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Harman Kardon CDR 2 Dual Deck CD Recorder |
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Home Theater Audio Sources CD Players
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Written by Kim Wilson
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Friday, 01 September 2000 |
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Page 2 of 2
Analog Recordings
When recording vinyl LPs, the output of the phonograph to the preamp is
obviously analog, though the recording could take place in either the
digital or analog domain, depending on whether an analog or digital out
from the preamp is feed into the CDR 2. This would, of course, require
a preamp that can convert the analog signal to digital. Making volume
level adjustments to match signal levels from multiple sources is only
possible during analog recordings.
It took more personal involvement recording from the phonograph as the
recorder couldn’t sync to the source, and manual track advancement was
generally necessary. The CDR 2 specifies auto advancement on analog
sources with a three-second gap. However, some gaps are less or there
is no gap at all. (Remember those themed albums of the 70’s?) Still, it
wasn’t bad duty. I could sit back and just hit the track advance button
on the remote as I reminisced over some recordings I hadn’t heard in
years. I also came to realize that I had saved some real crap (some are
so badly recorded that they’re painful to listen to) and just threw
those into the recycle pile.
The allowable space that the recorder recognizes between tracks varies
with analog and digital signals. Analog signals have more allowances,
as it takes a 10-second silence to stop the recording. In the manual
track increment mode, it will not stop until you press the stop control
or it runs out of room, whereas a three-second silence from any digital
signal will automatically stop the recording process. Therefore, if
there is a three-second pause in the music or between tracks, you have
a problem.
Before a recorded disc can be played in the CDR 2’s play tray or any
other CD player, it must be finalized, which adds all the table of
contents data. Material can be added at any time prior to finalization.
Once a CD-R is finalized, it is a done deal. CD-RWs, of course, can be
erased and recorded over again at will. Unlike tapes, they don’t
stretch or degrade (at least as quickly).
When erasing a CD-RW, you have to either wipe the entire disc or as
many tracks as you want deleted, starting from the last track recorded.
It sure would be nice to have the ability to erase any track,
regardless of where it is on the disc. Maybe someday they’ll figure out
a way to do that.
Special Regulations
Due to the SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) circuitry that is a
requirement on consumer-based CD-Recorders, a duplicate cannot be made
of a copy that is digital. The CDR 2 will automatically switch to an
analog deck-to-deck dub when it detects that the source is a digital
copy. However, if you can make only one copy at a time, and you need
multiple copies from a particular CD, there seems no logical reason why
you shouldn’t make all copies from the original.
Another important difference between desktop burners and computer-based
models is the CD blank media. The cheap disks that you buy in bulk for
computer use are not recognized by consumer-based CD-Recorders. These
"audio-only" discs are priced slightly higher, allowing for a royalty
fee that is paid into a general fund by the disc manufacturer. The good
news is the average disk costs about $2 these days, compared to the $9
it cost the last time I reviewed a desktop CD-Recorder.
Conclusion
The $699 price tag on the CDR 2 is at the upper end of this category,
but the double tray with sequential play and high-speed dubbing
capabilities justifies the added cost. It’s simple to integrate into an
existing sound system and as easy to operate as any other recording
device.
The wide popularity of computer CD-R burners has seriously overshadowed
the consumer’s perception of stand-alone CD-R and CD-RW decks for audio
systems. In fact, the notion is so foreign that a close friend kept
asking me what kind of software I was using to convert the analog
signal from my vinyl. It took three tries for me to explain and I think
there still was some confusion.
With the cost of CD-Recorders and "audio-only" media dropping, the
cassette deck as an archiving medium is officially dead in my book. (In
all fairness, I buried the cassette tape format years ago.) Maybe this
product category has to vie for attention with its computer
counterpart, but in my experience, there is room for both a desktop
unit such as the CDR 2 and a dedicated burner for the computer, even in
the same household.
| Manufacturer |
Harman Kardon
| | Model | CDR 2 Dual Deck CD Recorder | | Reviewer |
Kim Wilson
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