DCC Archive More about rotting PDO CD's (long)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Sergio Ruz, Oct 24, 2001.

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  1. Sergio Ruz

    Sergio Ruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    It's been a long time since I heard about the UK rotting discs, as described in the Kinks thread, and interestingly, the focus was, and apparently has always been on classical music releases pressed by the PDO plant in the UK, even though there were/are pop and rock releases that show the same tarnishing condition, and there are also some other twists to the brown coloring.

    A few years ago I sold my rotting copies of U2's "Rattle and hum" and a Shakatak hits collection, even though they still appeared to play perfectly (both made by UK PDO), and still have an INXS CD single that has brown edges (can't describe the rest of the disc as it has an all black label coating). Last time I checked, it still played correctly. How much longer, I wonder...

    What's interesting is that I also have UK copies of XTC's "Skylarking" and Kate Bush's "Never forever", manufactured by the Nimbus and EMI Swindon plants, and they don't look like normal CD's at all, the color is a distinct gold tone. I also have two 1994 Melissa Etheridge and Elton John UK singles with the same gold tone (both made by UK PDO). Supposedly, the color on those discs is normal as, according to a Record Collector article from long ago, UK plants used to add a yellowish tint to the polycarbonate (what for, anyway?), but the same article mentioned a guy with some rotting Bryan Ferry and Queen CD's, all of which, incidentally, came inside Digipacks or cardboard sleeves (chemical reaction, maybe?)

    And I can report on the strange condition of two US-pressed discs, namely, The The's "Infected" and the Hooters "Nervous night" (don't shoot me! I kinda like the 80's). I purchased both discs in the US, the first in the late 80's, the second five years later, and I recall they were ordinary looking discs, pressed by DADC (owned by CBS, then Sony). The have been stored in ordinary conditions (no humidity, no exposure to heat, etc.)
    Now both discs have a golden tone, especially around the other edges, not as brown as the PDO stuff, but they don't look anymore like other DADC made discs from the same era. They still play properly, for the time being. Anyone can comment on that? It'd be a shame if other DADC discs, begin to rot...
     
  2. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    You won't know they're rotting until they do. Fact is though, the rot is usually on the outer edge, and the possibility of the rot reaching the 45-50 min playback area is very, very rare. Rattle and Hum by U2, was pressued using a lot of different plants. My 1st issue was from WEA, then I got the JVC one which has lasted since.

    It's only the discs that are over 70 min that may have possibility of damage IF they rot. They usually rot from the edges, in. That goes for CDRs too. Lota crappy unbranded older CDR stock from the late 90's, the dye bleeds and chips, similar to rot.

    Oh, and I have some CDs that haven't skipped although the rot has reached the playing point (look in the light and check where the playable surface ends - I bet it's long before the rot marks!)...and they play fine. It's because the rot is there, but only very slightly where it's reached the playable surface of the disc.

    Just be careful, and relax ;)
     
  3. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    That's odd. The discs I've seen have been tarnished across the entire surface of the disc. Not just the edges. The WGFA EP (4 songs) wouldn't read in my old CD-R because of the "rot"...
     
  4. Unknown

    Unknown Guest

    My screwed up Metallica CD is tarnished all across the surface, but it's more pronounced on the edges. Looks neat, actually.
     
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