TECH SPECIFICATIONS: MFSL 24 KT Gold ULTRADISC
CD-R
Anyone who has ever damaged a CD-R through
abrasion or excessive exposure to heat or light knows that CD-Rs
are an imperfect technology and it’s all too facile and
common to lose priceless data. For ocassions when you can’t
afford to endanger your data, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab is proud
to introduce the Ultradisc CD-R. Our 24KT Gold ULTRADISC CD-R
is designed for professional, data critical, music and graphic
archival applications, and all other data storage where there
is no margin for loss or error. These specially-gold-plated ULTRADISC
CD-Rs ensure excellent reflectivity, are non corrosive, and have
dramatically enhanced resistance to light and heat. Additional
features include instantaneous pit burning (burst burning) for
superior pit formation and extremely low to no error rate; and
an added, patented, scratch resistant, protective surface. Due
to these features, little if any error correction is required
upon retrieval of information, producing precise reproduction
of stored data.Where as the average CD-R has a projected lifespan
of only 20 years—if stored in ideal conditions, our accelerated
aging tests predict that the 24KT Gold ULTRADISC CD-R will retain
its specifications for more than 300 years. Meaning that, now,
information can be accurately stored and retrieved longer than
ever before.
24 KT Gold Layer
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab created the world’s
first 24 Karat Gold music CD in 1987: The ULTRADISC. Now MFSL
has put that expertise in the development of the 24KT Gold ULTRADISC
CD-R. The combination of the superior reflectivity and longevity
of 99.99% pure 24 Karat Gold, in addition to a specialized, patented
bonding agent, ensures that the ULTRADISC CD-R will never oxidize
and fail to output information, as many commercially available
CD-Rs do. The ULTRADISC CD-R is extremely stable in the real world
environment.
Proprietary Photosensitive Dye
Unlike commonly used CD-Rs containing Cyanine
(blue/green dye) or Metal Azo (deep blue dye), which lose their
characteristics quickly from exposure to light and heat, the 24KT
Gold ULTRADISC CD-R utilizes a patented photosensitive dye which
ensures accurate burning and stability, plus exceptional longevity
and durability. Whereas the two other types of dye are formed
with linear molecular structures, which break down easily when
exposed to the elements, the unique photosensitive dye utilized
in the ULTRADISC CD-R has an annular structure which forms a strong
and extremely stable chemical bond. On top of this, MFSL has added
a patented, reinforcing coating for extra protection from scratching.
Extremely Accurate and Precise Burning
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab has chosen to
offer only slower speed (1-12X) CD-Rs. Although the current trend
is “faster is better,” MFSL engineers strongly disagree
and urge audio professionals, archivists, audiophiles, and discriminating
collectors alike to burn their data in real time, better known
as 1X. Through a careful battery of tests conducted at Mobile
Fidelity Sound Lab, we have observed that real-time burning has
always yielded superior results. Higher burning rates cause errors
and do not allow for proper pit formation. Furthermore, higher
speeds cause vibration in the drive when burning the disc, thereby
increasing jitter. In order to attain even higher burning accuracy
and overall quality, a specially formulated dye was created for
these slow-burn, precision ULTRADISC CD-Rs.
Accurate and Precise Information Retrieval
The ULTRADISC CD-R’s specialized
dye reacts more quickly to the writing laser than do other dyes.
It reacts in a "burst" mode instead of the sluggish
"melt" mode. Due to this instantaneous reaction, precise
pit edges are formed. This is crucial for the laser pickup to
accurately interpret the information, and thereby reducing or
eliminating the use of interpolation/error correction circuitry.
Additionally, a specially formulated, black ink is used to coat
one side of the disc in order to reduce stray reflections which
could alter readings.
Ultra Quality Control - 4 Levels of QC
Utilizing the highest quality control standards
in the industry, all the manufacturing and packaging of the ULTRADISC
CD-R is done in state-of-the-art cleanroom conditions. Mobile
Fidelity Sound Lab has rejected random sampling techniques, which
are simply not stringent enough for critical data storage applications.
Instead, MFSL utilizes an unprecedented 4-level quality control
process. First, a sample out of every 3,000 discs is tested, critically
examined and evaluated for over 2 hours until given the approval
for MFSL specifications. Second, every single ULTRADISC CD-R is
tested as it comes off the replication line. High tech, extremely
sophisticated computer analysis is used to test jitter, thickness
tolerances, gold uniformity and disc eccentricity. Third, an inspector
(wearing medical gloves) picks up and visually examines the ULTRADISC
CD-Rs for pinholes, gold consistency, oyster shelling, or any
other anomalies. Fourth, another inspector repeats this very time-consuming,
manual/visual examination just before the specialized, stray-reflection-reducing
black coating is applied. ULTRADISC CD-Rs have to pass all levels
of QC before they can be shipped. If a disc does not pass Mobile
Fidelity Sound Lab’s elevated specifications, it will not
be accepted as an ULTRADISC CD-R. This is MFSL’s guarantee
to the user that every ULTRADISC CD-R is the finest engineered
recordable CD media available in the world.
Lifetime Guarantee
After creating a CD-R that would last a
lifetime, MFSL backed it up with a limited lifetime guarantee.
To read the complete warrany, please
[click here].
