CD care

[hautbois]

It is obvious how one should care for their huge collection of cds and dvds and for those who have no idea, there is always the internet to help guide us through. I do not own a huge amount of cds, but my teacher does and i have seen many of his cds damaged and he has no idea what happened to them as some of them have barely left the case for more than once. I surely do not wish my current collection of cds or any in the future would have to face such circumstances. (His cds are kept in an open cupboard, dark and cool area definitely.)

Has anyone here experienced a condition where there is a sort of 'dust' accumulating inside their cd cases? Or dots accumulating on the cds for no obvious reason? Diminishing of 'rainbow coloured' surface by dots? What causes them and how can they be avoided? Thankyou! (If it matters i live in Malaysia where the humidity is extremely high and the temperature often high too, although i can assure that my cds are well kept in a cool area around 20 degrees C.)

Howard

[Lance]

It is obvious how one should care for their huge collection of cds and dvds and for those who have no idea, there is always the internet to help guide us through. I do not own a huge amount of cds, but my teacher does and i have seen many of his cds damaged and he has no idea what happened to them as some of them have barely left the case for more than once. I surely do not wish my current collection of cds or any in the future would have to face such circumstances. (His cds are kept in an open cupboard, dark and cool area definitely.)

Has anyone here experienced a condition where there is a sort of 'dust' accumulating inside their cd cases? Or dots accumulating on the cds for no obvious reason? Diminishing of 'rainbow coloured' surface by dots? What causes them and how can they be avoided? Thankyou! (If it matters i live in Malaysia where the humidity is extremely high and the temperature often high too, although i can assure that my cds are well kept in a cool area around 20 degrees C.)

Howard

Well, Howard, I have not experienced anything like you describe. My CDs and LPs are all maintained in temperature ranging between 60ºF and 75ºF most of the time, as they have been for many years. The only problems I've encountered were the CDs that were manufactured by RCA, especially in their first Enrico Caruso 12-CD set where the backside became "cancerous" after a few years. It apparently had something to do with the ink used on the otherside. Not one of these CDs was every playable - and a beautiful edition that was! They have since reissued the boxed set without the lavish notes or presentation. Their Rachmaninoff edition was allegedly problemmatical as well, though my set seems to be okay. Hyperions, Appian (APR), Pearl, and several other British labels had severe problems with the CD turning bronze-like, and with time, would also become unplayable.

I try never to touch the playing surface of the CDs, avoid scratches like the plague, often caused by dropping them. I handle them only by the edges. Also, in releasing the CD from it's jewel case or holder, I try not to flex the CD too much causing stress on the plastic disc itself, which sometimes has a tendency to crack. Sometimes the CDs are placed in holders that are much too tight for the CD-hole.

But as one plays CDs that have not been played for long periods of time, you may make disappointing discoveries as you go along.

It might very well be that the environment you are in (high humidity) could cause the sealing of the CD to allow air inside thus causing deterioration. When you find a CD that "looks" like something is happening, I would copy it immediately and place the disc within the same jewel case.

It would be a pity to lose substantial parts of one's collection due to findings that only time will reveal. Many of these independent companies are no longer available so it might be very difficult to get them to replace the discs. The British companies were very good about having the manufacturer replace discs. But many are withdrawn from the catalogues and are thus unavailable altogether (especially in the case of Pearl.)

Interestingly, I have never had a problem with a CD manufactured in Holland, Germany, or Japan, nor American CDs unless they came through with fingernail scratches as they were being packaged. Another thing to watch out for is the tiny pin-member holes that appear in the silver material, seen as you hold a CD up to the light. This will cause the CD to skip or miss as it is being played and there is nothing you can do to repair this. I have experienced this a few times.

Good luck with your maintenance procedures!

[Ralph]

When CDs first came out some labels made extravagant claims that they would function for centuries. You don't hear that anymore.

Most CD problems are caused by poor handling. I destroy two-four a year by dropping them.

Aside from such accidents defective discs, rare to begin with, usually announce their problem on first playing.

Some years ago CDs from several labels, most notably HYPERION, were coated with a corrosive lacquer and they all developed splotchy markings and became unplayable. The same happened with some RCA discs including a multi-disc set of Caruso.

I don't think much more is necessary than keeping the discs reasonably dry and dust free to insure they will one day be part of a collector's estate.

[jserraglio]

My son likes to tile the floor of his room with his CDs. When they skip or stick in play, he brings them to me for rescue. I find that white toothpaste removes most surface scratches and makes them playable. If not, I try silver polish, then brass polish in that order.

A friend of mine suggested covering the scatched area with a bit of beeswax, then polishing it out with a clean cloth. That fills the scratches with translucent material. I havent tried this method but he says it works nondestructively and nonabrasively.

[Lance]

My son likes to tile the floor of his room with his CDs. When they skip or stick in play, he brings them to me for rescue. I find that white toothpaste removes most surface scratches and makes them playable. If not, I try silver polish, then brass polish in that order.

A friend of mine suggested covering the scatched area with a bit of beeswax, then polishing it out with a clean cloth. That fills the scratches with translucent material. I havent tried this method but he says it works nondestructively and nonabrasively.

Toothpaste sounds most interesting. If it doesn't harm one's enamel, it would surely work on the plastic of CDs. The other polishes for silver or brass hopefully have no chemicals in them that would eventually eat away at the plastic itself. I shall try to clean my David Helfgott CDs with silver or brass polish - when they need it!