Creating a CD-Audio master using Nero Burning ROM version 6
There are many settings in the Nero CD writing program that are okay to use for in-house discs, but CDs which are to be supplied for duplication should be supplied to a strict format.
Always use a high quality, reputable branded disc, such as That's CD-R or Verbatim. See CD-ROM page. We often have difficulty reading generic brands. A cheap disc may seem like a bargain, but it may produce a recording that is so borderline that we will be unable to duplicate from it.
The following directions are for the creation of an audio CD suitable for playback in standard audio CD players and in computers using the Windows operating system. These settings are NOT suitable for data CD-ROMs.
Should you require CD to Auto run, we can add this feature at an extra charge of about $60.00.
Step 1
When you launch the Nero program, a New Compilation dialog box appears. On the left side of the box, for the type of disc, choose Audio CD.
Step 2
Click on the NEW button in the top right-hand corner.
Step 3
Drag the audio files (WAV, MP3, etc) from Nero's File Browser or from Windows Explorer into the empty panel of the CD Compilation. Once in the compilation, the order can be re-arranged by dragging the tracks up and down within the compilation.
The graph at the bottom of the screen indicates how much space has been used by the tracks you've selected.
Step 4
The default space between tracks is 2 seconds. If you want to change the default time:
- Click on the second track in the compilation, then shift-click on the last track in the compilation (do NOT select the first track - the pause before track 1 must remain at 2 seconds).
- Right-click on one of the selected tracks, and choose Properties.
- In the "Pause" field, enter the number of seconds pause you would like between tracks. Enter 0 if you would like no pause between tracks.
- Click OK when you've finished entering data.
On this tab, you can also enter CD-TEXT information, but this is probably a waste of time, as most CD players do not support CD-TEXT.
If you have an ISRC number, you can enter it here, but only after selecting tracks individually. Do not enter anything here unless you have a valid ISRC number.
On the "Filters" tab, you can make various adjustments including Normalisation, Declicking, Hiss Reduction, Fade In, Fade Out, Stereo Widening, Karaoke, Echo and Equalization.
It is beyond the scope of this guide to explain how to use each of these filters. They are explained in the documentation that comes with Nero Burning ROM. However, we will advise that you not use the RMS method of normalisation unless you really know what you're doing. It is very easy to accidentally introduce distortion to your audio by misusing this filter.
Step 5
From the "Recorder" pull-down menu, choose Burn Compilation.
Step 6
When the "Burn Compilation" dialog box appears, click on the "Burn" tab and choose the following settings:
- Action = Write and Finalize CD. A non-finalized CD for in-house use is fine, particularly if you want to add more data to the disc later, but a disc for mass-duplication should always be finalized.
- Write Speed = between4x and 16x. The Write Speed should be appropriate for your system. If you write too fast, your system may not be able to keep up and you could waste the disc. Even if your writer has "Buffer Under-Run Protection", it is still best not to invoke this feature any more than possible. If you write too slowly, you will not only waste time, but may even produce a substandard disc, as many of today's recordable CDs are optimised for high speed recording.
At speeds above 16x, the recording may be very poor quality. It may indeed play correctly on your CD player or computer, but it may be borderline in terms of readability, which could cause problems when we come to duplicate from it. - Write Method = Disc-At-Once. If you use the "Track-At-Once" method, then the laser must pause several times during the writing of the disc. This will not corrupt the data, but at the place where the laser pauses, it can cause corruption that makes the disc difficult to copy. With the "Disc-At-Once" method, the whole disc is written from beginning to end without the laser stopping, creating a more reliable disc.
When you have double-checked that all the settings are correct, click on the Write button in the top right-hand corner of the dialog box.
Ensure that you handle the disc very carefully. Do not allow the disc to be scratched or fingerprinted. The recording surface should never be touched. Hold the disc only by the edges.
The disc should be carefully labelled using a felt-tipped pen, preferably one designed specifically for CD labelling. Oil-based pens could damage the disc. Never use a ball-point pen to label a CD or else the disc may be so damaged that it will not be readable.
If you are unsure about how to correctly create a CD as a Duplication Master, please phone for assistance on 02 9954 9885 and ask for Andrew.
