CD deficiencies

[Bayesian 1,613]

I've come to lament the various ways that the default physical format for music -- the CD -- is frustratingly deficient in terms of how they're packaged. Allow me to list some of the less-than satisfactory experiences I've regularly endured over the years:

• Broken teeth in the tray
• Cracked jewel cases
• Warped cases (especially with hard-to-replace 3- and 4-cd boxes)
• Lids that don't properly latch and swing right open
• "Peel-away" sealing stickers along the stop edge that never peel away cleanly and leave behind that sticky residue or little bits of sticker
• Plastic pull strips on the outer plastic shrink-wrap whose ends can never seem to be found
• That same shrink-wrap whose edges are glued down so tight you need scissors or a pushpin to slice it open, and even then removing the wrap is an ordeal half the time
• The overall cheap look and feel of today's jewel cases (oh how I miss the 80s versions)
• The often impossible-to-slip-out liner notes
• Easily-snapped hinges

I sometimes get the urge to go to a used-media store and look for old CDs in the bargain bin that I can strip for the cases, and then use those cases for all the discs in my collection -- even the new releases. Anyone else feel the same way?

[Jill Sandwich 11,047]

Early 80s CDs were tough and had that smooth top and bottom.

[Holko 12,021]

Broken and cracked cases are the greatest evils here since they can damage the actual disc. Getting the liner notes out is a great hassle, the front page always gets stuck down, then it either crumples from you trying to peel it up or it bumps into the bits holding it in and gets destroyed.

[Jill Sandwich 11,047]

My 2-CD 1986 CD set of The Phantom of the Opera has succumbed to terrible CD rot. I'll post some pics later.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,209]

Its not the most user friendly package. But of course LP sleeves were worse

[A24 5,123]

Accidental dropping a CD jewel case often led to broken pins. I hated that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,209]

I'm surprised they never made CD cases out of more flexible plastic. Maybe the softners aren't good for the discs?

[Holko 12,021]

The LotR CR's rubber nub!

[Jill Sandwich 11,047]

3 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

I'm surprised they never made CD cases out of more flexible plastic. Maybe the softners aren't good for the discs?

 

I've heard even the paper and ink on the booklets aren't good for the discs.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,209]

That would surprise me, tbh. 

[A24 5,123]

I never had a failing disc and some of them are from the early days of CDs.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,209]

As far as i know only one disc i own has CD rot. Damien: Omen II. 

[Jurassic Shark 16,373]

It's a rotten score!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,209]

Soulless!

[Jill Sandwich 11,047]

The score's so evil, it destroyed the disc that housed it...

[Naïve Old Fart 12,908]

4 hours ago, Holko said:

The LotR CR's rubber nub!

Is that a yub nub?

[Jurassic Shark 16,373]

#FirstWorldProblems

[1977 2,106]

Also these new cardboard sleeves that scratch the discs on removal. My Hobbit AUJ SE got scratched after just one usage, and I was super careful when removing and reinserting the discs. Who thought that was a good idea?

[Jurassic Shark 16,373]

Probably the composer, cause he wanted to sell more albums.

[johnmillions 160]

Getting a brand new CD should be fun. But the plastic case had a vise-like grip on the CD!

 

I obviously don't want to open the shrink wrap to find that the CD is loose inside the case (although this has happened to me a number of times), but I don't want to feel like I'm breaking the disc in order to get it out... 

 

Anyone know any tricks? There are many unhelpful videos about this on the internet.  

[QuartalHarmony 992]

Standard CD ‘jewel cases’ were never great, but they definitely got worse as the manufacturers skimped on the plastic and they got flimsier and weaker.

 

In the 2000s, there was a ‘super jewel box’ design that was a vast improvement, but CDs were already starting to die out as a format so they never really took off. The hinges in particular were much sturdier and there were no spindle teeth to break:

They also had space for a label on the top side, for easy browsing in racks:

 

[Jurassic Shark 16,373]

58 minutes ago, QuartalHarmony said:

super jewel box

 

This was the default SACD case, and is still used for some SACDs.

[GerateWohl 6,473]

i could add one point to the list on top. If the CD has very thick bold booklets taking them out once from the case might work, but latest when you try to put it back again into the case the edges of the booklet tear in places. With time the booklet gets more and more damaged, so you think twice before you take it out and read it.

[Sophie 101]

Yes, god, cases are the bane of my collection. I have two kids, and they keep getting knocked off my cd rack. Half of them have cracks.

[Jurassic Shark 16,373]

Shelves with doors is the thing. 

[Jill Sandwich 11,047]

[aj_vader 729]

1 hour ago, GerateWohl said:

i could add one point to the list on top. If the CD has very thick bold booklets taking them out once from the case might work, but latest when you try to put it back again into the case the edges of the booklet tear in places. With time the booklet gets more and more damaged, so you think twice before you take it out and read it.

I've not taken them out sometimes just for this reason, so dissapointing. 

