Coltrane...Blue Train...another faulty SACD Hybrid Cracker...... (1 Viewer)

[Justin Lane]

Well it looks like Crest has struck again. After reading the thread on the Norah Jones SACD developing cracks (mine developed two by the way), I decided to check my copy of Blue Train, and surprise surprise....I found a crack on the center spindle.

Thanks for the lip service Crest on fixing the problems. Of course I ordered both these discs online so it is going to be a hassle to return. As of right now, I am not going to purchase any Hybrids pressed in the United States.

Crest Faulty Hybrids

J

 

[KeithH]

Justin, you are not alone. MikeT reported cracks on Blue Train too. Of course, I bought my copy at Best Buy last night, before I had read about such problems. Now I will wait for cracks to develop on my copy. It took a few weeks before I noticed cracks on my Norah Jones SACD.

 

[Jagan Seshadri]

Not all it's cracked up to be?
Ah heh heh ..sigh.

-JNS

 

[Lewis Besze]

Still no crack on mine,but if it's related to repeated playing, then I don't have to worry about it.

 

[KeithH]

Lewis, I have read that some people have found cracks on these hybrids right after peeling off the shrinkwrap. So, that would seem to discount the theory of cracks developing from the disc heating inside the player and then cooling upon removal (i.e., expanding and contracting). Perhaps the issue has more to do with stress of the jewel case spindle on the disc hub. The only problem there is that I don't find these cases to be making a tight fit on the discs. The discs slip off the spindles with ease.

Perhaps you will get lucky with your Coltrane disc, as I would not bank on the fact that you use it infrequently to be a saving grace. As I stated earlier in this thread, I noticed cracks in my Norah Jones SACD two weeks after I had last used it. I bought the disc the day it came out, and there were no cracks fresh out of the case. I played the disc twice, and there were no cracks after the second time through. I then put the disc away for two weeks, and then I noticed three cracks.

Also, I noticed a crack in my Police Every Breath You Take: The Classics hybrid disc several weeks after I had last used it. I bought it the day it was released and played it two or three times. It was crack-free before and immediately after use. The crack developed at some time while the disc just sat in the case.

With regards to the Police disc, since I had bought it so long ago and no longer had the receipt, I decided to play with it a bit. Slight, and I mean slight, bending of the disc caused the very short crack to develop all the way to the data area. It look very little effort and time to make that happen. I am not saying that a small crack will grow to that point through typical use, but I feel the structural integrity of the disc has been compromised by those small cracks.

Oh, I threw the Police disc in the garbage. I have a copy on order form amazon.co.uk.

 

[KeithH]

I am giving the Coltrane Blue Train SACD a first listen as I type, and I love the sound. Granted, I have not yet compared it to my DAD or MFSL gold CD, but the SACD sounds very smooth and natural. I am very happy. The disc was crack-free upon removal of the shrinkwrap, but after listening to the disc, I will see if cracks develop as it sits in the jewel case. I expect it to happen. This will be really sad, as I love the album.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

but the SACD sounds very smooth and natural.

The DAD is excellent but I don't have the Super Audio. I will pick it up soon and report...

Is it possible that some of these cracks are of a "hairline" nature and will not impact playing?

It seems to me that I have periodically seen redbooks with cracks but I have not ever had a spindle disintegrate while playing or cause any damage. My 777ES is probably tough enough to withstand it anyway...



Keith and Justin,

Can you take a digital photo and post the "cracked" spindle area for us to see?

If so, I might be able to email it to David Kawakami to examine. Sony should be really on top of this. The last thing you want is any reason for people to be wary of or lose confidence in Super Audio disc production.

 

[Lewis Besze]

Lewis, I have read that some people have found cracks on these hybrids right after peeling off the shrinkwrap. So, that would seem to discount the theory of cracks developing from the disc heating inside the player and then cooling upon removal (i.e., expanding and contracting). Perhaps the issue has more to do with stress of the jewel case spindle on the disc hub. The only problem there is that I don't find these cases to be making a tight fit on the discs. The discs slip off the spindles with ease.

I don't discount your theories at all,I was merely "goofing" about the fact that I don't like the sound of it,and it won't be played,so it can't possibly damage my player,which is the real driving force behind these reports IMO.

 

[KeithH]

Lee, I have been buying CDs since 1987 and own over 2000 CDs, and I have never seen a CD with a spindle crack. That's just my experience.

As for pictures, I don't have the cracked discs anymore. I returned the Norah Jones disc and threw out the Police Every Breath You Take: The Classics disc after ordering a copy from amazon.co.uk . However, you may have seen a thread on this subject on Steve Hoffman's board awhile back where some people showed pictures. Perhaps you could ask people there if you could send their pictures to Kawakami.

 

[KeithH]

Well, count me in the cracked Blue Train club. I bought my copy about a month ago and listened to it just on the day I bought it (once). It's sat in the case for weeks without being used. I just held it up to light to look for cracks periodically. When I checked the disc about a week ago, it was crack-free. Now there is an obvious crack. The disc goes back to Best Buy tomorrow. When I went there with a cracked Norah Jones SACD a few weeks ago, I convinced them to let me exchange it for a single-layer disc. Hopefully I will have the same luck tomorrow.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Well, count me in the cracked Blue Train club. I bought my copy about a month ago and listened to it just on the day I bought it (once). It's sat in the case for weeks without being used. I just held it up to light to look for cracks periodically. When I checked the disc about a week ago, it was crack-free. Now there is an obvious crack.

Keith,

Can you take a digital photo of the crack so I can send it to David Chesky and David Kawakami?

I think they can be more instrumental in seeing what you are experiencing in the real world, and they will view me as an unbiased source. There may be some discounting of the internet chatter to a degree...

Thanks!

 

[KeithH]

Lee, unfortunately, I already exchanged the Blue Train SACD today for the Audio Fidelity Ritchie Valens Greatest Hits disc. Some folks posted pictures of cracked SACDs over on Steve Hoffman's board. Perhaps the pictures are still up there.

 

[KeithH]

Lee, check out the picture posted by "Zll" in this thread:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/sh...threadid=15321

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I'm beginning to have a theory. That the Crest plant is run by DVD-A-lovers who want to doom SACD... :rolleyes

 

[KeithH]

Kevin, that's a post for Audio Asylum.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Just check mine. I have a couple of cracks, too. Damn.

 

[Justin Lane]

Just check mine. I have a couple of cracks, too. Damn.

It seems like us here on the HTF keep falling into that group of a dozen or so individuals which find these rare cracks in our Hybrids. What are the odds of that.

J

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Lee, check out the picture posted by "Zll" in this thread

Thanks Keith. Unfortunately there are two problems...it's a fuzzy picture and I wanted to get one of a disc like Coltrane that was pressed way after DSOTM.

If I take that to David K, he will just say "yes, we are aware of that but Crest has tightened mfg standard". If I go with a picture well after that run, then we have a much better argument.

Justin or Mike, can you make a clear digital photo of a recent cracked disc and send it to me?

 

[Justin Lane]

Justin or Mike, can you make a clear digital photo of a recent cracked disc and send it to me?

Lee,

I will attempt to take a picture later this evening for you of a few cracked discs. Problem is, I only have a smallish 2MP Canon digital camera with mediocre zoom focusing at best. If I can't get a decent picture I may have to borrow someone else's camera for the job.

J

 

[Mike Broadman]

I don't remember when I bought the disc, but it wasn't that recent.

And I also don't have a digital camera (though I guess I could borrow one from a friend).