Do CD-R's sound the same as originals

I have mastered over 2000 hours of live music in either the analog domain or digital. Since 1989, I have been exclusively recording digitally to DAT. Of course I would have rather used analog equipment, however, because all of my recordings are done on location I have to use the best possible portable gear, which has included very expensive mics, Neuman, B&K, Schoeps and AKG. I have also used the following DATs, Panasonic SV250 and 255, Sony D10 pro II and PCM 2600. I always use an outboard mic pre-amp, Aerco MP2, Lunatec, Byer, Schoeps ect. Also, I have used many A/D's, Sony's SBM, Apogee's AD 500 and 1000, ect. Why I am stating this is that I believe I have a good idea how the mastered DAT sounds. For archival purposes I have DAT back ups and recently CDR's. I can detect generational loss from DAT's. It comes across as a thinning of the sound, ect. On CDR, which I use a Marantz CDR 630, I haven't noticed a significant loss, at least not large enough to become dogmatic in my views. In summary, if you have the original, hey, play it and enjoy it. It should sound as good as it is. If you are making a copy for back up, well, that is why you are copying it, for back up. Buy original when possible and support the artists. However, at times a copy is all we have to listen to.

For archival purposes we need to strive for perfect copies using any media. That is without a question the audio holy grail! My question to all these posters is, "What are you copying and why?" As I have posted, I copy to archive my vast collection of self mastered concerts and for the cost of media and hardware, as well as storage factors, digital storage appears to me to be the best media. If one is looking to copy their friends CD of "whatever", and they are not satisfied with the clone, well, go buy the original and be happy. If you are archiving your lp collection and your not satisfied with digital, well buy a reel to reel and be happy. If you are doing as I am doing and your not happy with analog or digital, well, involve your self in engineering and come up with something better. Or, voice your opinion with some ideas for action. I think what irks me is damnation without a valid alternative. Okay, your not happy with cloning or recording to digital. What is your alternative? It is easy to be critical. Hey, anyone can be a critic. How about some solutions or alternatives.

Carl, you have valid points which are not made any more valid by your cheap shots. Please keep to the task at hand. Which is effectively communicating your point and not straying into the arena of off task insults. I have had debates with you in the past. Sometimes we have agreed and other times we have disagreed. That is okay. I respect opinions other than my own. It helps me color outside the lines. Gravity is not going to stop because someone disagrees with me. Everyone has reasonable issues here and these questions need to be raised whether or not we understand or agree with them. Consider this part of the educational curve. BTW, incase you missed my above posts, I generally agree with the statement that there are differences. Why.... well, that is what this debate is for. Also, I would be really interested in the information you have gathered from some of the above sources you mentioned. Yes, I could maybe contact them, if they would give me the time. However, if you have already built the wheel.... Also, is the research validated with testing or is it subjective? Not that I don't trust subjective testing, I do. That is how I finalize my buying chioces. It is "what sounds good to me" that counts.

Carl, earlier I asked if you could share some of the information you have gathered from the experts you mentioned. I am interested on what they had to say and why. Could you share this with me and others? Can you support this with direct statements from the "experts", via objective and subject test they have concluded. I am re-posting this because you seemed to miss this is my above post. Thanks!

Carl, as I posted earlier I thought that if you had the information you could pass it on. Sorry I upset you with this simple request. Believe me, I am not asking you to act as a middle man. As a matter of fact I could care less if they said it was great or if they said it was bad. I trust my ears and after nearly 20 years or recording semi-professionally, logging over 2000 of live recordings, using state of the art equipment, I consder myself a good judge of transfer equipment. I use "master" tapes recorded in a ORTF/110 degree fashion to reference from and not multi-mic'd "pop" albums recorded by who knows who. The people I know, that are in the "know" would agree that something is going on and that there is a generational loss, as I posted earlier. What I was looking for from you is a friendly exchange of information. Obiviously, information is being exchanged here but it is certainly, at this point, meaningless and unfriendly.

Carl, I was not attempting to hurt your feelings. I was just stating the facts and if your feeling were hurt by it, well, that is all about you and not me. In general terms, "I could care less". However, I try to keep an open mind and I was interested in other people's finding that are "experts". Anyway, never mind!