I'm burning audio CDs for the first time using Verbatim 700 MB CD-R discs and CDBurnerXP. I've tried FLAC, WAV, and MP3 source files and selected the Audio CD option. In my recently refurbished 2003 Honda Civic, the first 10 tracks repeatedly pause and resume, while the rest play normally. The car stereo plays commercial CDs without problems, and my computer reads the burned discs correctly. What could be causing this, and how can I make the discs play reliably in the car?
3 Answers
Try lowering the burn speed instead of letting the software use 24x. Something around 4x to 8x, or the slowest reliable option your drive supports, often produces discs that older car players read more consistently. The speed rating printed on the disc is only its maximum supported speed, not necessarily the best speed for your stereo.
For maximum compatibility, burn a standard Red Book audio CD to regular CD-R media. Avoid multisession discs and rewritable media, and let the program close or finalize the disc. Since your computer reads it correctly, the issue is probably the older stereo’s tolerance for the media or the burn quality rather than the music files themselves.
Older car stereos can be picky about the brand and type of blank disc. Make sure these are standard CD-Rs rather than CD-RWs, and try a different, more compatible brand if slowing the burn doesn’t help. The disc should also be finalized after burning.
They don’t seem to be rewritable, since the failed discs can’t be erased or written over. I’ll check the settings and try another brand if needed.
The software was automatically choosing 24x, and I assumed that was fine because the discs are rated up to 52x. I’ll try burning much more slowly.