Scratch removal before ripping

first - good question - 95% of the time the answer is to run your ripper with error correction on - at least thats the iTunes term for it, EAC probably calls it something else.

the rest of the time problems fall into two categories:

1) the more common in my experience - the disc looks like it was handled by a 4 year old with PB&J all over their tiny little fingers - no it won't read properly as it... BUT wash it with lukewarm soapy water, dry it with something non-abrasive and about 98 out of 100 times it will rip fine

2) some discs are in fact permanently mangled beyond salvation - this might affect one or two songs - it might affect all of them - my best advice is to look at the disc prior to purchase - if you see hideous deep scratches pass - or know that you are rolling the dies because the deal is too good to pass up

at which point you win some and you lose some

best,
ck

Go to your local auto parts store and pick up some fine scratch removal creme (i.e. polishing compound) for about $5-10 per tube. You now have a lifetime bounty of scratch removal product for you AND your friends.

Just use a little dab on a cotton cloth. swirl it around the disk making little circles in every direction you can until it gets dry looking. Then just rinse it off under the tap and pat dry with a paper towel.

This quick, easy and cheap solution will get rid of most any scratch related playback problem on a CD or DVD or game except if it's a really bad gouge.

Enjoy,
Bob

Bob, I agree with you. If you want to get this type of thing as a package product go to the Mapleshade website.

Bob is right on the money. I use and recommend Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner & Polish. I apply it with a microfiber cloth. It is very effective, cheap and available everywhere.
JL

I got the Disc Doctor, it has a soft abrasive rotary wheel that resurfaces the disc. For $25 it works greats on discs that get stuck or skip, bad scratches require that you run it through 2-3x. Get an extra resurfacing discs because they wear out. The manual crank version takes about 30 seconds to do a disc.

Toothpaste is the perfect mild abrasive! I have been using it with good results for over 10 years- I apply it with my finger.

The reason an abrasive is neccessary is that the scratches create imperfections in the finishing coat of the disk. When the laser hits these imperfections it's beam gets reflected causing the pickup to error out.

Once the imperfections are smoothed out the laser has a clear shot at the data underneath the finishing coat. Not all scratches can be worked out but many can.

Somec59

Do you think that the Disc Doctor does NOT change the sonics? I just want to be sure that using something like this will NOT change the sound of the CD. Yes, of course there will not be a skip! :)

This is what I've been looking at: http://www.digitalinnovations.com/disc_repair.php

Although I keep all of my CD's in pristine condition I use optrix spray on most of the DVD's that I get from Netflix. Many of them arrived so scratched up as to be unplayable. Optrix has salvaged almost all of them!

Huh, toothpaste. I'm sure it works well But Is there a sonic difference between Colgate and Crest? I'll have to do some AB-ing and let ya'll know my findings. One thing for sure, my disc will have fresh breath and no cavities! Sorry I just could help myself! LOL!

I use the Maxell Disc Scratch Repair Kit (also has a cleaner
spray)before I rip a CD. $8 @ Walmart. It does work.

Check out my response in this thread

I just used my Maxell disc cleaner, the one with micro bristles.  My Marantz 6006 CD player said, not recognizable, before, but played after using the cleaner disc.  This is for the lenz, not the disc.  If a disc wont play I am trying my Mcguires cleatr plastic polish.  I suspect that will work well.