Tony J.
2025-02-16 10:21:06
If you didn't know, most cheap (less that 20 cents a disc) CD-R media is not made by the brand (Maxell, Verbatim, Sony, Memorex, TDK, etc.) but by some manufacturer in Taiwan. A few years ago I bought a spindle of Maxell CD-Rs made by Prodisc, which I found to be pretty reliable. So I decided to get Maxell again, hoping to get the same manufacturer. However, this time it was Ritek, which I've heard a lot of bad things about online. After going through 40 of them, though, I have yet to have a coaster, and I haven't experienced any playback problems with them. I don't know yet about their longevity, but I'll update this review in a few months to see how well they hold up.Basically, out of the "cheap" CD-R spindles, I would recommend this and the (which I got last year and were made by CMC Magnetics). Both have worked well for me. Yes, they are made by different manufacturers, which you think might make a difference, but consider: 1) Both CMC and Ritek have worked well for me. On the Internet you'll see a lot of people bashing both manufacturers (Ritek a bit more), but that's not my experience. 2) Even if you cared which Taiwanese company made your discs, the manufacturers change all the time. You might end up with a Ritek from Verbatim or a CMC from Maxell. Personally, there would only be two factors in my decision to purchase one or the other. One is that Maxell CD-Rs allow you to write on both the top and bottom, while Verbatim only gives space on the bottom. (This is independent of manufacturer, as each brand has its own label.) The other is, of course, price. Just pick the one that's cheaper! :)If you're more inclined and want something that will last 50 years, or should be good. (Note that this is not the same as product as the Verbatim I mentioned earlier; this is actually made by Verbatim itself and is better quality.) For something that can supposedly last 300 years, try or . (Yes, you heard me right, these discs have solid 24k gold on their surface.)