum and put in another way, why pay for a M CD when a cheaper VG+ should play as nicely?

Maybe missing something!

 

I'm in agreement with you that there's no actual performance difference in having a VG+ CD vs a NM one but some actually believe there is while others are simply allergic to buying something that isn't visually next to perfect. There's no logic to any of it but if you're like me and don't care about what a case or disc look like as long as they work perfectly, then you reap the benefit of lower prices. Enjoy!

As for grading, most sellers do so visually which doesn't count for much as most don't use powerful white bulbs to do so and lots of discs will look just fine in normal lighting. Lots of sellers are uneducated about this or are nonchalant about it, hence a lot of needless frustration on both sides.

 

Some are a little OCD regarding cosmetic condition. On the buyers end it's very frustrating paying more money to get that near perfect playing surface and then being let down seeing scratches when it arrives. It's a lack of experience, caring or both on the sellers end unfortunately. Being charged $25 for a $5 condition CD is very unethical in my view. This is exactly why CD grading was even created. Does it effect playback? Not usually.

 

I don't care very much about grading however condition is kind of important. I will order a CD and as long as the CD and booklet is in decent shape that's all that matters to me. About 40% of the time when I receive a CD in the mail the jewel case is broken or smashed in some way.needless to say I replace that and putting a new juul case on a CD makes it pop and look a lot better.

But when I'm normally using CDs they may get a little scratched or the jewel case may get a little scuffed. But that really doesn't matter all that much to me. Now condition when your buying it is important and like you say I don't want to spend $25 on a $5 CD. However I have spent $25 on a $5 CD that normally goes for $40 or more. So condition does play a factor in buying and selling CDs.