CD Duplication vs Replication: Options for your Next Release
Trying to release physical copies of your music on a tight budget? Explore cost-effective CD duplication vs replication and manufacturing to create high-quality albums to sell at shows and online.
CD Duplication vs Replication: Options for your Next Release
by Chris Huff via Disc Makers Blog
As you plan your album release, remember that no album is complete without physical media. Before you start your next CD project, let’s learn the ins and outs of CD duplication.
CD duplication is the uncomplicated process of creating multiple copies of a CD from a single source disc (the “master”). A CD burner or duplicator is used to make exact replicas of this master. Usually, commercial CD duplication is for short-run orders of under 1000 units; the simplest CD duplication is done at home on your very own CD burner. Commercial CD duplicators will perform verification on your discs to make sure that they are 100% error free and completely identical to your master.
There are a couple of factors that could indicate whether CD duplication is the right choice for your CD project. How many units you will need is the prime concern; if you’ll require over 1000, you’ll want to consider replication instead because the discs will be more durable, and you’ll get a better price per unit. However, if budget and need dictate that you don’t require 1000 or more, duplication is most likely the way to go. You can make as few discs as you like, and you won’t end up with unsold products. Consider your budget and the demand for your album when making this decision. At Disc Makers, any order under 300 discs is automatically duplicated rather than replicated.
You may want to purchase duplication equipment and become your own DIY factory. This might be a good idea if you are running a record label, want the option of going into the CD duplication business for others, or are just an intrepid artist who wants to save money and churn out releases. The ability to take it DIY can be very attractive to those interested in CD duplication and self-sufficiency.
Be aware also that some older CD players aren’t able to play duplicated discs. This is a rarer problem than it used to be, but still might possibly be an issue.
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The CD duplication process
Reviewing this step-by-step guide for CD duplication will help ensure your music sounds its best. Let’s get started.
Preparing your audio master
The same specifications apply when preparing your audio master for CD duplication or replication, whether at home or in a commercial facility. Your master needs to be mixed, edited, and sequenced exactly how you want it to be. It should sound just like you want it with the correct spacing between songs and all the songs in the correct order. Keep a safety copy of your master before you ship or deliver it anywhere. Your finished discs will be exact copies of what you submit, so double and triple check your master to make sure it’s precisely as it should be. Keep in mind CDs can’t physically be longer than 79:25; if your master is over 78 minutes, you’ll have to sign a waiver for duplication and your discs may not play correctly. It’s best to keep it under 78 minutes.
Choosing and purchasing blank CDs
When burning CDs on your own at home, you’ll want to purchase the highest quality blank media possible. It’s hard to know what that is these days, but you can’t go wrong with a name brand like Verbatim, Maxell, or Memorex. Just don’t order the cheapest discs possible and you will be fine. You’ll want to purchase CD-Rs — not CD-RWs —because you don’t want your customers to have the options of writing over your discs.
Setting up the duplication equipment
Home duplication equipment varies from single disc burners to multi-disc units that are practically like having a duplication factory in your home; some will do 1000 discs at one time and are completely automated. Obviously, what you purchase depends on your needs, the demand for your discs, how many other people you’re providing this service for, and your budget. If you have a bit more to spend, it’s worth it to get a more automated machine where you don’t have to keep swapping out the discs. Assess your needs and budget, then purchase accordingly.
Burning, verifying, and testing the discs
Read the manual thoroughly and make sure you know the ins and outs of your duplication machine before you get started. Most machines will have a verify function to check the discs for errors. Then you’ll want to test the audio on the discs yourself. When running a large batch, testing five discs from each batch is probably sufficient. For very small home runs, test as many as you can. Burn, verify, test, repeat! The time spent on making sure the discs are correct will save angst later.
Why you should consider professional duplication services
Sure, it can be exciting and rewarding to do it yourself. But in the case of CD duplication, it can be best to leave it to the professionals.
Commercial grade duplication quality
Not everybody needs the ability to duplicate their own CDs in mass quantities. A commercial CD duplicator will be working with the highest quality discs and equipment and will generally have competitive prices to make your projects affordable. The on-disc printing options will be more sophisticated, and, best of all, it saves you the hassle from having to spend time duplicating discs when you could be working on music.
Full-service packaging and printing
It takes time to duplicate discs yourselves, especially if you have a smaller duplication machine. At a commercial facility, they will print your inserts and discs, then package everything for you. Depending on the number of discs you’re burning, this could save you significant hours of work. The printing equipment and options available to a commercial duplication house are also going to be far superior to what you’ll have at home.
Small-scale production
As mentioned above, duplication is an excellent option for short runs; whether you are doing 50 discs or 500, duplicated discs can serve your purposes well. This way, an indie artist can order discs as they sell them without having to lay down a couple thousand dollars up front. It can be very stressful hoping that you have enough energy and opportunity to sell 1000 CDs. But with duplication, as demand increases, you can order more.