[A24 5,123]

For what it's worth, this is much worse than a plastic jewel case:

 

 

You have to slide the CD out of the carton sleeve, and each time you do that, it scratches the CD. 

[Holko 12,021]

...or you push the edges in slightly to make the sides bulge out

[Jill Sandwich 11,047]

The worst I've encountered is Varese's NOES boxset, where each disc was housed inside a plastic sleeve, which was itself housed inside a cardboard sleeve. Those plastic sleeves are terrible for leaving abrasions on the disc surface, but the cardboard is relatively harmless. So I reckon if you have this set, or another set with this similar cover arrangement, ditch those plastic sleeves and just leave the discs inside the cardboard.

[A24 5,123]

8 minutes ago, Holko said:

...or you push the edges in slightly to make the sides bulge out

 

Tried that but it doesn't work. You actually have to use your fingers to pull out the CD, so it's full with fingerprints as well. 

[Holko 12,021]

Touch the other side then. Use the hole instead of grabbing both sides.

[Jurassic Shark 16,373]

1 hour ago, A24 said:

 

Tried that but it doesn't work. You actually have to use your fingers to pull out the CD, so it's full with fingerprints as well. 

 

I'd wash my hands first. 

 

[Jill Sandwich 11,047]

He has city hands.

[1977 2,106]

3 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

i could add one point to the list on top. If the CD has very thick bold booklets taking them out once from the case might work, but latest when you try to put it back again into the case the edges of the booklet tear in places. With time the booklet gets more and more damaged, so you think twice before you take it out and read it.

 

Also I have a number of older CDs where the thick booklets have actually gotten worn on the front due to the pressure applied to the inside front of the plastic. It is most apparent on inserts that have prominent black artwork such as the Star Wars Trilogy SEs. Even the inside plastic gets dull scuff marks from this. 

[Jurassic Shark 16,373]

And people say CD collecting is an easy hobby...

[Jill Sandwich 11,047]

21 minutes ago, 1977 said:

 

Also I have a number of older CDs where the thick booklets have actually gotten worn on the front due to the pressure applied to the inside front of the plastic. It is most apparent on inserts that have prominent black artwork such as the Star Wars Trilogy SEs. Even the inside plastic gets dull scuff marks from this. 

 

That's just the charming patina of distressed jewel cases and booklets.

[johnmillions 160]

5 hours ago, A24 said:

For what it's worth, this is much worse than a plastic jewel case:

 

 

You have to slide the CD out of the carton sleeve, and each time you do that, it scratches the CD. 

 

 

I bought this set recently and could NOT get the discs out of the cardboard sleeves. I thought that I was going to have to cut the sleeves open!

 

Once I finally got them out, I decided that I couldn't go through the whole process again every time that I wanted to play them. So I'm storing the discs in an extra plastic case that I had instead.

 

I'm keeping the original packaging, so this solution annoyingly takes up twice as much shelf space. 

[Marian Schedenig 11,611]

15 hours ago, QuartalHarmony said:

In the 2000s, there was a ‘super jewel box’ design that was a vast improvement, but CDs were already starting to die out as a format so they never really took off. The hinges in particular were much sturdier and there were no spindle teeth to break:

 

But the overall design of the case is overly complex and the rear cover with its multiple side labels has such a weird shape and is much harder to copy (if you're inclined to do so).

[QuartalHarmony 992]

Those are not issues that cause me any problems, plus I’ve never broken any part of a Super Jewel Case which makes them a clear winner in my book.

[Xander Harris 9,577]

Someone should have just made a standard size unbreakable and scratch-proof Jewel Case that can replace your old ones. Maybe there's still time since Physical Media is having a comeback.

[QuartalHarmony 992]

1 minute ago, Xander Harris said:

Someone should have just made a standard size unbreakable and scratch-proof Jewel Case that can replace your old ones.

Of course, it sounds so simple when you put it like that.

 

What material would you suggest in the ‘unbreakable and scratch proof’ category? Titanium? Diamond?

[Xander Harris 9,577]

Transparent Aluminum

[Andy 7,565]

[Marian Schedenig 11,611]

31 minutes ago, QuartalHarmony said:

Those are not issues that cause me any problems, plus I’ve never broken any part of a Super Jewel Case which makes them a clear winner in my book.

 

I also think they look ugly on the shelf, because the spine labels don't span the full spine vertically, and the back cover looks even more ugly due to the cutouts for the hinges. Plus they're too tall for a standard CD sized shelf.

[Xander Harris 9,577]

The Super Case has that year 2000 aesthetic.

[QuartalHarmony 992]

3 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

Plus they're too tall for a standard CD sized shelf.

They’re precisely the same height as a regular jewel case.

[Mr. Hooper 8,686]

I always breathe a sigh of relief when my jewel cases arrive unscathed from LLL.

[A24 5,123]

You can always swap it with the jewel case from a CD that you don't like but still looks mint.

[Mr. Hooper 8,686]

I have an unusual approach to score collecting: I like everything I buy. So, no spare cases for me.