DOC J's BREAKDOWN OF CD DUPLICATION Vs. CD REPLICATION!!

(as written by Doc J, published 2/18/2010)

With modern technology the duplication (or burning) of a CD has become increasingly easy. Nearly every home computer comes equipped with a quality CD/DVD burner, there are thousands of softwares out that help you, and stand-alone CD duplication towers are more affordable as well. However, as an artist makes the push to become more professional in the music business, there are more standards that have to be met, requiring the use of a replicated (or pressed) CD. Understanding the differences in copying your CDs is not important in determining the quality & budget of your next project, but also important in how far you're able to push it.


HOW A BURNED CD IS MADE...



To duplicate, a blank compact disk is ordered in bulk and is used as a final phonograph plate that your data will be duplicated onto. As shown above, a CD-R is purchased pre-manufactured, and is constructed with a thin varnished label face on top, a thin layer of nickel-based dye, a center layer of reflective aluminum foiling over the dye, and a clear polycarbonate plastic plate on the bottom. CD burners use a high-powered laser that heats up to etch (or 'burn') a microscopic track of translucent and opaque grooves rotationally into the underside. This laser is accurate enough to pass through the bottom plastic plate leaving it untouched, and etch your data's 'pattern' into the aluminum foil sandwiched in the center. As long as the bottom plastic plating is clean/unscratched, most CD players can then use a lower-powered reading laser to magnetically interpret this pattern and digitally translate it into music. The burning pattern that is duplicated is only compressed numerical data, meaning it can be created straight from computer files, so you don't even have the need of using the finalized 'sound' of a mastered disk. While sounding complex, this is actually the same process that your home computer's burner does everytime you burn a disk. The only difference is a duplication company uses larger, multi-drive towers allowing them to burn many disks at once, from one central computer hub.


HOW A PRESSED CD IS MADE...



CD replication (or pressing), on the other hand, does not use pre-purchased blank CD media, and is created solely during the manufacturing process. When submitting a project to be replicated, the first thing the plant does is bit-test your master disk to make sure there is no data corruption, buffer errors, and surface defects. Warning: your master may very well play fine in your car or stereo, and still fail this test. After a master disk is accepted, a glass mold copy of your data is manufactured, and this is used to develop a 'stamper' mold. This stamper, in turn, is loaded into an injection molding press machine. With each turn, new molten glass is poured into the machine's cast, and this stamper mold is 'pressed' into it, replicating the same exact clone of the original master disk each time. Once dried, a layer of thin aluminum foiling is applied underneath it, shaping to the glass mold's pattern perfectly. Lastly, a varnished label is added on top for a printing surface, and a clear polycarbonate plastic plate is added on bottom for protection, as diagramed above.


ADVANTAGES OF DUPLICATION...

> Since only data is needed to 'burn' copies, often times, you do not even have to submit a master disk.
> Most software now allows burn-list editing, so you can change song orders or tracklists all together, at the last moment before burning your CD.
> A glass mold & stamper don't need to be made, so turn-around time is faster (2-3 days vs. 8-10 days)
> From the use of thermal printers, digital text printing can be done on duplicated CDs with no prepress charge to you.
> In terms of small orders (lower than 500 cds), duplication/burning is a lot cheaper than replication.
> Since duplication can be done on smaller/cheaper equipment, a majority of local shops are out-of-home businesses now, and you can request to pick up your order to save on shipping fees.


ADVANTAGES OF REPLICATION...

> Pressed CDs do not use pre-purchased media, so there's no shipping harm or defects prior to copying.
> Because replicated CDs are manufactured, you can select a multi-level storage setup (2-sided disks) if needed.
> Replicated CDs are slightly thicker, giving you the option of silk-screening your full-color artwork on the upper face.
> Since it does not contain the same light-sensative dye, a replicated CD is more resistant to UV/sunlight damage.
> The glass mold contained in pressed CDs have a digital read-speed of only 24x or lower, which can be read more efficiently, when compared to a burned CD copied at speeds of 48x or higher, that sometimes cannot be read flawlessly by all CD devices.
> Because most of the replication cost is in setup, much larger bulk orders (10,000 units or more) of pressed CDs actually cost less than the same amount of duplicated CDs.
> As a result of high-volume capacity, replication plants can auto-assemble your CD into jewel cases with art inserts, prior to shipping out to you, saving you the assembly work and time.
> Comparing the aluminum shaped over a glass mold, to just aluminum over dye that can eventually dry out through time, a replicated CD shows less deterioration of readability speed than duplicated CDs, after years of undisturbed storage.


MY HONEST ADVICE...
As with everything else in life, there's a time and place where both methods of CD manufacturing are useful. Scientifically, both give the same exact storage space, and it has been proven that there isn't much difference in sound quality, so I support both. If you are promoting/selling an indepedent CD locally, I see no problem in using duplicated CDs. Likewise, with crowd-thrown disks at shows and event giveaways, your main objective strictly is just to get heard - so duplicated CDs would work. Where I think the difference lies, is in at which level of music business you are trying to aim for. Many labels and radio stations today DEMAND pressed CDs, and often use older PA systems that cannot play burned CDs efficiently. This is an old industry practice of 'weeding' out the lesser professional artists, and those that don't want to listen to directions. If your aim is to gain radio airplay or earn a record deal - this is where I suggest you spend the money and order replicated CDs. If you are in the beginning stages of breaking out regionally and starting promotion outside of your local area, you really have no idea who or what company can get their hands on your music. To be safe, I'd often suggest using pressed CDs more once you have reached this amount of exposure. There aren't alot of opportunities given in this industry, and I don't think you want to miss out on one because your CD simply cannot play for someone.


Good luck & God Bless!