Bit perfect copies

Scott, it would be great if you would report on the RCD-W1 when you've had a chance to record some vinyl with it. This unit tempts me, but I've wondered if I'd have to spend money for a pro machine to do justice to LPs. From the promo blurbs, it doesn't sound like the RCD-W1 uses the same A to D technology as their new, pro unit, but who can tell from that stuff? -- Jayson

Some of the answers above aren't exactly true. Most CD-r burners don't make perfect bit for bit copies and can introduce errors as multiple generations are produced. This is in part due to the large amount of data involved with digital audio. The only way I've seen to make true bit for bit exact audio copies of CD's is to use a PC (or MAc) with software that does DAE (digital audio extraction) from the CD and then reburns that data onto the CD-r. Exact Audio Copy is company that makes the only software that I'm familar with that checks the extracted audio bit for bit with the original to make sure the copy is exact.

Thanks for the information chanifin. Would you have the web address of Eaxact Audio Copy?
FC

Check out www.etree.org for links to EAC and other software.

No such thing as bit perfect. To make my point Stereophile had an article about BMG's quality. As you may recall, BMG remarkets CDs to clubs. Stereophile did a comparision between the original CDs from RCA, Mercury and other companys and the BMG pressings. Result was the BMG CDs were digital perfect but didn't sound as good.

To cut this long story short. The bits layed down were identical as will be those you make at home in general. The problem is the timing. The jitter and phase of the bits as they clock into the D/A add distortion to the sound. CD burners are not as good as BMG's so you will be degraded even more.

How do you overcome this? You don't.