Turnaround time and bulk efficiency
Most major duplication companies can have your discs within 1-3 days, regardless of the size of your order. Large-capacity burners run hundreds of discs at a time. If you can afford it, it will save you time and hassle to work with a commercial company. The quality of your products will also most likely be superior, and your listeners will thank you.
CD Duplication vs Replication
Many don’t understand the distinct differences between duplication and replication. Let’s dive in.
Understanding the differences
Duplication is the process of burning CDs with a duplicator using blank CD-Rs. Replication is the process of molding CDs with a metal stamper made from a glass master. It’s a highly efficient and detailed process which results in the highest quality CDs possible. No information is lost in duplication, but CD-Rs are not as durable as replicated CDs; they degrade faster over time and some older players may not play them. That’s not a huge problem anymore, but if you are trying to parse the differences between duplicated and replicated CDs, it is something to take into consideration. Replicated CDs are also more professional; they’re the CDs you see major artists making, and therefore have an aura of legitimacy.
Pros and cons of each technique
The only con to replication is the expense and time involved, but a reputable replication company can often have finished discs to you within a week, if not sooner. And if you are financially able to order a larger run, you can make more profit on each unit. Some might feel that replication looks and feels more professional. Duplication is also a solid option and we’ve already mentioned most of the cons: the durability, the limited on-disc printing options, and the fact that they might not look as professional to some people. Many commercial duplication companies offer the same artwork and packaging options for replicated as well as duplicated CDs.
Software for at-home duplication
If you are just going to be burning CDs on your home computer, there are numerous software options available. Many like CDBurnerXP are free and allow you to burn DVDs and Blu-rays, too. Some like BurnAware have free versions and paid versions that allow you to print a cover insert as well. Roxio, inventor of Toast (the premier burning program for Macs for many decades), has been updated to cover all your burning needs and has new programs like Creator NXT with even more sophisticated features. For Windows machines, Power2Go has a paid program with many of the same features Toast offers for Mac.
Common issues and solutions in CD duplication
You want your project to go smoothly, but sometimes, issues crop up. Here, we’ll explain a few potential issues, as well as ways to solve them.
Troubleshooting duplication errors
No mechanical process is perfect, and there will be duplication errors. You want to make sure you can troubleshoot the source of the error: is it the media, the duplicator, or some kind of setting/user error that is the culprit?
Handling disc and equipment malfunctions
The first thing you should do if your disc burn fails is to try and burn another. If it succeeds, it was just a bad piece of media. If it also fails, then there is an issue either with your duplicator or the settings on your duplicator. Perhaps the blank disc you are using has a maximum speed of 24x and you’re trying to burn at 48x. Be thorough and methodical in trying to determine the source of the issue, and you should be able to solve any problems.
Ensuring quality control
The old conventional wisdom used to be that you should burn CDs at the slowest speed possible, but that’s no longer the case. Currently, there isn’t a lot of consensus among professionals on this issue. Some say it doesn’t matter, as error-free, high-speed burning is still transferring all the digital information accurately. Others still insist that the slowest speeds produce the most precise bit patterns, but instead of being 1x these days they tend to mean 4x or 8x. The newer your duplicator, the more likely it can handle precision burning at higher speeds, but you’ll need reliable, name-brand blank CDs capable of high-speed burning to achieve this. The best advice is to experiment with your burner and brands of media to find the sweet spot where you can burn at a reasonable clip like 16x or 24x, but still achieve a good-sounding, error-free disc.
Legal considerations for CD duplication
There are several important legal details to understand before you get started with CD duplication.
Copyright concerns in CD duplication
Generally, we have been speaking about duplication in terms of independent artists duplicating their own music for sale. If you don’t own the copyright to your own music, don’t duplicate CDs without permission from the copyright holder, as you could be opening yourself up to legal action if you intend to sell them. The basic rule of thumb is that if you are not selling the CDs, you may burn as many copies for your own personal use.
Licensing requirements
Everything you need to get licensed for any replicated CD release is necessary for a duplicated CD release. This includes samples and the appropriate mechanical licenses for cover songs.
Ethical best practices
Even if you’re giving away the CDs, you need the appropriate cover song licenses. Estimate how many CDs you’re printing, and you can easily purchase the license on Songfile. While the letter of the law says you should clear all samples first, it’s not necessary to clear samples until your recording starts to be streamed, downloaded, and purchased, thus attracting attention. It’s better in that instance to ask forgiveness rather than permission, because sample clearing can be very expensive and no one will notice until a recording gains momentum.
Choose Disc Makers for professional CD duplication
Disc Makers has the widest range of short-run CD duplication packages available anywhere. All packages are backed by a 100% satisfaction guaranteed pledge, and some can be available in as quickly as one day. Reach out to us to get started!
Chris Huff has been a professional singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer for over 25 years. He has worked as a sideman with Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul, and Mary), Echo and the Bunnymen, Chuck Hammer (David Bowie, Lou Reed), and Tom Kitt (Broadway composer of Next To Normal). Chris also wrote liner notes for David Bowie’s Live And WellCD.
