Naim CD5x and CD-R errors, please help

[admin_exported]

Hi all, Iv had my CD5x for a couple of months now and loving it. The only problem is that when I burn new CD-R's the Naim always displays "ERR" or error. With older CD-Rs iv burnt its normally error free and can play the whole CD trouble free. With a dozen or so newer CDs it comes up as error. Sometimes 1/10 times I select the track it plays. On other CDs I burn it can be 50% or higher, sometimes 99% trouble free. The Naim seems so sensitive to CD-R's even in mint condition. Though the OLDER CD-R I made some time ago a perfect. I use iTunes to Burn with an external drive. Iv used 2x speed and 8x speed for burning with the same results, and Imation/TDK brand CD-R which are average in NZ. I tried NERO to burn but my files are apple lossless and it didnt work. This is sooo fustrating is there anything I can try? Maybe its my CD drive, but iv tried the laptop internal and a external DVD writer 16x, with the same result. I was so convinced it was the Imation CD's but the TDKs were the same, and iv used older cds I burn with the Naim and they are fine. Only thing I can think of is its iTunes??? Its 7.2 version I think surely its not this? After It says "finalizing cd..." and takes ages, the cd DOESNT appear as an audio in iTunes unless you eject the CD. It used to pop up as audio after a few min even if you didnt eject the cd. This a problem or normal? Sorry this is long post, just so fustrating can only listen to older burn CD'Rs and new ones can be 90% no error, or 10%.....

 

[Andrew Everard]

Definitely sounds like an error with the way iTunes is converting the lossless files back to CD format then burning them - you've ruled out all the variables, which means it's something to do with the way the computer is burning the disc that means it's not finalising as a standard Audio CD.

Asked around the office and we seem to be agreed on this one - any forum users got any input on this?

 

[Anonymous]

I have had a Naim cd5x for two years now and have not had a problem with cdrs,a freind of mine has a marantz cdp who I sometimes do copys for has had this problem.To solve it I found changeing the make of of cdrs did the trick,I also burn them as slow as possible.Its worth a try.What I find with cdrs is the quality is no where near as good as a cd which is bought so you are not getting the quality of sound that this cdp can do. Chris C.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Someone here has just tried lossless to burnt CD with the latest version of iTunes - 7.4.2 - and it played in our Naim and another player no problems at all. So it does sound like a software/hardware problem your end, as the long time it's taking to finalise and the lack of 'Audio CD' when completed further suggests.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks heaps for the replys!

Well at least its not the lossless format because I really dont want to change formats again! The 2x speed did seem better then the 8x or faster speeds. I did note on the DVD player, the cd works 100% but it makes skipping noises even though its not skipping. IE, the cd hasnt been burnt or finalized properly.

Im going to make sure iv got the latest iTunes and try again. After the CD is burnt, when I eject and then put the cd back in, it comes up as audio CD. Just not always until that happens. And finalizing does take an AGE!

AM kinda guessing its the CD writer, the laptop one is dodgy at best, thats why I got the external dvd writer, but its only 1yr old.

 

[Anonymous]

Well 3hrs downloading the newest iTUnes (damn 56k dial up!). The cds now finalize ok at least. I burnt 3 cds all the same artist. One @ 1x speed, one @ 16x speed, one @ 24x speed. The 1x speed was by far the worst which goes against everything I know and would expect. The 16x and 24x were similar, 24x works 80% of the time, compared to 5% with the 1x speed. With some of the later tracks, say track 12 onwards, the cd is "skipping" but its not the cd player making it skip. Its because the writer cant have burnt the tracks onto it smoothly? Iv tried on dvd/car cd player with same results. Gotta be my dvd writer stuffing up?

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="Kiwi_Jonno"]Gotta be my dvd writer stuffing up?[/quote]

Sounds like it to me...

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm whats the chance of it being the Naim CD player??? I burnt a cd at 8x speed on another cd burner, which has been used no problems many times before. There is NO "ERR" error displayed on the Naim at all. I can actually skip right through the cd without ERR coming up. Normally I couldnt do this so its a bonus. However, now the first 5 tracks are pretty much perfect, but the last ones are very jittery as if skipping but the disk is perfect and it isnt actually skipping. Could there be a fault in the cd player? This is one fussy cd player with cd-r!!! I'll try 2x speed but 8x speed should work surely... there is never any jittery/skipping with brought cds....

 

[hifikrazy]

Wouldn't it be as simple as trying that same CD-R on another CD player, in order to diagnose if the Naim is at fault?

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="hifikrazy"]
Wouldn't it be as simple as trying that same CD-R on another CD player, in order to diagnose if the Naim is at fault?
[/quote]

Well yes I too think its the drive... so Iv just replaced my drive, and now have a Imation DVD Burner as my cd writer. Iv ditched iTunes for burning and have both EAC or Nero 6 to burn. Will 1x or 3x speed always be better then faster speeds? My drive can go up to 16x I think for CD-R. With iTunes it can do 1x speed, with EAC its the same, although when I click on 1x speed I think it displays 8x speed when its actually burning? Also, with Nero with my last burner the lowest It would go is 8x speed anyway. With my new writer it doesnt even let me change speeds the option is greyed out so I cannot select it. So is EAC pretty decent for a burner or is there a freeware program out there that is good?

With iTunes maybe 3/10 tracks display ERR error the first time then work after, at 2x burn speed. With EAC 2/10 i guess are error. Better then it was by far! But annoyin. Sorry this is a similar to another post I did in mp3 forum here.

And when you burn applelossless or mp3 to cd, it first converts the files to wave.

 

[Anonymous]

After 30 TDK/and other brand CD-Rs on my Imation DVD Drive, and about ten on another HP CD Drive using iTunes/EAC at every possible burn speed..... TDKs wouldnt play right through the CD without one track skipping AT ALL on the Imation DVD Drive. At best 3 tracks would say error per CD on average (but play the 2nd time). The HP CD drive was better with the TDK, sometimes 3 errors per CD, other times nearly error free. Note these are ONLY with the Naim CD5x, they are 99% error free with car stereo/dvd player. Then I tried Imation cds and with 8x speed 1/18 track error, 16x speed NO errors! 3 CDs later still no errors. Moral of the story is... the Naim is a fussy player! And CD writers appear better then dvd writers perhaps? And imation beat TDK's

 

[hifikrazy]

The irony is that the Naim with it's manual disc tray and magnetic puck CD clamp is supposed to offer a better chance for the lens to read the discs better.