2. misc-audio
  3. 185885-86555

playing "top-damaged" CDs ?

Hi All,

I recently had over a hundred CDs water-damaged in the recent Vermont floods. A few were savable after air-drying, and others are just plastic and paper glued into small art objects. However, many CDs have some amount of cover or booklet attached to the face of the CD.The question is can CDs with small strips of paper fiber attached to the top surface be played? What amount of "stuff" might affect the playing/rotation of the disc. The paper is firmly attached and will not come flying off, (nor will I try tp peel anything).

The equipment is an AudioLab 6000 CDT transport with read-ahead buffer.

Any input appreciated.

BTW - over 1300 CDs were above water and survived intact - what I lost was all my Grateful Dead, Hot Tuna, Loop Guru, and lots of reggae.

[Related query- will a radio station or library label on a CD affect playing?]

 

thanks,

Richard

128x128richalan
carlsbad2's avatar
carlsbad2
2,023 posts
 

CDs spin at several hundred RPM.  paper stuck to them would cause some vibration which can never be a good thing.  

The paper is not glued, it is just water based bonded.

I would soak in water overnight in a broad plastic or pyrex dish.  the paper should float right off.  rinse in distilled water.

 

Jerry

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facten
2,912 posts
 

Haven’t tried this on a CD, but spraying an ammonia free window cleaner and letting it soak in a bit might get it off as well. Maybe try it ,or the aforementioned water and soap soaking on one CD. Trying is the only way to find out. I wouldn’t put them as is in a slot loader.

jtcf's avatar
jtcf
1,620 posts
 

Warm soapy water should work. Just like soaking a label off of a glass jar.

bigkidz
3,413 posts
 

@richalan - I think you have dated yourself with Hot Tuna. LOL  When I was young we always rented a home on the NJ Shore with my buddies. I brought down a little stereo system and we met some nice young ladies and invited them over that night.  We had all this music (except for Hot Tuna).  My buddy told them, hey what do you want to hear, we have everything.  One of the girls said, got any Hot Tuna!  It is still a running joke all these years later!

I would advise the same, put in water and see what happens.

Happy Listening & Let Us Know what worked.

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