Computer Burner or Stand alone

[Punx]

Does a burner such as an HHB Burnit allow for louder mixes as opposed to a Computer burner? I realize the standalone would add another conversion step, but it might be worth it. It's not in the budget, nor is it beneficial to get my mixes professionally mastered, since I don't shop or sell my projects.

However, I would like a bit more volume from my mixes. With information I've gotten from the DUC on compresoion and limiting I've been able to get my levels pretty close without sacrificing too much of the dynamics.

I currently use Toast to burn my mixes, but when played back in numerous systems it seems like there is some sort of internal compression from my burner going on. The mix sounds exactly the same as in PT, the exception being it's quieter. Not noticable to "regular" ears necessarily, but I cn definitely hear it.

So my question is: Since devices like the HHB and others have their own input control, others even have minimal effects, can you produce a louder mix with a standalone device as opposed to a firewire or usb burner?

I used a CD-RW7000 once and I seem to remember being able to put the input in the red about +3dB without any sort of distortion. Can anyone shed some light on this?

[mindnoise]

AS CD writer burns data, not music aesthetics. It´s all Software, not hardware.
And It´s most probably in the mix than in the CD-writer.

Playback devices have a wide varity in interpreting CDDA signals as much as the speakers connected to it. You will NEVER get the same listening expierience with different setups.

Solutions to this suggest investing in JAM to control the Level (which you can also do in PT) and create a Red-Book(?) CDDA compliant DISC Image and a CAV capable CD-writer. the old Yamaha 2100 uses to have it. This will record the data with less "errors" in the first place.
Toast is just Fine! as it is.

To get Higher Level and AVOID CLIPPING just get waves L1 or L2. (somthing like that)
avoid as much A/D,D/A conversion cyles as you can.



best

I used a CD-RW7000 once and I seem to remember being able to put the input in the red about +3dB without any sort of distortion. Can anyone shed some light on this?

this suggest your mix still has a +3db headroom. Or you have bad ears;->