More reports-How many corrupted CD-R's with time?

Ketchup: What makes you say that labels on CD-R's will compromise lifespan? Or soft sleeves? What could merely touching the polycarbonate do to deteriorate the burned layer inside? BTW, as I recall Mitsui promises >100yrs. for their Gold disks.

Zaiksman,
Your comments have made me realize that I was not completely clear in my earlier post. I don't believe that the sleeve itself that can damage the cd but the dust and dirt that gets in the sleeve. Dust and dirt also gets in jewel cases but because the cd never touches the case there isn't a possibility of scuffing the cd.

As for the stick on labels that can be put on cds, I have only heard of other accounts of labels "lifting" or crinkling over time and pulling the reflective layer off of the top of the cd. This is arguably the most important layer to protect. The bottom of the cd can take light scratches, but if the reflective surface gets scratched or damaged (like from old, dried out wrinkly labels) the cd is pretty much done. As I said earlier, I have never seen this first hand but that's because I have never put a stick on label onto one of my cds! I was also turned off by labels because I thought they could very easily imbalance the disc if not put on perfectly centered which is very possible.

Ketchup: The only reflective layer in a CD or CD-R is sandwiched between the two layers of clear polycarbonate which protect it. I have peeled just-applied labels back off disks, and it doesn't damage anything except the label. Scratches to the polycarbonate itself can be polished out if need be, but I get your point about dirty jewel boxes being better than dirty sleeves, if dirty at all one must be (a label should actually be protective from scatches, but since that's not on the data side of the disk it doesn't matter either way). I've never had a label on a disk get "wrinkled" over time, but very occasionally one will be discovered to have developed an air bubble or two underneath, which so far have always smoothed-out easily and not recurred. As for imbalance, I doubt this is really a problem; I've certainly never noticed a change in sound after labelling a disk, while the die-cut labels ought to be no more irregular than the disks themselves, only much lower in mass, and using the label-applicator jig provided with any labelling kit ensures perfectly concentric placement. I can't imagine how you get along just writing something tiny at the center hub -- I'd go nuts not being able to identify my disks at a glance while on the road! But I have to admit, making an aesthetically appealing label can sometimes be more time-consuming than making the recording itself...

Just in case any body is following this with any of the interest I am that the onn line mag audioreveloution.com that a checmist caim out with claim that magentic tape if not overplayed can saty in an archival state for 30-100 years.Claimed that a failure after 5 years of CD-R's would not be uncommon.So thought old mid 80's tech that Sony had that gave 16/44 on VHS tape may have been optimal.If anybody knows of data back devices fopr comecial ap's come to micd and would fit the bill let me know.Am really bummed that as was another person here who archived his vast cassestte collection but gave away originals has had problems after 5 years.I also think all these folsk who have hard disc loaded Ipods are going tom have all that .99 cent dowload money go down the tubes because eventually the bearings will go (or another problem will develope)in any hard drive if played enough.I think that some folks expecting CD peformance after the first corrosion problems were worked out and CD's have been if trreated gingerly (perfect".Many folks a few years down the line could have theoretically $10K worth of songs go down the tubes.Look LP's degraded after times (that's why I use LAST perservative.An independent source (from LAST ) Mike head tech at VPI told me that he could have an LP brought to him at a show and if treated with LAST preservative it sounded like it had half a dozen playes not the hundreds the owners claimed.Has worked fine for me an does retard wear.Well ahes top shes dust to dust is what most of us come to terms with just preferring it comes latter than sooner.
Chazz

Interesting article concerning this subject on enjoythemusic.com under: Boston Audio Society/CD-R Errors--A Worrisome Trend. Actually kind of scary....worth a scan.