Regular Disc Burner or Xtrnl Studio Grade Burner?

:ugeek: Objective: Upgrade/Improve my InBox Recording Studio CD/DVD Audio reproduction.
Subject: CD/DVD Burners
:question: Question (Ignoring the benefits of the bundled Fx & related Software- just want basic recording): Are ‘External’ Studio grade recorders worth the expense compared to the results of the much cheaper standard, In-Box SATA Disc Burners?

Background: My Audio mixes are ideal within my Cubase playback and/or Mix Down and Import back into Cubase. I use 32Bit Float/48Khz for all my Tracks, loops, Mix Downs (MD)etc.

When I export the MD to a Wave file, & burn it to CD/DVD using typical Stereo Burn Sofware (Nero 11, Itunes, etc), I must 1st convert the Wave file to at a 16Bit length. For that I use iTunes and then burn via iTunes, Nero 11 Platinum, or WMA.

The resulting Disc (CDA file), played back, looses so much quality (too muddy, too much Highs or flooded middles, etc), I must create and ‘overly’ compensated mix of instruments (Trial & error to burn a good 1.) , before I can burn a disc that remotely is acceptable for listening to.

:confused: Any & all ideas is appreciated.

-Mo

Mo: Check out Wavelab 7 $499.00. I’ve had the full version for a few months now, and I
understand there’s Wavelab 7 essentials for around $100.00 or so.
I’ve had great result’s with Mastering and burning CD’S with Wavelab 7
with no loss of quality like what you describe.
Steinberg put a great Audio engine in it which probably
doesn’t exist with WMA, Itunes, etc. IMO :wink:

Jack :smiley: :smiley:

I very much doubt it’s the burner at fault.

32 bit fp, 48KHz files need to be converted to 16 bit 44.1KHz files before burning, this is the most likely place where you are loosing quality.

Yeah, I’ve been thinking of possibly having to do something like that. I guess I’m looking for another possibility that I can test before spending. I am really grateful for such a quick repsonse. Thanks Halljack . :slight_smile:

Someone questioned whether iTunes or Nero Platinum had the ability to do a ‘quality’ Bit/Rate format. Since those are what I was using, maybe, you are on to something and the problem may not be my physical Burn device at all.

I used iTunes because, it allowed me to do Q&D (quick & dirty) reformats along with Meta Data content. I may have to fork up the bucks, upgrade my software to Wavelab or something similar, (Cheaper than a studio grade Burner!) study the manuals & test this out.

Thanks for your quick response. :slight_smile:

:ugeek: btw, I know this is a Steinberg Forum, but are we aloud to ask about product comparisons to other OEMs here? I believe Wavelab is similar to SoundForge? Anyone experienced to offer a suggested choice? :confused:

Quite certainly your problem is not related to CD burners, or CD burn programs. So there is definitely no need to buy wavelab just for CD burning. If what Split wrote is not the culprit for your problem, then it´s simply lack of mixing knowledge / -skill. NERO is definitely capable of burning an audio file as is, without what you are describing.
Apart from that - when you say

The resulting Disc (CDA file), played back, looses so much quality (too muddy, too much Highs or flooded middles, etc), I must create and ‘overly’ compensated mix of instruments (Trial & error to burn a good 1.) , before I can burn a disc that remotely is acceptable for listening to.

Does that mean, you listening through a different player than Cubase?

Yes, I am listening through any of my 3rd party Apps which can play ‘wav’…WMA, Videolan, iTunes, etc. BTW, there is some reduction in quality at the wave file level. But more so, after burning.

U R also, right about my experience. I’ve been self-teaching via YouTube, forums, I’m still going through my Cubase Tuts, etc. At my age it’s a brain retool that’s not easy! :slight_smile: Only yesterday, did I come across the purpose of Dithering. I accept I’m not good at EQ/Compression usage- yet. But, what I’m hearing before I burn is not what I get afterwards.

You must make sure any 3rd party playback devices you use for listening have any enhancements or EQ type things switched off before making a judgment.

That is the playback must be true to the source.

Makes since. I’ll give it a try later this evening. I’ll try via iTunes as I’m more familiar with that than Nero. :blush: