detail information

Positive Points:

• Supports 24x P-CAV writing
• Supports 10x CLV re-writing
• Supports 40x CAV reading
• Fastest 24x recorder
• Supports 'Mount Rainier' format
• 8MB buffer
• SafeBurn Anti-Coaster Technology
• Nice design (purple/blue LED)
• Nice and complete package
• Good features:
  • Audio Master Quality Control
  • CD-RW Audio Track Editing Mode
  • Optimum Write Speed Control
• Good DAE speeds (40x)
• Good DAE quality
• Excellent read speed with CD-ReWriteable discs (up to 41x!)
• Excellent read speeds with copy-protected discs (using CloneCD)
• Supports UDMA 33
• Supports DAO-RAW writing
• Supports overburning (up to 94 minutes)
• Supports writing of 8cm discs
• Supports reading and writing of CD-Text
• Supports reading and writing of full SubChannel Data
• Supports CloneCD's 'Amplify Weak Sectors' option
• Could partially back-up SafeDisc v2.51.021

Negative Points:

• Reading of original data discs was not that good
• 'Correct EFM Encoding' not supported
• Cannot fully overburn (up to 99 minutes)
• Mount Rainier abilities need some tweaking
• Drive is rather noisy when reading and writing discs

Overall we can say the Yamaha CRW3200E is a good and decent drive. It's of course not the fastest drive around anymore since the first CRW3200E models were already produced last year but it does what it promises. The drive has great features which ensure a good quality back-up and supports, in our opinion, the most important features a drive should have like DAO-RAW writing, overburning, CD-Text, SubChannel Data reading, UDMA33, etc.

The Yamaha CRW3200E had some nice surprises for us, especially when reading certain copy-protections. It was the fastest SafeDisc (2) reader we've reviewed so far. Besides that it also works pretty well when copying this popular and common copy-protection. Without CloneCD's AWS function the drive could make a back-up that worked in the recorder itself. With AWS enabled the drive made perfect back-ups, working in every drive we tested (even in very picky drives like the Toshiba SD-M1502 and the TEAC CD-W540E).

The Yamaha CRW3200E read performance with CD-ReWriteable discs was also very good but the performance with original and CD-Recordable discs could have been a little better. The drive's seek times were pretty average. When reading audio (DAE) the drive could reach full (40x) speed without problems. The Yamaha's CD-MRW (Mt. Rainier) abilities caused some problems and definitely need some more tweaking via a firmware upgrade for instance.

Can this drive still compete with other (read: newer) models? Well if you're looking for a drive with great features (Audio Master Quality Control, SafeBurn, CD-RW Audio Track Editing Mode, etc.) and 24x is enough for you we'd say yes it can... However when you look at the drive's price ($104 on PriceWatch.com), this is a little high, perhaps even too high...